Category: Vermont Birding

Muggy Mid-day Paddle

Like most of the East, and it seems, most of the world, we have been enduring a long stretch of hot and humid conditions with sparse precipitation. While the river is low, paddling seemed like a nice option to get a little workout and perhaps see some birds.

As I was getting kayak ready, I noticed this Monarch working one of our flower bushes.

It has been a good year for Monarchs

Several young song sparrows chipped away at me as I got the gear together.

Our local Great Blue Heron was downstream fishing.

While upstream, this moma Mallard shepherded her three youngsters,

We have watched this brood go from about a dozen fluffballs to the three nearly-grown youngsters.

I saw a larger bird fly into some undergrowth and after some maneuvering and stealth, I spotted this neat Green Heron. It gave me an interesting challenge of balancing the boat, the paddle, and the camera as it played hard to get.

But the master of “catch me if you can” seems to be the Belted Kingfisher who is noisy, flashy, and usually just out of camera range. I followed this one for a quarter mile, shooting and missing, but finally …

Birding by boat is not just about trying for photos. I got really close to several Grey Catbirds, deep in the honeysuckle, and watched an Eastern Phoebe singing away high on a dead branch. It iwas a peaceful way to enjoy a humid Vermont mid-day.

Sunday Birding

I awoke to the song of a Carolina Wren, sort of unusual here — and going out to look for it, saw this trio in the back yard.

I suspect that the second fawn is hiding. Note the Joe Pye Weed in the background.

I did some reading on the back deck, watching the birds coming toward the feeder. We are getting a lot of youngsters and quite a mix. Here are a few:

Goldfinches have been numerous all spring/summer and some, like this guy, are simply stunning after molt.
Common Grackles show up in bunches — this appears to be a young one — no yellow eye and a little drab.
What’s not to like about a Northern Cardinal?
Finch – House or Purple? Their singing can be ethereal in the early morning.
This young Blue Jay is one of many who have boundless appetites and are constantly begging, doing their “wing” shake to get their parents to feed them.

We have a new “squirrel-proof” feeder which the greys have sort of given up on but the reds are still trying.

The other challenge is the Rock Doves aka pigeon who show up each day in droves. They generally go for the dropped seed but also try to get on the feeder, in a flail of flapping wings and clumsiness. I must say, they are pretty handsome birds — one or two at a time.

I looked up from my book to see this guy moving down through the reeds. We had a Great Blue here the last few years and he returned this Spring. After a surprise late snowfall, he vanished. This bird showed up months later and whether it’s our regular, or a newcomer, it it warms our heart to have that wonderful fisherman/woman in our back yard.

Slow birding is a nice way to spend a summer Sunday afternoon.

Some Local Birds

With a marriage, house sale, move, van repair, and family reunion, it has been a busy late Spring/Summer. The birding has been quite good locally and we continue to see all sorts of avian visitors to our back yard. Here are a few shots I’ve taken of some local birds.

This Chipping Sparrow was singing away like he was in love.
Common Yellowthroats abound and have raised a strong new crop this summer.
Young Indigo Bunting

Tree Swallows with what looks like a Cliff Swallow.
Living on the North Branch of the Winooski River makes us neighbors with both common and hooded mergansers.

We are going to being doing some birding in Virginia in early August and then in southern Spain in September. We are also planning a Southwest trip for early 2019.  Adios, amigos.

Local Rambles

I’ve set up a round-trip bird walk, about 3.2 miles long, that goes up the trail along the North Branch of the Winooski, hooking up with the paths around the North Branch Nature Center. It’s a good way to get a little exercise and see a variety of birds and critters.Two days ago, I saw my first Belted Kingfisher of the year.

Two days ago, I saw my first Belted Kingfisher of the year.
Then, at NBNC, American Tree Swallows with checking out this bluebird nesting box.

Yesterday, I took a little detour up into the woods and saw these guys:

This Hermit Thrush was singing away – such a wonderful spring sound.
Several Brown Creepers were singing and feeding.

Returning home, I met an acquaintance who asked about my birding and told me that a Yellowlegs had been foraging all morning out behind the house. Sure enough – a new yard bird.

I’m calling this a Greater Yellowlegs but could be convinced otherwise. It left just at dusk.

 

Looking For Love

Vermont, while well into Spring calendar-wise, is still gloves and boots season for birding. On a recent four-mile walk in light drizzle, not only were there some new arrivals (Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow-bellied, Sapsucker, Broad-winged Hawk) but many seemed to be pairing up.

