Local Birding – Page 12 – Vermont Birder

Easing Back Into Birding

In late November, my life changed when my spouse of 53 years was diagnosed with lymphoma and I lost all interest in birding and many other activities. As I chronicle here, we have had months of tension and relief, sadness and happiness, and just plain stress. It has been a turbulent journey and we are only halfway done with chemo but yesterday, I did a little birding and it felt good. I think it will be part of my therapy as we head into the spring.

We are home for a few days and our daughter Jennifer was here to help out and be her wonderful caring presence. She suggested to me that after some errands, I go off and do some birding while she tended the fort. So I did.

I checked several local spots up by the local airport with little success but then, driving a loop where we sometimes see winter visitors, I saw a dozen birds up ahead in the road. “Siskins, Starlings, Snow Buntings?” I wondered as I stopped and watched them through the windshield. Then I saw dozens in the trees as well and could see the crests of waxwings.

After some jockeying to get closer, it became clear that there were 50-100 Bohemian Waxwings. They put on quite a show as I tried to hook up my iPhone digiscoping gear after a four month layoff. Here is a documentation photo:

A few of the many Bohemian Waxwings seen on my first real outing of 2016.

I won’t have the time for a lot of serious birding for many months but just to integrate some local stops will be a healthy outlet. Plus, when we are home, watching the birds at our feeders is quite therapeutic. I look forward to spring when I can take Mary on some of our local back roads to see the spring arrivals. The hints of yellow in our visiting American Goldfinches give us hope. Good birding.

Del Mar Neighborhood Birds

We are in California for a few days seeing our son Robb and his family. What a nice change from the barren “stick season” of Vermont; we awoke early the first morning due to the time change to birdsong and rose bushes in bloom. I have taken some morning walks and while I think it is unusual to have a guy walking around the neighborhood with binoculars and a camera, only one person stopped to ask what I was looking at.

Del Mar is a bedroom community north of San Diego with tropical plantings and lots of birds.

There are hundreds of hummingbirds flitting around — I think most are Anna’s but I did see an Allen’s bronzed back the other morning.

This young Anna's (I think) flew in a perched in the shade of a picture. I was only ten feet away. — This young Anna’s (I think) flew in a perched in the shade of a picture. I was only ten feet away.

Two days ago, I came across a kingbird doing its flycatcher routine, returning to a nearby wire. I took a few shots with little success but thought I had a Western Kingbird. In reviewing eBird reports and my photos, I realized that it was a Cassin’s Kingbird — fairly common here but a life bird for me.

The lighting on this photo is poor but the field marks are clear in some others.

I had a bit of trouble identifying one of the common birds here this time of year: Black Phoebe. I’ve seen a few before but they were always on low branches, doing their bug-catching routine. Here, they perch at the top of conifers, come down to the swimming pool for lunch, and work from rooftops and chimneys.

Western Scrub-Jays are noisy and I suspect, pests at time. Here’s one I saw yesterday morning working up in a palm tree, oblivious to my presence (or just ignoring it.)

Some of the other birds I’ve seen in this built-up area are: American Kestrel, all sorts of warblers including a Townsend’s Warbler (Life Bird), and dozens of House Finches. This White-crowned Sparrow posed nicely for me on yesterday’s walk.

I’m not doing a lot of serious birding here, spending more time with the grandkids and just enjoying summer-like temperatures. I have seen some nice ducks and waterfowl and will put together another post in the next day or two. Then back to New England and the reality of November.

Stuff on Trees

I try to get out for a long walk with Penny every other day at least, in addition to her regular loops that we do in our woods. Yesterday afternoon, we hiked two and a half miles up on our adjoining forest land. It was a great early fall day but bird activity was very light so after spotting this fungal growth, I decided to focus on what I could find on trees.

One nice thing about fungi is that they stay still for photographs. The cauliflower-like growth is apparently called Sparassis (also known as cauliflower mushroom)

The route we took climbs up into some pretty rough country which is pretty damp and filled with soft maples and other trees very susceptible to growths and deformities.

Penny loves to explore openings like this, hoping that a critter is home.

This tree is doomed from all the fungal growth.

At the high point of our hike I began to look for a growth that has fascinated me for years. The first time I saw it I thought it was a small bear — and when the grandkids were young, took them up by it with some made-up story about it.

In this long election season, this now reminds me of an old elephant, with many options for analogies which I'll keep to myself. — In this long election season, this now reminds me of an old elephant, with many options for analogies which I’ll keep to myself.

This looks like a Pileated Woodpecker was at work.

Fungus killed this tree which was down across the trail.

This deformity is called a burl (I think.) It was much larger than it appears in the photo.

