Category Archives: Caledonia County

What’s Not To Love About Loons?

My dentist lives on a nearby lake (Elmore) so while I was being examined by him the other day, I asked if the ice was out yet. He replied “No, but isn’t it amazing – the first day it’s gone the loons arrive? How do they know?”

I mentioned that they perform recco flights and hang out until it’s time. I related a story of an incident last month at our local airport where a loon crashed landed on the dark runway and had to be rescued. Here’s the report by Eric Hansen, who is  the biologist for the Vermont Loon Recovery Project.

…On March 27, a Common Loon crash-landed at the Berlin Airport. Owen Montgomery, who works next door at the U.S. Department of Agriculture office, picked up the bird and found that it had few scratches.  It seemed healthy otherwise.

John Buck of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department transported the loon to Sara Eisenhower at VINS Wildlife Services for examination. The loon was healthy minus making the mistake that the Berlin Airport does not have a runway for seaplanes (airports in Alaska have canals next to their terrestrial runways). VINS released the bird on the Connecticut River.

This loon was likely already performing reconnaissance flights to return to its territory.  Males tend to return first, thus maybe this was the male from Berlin Pond. It may have been tired from the flight, possibly from the New England coast. Loons will fly hundreds of miles in a single migratory flight. It saw the black of the runway, and, like the rest of us suffering from spring fever, perhaps had notions of water, sun, and fish.

Yesterday, on a cool grey day, I did some birding up in Caledonia County and heard for the first time this year the wonderful call of a Common Loon lifting off water. It flew right over me at Hardwick Lake, which is open and where were three. Another three were at Joe’s Pond which has very little open water. Here is a low-light shot of a couple who were hanging out together. You can see the ice in the background.

Two loons hanging out together at Joe's Pond in West Danville, Vermont.

Two loons hanging out together at Joe’s Pond in West Danville, Vermont.

The loons we see in Texas are in winter plumage, essentially solid black, and are silent. The first lesson we learn in distinguishing them from Double-crested Cormorants is the way they hold their bill level while the cormorants have theirs pointed slightly upward.

There were only seven pairs of Common Loons thirty years ago in Vermont. Now there are more than 70 breeding pairs across the state. Due to the work of Vermont Center for Ecostudies, Vermont Fish & Wildlife, and hundreds of volunteers, this is a great success story to celebrate on the day after Earth Day.

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Vermont Raptors

While the Airstream is not completely unpacked, the good weather tempted me to do some birding yesterday morning, to restart my County big year effort for Caledonia County which I started just before we left for Texas.

I left early and drove about forty-five minute to the County line encountering some frost heaves and potholes but a delightful lack of traffic – and a beautiful countryside. After several stops, with some success, I arrived at my planned hot spot, the floodplain along the Connecticut River over in Barnet. I followed a farm road toward the river, through a large hayfield toward some big cornfields. The river was high and fast with little on it but the fields had ducks and Canada Geese and some sparrows while American Tree Swallows soared overhead. It was a beautiful morning and I let the dog out to roam around — she loved the spring smells. (We stayed away from the area where they are spreading cow manure.)

After a bit, I heard a loud screeching/calling from the pine trees off to the west and saw a large bird slowly moving in that direction. I got my binoculars on it: Bald Eagle, then another one.  The pair moved in to their youngsters, which I could not see, and then rested on the nest. I went back to the truck, got my scope, tried to find my iPhone setup, and returned to watch them. They were not easy to see although the white heads stuck out in the greenery where there were openings. I watched for a while, then they flew and I grabbed these two shots of one of them going overhead.

You can see that there's a missing wing feather or two from molting.

You can see that there’s a missing wing feather or two from molting.

Eagle2W

I waited a bit for them to return but I had a schedule to keep myself and headed back toward the interstate to head north. Just a mile or so up I-91 there’s a scenic pull off and I decided to make a quick stop to scan the far off river area. A car was there with two folks with cameras and binoculars, always a good sign, so I asked them what they were watching.

It turns out that they are part of a group that monitors Peregrine Falcon nesting in the region and they had spent several hours already that morning watching a nest up in the cliffs across the highway. The nest was recessed deep in a shady cave-like opening and out of sight but one of the falcons, probably Dad, was perched not far away.  I took a couple of shots of him from long range as I thanked them for their help.

Pfalcon2W Pfalcon1WIt was a great end to a nice Vermont birding morning and I added about fifteen species to my County list. Fun to be birding again on home turf.

 

Why is that guy stopped along the highway?

I took a little scouting trip yesterday morning to nearby Caledonia County which I may use for a County Big Year in 2015. It’s a pretty good haul over there and nothing except a few American Crows seemed to be moving. Once I got to the County, it was even worse – nothing but lovely frosted trees (with no birds that I could spot.)

Approaching the Village of Hardwick, I decided to swing north for a moment on Route 16 and just as I made the turn, noticed a car, with a guy in it, parked alongside the road – which overlooks the river. I slowed – didn’t see any binoculars, but waved as did he. I pondered as I crawled northward what he was doing – and then I saw snowy tire marks in the road and thought, “He spotted something and circled back to check it out.”

The truck is too long to “hook a u-ie” on a main road so I drove up to the next driveway, reversed course, and noticed that he had pulled out and departed. I slowed, pulled right into his tire tracks alongside the road, checked the river for mergansers, and then checked the trees.  Bingo!  He had spotted a Bald Eagle and returned to look it over.  So I did the same.  Carefully exiting the truck, I took a few shots from behind the vehicle, pausing as trucks and cars past, and quietly watched the regal bird eye the river, eye me, and just quietly sit there. I carefully left the area without disturbing him.

The SX50 Canon is perfect for "grab and go" shots like this.

The SX50 Canon is perfect for “grab and go” shots like this.

Sometimes, spotting birders is a great way to spot birds that you might not otherwise see. More than once, I have been put on a good bird by someone who already has it in binos or scope. I probably would have missed this guy today if I hadn’t seen those tire tracks in the road. I have no idea if my predecessor was a birder or just someone who spotted an eagle but in any case, thanks.