Yesterday I came upon a dozen or more Wild Turkeys and just like last year’s post in mid-April — the guys were displaying — the hens were in a “get lost, Buster” mood.
Platonic Turkey Love
Category: Local Birding
Early Spring Birds
The snow is melting, back roads are muddy, and every week new birds show up. Downy Woodpeckers, here in our backyard all year, are some of our favorites – and we get to see their fledglings in a few months.
American Crows are very active, hassling hawks like this Red-tailed, and often gathering in groups, known as “murders.”
Likewise, Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles, recent arrivals, forage together.
Turkey Vultures arrived about two weeks ago. Note the wing dihedral and wingtip feathers.
Another year-round bird which is fun to watch and hear is the Tufted Titmouse. This one was in a tree out back.
And sometimes, nothing is out and about — but this guy popped up in the only hole in the pond. It looks like he saw his shadow.
Some Friday Birds
Ginger and I went out for an outing on the nearby trails mid-day today. The walking was tricky in mushy snow but the birdsong was up-lifting. My first singing Song Sparrows, lots of Brown Creepers and nuthatches, titmice, cardinals, and crows. One who was quietly perched beside the trail was this Pine Grosbeak.
The river is open again and we are seeing a lot of activity, including this handsome Common Merganser, looking for love in all the right places.
Cold weather coming so much of the river will freeze again but that’s life in March in Vermont.
Some Winter Photos
I want to share some shots of winter birds and other items we’ve seen on our daily outings. I’ll start with a quiet and beautiful spot we found the other day.
In the neighborhood, there’s a nice variety of birds – yesterday there was a Northern Cardinal, a Carolina Wren, and a Tufted Titmouse singing away on a section of one street.
This guy was pretty quiet.
Whenever there’s open water, there’s often a merganser or two.
American Crows are out and about every day.
Most of our recent storms have had snow perfect for many outdoor activities.
As we get ready to “Spring Forward” this weekend it’s fun to think about the array of birds getting ready to head northward.
See You Next Spring
In spite of wintry weather in December, our visiting Great Blue Heron hung in there until mid-month. Here are the last photos I got before it departed just before Christmas.
Pre-storm Birds
We’ve had a Nor’easter forecast for a week and it’s hitting today. Yesterday Ginger and I took several outings and found a number of interesting birds along the river.
In an early walk, I surprised a few Mallards, only to notice that one was a diving duck. It was a first sighting for this spot, a Ring-necked Duck who was actively feeding for about an hour.
The Mallards were busy in the icy water as well. The second photo is some of them just ten days ago.
We’ve been seeing a Great Blue Heron nearly every day in December but yesterday, he was situated on our path blocked by brush. So you’ll have to believe me but you can see part of his beak and coloration, and his back.
This pair of Hooded Mergansers has delighted us — they don’t breed for a few months but they look ready to rock and roll. Enjoy
Last Encounter
Ginger and I went for a paddle the other morning and along with a noisy Belted Kingfisher and a few remaining Eastern Kingbirds and Gray Catbirds, I saw this cooperative Green Heron. I don’t expect to meet him again until springtime but he gave me some nice last looks from the kayak.
Morning Paddle
This morning, Ginger and I spent an hour or so on the river, launching from our backyard with leash, paddle, and camera. Just upstream, this little Painted Turtle watched us but stayed put on his sunny spot.
There were dozens of Eastern Kingbirds chattering and feeding as we moved upriver. I love to watch their aerial antics — many were youngsters.
It’s interesting sitting in a moving stream handling the boat, the camera, and of course, the dog. I miss a lot of shots but it’s fun. Every so often, Ginger is antsy to move on.
I spotted this Green Heron, which I’ve seen before, up ahead and quietly tried to move towards it.
The current was challenging and the paddle spooked it and it flew off into the underbrush.
There were any groups of young kids around the playfields and wading in the river so while Ginger wanted to join them, we cruised back. It was a nice end of July outing.
Common Yellowthroats
The other afternoon, I was sitting in the shade down by the river, reading a book with Ginger in my lap. Several Common Yellowthroats were feeding in the bushes around us and having my camera, I quietly took some photos. I need to revisit these photos next February when it’s cold and grey – to remember how beautiful Vermont can be in July.
Invasives Trail
Just a short walk from our house is a short trail along the river, part of the city trails system, named the Invasives Trail. Along with Japanese Knotweed and other invasives, it host a lot of birds. Many people help whack back the knotweed, repair the foot bridges, and clear the trail. I go there several times a week, including today. Here are a few birds Ginger and I saw during a warm summer morning walk this morning.
What a wonderful resource to have in our neighborhood, and a launching point for hours-long hikes on the trail network.