Beech Nut.
I awoke to the strident honks of a car alarm at 4 a.m. Soon got back to sleep—and then awoke again a few hours later to the gentle beeps of a white-breasted nuthatch. Sun splashed against the blinds, and my first look at the thermometer showed 50 degrees (F). Only seemed a little breezy, though.
Dog on the trail.
It being a September Saturday, I had college football on my mind. [Yes, I’m a big-time fan of the Texas Longhorns, team of my alma mater. Uncharacteristic of me? Perhaps. But I’ll likely blog about this another day.] So I wanted to get my sweet routines out of the way in plenty of time to watch a certain game. First came an 18-mile bike ride up and down Route 1. Not as much wind to contend with as yesterday. Not quite as chilly. And many more birds.
It might sound crazy to be birding while cycling, but I can’t help it—I notice birds wherever I am, it seems. Force of habit. Today I saw the usual herring gulls, heard blue jays, passed a little group of house sparrows flitting near the curb, saw plenty of crows here and there. Coming north through the relatively straight, relatively wooded stretch in Rockport, I caught sight of a large raptor soaring high in the achingly blue sky. I watched it for a couple minutes—all the while also paying attention to traffic, of course—before I felt safe in calling it an osprey. (All else it could’ve been was an eagle, but its wings had an osprey’s telltale curvy M-shape to them.) And not very long after, I spotted three turkey vultures circling overhead. I took good looks at them also, having seen a black vulture up here one day.
Birch.
I also heard, returning through the back-road residential areas of Camden, chickadees, goldfinches, and a catbird. Not my biggest list of biking birds—not by far—but a fairly impressive number for this time of year.
And a stark contrast to the slim pickings at Beech Hill this afternoon. Of course mid-afternoon isn’t the best time to go birding anywhere, but I hadn’t counted a single bird until—much like yesterday, come to think of it—I came upon a savannah sparrow at the fields about three-quarters of the way up. First heard its chip, then saw it flit low across the trail in front of dog and me and dip into the grass. I was sure that’d be it today until we got nearly back to the parking lot when I heard, in quick succession, the chip not of a cardinal on the queedle! of a jay.
Back home, I nearly stepped on a hickory tussock caterpillar curled up on a dead leaf in the middle of my deck. You’re not supposed to play with hickory tussuck caterpillars, so I hear.) Crows were playing quietly in the foliage of the trees out back.
Then I watched a football game. The good guys won.
Hickory tussock caterpillar.
Tonight, a minute ago, I walked out and looked up, thinking I might see Jupiter again, and saw only a dark gray sky. Clouds must’ve moved through after dark. And there’s a nip in the air. Which I suppose is only natural, considering autumn is impending.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Savannah sparrow
2. Northern cardinal (voice)
3. Blue jay (voice)
Elsewhere
4. White-breasted nuthatch
5. American crow
6. Herring gull
7. House sparrow
8. Osprey
9. Turkey vulture
10. Black-capped chickadee
11. American goldfinch
12. Gray catbird
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, gray catbird, herring gull, house sparrow, northern cardinal, osprey, savannah sparrow, turkey vulture, white-breasted nuthatch
