Always Changing

Crawford Run to Bull Run, March 13, Winter

I have seven days left in winter and 8 miles left to walk. My driving friend Carter drops me off behind the Sunoco and I start my hike. The first part involves me literally going up a creek.

The trail twists and turns until I reach the first challenging climb of this segment. This climb is no joke, Either I have more grip thanks to my Yak Trax or I’m more confident, but I reach the top after a sweaty but steady climb.

That last sentence makes it sound easy let’s be honest. I took two breaks on the way up to catch my breath. I still felt confident.

I find a log where moss mingles with ice.

Winter isn’t over yet. It is one of those borderline weather days. It’s overcast. Not too windy. Bits of blue sky and little slivers of sun peak through clouds now and then and I wonder what surprises the trail has in store for me today.

I was worried it might get too hot with my bigger coat, but I brought it anyway.

There’s a Towhee calling so so quietly off in the forest like it’s embarrassed that it arrived at the party too early.

It’s very quiet in the woods for a rather long stretch and without birds to identify my mind wanderers. I pass under two or three really large trees leaning across the trail, but they haven’t fully fallen. Soil clings to their roots and creates little hobbit holes.

If I had to spend the night out here, would it be smart for me to camp out in that little cave? Or is it already claimed by a wild animal who would not be so happy to find me in their home sort of like Goldilocks in baby bear’s bed.

Overall, there’s been very little bird activity. I’m well over a mile into the walk and I only have eight species and only 12 individuals.

I crisscross my way down a creek bed I catch a glimpse of three Turkey Vultures gliding on the wind gusts.

The trail veers left as the creek plunge is over a steep drop off. I come to a spot that I remember was filled with bird activity in the fall, but seems silent today.

I’m wrong.

It starts with one chip, then a twitter and then a jingling call and I find a Brown Creeper, Cardinals, Titmouses, Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows.

I cross the road and begin the second serious ascent of the segment. The sound of my huffing and puffing is punctuated by a Pileated Woodpecker off to my right then I hear the querr of a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

I reach the top of that hill just as the sun comes out from behind the clouds in full force. I’m overdressed OK? I admit it. I can’t do anything about it now. I can see the Allegheny River off to my right and I scan it with binoculars looking for any kind of waterfowl. The river is swollen from the past several days of heavy rain. The trees along the far bank are covered halfway up their trunks. I can’t spot any birds on the water just some logs then I hear a Raven. It’s not a water bird, but it’s an awesome one.

Then I SEE the raven!

Up another small hill I spot two small dark shapes hopping through some under brush. They are American Robins, but they’re silent, which is kind of surprising something must be up. And I mean literally up. I look up and there we go! Three Red-tailed Hawks and a Cooper’s Hawk are riding the winds overhead.

When I was a new birder, someone once told me “always look up.” I mean, I get it. It’s good advice. But when you’re walking parts of the trail, it’s really hard to always look up.

I stop to admire one of the Red-tailed Hawks kiting in the wind over an open field to my left and satisfyingly hear a Field Sparrow call from the field. I love it when birding works out like that. I imagine if a birder came back to that field at sunset this time of year there would also be American Woodcocks.

Everything about the weather today has changed. It’s now very bright and sunny and the wind is very gusty and it’s warmer. If there’s one thing that’s constant about this trail it’s that it’s always changing.

This mini segment feels just like an endless repeat of up and down hills.

I cross a series of little streams, rippling over rocks. I can’t resist dipping my fingers in to feel the icy coolness. It’s refreshing and cleansing and beautiful.

I’ve been walking for two hours now and I’m up to 20 species. I’m pretty sure I can expect to see Rock Pigeons and Starlings when I get close to the intersection of 28 where my car is parked. I have this completely unnecessary mental goal of tripling my species count from earlier. I’d love to get to 24. Why? No one cares about this count but me. Yet somehow it matters.

There’s a radio tower up the head and I scan it looking for raptor. No raptors.

The wind has really picked up. It’s a Mrs. Whatsit kind of day for sure.

I enjoy my Clif bar, and then suddenly it dawns on me that the next part of the trail takes me by the biting horse. I’m excited to see my old friend.

My old friend is uninterested in seeing me.

I cross another road and go downhill into what I call Woodpecker Woods and cross another beautiful stream then I go back uphill, zigging and zagging. A muddy patch holds eight Robins hunting for worms and in the woods nearby I add Golden-crowned Kinglet and White-breasted Nuthatches to my count. I’m at 22 species.

At a big pile of brush I startle at least 12 Dark-eyed Juncos farther back into the forest.

I’m thirsty and there are streams running all around me. It’s so tempting to take a little sip, but I wonder how clean does a stream need to be for it to be drinkable?

I pause at a high overlook. I look behind me and I can see where the trail crossed the road before Woodpecker Woods. Whoa! I see two people with trekking poles and backpacks on the trail! I have literally never met those people but because of my personality and happiness of being on the trail I feel like we’re really good friends.

I’m on the part of the trail that’s unnervingly close to Route 28. I hear a Blue Jay and see another Red-tailed Hawk. I realize with surprise that I have seen the same number of Red-tailed Hawks as Blue Jays today. That is pretty surprising.

I’m almost to my car. Luckily one European Starling flies overhead. That gives me 23 species. But there’s no sign of any Rock Pigeons. I turn left. There are three medium sized birds sweeping around in the sky. Binocular check: Yes! Three Rock Pigeons!!!

But the trail isn’t done with its gifts yet. Right before I stop my count, when I’m admiring the Turkey Vultures soaring overhead, I realize that one just looks a little bit different. Binoculars check: It’s a juvenile Bald Eagle. What a treat! 25 species. Thanks, Trail.

Checklist 1

RCT - Crawford Run to Bull Run, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, US
Mar 13, 2026 11:14 AM - 2:19 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.632 kilometer(s)
25 species

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 3
Turkey Vulture 9
Cooper's Hawk 1
Bald Eagle 1 Juvenile
Red-tailed Hawk 4
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 4
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 5
Common Raven 1
Carolina Chickadee 1
Black-capped Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 5
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown Creeper 1
European Starling 1
American Robin 16
Field Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 16
White-throated Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 6

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S308812503