One of the things I notice about naturalists on bird walks that they are interested in about everything. It’s a good lesson for me to keep in mind, especially in transition seasons when the birds are sparse. The fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and watching our old Vizsla romping through the woods made it a great outing. We are blessed.

The sign marking the end of our jaunt -- made many years ago by the first owner of the property. — The sign marking the end of our jaunt — made many years ago by the first owner of the property.

A Jaunt to Chickering Bog

After a hospital lab visit and some errands yesterday morning, I decided to visit a local area where I have never birded: Chickering Bog Natural Area located on the border of Calais and East Montpelier. It’s not too hard to find: see the directions at the end of this article.

The scenery along Lightning Ridge Road is lovely.

You have to look carefully for the entrance trail – I have missed it in the past.

The trail is on private land at the start and also follows a snowmobile track. It's easy walking with some debris from falling trees. — The trail is on private land at the start and also follows a snowmobile track. It’s easy walking with some debris from falling trees.

A friend reading this post wrote me to let me know that pets are not permitted on Conservancy sites — she had read the guidelines (which I had not) so Penny was a scofflaw. I must say that I don’t buy the policy at all – a least they could require leashes. In any case,so that you don’t make the same mistake, here are the guidelines:

Penny loved the woods and cavorted, as best as an eleven-year-old Vizsla can, as we moved up the trail. Bird activity was light with an inquisitive Downy Woodpecker following us chirping away. We flushed two Ruffed Grouse which always gets the bird dog excited.

The trail's wet spots are well-covered with planking. Here Penny is crossing a tiny brook. — The trail’s wet spots are well-covered with planking. Here Penny is crossing a tiny brook.

After fifteen or twenty minutes, we entered the Natural Area which is managed by The Nature Conservancy.

The foliage is starting to turn and there were some pretty spots along the route.

This tree alongside the trail has a problem. I always wonder what caused the blemish to form.

After a little over a half hour (it’s about a mile), we arrived at the bog and went out on the boardwalk looking for wildlife.

The bog was beautiful with fall colors starting, no bugs, no noise, no people - just a guy and a dog. — The bog was beautiful with fall colors starting, no bugs, no noise, no people – just a guy and a dog.

The only wildlife that I saw at the bog was this big turtle on the far edge of the open water.

From The Nature Conservancy page:

Chickering Bog began to form when glaciers receded from Vermont over 10,000 years ago and left behind a bedrock basin that filled with water. The pond that was formed slowly filled in with vegetation. As these plants died, they accumulated and only partially decomposed, forming a layer of peat that has continued to thicken over the years, reaching an impressive 30 feet deep in the northern part of Chickering Bog. It is the peat that gives the area its semi-solid, “quaking” quality. A small patch of open water is all that remains of the original pond.

Chickering Bog is actually misnamed; this so-called bog is really a fen. The difference between the two wetland types has to do with the water source and the acidity of the site. Bogs tend to be acidic and poor in dissolved minerals; fens are more alkaline and rich in dissolved minerals. Water enters bogs solely through rainwater, while fens like Chickering Bog are also fed by calcium-rich groundwater and springs.

To get there from Montpelier, take Route 2 east 6.5 miles to East Montpelier. Then take Route 14 north about 3.2 miles to North Montpelier where you will see North Montpelier Pond on your right. Continue on Route 14 for 1.1 miles until you see Lightening Ridge Road on the left, which is marked by a sign for the Calais Elementary School. Turn left and go 1.6 miles to George Road on the right. Park on Lightening Ridge Road on the right a little past George Road. The Conservancy trail begins to the left of the private driveway. You have to look hard, but there is a green post with the initials “TNC.” A snowmobile trail starts here and goes up the hill to the entrance of the natural area and the trail to Chickering Bog. Look carefully for the sign that marks the Conservancy’s Chickering Bog trail after crossing a wetland on the snowmobile trail.

A Summer Walk in Our Woods

It’s nearly 80 degrees, muggy under a hot sun, mosquitoes everywhere, and trails just soggy with rainwater. It feels like birding in Alabama or Louisiana but I’m hearing Hermit Thrushes and White-throated Sparrows and not worrying about snakes or alligators. We’ve had days of rain, interspersed with sunshine, but the ground is as saturated as I seen in mid-June.

After loading up with insect repellant, I took the dog for a walk this afternoon to do a little mid-day birding. We are loaded with Chestnut-sided Warblers and one was singing away as we headed out. Here’s a guy that hangs out along our driveway.

Distinctive song, easy markings, stays low. My kind of warbler.

We have several families of Common Yellowthroats living in the brushy areas around our house. This time of year, there is a lot of chipping but few calls. They move fast around the heavy foliage and are hard to photograph. Here’s one with a caterpillar.

You can run but you can't hide, completely. — You can run but you can’t hide, completely.

