On Tuesday, Jeannette and I wanted to do a bit of hiking. However, we also wanted to see the Dark Knight, and watch some Tour de France. We also wanted to avoid a long hike in the rain. Although the forecast was calling for only isolated showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, we didn't really trust that call.

Taking all of this into consideration, we decided to forgo a 2+ hour drive to embark on a long hike, but instead drove less than an hour and bagged three "peaks." OK, these were merely hills, but they were three short hikes that amounted to a very good day of exercise # and birding! Plus, all three were new trails for us.

Unfortunately, our pessimism about the day's weather forecast proved correct, as it began to rain as we approached our first stop # Douglas Mountain in Sebago. In fact, it rained most of the morning # including the duration of this walk, which also included a fairly strong downpour. Luckily, we were able to dry out while driving from trail to trail, so that part of our plan turned out rather nicely.

Douglas Mountain is the highest point in Southwestern Maine at 1416 feet, and it is topped by a stone tower - which on days that don't feature rain and dense fog as this morning did, apparently provides a view from the Presidential Range all the way to Casco Bay. The mixed woods featured a lot of beech and hemlock, and it is likely full of Blackburnian and Black-throated Green Warblers (a few of each were heard today, despite the weather and late date). This spot will definitely be worth checking again earlier in the summer for breeders, and it may be worth some exploration as a fall hawkwatch location.

Our second hike was Mount Cutler in Hiram, which turned out to be surprisingly rugged. White Pine and Red Oak dominated the woods along the trail, with a diverse mix of moderately-stunted trees at the summit, including ash, elm, and chokecherry. This hike produced the "bird(s) of the day," as a group of White-winged Crossbills flew overhead. There were at least 3 together, but likely many more, as we only heard, but could not see them. Two other singles passed overhead as well. With reports of 200+ coming from Acadia National Park, Monhegan and Vinalhaven Islands, as well as smaller numbers elsewhere, it looks like we are in store for another big irruption of this species. Keep an eye out in your local patches, and listen for their calls as they move overhead.

Last but not least, was Burnt Meadow Mountain in Brownfield. The hill featured mostly deciduous woods, including a lot of White Oak # a species that reaches its northern limits here in SW Maine. Parts of the summit were dominated by Scrub Oak - another more-southerly species - which gave this hike a much different feel from the other hills we ascended today. Bu now, however, it was late in the morning, the rain had finally stopped, and with a few peaks of sun, the temperatures were rising. Therefore, birdsong was expectedly limited # except for the always-vociferous Red-eyed Vireos # but we were entertained by things like fledgling Dark-eyed Juncos.

And, for the record, the Dark Knight was well worth the price of admission, but it was today's stage of the Tour de France that turned out to be the most exciting. The Alpe D'Huez is one of the most difficult and magnificent climbs in the Tour, and often is the one that "picks" the winner # which it may have done once again today (in nearly as dramatic fashion as Lance Armstrong's "look back" to Jan Ulrich a few years ago!).

After a less-than-strenuous hike up Hedgehog Mountain this morning (a marked decrease in birdsong, with the exception of an up tick in Red-eyed Vireo and Scarlet Tanager song this morning), I just had to spend the rest of the morning to watch the race live, and I was not disappointed. (I'll also think twice the next time I complain about the hill on Tuttle Road that I ride!)