Category Archives: Birding With Penny

Goodbye, Dear Penny

Last night, assisted by Doctor Erika, we said goodbye to Penny, our wonderful traveling companion. She had hiked her last hike with me last week and after nearly 14 years of high energy living, ran out of gas. She crossed the country seven times, had a long life list of critters (alligators, armadillos, javelinas, road-runners, coots, gallinules, to name a few), and as a rescue dog, was very much “a piece of work.” Well-loved by all” is not an exaggeration.

Here is a little photo tribute to this great dog, who we will miss deeply.

Penny loved a good run….

and nap on chairs and couches

She took up a lot of space in my Luscombe but enjoyed flying.

and she was a great traveling companion.

Caminos felices, mi maravillosa amiga

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.

A Ride on the West River Rail Trail

I have walked, skied, and biked rail trails around the East and have to say that the West River one is the best I’ve seen. It’s scenic, very burst, and remote so I can let my anti-social (re dogs) Vizsla off-leash and not be bothered by hordes of joggers, cyclists, or dog-walkers.

We took a walk Friday afternoon and I was struck by the quiet. No road noise – nothing but the river and birds. This morning, we went out early and needed a jacket and gloves, which were in the van, but I was too lazy to turn around. I had set up the “Springer” attachment which allows Penny to jog alongside the bike. We use that in the park.

The rail trail goes right through the campground. We start at the southern section and head a few miles toward the big Ball Mountain dam.

It’s easy, when traveling along the trail, to visualize the small trains that once plied this 33-mile route. Lots of ledge cuts, stream crossings, and river crossing (which are mainly abutments.)

The bird calls were amazing. Of course the Veery and the Hermit Thrush are among my favorites but I also saw a dozen or more Ovenbirds. They are usually tough to spot in spite of their constant singing but these were on the path, in the low branches, just not worried about this guy and his dog. I am not carrying my camera since I don’t have my laptop with me so that’s why I haven’t posted bird photos.

Penny is 12 and moving pretty well but I don’t want to over-tax her so we stopped at where the railroad crossed the river. She enjoyed checking the place out and I enjoyed the view, spotting a couple of Common Mergansers downriver.

The trail continues, less bike-friendly, down toward the flood control dam. We turned around and ended up with a two hour outing with about 35 bird species. We earned the bacon and pancakes with maple syrup that I cooked outside after our return.

This campground is the last place where Mary and I camped – we had a lovely time last fall. Saturday marked the two-month anniversary of her death so the walks, bike rides, even the black flies that loved her and ignored me, are gentle reminders. One advantage of knowing most bird calls is that you can bird with tears in your eyes.

Some MA Birding

Penny and I took took a road trip yesterday down to Merrimac to see Jen and her gang – and to do a little birding. Things are several weeks ahead down here and being further south, we hear Tufted Titmice, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and Northern Mockingbirds that are less common up our way. I was just setting up the van – which takes no time at all – when I heard an unusual bird song and found a couple of Magnolia Warblers working the apple tree in the front yard.

This bouncing Magnolia Warbler reminded me how tough it is to photograph warblers.

This bouncing Magnolia Warbler reminded me how tough it is to photograph warblers.

This morning, we paused for a silly selfie before heading out for some birding along a trail I (and many other birders) like along Artichoke Reservoir.

Jen's Mini-Cooper is dwarfed by the Interstate RV

Jen’s Mini-Cooper is dwarfed by the Interstate RV

We heard and saw a lot of neat birds, the best being several Blue-winged Warblers, Northern Waterthrush, Warbling Vireos, Baltimore Orioles, and Rose-breased Grosbeaks. Everything was singing and it was a challenge to figure out the various calls since it’s the first time this year I’ve heard them. This Scarlet Tanager greeted us as we were leaving the trail.

 

Pretty lousy photo of a pretty bird singing its heart out.

Pretty lousy photo of a pretty bird singing its heart out.

