Boogie On Birdy Woman…
Wonderful walk this morning with the Enosburgh Conservation Commission up in northern Vermont. I got to do the Life Bird Boogie for the second time this spring for a Bay-breasted Warbler this time. (Photo by Dan Pancamo, not the individual we saw)
Here’s our eBird list for the walk…not too shabby for a overcast morning with showers!
East Berkshire, Franklin County, VT, US, Franklin, US-VT
May 13, 2012 7:00 AM - 10:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
4.0 mile(s)
Comments: Landowner’s property to do a bird walk related to forest bird management.
42 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) X
Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) X
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) X
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) X
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) X
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) X
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) X
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) X
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) X
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) X
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) X
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) X
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) X
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) X
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) X
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis) X
Veery (Catharus fuscescens) X
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) X
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) X
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) X
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) X
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) X
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) X
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) X
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) X
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) X
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) X
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) X
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) X
Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) 1 Heard not seen. Correct habitat, mixed forest with swamp-like, wet hummock-y area
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) X
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) X
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) X
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 3
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) X
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) X
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/vt)
My next walk is this weekend at the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in Swanton, VT for International Migratory Bird Day. Hope you’ll join me. If you get a Lifer…I’ll teach ya how to boogie.
Lovely Birdy Weekend
Had a fabulous weekend of incidental birding while on the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail and then very purposeful birding at the St. Albans Town Forest and at Fairfield Swamp. My mom joined me birding on Sunday morning and we had a fabulous set of warblers and other birds. I feel so lucky to be able to share this with my mom! So here are our eBird reports from the Town Forest and the swamp.
The photo above is of a Nashville Warbler from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Mom and I heard a Nashville first and then worked hard to track it down. It finally posted up for us in the sunshine!
St. Albans Town Forest, Franklin, US-VT
May 6, 2012 9:00 AM - 11:05 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
24 species
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 1
Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) 3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) 3
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) 1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 2
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) 3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 3
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 12
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2
Veery (Catharus fuscescens) 2
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 5
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 3
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 2
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla) 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 7
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 3
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 3
St. Albans Fairfield Swamp, French Hill Access, Franklin, US-VT
May 6, 2012 11:15 AM - 11:45 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
11 species
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 6 Seen within 25ft from shore at north end of the swamp. Birds were on the water. Easy to distinguish markings on male white bands on beak and white spur with gray sides. Female pale eye-ring with black and white tip to beak.
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 6
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1
Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) 1 One for sure with possible pair chasing each other. Only got good look at one singing.
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 3
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 2
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 1
Bike Path Pond, Pauline’s Quick Stop, Franklin, US-VT
May 5, 2012 4:00 PM
Protocol: Incidental
Comments: Riding the bike path without binoculars, birds were heard not seen.
3 species
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) 1
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 2
Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) 1
These reports were generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/vt)
See that wee bit o’ green…there’s a house finch up there singing it’s heart out in downtown Minneapolis. (Taken with instagram)
Your Vermont eBird Mission...from the Vermont Center for EcoStudies
Bank Swallow photo by Derek Rogers from nature.org
Possible Waterfowl Fallout for Northeast says BirdCast
Looks like I know where I’ll be heading to look for birds on my day off! If you haven’t checked out the weekly reports on eBird called BirdCast, well then, you are just in time ‘cuz things haven’t started bumpin’ yet in our region when it comes to migration. Click the title to catch up on BirdCast postings.
News Release on 2012 Great Backyard Bird Count
In an Unusual Winter—Where
and Why Birds Traveled
Snowy Owl © Ian Davies
March 21, 2012 —When bird watchers joined this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count, they recorded the most unusual winter for birds in the count’s 15-year history. With 17.4 million bird observations on 104,000 checklists, this was the most detailed four-day snapshot ever recorded for birdlife in the U.S. and Canada. Participants reported 623 species, during February 17–20, including an influx of Snowy Owls from the arctic, early-migrating Sandhill Cranes, and Belted Kingfishers in northern areas that might normally be frozen over.
