Eastern phoebe at Beech Nut.
I wish I hadn’t slept a little late this morning, because it was a glorious morning, and I could’ve lingered longer on the hill. Cool (60s (F)), cloudless, dry (for a change), and with a stout west breeze.
Common yellowthroat.
I heard the usual birds along the wooded trail at the outset, their voices tending toward alarm notes as opposed to songs. Time flies, after all, and many (most?) nests have already served their purpose by sending young feathered flying things out into the lush, green world. And the parents’ instincts are to feign and fool and lure away from their wide-eyed, fledgling young. Works pretty well, too.
Towhees do it. Yellowthroats and savannah sparrows have been doing it for weeks. Yesterday, an adult field sparrow sure got my attention. The hill’s alder flycatchers sing what I think of as their wet wheat! song—right up until dog and I appear, when they begin their subtle peep! calls. Sounding the alarm.
Cedar waxwing.
Waxwing nests, wherever they are, have apparently proved successful. Again this morning I watched dozens of the birds in the air at the summit, fluttering and soaring and diving and veering—acting rather like swallows. I imagine it as sort of a Student Driving School for youngsters of the species. Honestly, they were everywhere.
And coming down the open trail, I heard the voice of a distant angry crow—then saw it in the sky toward Ragged Mountain. It was hollering at a hawk. The hawk was too distant to identify. Probably a red-tail. Or a harrier.
Only four sparrows today. No singing white-throat anywhere on the hill while I was there. But three thrushes (veery and hermit thrush and robin). And the three usual flycatchers.
Perhaps the most intriguing sighting was the comely phoebe sitting on the rock porch wall at Beech Nut, seemingly just enjoying the lovely day.
Savannah sparrow.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:30 a.m., I walked all trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo
2. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
3. Eastern towhee
4. Common yellowthroat
5. Chestnut-sided warbler (voice)
6. White-breasted nuthatch
7. American crow
8. Gray catbird
9. Cedar waxwing
10. American goldfinch (voice)
11. American robin (voice)
12. Veery (voice)
13. Alder flycatcher
14. Song sparrow
15. Northern flicker
16. Mourning dove
17. Eastern phoebe
18. Field sparrow (voice)
19. Savannah sparrow
20. Unidentified raptor
21. Chipping sparrow (voice)
22. Eastern wood-pewee (voice)
23. Hermit thrush (voice)
Elsewhere
24. Tufted titmouse
25. House sparrow
26. Northern cardinal
27. Herring gull
Miniatures.
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American robin, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, field sparrow, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, red-eyed vireo, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, white-breasted nuthatch