This is not only big-time mosquito territory but also tick heaven. She has a treatment each month – I have to remember to wear long pants, load up with spray, and check afterward.  It is a favorite place of mine and favorite time of year to bird – oral and visual overload. A nice problem to have. Good birding

The Usual Suspects

Down in Massachusetts for a few days visit, I decided to take Penny birding yesterday morning at one of my favorite spots, Salisbury Beach State Reservation. If you get there early, even on a weekend, there are few people around. Later in the morning, it seems like every dog walker in the area descends on the place.

I had just turned on to the access road when I saw a Northern Harrier working the salt flats, hunting low over the ground, swooping and soaring in the way that I just love to watch. It was too far off for photos but a great start — first I’ve seen this year.

The ocean was pretty dramatic with a stiff wind and high tide and as far as I could tell, no birds.

The ocean was pretty dramatic with a stiff wind and high tide and as far as I could tell, no birds.

Several House Finches were in the shrubbery along the walkway to the beach.

Several House Finches were in the shrubbery along the walkway to the beach.

After seeing several large dogs cavorting off leash along the beach, I decided to move inland. We ran into a host of species and Penny had a chance to race around a bit around the vacant campground. Perhaps the most interesting were the Song Sparrows, which were singing everywhere, and a half-dozen Northern Mockingbirds.

The mockingbirds were going through their repertoire - fun to hear and see.

The mockingbirds were going through their repertoire – fun to hear and see.

Mocker1AW

 

Even House Sparrows got into the act.

Even House Sparrows got into the act.

We headed toward the boat launch area and noted several large groups of Brant.

The Brant breeds in the high Arctic tundra and winters along both coasts.

The Brant breeds in the high Arctic tundra and winters along both coasts.

It was a nice morning outing, relatively quiet since many migrants have yet to arrive. Both Penny and I got some nice exercise and fresh air. We’ll be back again until they start charging $14 per car when the beaches open up.

Second Try Is The Charm

One of the things that grieving does to me is make me more forgetful — “Where are those truck keys?” “I just had that shopping list, Penny, did you eat it?” It’s just part of the territory these days and why I’m glad I keep good lists on my iPhone. “Where’s the $#@& iPhone?

Yesterday afternoon, the weather was wonderful for a change and I decided to take Penny out for a walk to see if we could see the Northern Goshawk again. I’d seen a pair a couple of days ago and hoped that they might be sticking around to nest.

We started out with dozens of chickadees, like this one, chattering away, probably reminding me that the feeders were getting low.

One of our Black-capped Chickadees who is believes in eating local food.

One of our Black-capped Chickadees who believes in eating local food.

As we got up to the place where we have seen goshawks, I sat down on a leafy knoll, head up against a tree, and relaxed in the sun, listening to nuthatches and chickadees. The dog flopped down for a bit and it was nice, until my cellphone dinged. I thought we were out of 3G range but a message, unimportant, made it through.

I returned to the house, started getting organized for a shopping trip, loaded the dog, and could not find my iPhone. I looked everywhere. My last resort was to look out in the woods where I had been sitting. So off we trudged, back up the hill, Penny wondering what was up but game for any outing. Just as we approached the spot, I heard a Pileated Woodpecker – first of the year — and then saw it flying through the pines. I then saw my iPhone on the leaves up ahead. Things were looking much better.

Then, I heard a goshawk calling and sure enough, the same bird I that I had seen before perched and called from a tree quite far away. I pushed the limit of my SX-50 point and shoot camera but it sat in the sun for me, and then flew off to a more distant perch.

Northern Goshawks are beautiful birds. I think this is a female since its companion the other day was smaller.

Northern Goshawks are beautiful birds. I think this is a female since its companion the other day was smaller.

So what was lost was found and I got a neat bonus plus more exercise. I’m going to be traveling a lot for the next few weeks so it will give these birds, if they choose to stay, a chance to be undisturbed. I am concerned by their noisiness and am not posting information on their location — other than it is somewhere within walking distance of the house. Let’s leave them be and see if they nest. Good birding to all.

The Kindness of Birders

A “boreal grand slam” in Vermont, and perhaps elsewhere, is to see the four boreal species (Boreal Chickadee, Gray Jay, Spruce Grouse, and Black-backed Woodpecker) on one birding outing. Or for others like me, it’s to get them as life birds, period.