“The maps on the GBBC website this year are absolutely stunning,” said John Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Every bird species has a captivating story to tell, and we’re certainly seeing many of them in larger numbers farther north than usual, no doubt because of this winter’s record-breaking mild conditions.”
Ironically, a few arctic species also moved farther south than usual as well. Participants recorded Snowy Owl sightings in record-breaking numbers throughout the Great Plains and Pacific Northwest of the United States. Canadian bird watchers saw four times the number of Snowy Owls they reported to the count last year. Experts believe that Snowy Owls move south from their usual arctic habitats in years when prey, such as lemmings, are scarce.
Dense flock of Snow Geese. Photo by Leah Sera,
Washington, 2012 GBBC
Warmer weather and lack of snow and ice in some regions set the stage for other spectacles, including more than two million Snow Geese reported on two counts at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Missouri. In Ruskin, Florida, participants reported more than one million Tree Swallows, vaulting this species to the GBBC top-ten list of the most numerous birds for the first time ever.
Some northern locations recorded high numbers of waterbirds such as Mallards, Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, and American Coots, that either never left or came back early to lakes, rivers, and ponds that remained unfrozen.
“Citizen scientists are helping us document changes to birds, starting in our own backyards, which is also where the solution begins,” said Audubon chief scientist Gary Langham. “My preschool-age daughter came out with me to count birds in the yard and around the neighborhood—we’re still talking about the experience weeks later.”
To find out more about these and other trends from the 2012 count, visit www.birdcount.org. To report bird sightings all year, visit www.ebird.org.
The GBBC is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada. The event is sponsored in part by Wild Birds Unlimited.
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- Black-capped Chickadee
- Blue Jay
- American Goldfinch
- Dark-eyed Junco
- Downy Woodpecker
- Mourning Dove
- American Crow
- Hairy Woodpecker
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Tufted Titmouse
A Low Snow Winter’s Winners and Losers
From Northern Woodlands Magazine. Featuring tidbits from two of my favorite Vermont wildlife biologists, Chris Rimmer from Vermont Center for Ecostudies and Jim Andrews coordinator for the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas.
From redeyednblue:
The Central Park Effect is an awesomely nerdy looking film that will be screened at SXSW this week that explores the wide range of birds that flock to Central Park, the reasons for their migration, and the dedicated birders who love them. But perhaps more importantly, the film features author Jonathan Franzen saying “dweeb”.
Had a FABULOUS day birding over at the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge and then cruising the edge of Lake Champlain in Alburg, Vermont. The Rusty Blackbird was the highlight of the day along with calling Northern Leopard frogs. Photo from eBird taken by David Shaw.
Wanted to make sure I got my eBird report in on these birds, especially since the Rusty Blackbird is in decline.
Here’s what I saw today walking the Discovery Trail behind the refuge headquarters:
Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, Franklin, US-VT
Mar 23, 2012 11:40 AM - 12:15 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments: Walked the Discovery Trail from the Refuge Visitor Center.
16 species
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 4
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) 2
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 4
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 5
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 7
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 5
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 8
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 8
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) 11 Mixed flock with Red-winged Blackbirds. On the Discovery Trail on the edge of Maquam Bog where the boardwalk moves through the wetland.
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 3
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 1
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/vt)
A fabulous new video from Cornell Lab of Ornithology; a quickie tutorial on warblers. I want to bird with this guy Chris. Watch him…he’s so excited about what he’s seeing in just this little patch of woods. ENJOY!
Urban Owl in South Africa
Source: iol.co.za via Kelly on Pinterest
Found this on Pinterest today…clicked through to the story of a man and woman in South Africa who have this owl return to nest each year in a potted plant on their balcony in downtown Johannesburg. They’ve now written a book about their experience and are about to be honored by folks at the International Festival of Owls which takes place in Minnesota this weekend!
Insect hotels, mansions and other dwellings
And I thought brushpile design for wildlife was cool. This is amazing.
Climate change, increasing temperatures alter bird migration patterns
YOUR eBird data being put to good use!
Bird Stewards Increase the Effectiveness of Protected Beaches
Sometimes a personal touch is needed…along with a bright vest and a logo.
