American kestrel.
The crows have gone relatively quiet lately. I’m guessing that’s because they’ve begun pairing up and gettin’ busy. Another clue: I watched a crow chase after a kestrel above the summit of Beech Hill today. The kestrel didn’t seem much alarmed, whereas the crow was flapping madly along, not getting very close. It was a silent chase. The little falcon finally veered away across a wide blueberry field and perched on the tip of a small tree. The crow turned and flew back to where it came from. Gettin’ busy.
Crown chasing kestrel.
A busy ol’ Monday for me, too, but I snuck a bike ride in. More cowbirds around, roadside robins, starlings in town.
My hike with Jack proved mostly quiet. Phoebe at the trailhead, a goldfinch flying overhead, a flicker down in a wooded valley. Finally, coming back along the lower trail, a noteworthy sighting. Heard it first—two loud, familiar notes of alarm (quay! quay!)—then caught sight of my first-of-year hermit thrush flitting off into the trees.
After dark, I heard the flight song of a woodcock above the moan of foghorns. A slight, sweet sound at the end of the day.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Eastern phoebe*
2. Herring gull*
3. American robin*
4. Black-capped chickadee*
5. Northern flicker
6. American crow*
7. American kestrel
8. Hermit thrush**
9. Hairy woodpecker (voice)
10. American goldfinch*
Elsewhere
11. Tufted titmouse
12. Northern cardinal
13. Mourning dove
14. Brown-headed cowbird
15. Song sparrow
16. House finch
17. House sparrow
18. European starling
19. Osprey
20. Rock pigeon
21. Common loon
22. American woodcock
*Also elsewhere (new clarifying footnote)
**First-of-year bird.
Beech Nut.
Tags: American crow, American goldfinch, American kestrel, American robin, American woodcock, black-capped chickadee, brown-headed cowbird, common loon, eastern phoebe, European starling, hairy woodpecker, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, house sparrow, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, osprey, rock pigeon, song sparrow, tufted titmouse