I had seen, quite some time ago, Gray Jays and a cooperative Spruce Grouse but had never seen the other two species. Monday, I hoped to remedy that with a trip to the Northeast Kingdom with my faithful hound.

It is about a 1 plus 45 trip to the Victory Wildlife Management Area but it was a beautiful drive – trees showing red buds, some patches of snow, warm temperatures. The dirt road into Victory was in great shape with no traffic and I could hear Winter Wrens, Blue-headed Vireos, and Black-capped Chickadees as we cruised in with the windows down. Did I say that it is too early for bugs — which are treacherous in later spring.

Our destination was a pipeline crossing which had recently been described by a local birder, Tom Berriman of Lyndonville, as one of the good spots for Black-backed Woodpeckers. He wrote on the list serve that they had paired up and building nests and included a digiscoped video of one at work.

I had never met Tom but “know” him through postings, Facebook, and his great photos on the NEK Audubon page. When I got to the crossing, sure enough, his truck was there. Penny and I trekked in for about a half mile when way up ahead, returning, was this guy with a telescope slung over his shoulder. I watched a young Red-tailed Hawk thermal as I waited for him. I knew it was him and he recognized me, from having Penny on a leash, as we shook hands and talked for a bit. It had been a quiet morning for him as well.

When I mentioned that I was looking for a Black-backed Woodpecker he immediately said, “Do you want me to take you to where I saw the two yesterday?” I thought that he was going to give me good directions but as we walked back to our trucks, it became evident that he wanted to take me there.

So, after shedding some layers (it was getting warm), we walked in on an adjacent gated jeep trail quietly talking about all sort of topics and listening for drumming. He has better hearing than I do, or recognizes the light tapping of the Black-backed, and he heard a couple that were off a ways. Soon, we got to the spot where he had seen them.

After a short wait, he motioned and we moved into the woods a bit, through tangles and dead trees (I had Penny on a leash which got tangled here and there) he pointed and climbing a spruce tree was a female Black-backed Woodpecker. I got a great look but no photo with the trees and dog to deal with. She flew shortly and that was it.

Female Black-backed Woodpecker. Photo credit to sfitzgerald86

Female Black-backed Woodpecker. Photo credit to sfitzgerald86.

As we waited a bit, I asked Tom how he knew she was there. “I heard some light tapping,” he said. I would have likely walked right by the bird.

He’d been tramping for four hours or so but still went out of his way to walk another half mile or so to guide me to this life bird. It is an example of his hospitality – he’s well-known and respected for taking birders to his favorite spots – but also of the kindness that I have found in the birding community here and in other states. It is a wonderful aspect and one more reason why birding can be so rewarding. Thank you Tom for life bird #428.

Some Rio Grande Valley Critters

One of the unique aspects of birding with a dog is the extra-curricular activity brought on by critters – some domesticated but most wild. Without exception, they bring on a surge at the leash which doesn’t help when you just got that warbler in your binoculars.

In the lower Valley, the main tormenters were squirrels – big imported Fox squirrels like this one who was too lazy to even bother her.

Here further west, we hear coyotes at night and see them on early morning morning walks. Their scat is all over the trails – a continual delight for the dog.

Another potential prey is the Cottontail rabbit. They dart across the road and at night, can make a walk rather interesting. It gets dark here – very little ambient light – and the dog sees or senses them first and the lunges on the leash while all I see is a bobbing piece of white cotton up ahead. Here’s one we saw yesterday.

Here at Falcon Lake State Park, there are deer, most of them pretty small. We saw this bigger guy yesterday crossing the parking lot. You can see that he’s shed one of his antlers. It’s about that time of year here.

The one critter I worry about here is the Collared Peccary more commonly known as the javelina. They are everywhere and while a little shy, they certainly could give Penny a rough time if provoked. Even though they are not pigs, they pig out on Mexican Olives dropped from trees throughout the park as well as bird seed on the ground. Here are three that visited us yesterday – you can see the rear of the Airstream in the photo.

