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