The mosquitoes attacked in force as we entered the woods – Deep Woods Off kept them from landing but they were hovering about an inch away from eyes, ears, nose etc. I remembered that birds need insects for food so tried to spin it positively, but it was not fun. I could hear Blackburnians way up high in the pines and Hermit Thrushes far off, and then Penny flushed this little guy who sat, hidden by branches, and finally flew off. I took a photo and believe it is a young Ovenbird. There was no call — I did hear several later on — but I’m basing it on the fact that it was on the ground, and then sat on a low branch, like Ovenbirds do — but the lack of striped chest or chestnut crown make me think it is a juvenile. Any thoughts — feel free to comment.

Of course, Penny, having been cooped up with rain all day, was ready to rock and roll. The red squirrels were out in force and she felt she had to tree and bark at each one.

Maybe if I stand here and bark you'll come down and play. — Maybe if I stand here and bark you’ll come down and play.

As we came back up toward the house, I spotted the three deer that we’ve had around all year. They have their red summer coats and were glowing in the afternoon sunset, but deep in the foliage, watching us carefully. There may be a fourth one — I’m hoping that there is a fawn among them. They’ll be out and about tomorrow.

Approaching the house from our pines, I noted once again how lush everything is. I thought for a moment about the times when we’ve been on these trails, now squishy with water, when my fingers were too frozen to operate the camera. Seems like a long time off but this is Vermont, hang a month or two.

As we approached the house, one of our resident Purple Finches was singing away from the top of our maple.

We have several families of Purple Finches that provide us with flashes of color and wonderful music.

The dog and I came home thirsty — I was sweating, she was panting. She’d seen a lot of squirrels, I had heard and seen a nice mix of birds. I’ll try to remember these days when I’m on out snowshoes with hand warmers not doing their job, with only chickadees and nuthatches in sight, and wonder why I whined about a little mud and bugs and heat. Good summer birding to you.

Sorry, Mama Robin

I cut the firewood we use to supplement heating our house. Each year, I drop 15 or 20 trees, mostly soft maple and cherry, let them dry on the ground during the summer and fall, and then the following year, cut them up, haul them in, split them by hand, stack them, re-stack them when the pile falls over …. etc. It’s a Vermont thing. Unless I get hurt, cheaper than a health club.

This time of year, I never drop leafed-out trees fearing that I will destroy songbird nests, so it was surprising today, while cutting brush, to disturb a mother bird. I was clearing out brambles and small trees, mainly with the brush hog on my tractor but also with the chain saw. There was a clump near the base of the electric company’s guy wire for their pole on our property corner, and I cut one small spruce seedling and then noticed that the larger spruce tree was growing right through the fitting that anchored the wire. I peered in to check it out and here’s what I saw:

You can see the yellow shield for the support wire as it passes under the nest.

I shut things down, ran up to get my camera, and grabbed the above photo and a closeup with the telephoto. It was a gorgeous nest with one pretty egg.

I backed away and stood partially hidden as I heard the parent chipping away in the nearby apple tree. Pretty soon, she approached, arrived in a flourish of orange and red, and settled. I snapped a few long-distance shots.

She blends in well - if I had not found the nest, I'd never spot her. — She blends in well – if I had not found the nest, I’d never spot her.

The tree is just off our driveway so it’s easy to check. Three hours later, when I walked down to get mail, I could see her tail silhouetted in the shadows. Don’t think that I disturbed her too much, but it was close. I was seconds away from dropping that tree.

Some July Birds

The woods are lush and green and many birds have stopped singing as they nest and tend to offspring and the deer flies and no-see-ums abound — yet it’s a great time to get out and bird. There’s a lot to see: White-throated Sparrows trying out their new songs and getting part of it; the crop of house wrens that fledged out of our bluebird house that scold me and Penny as we walk by; the half dozen new Blue Jays that have discovered and are hogging our suet. Ever present to me in the muggy mornings is the thought that most of these birds will be out of here in a month or so — which gives this time of year a poignancy.

Yesterday, we took the expensive drive up the toll road at Mt. Mansfield (no connection, unfortunately) to show our son and grandson some more of Vermont. Of course, I did a little birding, hearing Bicknell’s Thrushes and seeing Swainson’s Thrushes. I also ran into the guys from Vermont Center for Ecostudies who band birds on the summit each summer. Here is a photo of one of the Blackpoll Warblers I saw and heard.

A Blackpoll Warbler at the summit parking lot, Mt. Mansfield.

Today, I took a few shots of some of the birds in our woods as I walked the dog on our series of trails.

We have had a family of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks nesting on our property with at least two young males.

Eastern Phoebes seem to be silent this time of year and this one did not bob its tail.