This female Cardinal was listening to the nearby male sing.
I saw six pairs of Northern Cardinals.

Mallards and Eastern Phoebes were pair up as were these two Canada Geese.

Further up into the woods of Hubbard Park, I heard, and then saw, this Winter Wren. His unmistakeable song rang through the conifers and hopefully, brought a little love into his life.

We have a few more cold drizzly days but the forecast looks good. I’m ready and it looks like the birds are ready. Bring it on.

A Trip to Paz de las Aves

Well before dawn, we boarded the bus for a trip to Refugio Paz de las Aves, where Angel Paz, a local farmer, has developed a modest but spectacular birding site. We arrived early to see the Andean Cock-of-the-walk display on the lek and sure enough, we heard the raucous calls and saw the brilliant birds as we approached. The photos were tough given the foliage and constant movement but it was unforgettable.

Here’s lookin’ at you, kid

This place is sometimes known as “the antpitta farm” since Angel has gained the trust of some normally rare and shy forest species by offering them juicy worms. Here he is bringing out a family for us to see. (These birds are impossible to spot on your own.) 

Two parents and two youngsters showed up for a short visit
This female Masked Trogon sat just far enough away to make photos difficult.

The reserve has several fruit-feeding blinds where spectacular birds show their stuff.

Blue-winged Mountain Tanager

Angel, and several helpers, called in several other antpittas that they had trained to come for food.

Chestnut-crowned Antpitta in poor lighting
Rufous Antipitta

On the way back, we got our first taste of the fast & furious nature of a big mixed-species flock and this lovely Tropical Kingbird (TK in tropic birding jargon) just hanging out.

Hunkering Down

After a few days at Fontainbleau State Park and a nice reunion in New Orleans with Vermont friends, we headed northward and endured a long trip on busy but dry roads back home. The van ran well and aside from a last day long trek, we kept the legs reasonable with motel stays along the way. Since then, it’s been a lot of catch-up work and a series of Nor’easter snowstorms, including 12-14 inches last night. The Sprinter isn’t going anywhere soon.

The Florida van had -30 temperatures before we left and several feet of snow since we returned.

I am including a couple of bird photos — two from Louisiana and one from Vermont.

This Loggerhead Shrike (or its cousin) was on the same power line last year.
It will be a while before we see Eastern Bluebirds here.
However, some American Robins are hanging in there in wintry Central Vermont.

Now we are packing for a two-week birding trip to Ecuador with a group from the North Branch Nature Center. I expect to be offline until early April but will share a few shots from this exciting adventure.

A Little Sparrow Love

Sparrows are often the Rodney Dangerfield’s of my birding world – they just don’t get any respect. However, fed up with the antics of fall warblers, it’s fun to see some of the sparrows sitting a bit still for identification and perhaps photos.

I came across this Lincoln’s Sparrow the other day and just wanted to share how lovely some of these little brown jobs can be:

Checking Out The Van

Finally, we got The Goshawk ready for a local mid-week camping trip to Ricker Pond State Park. I had reserved the only on-shoreline spot we could fit into and as I write this looking out the door, I can see early sign of autumn’s colors reflected in the water while a soon-to-depart Common Loon cruises and calls. Few campers, mid-seventies temps, and a nice forecast. What’s not to like?

After a quick setup, Penny and I took a pretty walk where this Great Blue Heron posed for us.

Sally is coming tonight with the kayaks so we’ll hit the water in the morning. While we are waiting, we tried some selfies to pass the time. Penny is up and frisky after a couple of tough medical weeks so we should have a couple of good shakedown days as we get ready for longer journeys.

First Paddle

Nearly mid-June and I just launched the Hornbeck canoe this morning for the first time. Too many other activities, chores, excuses but it was a great beginning. I went early to our local Wrightsville Reservoir and being a weekday and early, only one sculler was on the water.

Dozens of bird calls kept me occupied as I headed north on the quiet water with a few beavers objecting to my presence with loud slaps. Then, up ahead, I saw the white head of an Osprey or Bald Eagle in a craggy tree and carefully approaching it, saw that it was my first bald eagle of the year.

I sat at a distance and watched him for some time and then carefully paddled away leaving him undisturbed.

The inlet of the reservoir is the North Branch of the Winooski River and for a short period, it gets scenic and is a great paddle.

I came upon a Common Merganser with her chicks resting on a sandbar and she slipped into the stream and led them away as I tried to steady the boat and take some photos.

The eagle was still there on the return trip and I saw/heard over thirty species, got a nice workout, and finished up before 8 o’clock. Good to be on the water again.