And here’s a face only a peccary could love.

Birding Hubbard Park

Last week, I had the truck in for maintenance and rather than sit in the waiting room with a mindless tv program blaring, I decided to take a walk with the dog and do a little birding. Fortunately, we have a wonderful forested park right in downtown Montpelier so off I headed toward the golden dome of the statehouse.

Hubbard Park rises straight up behind the statehouse and has a winding trail that weavesbup through tall pine and hardwood trees to an observation tower. No sooner did I enter the wood when I heard an Ovenbird over the din of morning traffic. There is construction underway downtown so the singing Red-eyed Vieros and Hermit Thrushes competed with back-up signals from dump trucks. This faded as we climbed and I began to hear Black-throated Greens (and Blues) and other woodland birds as we climbed.

The trail was rebuilt by Youth Conservation Corps teams who also built some clever resting spots like this one.

The trail was rebuilt by Youth Conservation Corps teams who also built some clever resting spots like this one.

In 1899, Montpelier was given 134 acres of land by John E. Hubbard for use as a park and then, in 1911, was donated additional land was donated where the present stone observation  tower stands.

You come out of the woods into a lovely clearing, filled with birds, in which stands the Hubbard Park tower. Penny and I don't do towers -- but I hear the view is great.

You come out of the woods into a lovely clearing, filled with birds, in which stands the Hubbard Park tower. Penny and I don’t do towers — but I hear the view is great.

We started to encounter dogs and walkers as we entered into the roads of the park.  It is a popular exercise spot for canines and at present, there is no leash requirement so it can be a little dicey with a bossy Vizsla, who is on a leash.  We maneuvered by several groups of people and dogs as we moved down toward the new shelter.  There were some American Redstarts and Blackburnian Warblers calling high in the foliage and a half dozed Red-eyed Vireos.

The park is extensive and hooks up with trails at the North Branch Nature Center and other city land.

The park is extensive and hooks up with trails at the North Branch Nature Center and other city land.

As we descended back toward the “Meadow Area” of Montpelier, we started running into some field-habitat birds and I grabbed a couple of photos:

This American Goldfinch was chowing down on some plants and ignored us.

This American Goldfinch was chowing down on some plants and ignored us.

A juvenile Common Yellowthroat played hide and seek as I tried to take a photo.

A juvenile Common Yellowthroat played hide and seek as I tried to take a photo.

We were soon back on city streets and heading back toward the garage to pick up the Ford. It was such a lovely outing, right smack in the middle of the capitol city of Vermont.  Without a lot of work, I logged 20 species, and know that I missed some.  So if you are visiting Montpelier, carve out some time to walk the trails of this great resource.  You can drive most of the way up this time of year and avoid some pretty steep climbs.  It is a safe place and a great place to air out a restless pooch — and see and hear some neat birds.

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Birding Should Not Be A Contact Sport

Friday morning, I took off with the dog early in the morning to see if I could add a Peregrine Falcon to my County Big Year list.  I headed toward Marshfield Mountain, a spot where they nest and are often seen, and we were heading in the narrow access road about the time the morning fog lifted.  It promised to be a beautiful Vermont summer day.

This deer fly road all the way in on the side mirror - I probably should have taken that as a sign of the travails ahead.

This deer fly rode all the way in on the side mirror – I probably should have taken that as a sign of the travails ahead.

Parking the truck and dousing up with bug dope, we headed down the trail, listening to warblers and enjoying the pretty morning.  No one was around — there was no noise other than the dog’s crashing through the underbrush and my humming.  The Deep Woods “Off” was working pretty well. I wasn’t quite sure of the directions and sure enough, took the wrong offshoot of a trail which after fifteen minutes, was obviously leading me away from the mountain.  Reversing, I soon found another offshoot and started on a narrow, root-laden trail through the woods.  Two Brown Creepers greeted me with their calls and cavorting. There were a lot of blowdowns across the trail from recent storms but the traveling was rather easy — and many woodland birds were active.  Then, as I approached an opening where the mountain would be visible, I heard the distinctive call of a Peregrine and got a quick glimpse as it flew off.