We seem to have dozens of new Song Sparrows. This one has caught a little treat.

White-throated Sparrows a practicing their songs and chipping at the dog and me as we move by them. This guy was about ten feet away, holding his ground. — White-throated Sparrows are practicing their songs and chipping at the dog and me as we move by them. This guy was about ten feet away, holding his ground.

So, while it is frustrating to search for warblers in fully-leaved maple trees, there’s a lot going on lower down with all the “newbies” learning the ropes. Slap on the bug dope and enjoy summer birds. Most will be gone pretty soon. Good birding

Birding a New Patch

As I have launched a County Big Year for Lamoille County, I have found a “patch” where I have been focusing much of my attention: it is close and pretty, and it is productive.

Lamoille County is about 10 miles from the house and the "patch" is 2 miles further. — Lamoille County is about 10 miles from the house and the “patch” is 2 miles further.

The patch is a hiking/bike/ski trail from Route 12 up to Little Elmore Pond. Here’s the starting point with a bridge across the North Branch of the Winooski River.

Note the post, with a lock, to keep out four-wheelers and snow machines.

The North Branch is a lovely stream here, colored brown with tannic acid.

Yesterday, I had a couple of hours so the dog and I went up for some birding. I hadn’t even got out of the truck when I heard two Ovenbirds calling back and forth.

Ovenbirds are probably the most common bird along the trail -- usually hear five or ten -- but rarely see them. — Ovenbirds are probably the most common bird along the trail — usually hear five or ten — but rarely see them. This one was more accommodating than most.

There’s little traffic on the highway but it’s nice to get up the trail a bit and get away from what road noise there is. The the woods come alive with the calls of warblers however the new foliage makes sightings a challenge. I never meet anyone along the way and it is wonderful just walking along, listening. I usually keep the dog leashed going up so that she doesn’t spook everything before I get there and it pays off, we heard and saw a Tennessee Warbler early on the trail.

The trail has water in vernal pools and a small brook runs alongside and the black flies are out and about. Last week, about a quarter-mile in, I heard a loud bird up ahead, low in the underbrush, but didn’t recognize the call. Quietly moving ahead with the dog straining, I saw a small bird moving and got it in the binoculars (one-handed since the leash was in the other) and saw an Ovenbird-like bird with a different call. I realized that I had my first Northern Waterthrush of the year.

A "Selfie" along the trail - birding was slow. — A “Selfie” along the trail – birding was slow.

Of course, although the landscape is wild and beautiful, there is debris — some from hunters (shell cases), and some from former logging operations. I spotted this big black object off the trail and thinking “bear cub,” saw that it was just an abandoned skidder tire.

Why haul it out when you can just leave it in the woods?

It’s really been fun getting to know this little area. I see Common Yellowthroats in the same spots each visit and am getting to know the hot spots along the way. I took my bike a few weeks ago and rode/pushed the six or seven miles up to Little Elmore Pond. I approached the pond carefully, thinking that I might see some waterfowl but nothing was there. I sat by the water’s edge, hearing a Barred Owl and a Pileated Woodpecker, when a shorebird whizzed past. It settled on a rock and I got a few shots of this lonely Spotted Sandpiper.

So far, in about a month I have over 60 species in this birding patch and got three new birds yesterday. It’s been a good find and in fifteen minutes I can get there and be in wild country filled with some pretty good birds. It’s a great place to slow down and enjoy things. Here are a couple more shots of things along the way. Good birding.

Many patches of violets adorn the pathway.

Out of the Blue — There’s Blue!

All Spring we’ve had a great variety of feathered visitors to our feeder and back yard but today was special. This morning we’d seen the hummer, the grosbeak, the purple finches along with chipping and white-throated sparrows but just before lunch, I glanced out a the apple tree and saw a blue blob that can only be one thing up here: an Indigo Bunting. What a special treat — I think it’s the first here since we’ve been keeping records.

First Indigo Bunting we've seen on our property. — First Indigo Bunting we’ve seen on our property.

I got Mary to the window as another one showed up. The camera and binoculars were out in the truck so I scooted to get those while Mary watched our visitors move about the tree.

Just as I was trying to capture a couple of shots, a third male showed up. I grabbed this photo of all three in the tree.

They soon flew off together to a White Pine and then departed. I figured that was it. However, later this afternoon, two showed up in the tree and one came to the thistle feeder, to the dismay of the American Goldfinches who consider that their restaurant.

We did not see any females and I doubt that buntings will stay since most of our land is very wooded and they like more open spaces but you never know.

It was such a surprise and such a delight to see these handsome dudes. Unlike the brown flycatchers and sparrows that can drive me nuts, these guys are my kind of bird: flashy and unmistakeable.

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):

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.

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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