Ruffed grouse.
Last night before bed, I stepped out to look at the stars and instead found myself watching a possum hurry across the parking lot and crash through the leaves up the black hill out back.
Eastern towhee (male).
This morning, I rose early enough for a quick hike up Beech Hill with dog before work. A lovely day, with mild temperatures and hardly any wind. The usual birds made an appearance—resident warblers, a grosbeak today, some towhees scratching about near the trail. I heard both a waxwing and a catbird, which have been relatively silent the past few days. Also a flicker.
The phoebe with the nest high in the eaves of Beech Nut was singing. The landscape was fair.
We returned down the lower wooded trail and heard the parula that’s been calling down there. Also the pewee. About half-way down, Jack and I both noticed a faint rustling of last fall’s leaves to our left, but no bird or animal was apparent. Still we slowed to scan the wooded slope. And then it happened. Something hurried toward us from behind, hissing and bleating and kicking up a small fountain of leaves. We stopped and turned quickly, and I saw right away it was a grouse, realized right away it was protecting its chicks, but got a little nervous right away—because it was heading straight for us, wings outspread, beak low and dangerous-looking.
I’ve come upon grouse in spring two or three times before but have never had one charge right at me like that.
Eastern towhee (female).
I cautioned Jack (who was as surprised as I) not to act, then at the last minute it veered away, crossed the path in front of us, and zig-zagged through the undergrowth emitting what sounded like a loud whine. Only then did I think to try for a photo, and we moved a little ways toward it along the trail, but the bird kept pretty well hidden. So we backtracked slowly—I took care not to step on any hatchlings—and waited for the grouse to return. Which it did, clucking rapidly in a soft but insistent way. About that time, I pushed the video button on my camera. The scene was a bit frantic, but also inspiring—as an animal’s instincts to protect its young always is.
In the wake of the excitement, I thought about the woodcock we flushed a couple days ago and the turkeys from yesterday. They, too, had chicks, I feel sure of it. Eggs are hatching all over the place.
In early afternoon, I took advantage of the glorious weather to head out cycling for a bit. Coming up Powerhouse Hill, with Clam Cove to my right, I caught sight of a buteo circling overhead. I slowed enough to get a good look at its underwing pattern—which included a pair of clear, well-defined wing “windows.” A red-shouldered hawk.
Evidence of three species.
Here at my place, the redstart’s still calling. The phoebes are watching their nest. I haven’t seen the nuthatches lately, but they get pretty sneaky at this time of year.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 7:45 a.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Ovenbird (voice)
2. Black-throated green warbler (voice)
3. Chestnut-sided warbler
4. Red-eyed vireo (voice)
5. Veery (voice)
6. Rose-breasted grosbeak (voice)
7. Common yellowthroat
8. American crow
9. Black-and-white warbler (voice)
10. American goldfinch (voice)
11. Eastern towhee
12. Alder flycatcher
13. American redstart (voice)
14. Cedar waxwing (voice)
15. Northern flicker (voice)
16. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
17. Yellow warbler (voice)
18. Song sparrow
19. Gray catbird (voice)
20. Eastern phoebe
21. Savannah sparrow
22. Northern parula (voice)
23. Eastern wood-pewee (voice)
24. Ruffed grouse
25. Blue jay (voice)
Elsewhere
26 House finch
27. House sparrow
28. Herring gull
29. Double-crested cormorant
30. Mourning dove
31. European starling
32. Red-shouldered hawk
33. Chipping sparrow
34. Red-winged blackbird
35. Northern cardinal
36. Rock pigeon
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, black-and-white warbler, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, blue jay, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, double-crested cormorant, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, eastern wood-pewee, European starling, gray catbird, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, northern parula, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, red-shouldered hawk, red-winged blackbird, rock pigeon, rose-breasted grosbeak, ruffed grouse, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, veery, yellow warbler
