Birding Lamoille County

One of my plans for 2014 was to focus on one of our adjacent counties for a mini-Big Year effort once I got home from the Southwest.  I looked at Caledonia, to our east where we sometimes camp, and Orange to the south which is not too long a drive.  I settled on our northern neighbor, Lamoille County, since it starts just ten miles or so up the road and it is the county in which my brother has a second home — which we like to visit periodically.  So last week, I got started and am enjoying the challenge of learning a new county.  Here’s the layout (our home is marked at the bottom):

LamoilleMap

So once or twice a week, I head north on Route 12 with the dog.  The snow is still melting and there are many “Moose Crossing – next X miles” which are taken seriously.  There’s a fair amount of commuter traffic into Montpelier but later, it is lightly traveled.  Here’s a typical scene from the road — here at the county line.

It's damp and not very inviting in this changeover season but nuthatches, kinglets, woodpeckers, and chickadees welcome you.

It’s damp and not very inviting in this changeover season but nuthatches, kinglets, woodpeckers, and chickadees welcome you.

I bird my way north, half-watching in Washington County but then really sharpening my attentiveness (to birding and driving) once I cross the line.  I’m finding some new personal hotspots and with the help of eBird and an avid birder I met yesterday, am learning some of the “go-to” places.

In less than two weeks, I’m over 50 birds and migration is yet to kick in.  The best bird so far was this Palm Warbler I saw last week, as he made his way through the area.

PAWA1W

I’m a little surprised at how energized I get from tackling a new area.  I still check my home county spots when I’m out and about but it is fun to game plan and explore a brand new birding area, even one like this just “up the road a piece.”

Now, if that Snowy Owl that I saw last week was only about four miles further north….

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