Sailing.
Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about. This day, from start to end, was one of those gloriously lazy summer days when the sun is warm, the air is fragrant, and the breeze is insistent. A lounge-on-the-beach kind of day. A day for sailing.
Beech Nut.
But for me it commenced much as yesterday did: work through the middle part, a long, vigorous bike ride (in a blustery south wind), and a nice hike with Jack. Add to that mowing the lawn, and mine turned out not to be such a lazy day—but a rich, full one nonetheless. All except for the birding part.
Oh, there were the usual guys hanging around my place. Crows were active (escorting young ones around, I figure), and the ever-present house finch, and the ovenbird, and a titmouse. Catbird and redstart across the road. But this late-afternoon at Beech Hill—not so much going on. You can’t keep a red-eyed vireo down in summer, and they were dependable. Crows were active up there, too. I heard veeries and waxwings and catbirds and towhees. But no yellow warbler. No redstart on the hill. No savannah sparrow at the summit, even. Just a wondrous view of a blue bay dotted by white sails.
(Herring gulls were sailing around also.)
Back home, I did hear a black-throated green warbler out back. And more titmice. The resident cardinal. A veery and a catbird across the way.
Tonight—a fuller moon amid the stars, a cool, lovely breeze, and a few fireflies up in the dark trees, sailing.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo (voice)
2. American crow (voice)
3. Common yellowthroat (voice)
4. American goldfinch (voice)
5. Chestnut-sided warbler (voice)
6. Veery (voice)
7. Cedar waxwing
8. Gray catbird (voice)
9. Eastern towhee (voice)
10. Song sparrow (voice)
11. Mourning dove
12. Eastern phoebe
13. Herring gull
14. Ovenbird (voice)
15. Hermit thrush (voice)
16. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
Elsewhere
17. Northern cardinal
18. House finch
19. American redstart
20. Chipping sparrow
21. European starling
22. Rock pigeon
23. Chipping sparrow
24. American robin
25. Tufted titmouse
26. Black-throated green warbler
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, European starling, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern cardinal, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, rock pigeon, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery
