May 2012
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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,...
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On Winter Wrens from ADK Almanac →
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...
April 2012
4 posts
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Your Vermont eBird Mission...from the Vermont... →
Bank Swallow photo by Derek Rogers from nature.org
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Possible Waterfowl Fallout for Northeast says... →
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.
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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...
March 2012
5 posts
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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.
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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...
February 2012
7 posts
Insect hotels, mansions and other dwellings →
And I thought brushpile design for wildlife was cool. This is amazing.
Climate change, increasing temperatures alter bird... →
YOUR eBird data being put to good use!
Bird Stewards Increase the Effectiveness of... →
Sometimes a personal touch is needed…along with a bright vest and a logo.
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Mild Winter Means More American Robins - VIDEO →
My Conservation Correspondent story for this week on WPTZ NewsChannel 5. Click the blog title above for video. A huge thank you to Jane Ogilvie from Ripton for the two still photos used in the story.
BURLINGTON, Vt. — Contrary to what we learned as children, robins really aren’t a sign that spring is on its way. Good thing too because, they have been spotted in large numbers all over...
Adirondack Almanack: Wally Elton: The Great... →
Get your bird-groove on this weekend and bird with a purpose! Listen to Wally…
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Windham, Windsor counties share 'Birders' Cup' →
First ever Vermont Birders Cup awarded based on reports to Vermont eBird. Two bad there are only a few of us reporting in Franklin County…maybe next year!
January 2012
9 posts
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The Good, the Bad, and Sadly More Bad
I hate to do this but we’ll start with the bad…and the more bad. In just one day I had people from two different reaches of the north country sending me stories about bird shootings. And I’m not talking about hunting. They came in quick succession and immediately I thought REALLY? Really, folks are we really shooting eagles and loons?
Here’s the skinny with a few links for...
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Another rebroadcast of my old show BEEKS-A Birding...
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One in Vermilion →
John Thaxton from the Adirondacks has me in stitches again. Here’s a second weird bird question call he’s gotten, see if you can guess the bird just from the picture.
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Woodpecker with a Woodcock Beak - No joke! →
From the Audubon Guides Blog by Vermont’s own Kent McFarland who works at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies.
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Bird-On! at the Refuge
Join me and my co-leader, Ken Copenhaver this Saturday to monitor a variety of bird species at Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge. Last month I saw a Rough-legged Hawk on this trail along with some American Tree Sparrows. After 21 months of walks we have observed 106 species. Hope to see you there!
This month’s Bird Monitoring Walk will be on Saturday January 21, 2012 on the...
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Thought I’d give this a shot to bring back...
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Red-bellied Woodpecker?
I saw an unusual woodpecker at my feeder this am (he’s perhaps been here a week or so?). When I looked him up, it looks like he’s a red-bellied woodpecker, but the book said this was outside their territory - so thought I’d ask the expert!
I live in North Ferrisburgh and have quite a few woodpeckers (mostly downy & hairy) at my feeders, as well as a pair of pileated ...
Snowy Owls Descend on Vermont, North Country →
It’s happening here too! Here’s my NewsChannel 5 story from this week on the Snowy Owl irruption that is happening all across the country. Good thing I saw one a few years back in Warren or I’d be pretty bummed because this beautiful owl has eluded me so far this winter.
And so, I must thank Pat Folsom, Don Clark, Ron Payne and John Vose of Jericho Hills Photography for giving...
December 2011
3 posts
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The Outside Story | The Butcher Bird | Northern... →
Love, love, love the Butcher Bird. It’s been about 5 years since I’ve seen one. Maybe 2012 will be the year for all kinds of unique winter sightings from Pine Grosbeaks to Snowy Owls to Northern Shrikes! What are you looking forward to seeing?
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Snowy Invasion Minus the Snow
Lots of talk about snowy owls making an appearance all over this winter. It’s a good thing too, because with the lack of snow in Vermont I could really use something special to spruce up the muddy landscape for the Christmas Bird Count.
I can remember seeing snowy owls on Cape Cod before I was a birder and how exciting it was. Post-bird nerd transformation, I truly flipped out for an owl...
November 2011
2 posts
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Ticks Take a Bigger Bite Out of Vermont →
Watch my WPTZ story from last week on the increase in ticks in Vermont. Are you noticing more ticks on your outdoor adventures?
