Southern horizon.
It rained overnight. I awoke very early, briefly, to the sound of rain—and the sweet song of a cardinal. An hour or two later, I rose to a brightening day. And within another couple hours, the high-rising summer sun had dried things almost completely. It would be a glorious day.
Clouds.
I worked for much of the glorious day—but with cycling on my mind. And by mid-afternoon, it was time. I asked Jack to guard the house and took off. Within an hour, hour-and-a-half, I’d gone eighteen miles, had picked up the mail in Rockland, had cruised through a busy downtown Camden, and had heard or seen (mostly heard) a ton of birds.
I enjoy cycling for the speed and exertion, the hard work of a good climb, the mad dash down a long hill, the feeling of the wind in my ears. But I’m always, it seems, doing a little birding. On today’s ride, I tallied a ton of birds—nearly as many species as I typically list on my daily Beech Hill hike. There were a number of chipping sparrows singing. There were roadside crows. There was a blue jay near perhaps the busiest intersection in the county. A young starling. Song sparrows and robins and redstarts. Coming back along upper Bay View Street in Camden, where the rich folks live and the trees are tall, I heard both a hermit thrush and a veery singing at once. Also a black-throated green warbler. And a northern parula.
And I know I’m forgetting something.
Leaf.
Afterward, I grabbed Jack and we went and hiked all the trails at blustery Beech Hill. The oddest part about it—being such a lovely Saturday late-afternoon—was that we didn’t see another soul, dog or human, on any of the trails. Didn’t see many birds, either, but that’s because they lay low at this time of year. However, I was pleased to see a lovely green landscape, a cloud-studded blue sky, wood lilies, butterflies, and greening blackberries. I was also followed clear up the hill by a particularly persistent deer fly. Nearing the summit, I felt it bite me on the arm and ended its pesky career. (Not that I’m particularly proud of it.)
Tonight has stars and fireflies. And the smell of smoke from a backyard fire somewhere nearby. And cooler, calmer air. I love it here on the 44th parallel.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., I hiked all trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo (voice)
2. Ovenbird (voice)
3. Rose-breasted grosbeak (voice)
4. American redstart (voice)
5. Eastern towhee
6. American crow
7. Chestnut-sided warbler
8. Common yellowthroat
9. Veery (voice)
10. Black-capped chickadee
11. Northern flicker
12. Cedar waxwing (voice)
13. Gray catbird
14. American robin (voice)
15. Mourning dove (voice)
16. Eastern phoebe
17. Savannah sparrow
18. Yellow warbler (voice)
19. Song sparrow (voice)
20. Alder flycatcher (voice)
21. Hermit thrush (voice)
22. Common raven (voice)
23. Black-throated green warbler (voice)
Elsewhere
24. Northern cardinal
25. House finch
26. Tufted titmouse
27. Herring gull
28. European starling
29. Blue jay
30. House sparrow
31. Chipping sparrow
32. Northern parula
Savannah sparrow.
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American redstart, American robin, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, common raven, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, northern parula, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, rose-breasted grosbeak, savannah sparrow, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, yellow warbler
