More Mergs

While most birds along river have departed, we still are seeing mergansers on our daily walks. Here are a few from the last few weeks.

And a few Hoodies.

With Thanksgiving coming, here are some Wild Turkeys from this mornings back road drive. Not a great shot but they weren’t waiting around to pose for me.

On We Go

For a variety of reasons, I haven’t blogged for months. On a day where I have disconnected from news feeds for mental health, I’ve started an initiative to focus on topics such as birding, travel, dogs, and family that enliven my spirits. We’ll start with these Hooded and Common Mergansers I recently saw on a grey windy day at Berlin Pond, one of our local hotspots.

There were about twenty Hoodies and nearby, sixteen Mallards.

We’re in the season of no leaves, few birds and numb fingers on the camera but Ginger and I get out daily and do our normal multi-tasking of walking on leash, looking for birds, and for me, practicing Spanish. Enjoy this transition time, at least the seasonal one. As a friend wrote me today from Spain, “Hay que pensar en lo bueno” – “You have to think about the good.”

Some October Birds

After a wonderful trip to Spain with a stopover in Lisbon, we are back in Vermont at the start of stick season. The leaves are gone and many of the birds but many of our favorites are around. Here are some:

Many Mallards will stay around all winter.
We see these Common Mergansers every day.
A pair of Hooded Mergansers.
Hermit Thrushes will be heading out soon.
White-throated Sparrows will be a delight to see all winter.

The cooler temperatures remind me of what’s ahead but also makes me think of Snowy Owls and the redpolls, crossbills, and waxwings that may show up. Good birding.

Local Birds — late August

I have combined dog walks and birding for years and here are a few shots from recent outings. Here’s my companion, resting halfway through a three mile hike.

A few minutes earlier we had encountered several Northern Flickers.

Most of the woodlands birds aren’t singing now so you have to spot them. This Veery was very accommodating.

Walking along the river, I’m seeing the Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and Belted Kingfishers nearly every day. Here are a Wood Duck, a Green Heron, and a Common Merganser.

It’s been a good birding summer and we look forward to fall walks — with fewer birds but also, fewer bugs.

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.

Hangers-On — Part A

As most of the warblers, hummers, and flycatchers have left for warmer climes, I’ve been looking for birds that are packed but not quite ready to go. Here are some from last week.

Note the leg band on this Veery. Aside from a few chirps, they are pretty silent now.

Ducks, except for a few hardy Mallards, will likely be migrating next month, just in time for hunting season. There are a lot of young Common Mergansers still around.

Likewise, Wood Ducks are out and about.

Most flycatchers are gone but the ones remaining are silent and still confusing.

To me, it’s a Least Flycatcher, or an Alder
Belted Kingfishers are still cruising the river but will soon depart.

While the avian departure is bittersweet, it’s time to recall past winter birding and the prospect of Hawk Owls, Snowy Owls, finches, grosbeaks, crossbills ……

Paddling With Mergs

Until the last few days, we’ve had a small group of Common Mergansers on the river behind our house. In several kayak outings I’ve mixed with them, and when I had my camera onboard, trying to photograph them. With a moving river, skittish birds, and trying to balance the boat and the paddle, it’s an interesting challenge.

Up ahead are five mergansers already easing away from me as they see the boat.
I got four of them in the frame
The next day I got them going upstream.
They settled for a bit and I was able to get abeam of them
Hey, let’s get moving south and away from that guy with the blue boat.

The river is pretty barren now, as are the trees, and frost is in the forecast. We’ve had good birding this season on the North Branch of the Winooski.