Mt. Tom Morning Walk

The rain had been forecast to hold off until 11 a.m. or so, but it had already begun well before I left for the mountain at around 6:30 a.m. I got to the mountain’s West Entrance early and was surprised to have Janice (or anyone!) pull up. We waited till about 7:40 a.m. and began the walk up the reservation road. We relied on Janice’s ears and used Merlin for supplementary “ears," but Merlin has trouble with ambient noise (e.g., rain), especially for faint/distant calls, so, at times we (especially Janice) were outperforming it.

All in all, our 20 species were respectable—a Pileated Woodpecker fairly early on, along with an Eastern Kingbird and a Great Crested Flycatcher. We meandered about up to about half the usual distance. We had fun, but it wasn’t fun. (I think Janice said it was the first time she’d birded while holding an umbrella.) Not until we had thrown in the (soaked) towel and begun down the hill did we get the Worm-eating Warbler that this particular ABC walk is justly famous for. In the nick of time, and below the usual altitude, we get them at. Also very late in the walk we heard American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow and Baltimore Oriole.

This walk contrasted with last year’s in that last year, it began with rain pouring down, but by the time we got through the early part of the walk, it had cleared enough that we could actually see down into the Valley at the lookout. This year, there was no chance; it got worse as the walk wore on. No photos last year, no photos this year.

We earned our 20 species, and we had fun despite the conditions, because, why? Because we were birding, that’s why.  Click below to view complete list.