August 21st - Beare Hill revisited

[Shortsighted]

 Yesterday was mostly overcast, much like my disposition, but this morning the sky was crystalline, at least until the puffy whites materialized.  I returned to Beare Hill and Amos Pond starting at 7:00 a.m.  For the first ten minutes on the hill I didn’t see any birds, nor did I hear any bird calls.  At a point about a third of the way up the hill there is a productive transition zone between open field and clusters of trees and that is where I heard the first faint bird sounds.
 
 
 First to appear was a juvenile Common yellowthroat that had caught a grub. It seemed surprised to see me and the feeling was mutual.  I remained absolutely still so that it wouldn’t be alarmed.  The tripping of a shutter burst was accepted by this warbler as worth investigating. I’ve noticed that several times.  Instead of spooking a bird the rapid shutter burst gets a bird’s attention and it freezes to listen further.
 
 
 Soon afterwards, a juvenile Nashville warbler showed-up.  I also saw a juvenile Magnolia warbler at about the same time, but it was too far away for my lens.  Two flycatchers appeared, both Least and juvenile Yellow-bellied (buff wing bars).  Also saw a male and female Baltimore oriole way up on the tree tops. 
 
 
 Other sightings included:  Field sparrow and juvenile Field sparrow, male and female Indigo buntings,  Warbling vireo,  House wren, several Eastern kingbirds,  a juvenile Blackpoll warbler,  and a Yellow warbler.
 
 
At the pond there were a few Wood ducks, a trio of juvenile Hooded merganser, a DC cormorant, Belted kingfisher, a Black-crowned night heron and a Spotted sandpiper.









Juvenile Common yellowthroat





Juvenile Field sparrow



Juvenile Yellow-bellied flycatcher



Juvenile Blackpoll warbler



Juvenile Nashville warbler



Female Indigo bunting



Molting male Indigo bunting




Spotted sandpiper