Red-eyed vireo.
It’s starting to seem like fall. I suppose that shouldn’t be odd, considering autumn begins—well, technically, tomorrow. But just the past two-three days I’ve begun to notice the ruddiness in the foliage, and the crazy angle of the newly yellowish sunlight, and the sudden dip in the early morning temperature. Arriving at Beech Hill this morning, I had half a thought that there might be some kind of songbird fallout, considering yesterday’s strong north wind. Sure enough, there was some interesting activity.
White-throated sparrow.
Along the lower trail, not a whole lot was going on. The usual birds were lurking in the undergrowth and offering up their subtle chips and notes and mews. Coming into the first sunny glade, more yellowthroats showed up. In fact, three of the species were perched in one small dead tree together and seemed just to be sitting there. Resting up. Soaking up the sun. While watching them, I saw a pileated woodpecker fly over in the blue sky, its white wing patches flashing.
Emerging into the last open stretch before the summit, dog and I stopped and I had to pay attention. A dozen little songbirds were flitting about in the sun-warmed greenery there. Yellow-rumps, vireos, a redstart, what appeared to be a parula and a yellow warbler. White-throated sparrows were sending their tseet! notes up from the woods around us. Chickadees in the periphery. I bet we stood there for fifteen minutes, but I didn’t get any outstanding photos. Still, I got to enjoy the thrill of a mini-fallout.
Not much else. No hawks. No grouse on the trail.
I have to say, though, that I’m liking seeing brown creepers just about every day along the lower wooded trail.
Common yellowthroat.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7 a.m., I hiked all trails.
1. White-throated sparrow
2. American crow
3. Black-capped chickadee
4. Eastern phoebe
5. Gray catbird
6. Blue jay (voice)
7. Eastern towhee
8. Yellow-rumped warbler
9. Pileated woodpecker
10. Veery
11. Northern flicker
12. Song sparrow
13. American goldfinch (voice)
14. White-breasted nuthatch (voice)
15. Common yellowthroat
16. Blue-headed vireo
17. Northern parula
18. Red-eyed vireo
19. American redstart
20. Yellow warbler
21. Mourning dove
22. Cedar waxwing
23. Brown creeper
24. Hairy woodpecker (voice)
Elsewhere
25. Tufted titmouse
26. Herring gull
American redstart's tail.
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, blue-headed vireo, brown creeper, Cedar waxwing, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, gray catbird, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, mourning dove, northern flicker, northern parula, pileated woodpecker, red-eyed vireo, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow warbler, yellow-rumped warbler
