Author: Richard

Geocaching – A Cold Restart

Yesterday, I was cleaning up some Apps on my iPhone and came across Geocaching. I haven’t used that app in a number of years but opening it, I got interested in the activity, once again. And today went out and found my 95th cache.

Here’s what I wrote in 2012:

“I was out looking for a bald eagle’s nest at Fountainebleau State Park when a Texas auto pulled up. The driver asked if I’d found it and having been there before, helped me locate it through my scope. When I asked if they were birders, he replied, “No, we are geocachers from Biloxi.”

Well, I knew what geocaching was since our grandson, Mac, had just gone on a Cub Scout geo outing. When my new friend asked, “Want to see one?” I followed him up to a little path into the underbrush. He reached down and lifted up a root, showing me the drilled hole in the underside, with a small cylinder inserted. He showed me the rolled up log sheet inside – and I was hooked. I went to his website (Gulf Coast Geocachers)read up a bit, downloaded an iPhone app, and was off and running.”

So this morning, Ginger and I went on a hike to try to find a nearby cache which I previously have looked for and never found. We zeroed in with the iPhone and here’s what the site looked like:

See the cache?
Small caches like this usually just contain junk items.

In addition to finding caches, you can also find and move trackables, that are found in some larger caches. Years ago, I put six trackables in play and one, Roaming Vizsla, has logged 2611.9 miles in the last eight years.

Presently in the UK, Roaming Vizsla has logged a lot of frequent flyer miles.

Geocaching is very compatible with dog walking, birding, even cycling or paddling – and well-suited for solitary Covid-19 outings. I’m hooked once again.

Neighborhood Surprises

It’s cold and windy with a dusting of snow – I just took a short walk on local streets with the dog and left the binoculars and camera at home. Of course, five minutes from the house, I came upon a dozen Pine Grosbeaks feeding in some fruit trees – a place I’ve seen them in years past. Return home for the camera – and risk missing them, or dig out the iPhone? I opted for the latter and with the dog straining on her leash and wind whipping, I took some shots. Here are two – poor lighting, branches, but better than nothing.

We walked the short loop and returning, I saw a low-flying adult Bald Eagle cross just about over us. A quick look – saw the bright white tail – and it was gone behind houses, heading for the forest.

It was a nice outing for exercise, fresh air, and a couple of nice sightings.

Feeder Birds

On these cold wet Vermont days, it’s nice to have a coterie of birds coming to our backyard. Northern Cardinals, even wet ones, add a splash of color and the Chickadees and Goldfinches add their energy to otherwise drab days. I went back and looked at some shots I took in the last month — and was delighted to remember this red and white combo.

Purple Finch and White-breasted Nuthatch
Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers go through a lot of suet – and leave bits for the ground feeders like Mourning Doves and sparrows.
Tufted Titmice are quick and hard to photograph but are daily visitors.
We try not to take Chickadees for granted because they are faithful friends throughout the year.
Likewise for American Goldfinches, who seem to hang out year-round.

And living on the river, we still are getting Mallards, a Belted Kingfisher, and several mergansers. Here is one from last week.

One of my goals this winter is to get some decent photos of Red-breasted Nuthatches and Brown Creepers. What are yours?

Snowy Straggler

The other morning, through the falling snow I noticed a bird different from the normal crew of chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers etc. Getting out the binoculars, I was surprised to see this male Red-winged Blackbird pecking away at the suet. I haven’t seen one for weeks so this guy either missed the departure announcement or was passing through from up north.

After a half hour of feeding he departed, hopefully southward. It will be four months or so until we first hear that “conk-la ree” that tells us that Spring in fact is about here.

Siskins – here and gone

Pine Siskins often arrive like shoppers on Black Friday morning (pre-Covid), chattering, jostling, always moving toward a better deal. I see them first in the recently-bare trees in the backyard.

Their twitters and wheezes are very noticeable.
They are an exceptionally streaky, small-billed finch.

They flock to the feeder and especially the ground beneath it where finches and others have left sunflower seed parts.

