Backyard birds – Vermont Birder

Dog Walk Birds

I seldom watch birds without our dog, Ginger, along on a leash. It adds a challenge of stabilizing dog and camera when photographing but we often log 15-20 miles a week together. With mud season in full bloom here, most of our walks are on the great network of sidewalks throughout Montpelier. Here are some recent shots, a couple from today.

Likewise, Canada Geese stick around – we see this pair every day.

Yesterday, I came across this Pileated Woodpecker in a close-by neighborhood. I’ve heard them this year but this is the first I’ve seen.

Then, this morning, just as we were heading out, this Wood Duck pair, recently arrived, were riding the river current downstream. They are very shy, unlike our Mallards, but just wonderful to see.

Female (this is the year I master manual focusing.)

March Backyard Birds – 1

Less than a week ago, we waded through a foot of new powder snow to get out to the river.

White-breasted Nuthatches show up every day

This Carolina Wren has been here all winter

Lots of melting and new arrivals on the river this week – and it’s a great time to anticipate warmer and better days ahead.

Backyard Birds 1

Living next to a river is great — we paddle on it, ski on it some winters, and have an ever-delightful array of wildlife to watch. On perhaps my last paddle of the year, I flushed these mallards just upstream of the house.

We’ve had a summer-long affair with a Great Blue Heron who shows up for a while, is gone for weeks, and returns and day after day is right out back.

“Snow in the forecast, think it’s time to get out of Dodge.’

Mid-May Outings – part 1

With migration in full swing and trees leafing out fast, it’s been a good time to get out with the dog and check things out. The other day we came across this guy who was waiting for the morning sun to get up and going.

Shortly thereafter, a Bald Eagle, being harassed by a Common Raven, flew over.

This female Baltimore Oriole never really showed itself but was singing loudly in our back yard.

This Mourning Dove, in the next tree branch over, was a perfect subject, sitting still for minutes.

And just upriver, a Solitary Sandpiper, all by itself, was patiently feeding, ignoring us.

It’s a great time of year in New England for birds and birders. Get out there!

Florida Yard Birds – Part 2

One of the birds we enjoyed watching was this Spotted Sandpiper, who liked to admire his image in the antenna cover next door.

Another we watched for some time was this Tri-colored Heron – hunting a short distance from our deck.

Just a block away, a flock of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks came through one morning.

And out back in the yard, these folks were chowing down. I’m not sure what they are but loved their design and will try to look them up.

Backyard Surprise

Mid-day, Sally noted an unusual bird out back hassling with the Common Grackles, called me, and we decided that we had our first Brown Thrasher on our list of yard birds. After a brief visit, it came back later when I had the camera available.

It was wary but came back several times during the afternoon.

It even tried the suet, having seen the grackles and woodpeckers eating it.

It was a treat, and now we are waiting for our first hummer of the year — any day now.

Welcome Back

Two days ago, I saw my first group of Canada Geese circling low, looking for places to land, but they moved off to other spots. The river, which had opened up, froze last night but this morning, a small group was gathered on the thin ice and open areas.

Four on thin ice and seven in the water.

Ginger and I were walking on the ice just last week but that’s over now. In a month or so, I hope to be watching these visitors from the kayak as they court and then raise their youngsters, essentially in our back yard.

Carolina Wren

One of our reliable backyard birds is a Carolina Wren (or two) which is an unusual winter visitor.

These guys are constantly moving and hard to photograph.

Here’s the range map which with global warming, is likely changing.

“In my mind I’m gone to Carolina
Can’t you see the sunshine?…..” James Taylor

We’ll keep the seeds and suet coming and enjoy this bouncy bundle of energy. Think Spring!

Our Local Eagle

Several days ago I noted seeing a low-flying Bald Eagle just a few blocks away. This morning, Sally spotted it flying up river. A few hours later, returning from an outing, I saw it perched just across from the little pocket park a few hundred yards from us. I parked the car, walked over to the river bank, and was back in the car in minutes.

With the light snow, this looks just like a photo I took last year.

A recommendation to “de-list,” announced this week by Audubon Vermont and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, states that the Bald Eagle is no longer threatened, and its populations have stabilized. In a time of tough news, it’s nice to hear about a 30-year success story. We hope this guy/gal sticks around this winter.

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.