Red-eyed vireo.
Getting ready for a week out on Monhegan Island—a magical place during fall migration—beginning tomorrow, I didn’t make it to Beech Hill until just about the worst time of day for birding. Midday. Jack and I hit the trail at shortly after 1 p.m., and on a steamy, warm (not to say hot) day. However, coming up through the shady, breezy wooded trail, we came upon a diffuse band of wood warblers and vireos and chickadees. So many birds I didn’t know quite which tiny, silent flitting shape to train my field glasses on. All I could identify were chickadees and red-eyed vireos.
Sumac.
Not many birds were calling—towhees, catbirds, and blue jays, mostly—but a number were moving silently among the suddenly turning leaves. New mushrooms lined the wooded trails. Emerging into the open trail, though, we came upon not much besides a hot sun and a fickle breeze and plenty of sails out in the bay.
Returning down the lower wooded trail, we finally reached a place of activity: a blackberry thicket being combed over by various warblers. The high-pitched chip of a black-throated blue [pretty sure this was the unidentified bird from yesterday], the silence of a magnolia warbler, the telltale chip! of a yellow-rump. To shy and secretive for decent photos, turned out (although I thought I had a couple good ones lined up). But I got a great look at the last few wood-warblers.
We were a little relieved to get home to shade and water, Jack and I, where I was left with visions of shy, secretive warblers.
Looking forward to Monhegan tomorrow.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 1:15 p.m., I hiked all trails.
1. White-throated sparrow
2. Black-capped chickadee
3. Blue jay
4. Eastern towhee (voice)
5. Gray catbird (voice)
6. Savannah sparrow
7. Common yellowthroat (voice)
8. American crow
9. Red-eyed vireo
10. Black-throated blue warbler
11. Magnolia warbler
12. Yellow-rumped warbler
Elsewhere
13. White-breasted nuthatch
14. Herring gull
15. Rock pigeon
17. Northern cardinal
Mushrooms.
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, black-throated blue warbler, blue jay, common yellowthroat, eastern towhee, gray catbird, herring gull, magnolia warbler, northern cardinal, red-eyed vireo, rock pigeon, savannah sparrow, white-breasted nuthatch, white-throated sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