Twenty-two of a flock of probably fifty.
It’s chaos around the feeder, especially when you have the ISO set too low!
Like I said.

After several hours of frenzy, they were off, leaving the finches to carry on with relative politeness.

“Better load up on seed, they’ll be back.”

Backyard Birds

We are fortunate to get a nice variety of birds to our small backyard where we have some feeders, lots of brush, and the river. Here are a few visitors from the last two weeks.

A cool White-throated Sparrow in the garden. Note the band, probably from NBNC, on the left leg.
Another sparrow, might be an adult White-crowned Sparrow.

Some of our daily visitors, wanted or not, are Rock Doves – better known as pigeons.

Another persistent visitor, who is a voracious feeder, is the Blue Jay.
A young Northern Cardinal.
A few Hermit Thrushes are still hanging around.
American Goldfinches will be here through the winter.

We have noticed an increase in the need for the expensive sunflower hearts and discovered one significant reason.

Slurpin’ up the seeds.

Stuff

It’s “stick season” in Central Vermont: the leaves are down, most of the birds have left, and hunting season is yet to start. It’s a great time to hike in the woods. I’ve often leave my binoculars and camera in the car – and have recently started to focus, with my iPhone, on other things I see on outings. I’ll start with a mailbox I saw this summer on a backroad.

Old farms have all sorts of interesting things in their woods, like these two “fixer-upper” projects.

Quartz outcroppings show up nicely this time of year.

Old tractor tires have their charm
As do old sap pails.

When I’m not concentrating on seeing and hearing birds, I seem to notice a lot more around me as we walk – I guess there’s a lesson there. Just being able to get out and walk for a hour or two without meeting anyone is a blessing in these tough Covid-19 days. Be safe.

Weekday Walks

Montpelier is blessed to have many multipurpose trails within the forest land of the city – trails that are not used much midweek. The dog and I walk them most days and aside from meeting a few runners and mountain bikers, have the trail to ourselves. Here’s a stretch we walked this week.

As Ginger and I move along, we see the usual bird suspects including many Yellow-rumped Warblers who are foraging and moving continually. I find them tough to photograph, and the dog, usually roaming ahead on a short loose leash, is not a great help, Here’s a shot I grabbed as the bird launched.

At the start of a walk the other day, this Eastern Phoebe posed for me. It will be migrating soon.

It looks like a Pileated Woodpecker found this tasty.

Hermit Thrushes are migrating.

This is an interesting time of year, the leaves are nearly gone, as are the summer birds, but we are starting to see juncoes and finches and so it continues. Good birding.

Misty Monday Morning

In very light drizzle and temperature about 70, the dog and I took a walk at one of our favorite spots, North Branch Nature Center. It was shorts and t-shirt weather, perhaps the last for a while.

White-crowned Sparrow foraging in the Community Garden
Another young one.
Just one of several dozen Song Sparrows. Note that this was has a leg band, likely put on by NBNC staff.
Northern Flickers are gathering before migration
Asters along the trail.

Ginger has little interest in the birds along the trail but the chipmunks and squirrels are another story.

Staring contest between two intense packages of energy.

Late Summer Birds

Here are some birds from several outings we’ve had locally during a beautiful but too dry, Fall season. Many of these shots were taken with a Labradoodle straining on with leash to “help.”

This Hermit Thrush was one of many foraging along trails.
Eastern Phoebe
This Winter Wren was inquisitive but not ready to hop right out there for a photo.
Common Yellowthroat
I’m thinking this is a Broad-winged Hawk, now well on its way south. Let me know if its a Red-shouldered.
Lincoln Sparrow – backlit.
A fast-moving Ruby-crowned Kinglet who was too fast for me and my camera. White eye ring.
White-throated Sparrows have shown up in droves recently. It will be nice to see them all winter.

Many birds are moving out and others are gathering to do so. But we have the finches, juncos, and siskins coming. They and the faithful crows, nuthatches, chickadees, blue jays, woodpeckers, and titmice will slug through the winter with us, as we continue to hunker down and get out to enjoy Vermont. Be safe.