Category Archives: Local trails

Stick Season 2

Each day I take Ginger, our labradoodle, on walks around the city or on trails throughout the county. We spend an hour or two and try to integrate a little birding into each adventure.

Some of our best finds, like this guy, are right out back before we even get going.

Montpelier itself has some nice birding and we found this House Finch just a bit down the road — heard it chipping and then spotted it.

On one of our jaunts on the trails of East Montpelier on Saturday, we flushed a Great Horned Owl who was out of sight before my camera was out of my pack. But later, in a real surprise, three Rusty Blackbirds, which I never see up here, flew into some trees and posed for the camera.

I hear that Common Redpolls are around. It’s time to bundle up and see our winter visitors. Hopefully a Snowy Owl has Washington County in its gps.

Early Summer Birds

Early June is a great time to be outside in Vermont – birds are still singing, young ones are clamoring for food, and everything is lush and green – but ticks abound.

Song Sparrows are everywhere with youngsters trying out the voices.
A new crop of Cedar Waxwings made a cameo appearance the other morning.
This juvenile Baltimore Oriole hiding in the brush was one of several.
Threatened by loss of habitat, Bobolinks are wonderful birds – so much fun to listen to and watch.

Just up the trail, these three gals watched us with great interest. Ginger, on her leash, likewise was ready to play but we moved on.

The Jersey breed was developed so that dairy producers would have “less cow to feed, more cow to milk.”
Ginger pausing on one of the East Montpelier trails.