Beech Nut.
A warmish, partly cloudy day. Something about the temperature, the season, the phase of the moon, the day of the week—something had the little birds active. Out back this morning were chickadees, hairy woodpeckers, and white-breasted nuthatches. Crows and gulls about, of course, I didn’t get out much, though, because I spent most of the day writing. Fiction. Ha.
Birch.
But I did manage to get Jack’s attention late in the day, and the two of us scrambled up to Beech Hill for a hike.
Little birds up there, too. In fact, I simply stood around in the parking lot for a while and heard chickadees, brown creeper, a couple of hairy woodpecker (saw one of ’em), and a small flock of robins (saw them, too). Curiously, that was the extent of the bird activity while we were up there. A little human activity, and dog activity. Once I thought I heard a jay, and another time a crow, but I couldn’t be sure either time.
The sun was headed down in a hurry, it being the latter half of November. About the time we reached the summit, it appeared beneath a layer of clouds and poised there, glowing orange. Its reflection against Beech Nut’s south-facing windows made it look like someone had built a warm fire inside. The hills lay blue and misty to the west. The bay spread gray and dimming to the east. A little breeze—but a warm breeze, considering the season.
Sunset.
Tonight, a hazy cloud-cover is blurring Jupiter, just now heading down behind the nearly naked oaks. It feels positively mild, and smells fragrant.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:45 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-capped chickadee (voice)
2. Hairy woodpecker
3. Brown creeper (voice)
4. American robin
Elsewhere
5. American crow
6. White-breasted nuthatch
7. Herring gull
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, white-breasted nuthatch