 

I moved ahead to an opening and saw the cliffs of the mountain.  I then traversed a rocky area and went on but soon realized that the trail was heading up part of the mountain.  Given the fact that I had a leg that’s been bothering me a bit, I turned around to return to the opening where I could spend some time watching for another Peregrine.

The cliffs of Marshfield Mountain where Peregrine Falcons hang out.

The cliffs of Marshfield Mountain where Peregrine Falcons hang out.

Just as I returned to the boulder-strewn area, disaster struck.  Somehow, I slipped a bit and landed hard on my right foot.  My right leg crumpled and I took a hard fall with excruciating pain.  I yelled and of course, the dog came back to see what was up — I just laid there, unable to move.  After a bit, I attempted to right myself but could put no weight on my right leg.  So, here we are, about a mile in, no cell coverage at all, and no one around.  It was still early, only about 10 AM and I had a water bottle and some food so I figured, if worse came to worse, I could just stay there until help came.  (Mary did know where I was and of course, the truck was at the trailhead.)

Let me just give you a snapshot of the next two and a half hours:  I found a limb to use as a crutch and could only move by holding it with both hands and leaning on it as I moved my right leg, then my left.  It was terribly painful and I was wincing, swearing, and falling down as the crutch slipped, and then broke in half.  I found another and foot by foot, started making it up the trail.  Every root or rock was a potential trouble spot and going down hill was impossible.  I resorted to crawling down the hills on hands and knees, doing the same over  some of the logs across the trail, and under others.  I took some breaks but it was a long muddy sweaty haul.

At one point, I noted that because I was bent over, staring so intently a where to plant the stick and my foot, that I was seeing all sorts of caterpillars and frogs and insects that I had just cruised past on the way in.  At one point, I even decided to check out a warbler and through sweat-stained binoculars, watched a Black-throated Green feeding down low.

I made it back to the access road but even that, relatively smooth, was challenging.  Boggy spots and little stream crossings took their toll and I would go say 50 feet ok, then place my foot wrong, and cry out — and on we went.  There were a couple of uphills I hadn’t noticed on the way in and they were a challenge. I had parked the truck way to the side of the road, nearly in a ditch, and had a devil of a time getting to the door to open it and get the dog in.  The tall grass held back my right foot and it killed me to pull the boot ahead, so I tamped the grass down and slowly moved the foot ahead.  Getting up into the tall truck was also fun — I couldn’t get my right leg under the steering well and finally crawled nearly to the passenger side to get my boot past the brake pedal.  Then we ran the air conditioner, drank water, and gave thanks.

The trip home was tough because I could not lift my right leg to get to the brake pedal.  I finally got into a system of grabbing my leg when I needed to move it and also using second gear to slow down.  I had to go about 20 minutes before cell coverage and called Mary from Plainfield.  Since the dog was with me and it was now pretty warm out, I needed to get her home before hitting the ER.

Mary had lined up our neighbor to help me.  She got the dog straightened out with water and food down cellar and David then helped me struggle from the truck to Mary’s Civic — which is pretty tight even when I’m healthy.  We got situated, to the ER, and went through a series of exams and X-rays.  The folks, on a beautiful Friday afternoon, were great and the results showed no broken bones.  They put a brace on me, got me set up with crutches and some meds, and we were on our way home.  Of course, the leg in a brace didn’t really fit in the Honda, even with the seat way back so it was a tough ride home.  Then, I couldn’t make it up our shed steps so I just crawled into the house on hands and knees, dragging my new brace.

Here's the long stabilizing brace that has the toughest Velcro in the world.

Here’s the long stabilizing brace that has the toughest Velcro in the world.

So, not much has changed in a day.  The doc thinks I might be something related to the knee but we’ll have to see an ortho surgeon next week.  It was quite an effort for County Bird #131.  I think most of my birding in early August will be reading birding blogs — but I’m thankful for getting out of the woods, good health care, and wonderful support from Mary, family, and friends.