Last light of the afternoon

I took a late afternoon walk to put the day behind me (both cars were in the shop today... don't ask). The sun was already below the horizon, but still illuminating treetops in the east, so I headed down the path into the woods.

I disturbed the settling birds left and right, identifiable by their calls only. The air was pleasant and cool, the sounds of the river were almost enough to cover the sounds of the highway a half mile distant.

The rhythm of the river and the woods, with the birds and squirrels settling for the night, the chill of late fall and the dampness from recent rain put me in a quieter mood. Feels like it's time to take a break from days ordered by the clock and pitch a tent somewhere. I wonder what the weather will be like on Saturday.

Walking back across the cornfield I paused to admire the waxing moon high in the east. The spot where I stood will be under snow before long, but for the optimist it will be only five months before the Woodcock returns to this corner of the cornfield to perform his plummeting, spiralling, twittering display flight.

Birds out there in the dusk:

American Robin, Turdus migratorius (seen)

Black-capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapilla (heard)

White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis (seen)

Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens (heard)
Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata (heard)

photos from top to bottom: Home in the late afternoon, Roaring Brook at dusk, Shagbark Hickory (Carya alba), Moon over the cornfield

Well, an experiment here, let's see how a little video does. Taken from the same spot as the still photo above, right where Roaring Brook enters the Willimantic River. Very low light, hence quite grainy.

Sunday morning, October 25th.

I was out for two hours this morning, and worked very hard :-) for a small list of birds. The air was fresh and the sky was bright after yesterday's south wind and heavy rain. Between the sounds of the wind in the tall white pines and the water rushing down Roaring Brook, I probably missed hearing some of the smaller bird noises, but it was a beautiful morning to be out birding.
Birders: Sue alone, Jorge is home in Montevideo, voting today!

Birds around the house and barn:
Turkey Vulture, low over the barn - where else!
Cooper's Hawk and
American Crow were alternately pursuing each other high over the yard
Song Sparrow, at the edge of the cornfield nearest the barn
Carolina Wren (heard only) in the bushes below the barn, probably two
Tufted Titmouse (heard only) in the bushes along the butterfly path
Downy Woodpecker (heard only) in the tall dead trees near the barn

Birds near the river:
American Goldfinch, one flew across the river, perching high in the treetops
White-throated Sparrow, a large flock (20) foraging on the ground, making the typical chip note and singing also
Pine Warbler, high in a White Pine near the river, male and female
Blue Jay, many, going about their corvid business

Birds in the bushes near the railroad tracks:
Black-capped Chickadee, several
Northern Cardinal, a flash of red which then vanished into the brambles
Eastern Towhee, a female, calling with the typical "chwee?"
American Robin, a fairly pale individual, probably a female
Black-throated Blue Warbler, a beautiful male put in a surprise appearance, to my complete delight
Blue-headed Vireo, busily feeding in the small oaks, a beautiful little bird

Seventeen species in all, of which three were identified by ear only.

1. Cathartes aura

2. Accipiter cooperii

3. Picoides pubescens

4. Vireo solitarius

5. Cyanocitta cristata

6. Corvus brachyrhynchos

7. Baeolophus bicolor

8. Poecile atricapilla

9. Thryothorus lucovicianus

10. Turdus migratorius

11. Dendroica caerulescens
12. Dendroica pinus

13. Cardinalis cardinalis

14. Pipilo erythrophthalmus

15. Zonotrichia albicollis
16. Melospiza melodia

17. Carduelis tristis

A quiet beginning

Roaring Brook, running high and fast.

Monday afternoon was sunny and cool, perfect for a walk through the back woods, along Roaring Brook and down to the Willimantic River.

Euonymus alatus, fruit

Jorge, with Max and Sebastian, saw:

Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis, very high in the sky

Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens, was hammering high in a hickory tree, dropping nuts as it worked

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata, a few, feeding high in the canopy

American Robin, Turdus migratorius, a small flock
Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata
American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos

Sebastian on his favorite mossy log.