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Video: Murmuration
Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.
A chance encounter and shared moment with one of natures greatest and most fleeting phenomena.
This moved me to tears…absolutely amazing! Much more intense than my Tree Swallow experience this fall on Cape Cod and reminiscent of watching Red-winged Blackbird flocks at the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in Swanton, VT. Thank you Sophie...
October 2011
8 posts
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Winter Bird Feeding Season Starts →
My NewsChannel 5 story from last week. Thank you to Kate and Erin for talking with me about winter bird feeding. Project FeederWatch is celebrating its 25th year, are you counting this season?
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So true...I laughed so hard I cried.
A Field Guide to Bird Shadows: Eastern Region
October 13, 2011 at 2:16 pm by John Thaxton
Easily Identifiable Bird Shadows
Although in a previous incarnation the vast majority of telephone calls I received came from friends and family at some point in the space/time continuum I started fielding calls primarily from complete strangers chomping at the bit and all but beseeching me to...
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More Birds Expected to Wash Up on Beach in Ontario →
Yikes…this is pretty intense. Curious if it’s just the invasive zebra mussel that they are picking up the botulism from. Any thoughts?
I’ll answer myself with another link: Avian Botulism Puzzles Great Lakes Scientists
The Outside Story | Amphibian Skin: Toxic... →
What a FABULOUS article by Steve Faccio! Oddly, I’m now singing Brittany’s Toxic pop-song in my head…with new newt lyrics of course.
It's Okay To Be Smart: Kurt Vonnegut once wrote... →
From jtotheizzoe:
Kurt Vonnegut once wrote something that I have come to realize is one of the keys to unlocking better communication and appreciation of science in our society. I’m a believer that most people are born curious, they are natural scientists, but most are trained (very effectively, and often by…
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Are We Due for Saucy Grosbeaks?
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WatchTree Swallow Flocks-Provincetown MA
We were hiking out to the ocean at the High Head access near Pilgrim Pond on Cape Cod this weekend and came across tens of thousands of tree swallows.
Geprag Park a Hinesburg Birding Hot Spot →
September 2011
5 posts
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Bird Is A Verb Weekend
Here’s the birding adventure crew from our first Bird is a Verb weekend at Seyon Lodge State Park in Groton, VT. Big thanks to Rochelle, Jessie Mae, Emmett, and Adam from Vermont State Parks who helped us pull this whole thing off. Can’t wait for next year…mark your calendar, our tentative plan is to head back there for the first weekend in June. Bird list is below, along with...
It's Out - The Winter Finch Forecast →
Not great for most winter finches but looks promising for Pine Grosbeaks!
Loons on Lake Champlain →
Coming back around to my loom crazed summer. Eric Hanson is inspiring me to carry on my obsession through the fall. Nice!
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eBird's Hurricane Irene redux →
eBird is encouraging folks to get this week’s bird sightings uploaded into the database, especially if you had sightings of birds blown in by the storm. The big star of the storm turns out to be the White-tailed Tropicbird - click the link to see pictures and a list of other reports that have all ready come in.
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Get Your Bird On at Seyon Lodge this Fall
I had the wonderful opportunity to spend almost 24 hours scouting out the site where my sister Amy & I will be hosting our first ever Bird is a Verb Weekend September 23rd-25th. I jumped in my little orange car on Wednesday and took the almost 2 hour drive down to Seyon Lodge State Park in the heart of Groton State Forest.The lodge is set on a beautiful trout pond in the midst of 27,000...
August 2011
5 posts
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Team eBird Hurricane Birding Tips →
Safety first of course, but birders just can’t help but think about what might turn up on the coast and inland as a result of Irene. Click on the title to read their detailed blog post.
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WatchPOV (Point Of View) Big Birding Day…have you seen it? What did you think? Are we made out to be freaks & geeks again?
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Owls are making a ton of noise lately!
Fledgling Barred Owl photo from Birds of North America Online
Hey Bridget - we have a ton of barred owls all of a sudden, it seems. We’ve seen some, once in a while and not too many, but the last few evenings they have been calling up a storm. Is it breeding season?
We’re on the east side of the MRV with a large tract of woods out back.
Thanks! Barclay
Hi Barclay,
Great to hear...