Early Morning Visit to Hancock Hill

Hancock Hill, Blue Hills Reservation, Milton, MA

I have to make it up Hancock Hill at least once a year. It is a bit of a climb but absolutely worth it. This time of year you are pretty much guaranteed to encounter prairie warblers, indigo buntings, and field sparrows, not to mention eastern towhee, which breed there. It is also a good opportunity to see great-crested flycatchers from above not below.

Field Sparrow

It was windy so ambient recording was out and the birds had some difficulty maintaining their perches on high branches so were a little less visible than my last visit. The indigo buntings in particular seemed very sensitive to my presence. The towhees, on the other hand, could have cared less.

Here is the video version. I couldn't catch the field sparrow singing (just chipping) but its ringing song is audible in the background throughout.