Beech Nut.
Kind of a frustrating day today, full of miscellaneous puzzles whose solutions proved vague and iffy. Sunnyish, coolish, breeyish. I thought about a bike ride, but I never made it out. I got one big puzzle solved, at least, toward the end of it.
Birch.
But it made the hour late by the time dog and I got out of the house. We took a quick tour of town before breezing down Route 17, past the raft of coots, and made our way to the darkening, empty Beech Hill parking lot. The sun had already set behind the Rockville Ridge by the time we headed up. Didn’t notice any birds for a while, until a robin gave out its tut-tut! alarm call. As we neared the top of the steep part of the trail, I caught sight of a little bird flitting in a thicket. Just enough light to make it out as a yellow-rump. It would turn out to be the only bird I saw—and could ID.
The light in the southwest sky glowed pinkish, purplish. Kind of an over-ripe peach color. At the summit I heard the notes of song sparrows coming from down the various slopes. And a solitary jay. Beech Nut sat quiet at the top, its windows reflecting the evening sky.
By the time we headed back down, the air temperature had grown cool enough for me to notice it in my fingers. Suddenly, a pair of little ducks zipped by ahead of us, visible only in silhouette—possibly buffleheads, or at least about that size. Their wings whistled faintly. I watched them dip down and take a bearing on Chickawaukie Lake, where I presume they would be spending the night.
Beech Nut.
Back at the road, I heard the single, repeated note of a mystery passerine coming from the wooded area by the gate. Not a robin, possibly a thrush. We stopped a minute so I could listen.
Tonight is cool and still. I’ve resisted putting the heat on, but I’m liable to surrender before too long.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American robin (voice)
2. Yellow-rumped warbler
3. Song sparrow (voice)
4. Blue jay (voice)
5. Duck (sp.)
Elsewhere
6. American crow
7. Black-capped chickadee
8. Herring gull
9. American coot
Tags: American coot, American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, herring gull, song sparrow, yellow-rumped warbler
