Go Back
I like cemeteries. I don't find them creepy or depressing; in fact I find them oddly beautiful. There’s so much history to be discovered in cemeteries, whether it be from gorgeous centuries-old headstones or the modern stones engraved with QR codes leading to the stories of individuals’ lives. I realize that they are not designed for my enjoyment and that I must be as respectful as possible when visiting them, but I find that there’s typically more life in these places than one might expect.
Having recently visited one of the oldest cemeteries in my area, I found that the fauna was surprisingly abundant and extremely active. Squirrels, birds, bugs, and neighborhood dogs and cats were everywhere! What caught my attention in particular though was the birds of course. I’m currently taking an ornithology lecture and lab course so I already have a birding notebook set up, and I decided to take it with me to record what I observe.
It was a beautiful cloudy day and the temperature was nice and cool. The cemetery itself was pretty much empty which made it ideal to observe bird behavior. The first species I encountered, as well as the most abundant, was the house finch. These birdies were everywhere and weren’t afraid to make their presence known. I often saw them zooming overhead and singing their little hearts out in trees. The cemetery is home to hundreds of trees, many of which were massive and clearly over 100 years old, so it was the perfect place for songbirds like the house finch.
The second species I spotted, and one that was also quite abundant, was the mourning dove. I love these birds and their iconic songs. Maybe it’s their name or the doves’ association with peace, but to me they feel right at home in a cemetery. They really added to the sense of serenity within this graveyard. They were mostly spotted in groups of 2 or more and seemed a little shy when I tried to approach the trees they were perched on. They were still a joy to look at and listen to though!
A third and less abundant (but just as noisy) bird I encountered was the northern flicker. These birds are an enigma to me; they’re classified as woodpeckers but other than their propensity to peck at wood, much of their behavior is incredibly unwoodpecker-like. Firstly, they have a distinctive call that sounds like it would come from the beak of a bird of prey. In fact the only reason I was able to identify these critters was by using my Merlin ID app’s sound ID feature (I highly recommend Merlin ID!). Additionally, these birds typically forage for food on the ground instead of, well, pecking. Interestingly enough, however, the few times I saw these birds they were perched at the tops of trees, calling out over the vast cemetery.
I always enjoy looking at birds and the previous birds are no exception; however the highlight of my stroll through the cemetery were the birds of prey that I spotted; namely, a feisty American kestrel and a flighty red-tailed hawk. American kestrels hold a special place in my heart as I used to volunteer for an American kestrel conservation project, plus I just love how tiny they are! The red-tailed hawk has been the only bird of prey I have been able to consistently identify without needing to look at a guide, so these birds are also one of my favorites. I was fortunate enough to see an exciting interaction between the kestrel and the hawk. The itty bitty kestrel was viscously chasing after the enormous hawk, squawking and pecking at the giant. This is not the first time I’ve seen a bird chase off another bird multiple times its size, but it is the first time I’ve seen a kestrel do it. It makes me wonder if the kestrel was a momma and the hawk got a little too close to her chicks. It was incredible to see nonetheless!
Other than the birds, I enjoyed seeing other critters and looking at the beautiful headstones. Like stated before, this is one of the oldest cemeteries in my area so I was able to find headstones from the 1800s! Many of the stones appeared to be carved from sandstone and granite, and I even found some metal ones which I’ve never seen before. The view from this cemetery is stunning in every direction you look and you could really feel the fresh mountain air. I’m hoping to come back here soon, either to do some more bird watching or to just enjoy the atmosphere.
Go Back