Category Archives: Birding With Penny

Bonus Birding Wednesday

Yesterday morning, in spite of the damp misty tropic-like air, I decided to do a little birding at the North Branch Nature Center with the Vizsla.  I was hoping to hear/see the Black-billed Cuckoo that they heard the day before — but yet another try and failure for this nemesis bird for me.  However, I did get a wonderful birding bonus, one of those non-avian observations that make one glad he’s outside with binos and a camera.

I doused myself with Deep Woods Off before heading out but the mosquitoes were unrelenting — there were dozens swirling around my head and laughing at the repellant.  I’m not sure that might also have be lapping at it as well.  But the birds were active and Blackburnian Warblers and American Redstarts flashed through the foliage, singing away.  The fields are like jungle but the center keeps a series of paths mowed so, aside from the swampy areas, it’s easy going.  I had about 20 species logged when I came through a little opening and saw two ears elevated.  I could hardly see the deer (in spite of being 6-3) but I held the camera over my head and using the screen, shot this picture.

You can't see me -- I'm hidden in the ferns!

You can’t see me — I’m hidden in the ferns!

I moved slowly so as to not disturb the doe who had not smelled us.  The dog, being way below the foliage on the path, on a leash, had no clue she was there.  The path circled her and she watched me the whole time as I moved away, but was never disturbed.  It was a beautiful moment — she just looked so peaceful there in her big patch of tall ferns.

We went on the get ten or so more species including a Green Heron flying overhead.  It felt like birding in Alabama and I was drenched when we got back to the car, just in time to see the day campers getting ready to head out and search the beaver pond for vertebrates.  They likely came back a lot muddier and wetter than I — and the cuckoo better wait around for me — I’ll be back.

Local Birding With The Vizsla

I decided to stay close to home today as I work through a partial recovery of my pinched neck nerve.  Walking and exercise seems to help while driving can be problematic.

Just before we started out, this White-throated Sparrow was chowing down on thistle seed.

Just before we started out, this White-throated Sparrow was chowing down on thistle seed.

So, Penny and I trucked down to the Wrightsville Reservoir where she can run free and where there are few visitors this time of year.  She did her best, running to and fro, to scare off every bird in Washington County.  There were plenty to satisfy her and me.

The first birds we saw on the water were these Common Mergansers.

The first birds we saw on the water were these Common Mergansers.

As Penny raced up and down the paths and along the shoreline, the Mallards and mergansers just moved out a little further, while a couple of Canada Geese honked their displeasure, from a distance.  The whole area is flooded all winter and spring (this a flood control dam) and only now is drying out.  Dozens of Song Sparrows sang their hearts out and chased one another in the morning 40 degree temperatures.

You can't see me here. A Song Sparrow watched us pass by.

You can’t see me here. A Song Sparrow watched us pass by.

There were many Swamp Sparrows singing their “sewing machine” song and I got wonderful looks at several.  My fingers were numb from the temperatures and they keep moving, and are in the brush, so they made photography impossible.   They are my 70th County bird.

Later in the day, we birded our property and the adjacent forest.  One of the highlights was a pair of Brown Creepers working on our white pines.  I heard them first and then laid on the forest floor to watch them (easier on the neck).  We have a couple of pairs that seem to be in residence and it is always a treat to hear and see them.

I love Hermit Thrushes. They don't seem to be vocalizing yet but we have a few that I hope are nesting here.

I love Hermit Thrushes. They don’t seem to be vocalizing yet but we have a few that I hope are nesting here.

We came home to an array of birds in our backyard, both at the feeder and in surrounding trees.  Here is a shot of a Dark-eyed Junco and a pair of Purple Finches on the same branch of our old apple tree.

The Song Sparrow to the right looks too red and the Dark-eyed Junco looks too light but it was just the afternoon lighting angle.

The Dark-eyed Junco to the left looks too light but it was just the afternoon lighting angle.

Here are the eBird reports from today.

Wrightsville Reservoir – East Montpelier (190 acres), Washington, US-VT
Apr 26, 2013 8:25 AM – 9:44 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
Comments:     Northern end by swimming area <br />Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.5.3
17 species

Canada Goose  2
Mallard  6
Common Merganser  5
Downy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Phoebe  2
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  3
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  X
Golden-crowned Kinglet  1
American Robin  4
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1
Song Sparrow  X
Swamp Sparrow  X     Numerous singing lustily
White-throated Sparrow  6
Red-winged Blackbird  X
Purple Finch  2

Dick’s Backyard-woods, Washington, US-VT
Apr 26, 2013 3:00 PM – 4:28 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.5 mile(s)
Comments:     Dog walk – long <br />Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.5.3
13 species

Mourning Dove  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
American Crow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  X
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Brown Creeper  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2
Hermit Thrush  2
Song Sparrow  4
Dark-eyed Junco  X
Purple Finch  2

 

 

Birding on the First Day of Spring

We got about a foot of new snow Monday and all day, the birds hit the feeders pretty hard.  It was interesting to see some of them pause under the feeder’s eaves to take a break out of the snowfall.  One Red-breasted Nuthatch sat there, nearly motionless, for about 15 minutes before finally flying off with his sunflower seed.

So Tuesday, the first day of spring, was beautiful but not too birdy.  Chickadees, like this one, were active as usual and doing all their spring calls as we took our first walk.

Nothing stops chickadees from getting their breakfast.

Nothing stops chickadees from getting their breakfast.

As the dog and I started out to the drumming of a Hairy Woodpecker, we headed up into the red pine grove.  I was on snowshoes and Penny ranged ahead — until some gusts of wind started dumping snow off the trees.  Here she is heading back to me all a dither.  It only lasted for five minutes.

The Vizsla does not like surprise snow dumps like this one.

The Vizsla does not like surprise snow dumps like this one.

We weren’t seeing a lot of birds but it was a good workout in the new snow.  We made a long loop and came out on a west-facing slope where I found several birds’ nests that overlook the Shady Rill brook and road.  Here’s my favorite with an old barn below.

Bird Rm with vu. Avail May.

Bird Rm with vu. Avail May.

When we returned to the house, about an hour and a half later, we found the thistle feeder and feeders covered with Common Redpolls.

RedpollsFeeder2W

RedpollsFeederW

Birding on Backcountry Skis

We’ve had some wonderful powder snow and I’ve been able to break some trails in our woods and adjacent forest with snowshoes.  I carry binoculars on every outing but with some sub-zero days and brisk winds, the birds have been a little sparse.  Most of the action seems to be back at our feeders.

Yesterday, the wind quit, the sun came out for a while, and it was a perfect afternoon to get into the pine forests that surround us.  Of course, my birding companion, Penny the Vizsla, was ready to roll.  Just as I was getting my skis out of the garage, I noticed a couple of birds in trees down the driveway.  I already had my binoculars under my windbreaker and so I took a look, and decided that I needed to get closer.  Of course, Penny was already heading down the driveway.  The two birds were high in a tree and as I got closer and past a tall spruce tree, I could see about twenty “golden globes” perched on the branches of a tamarack.  I intially thought that they were female/juvenile Pine Grosbeaks.  They flew off in a large group – spooked by the dog – and that was it.  I realized later that they were Evening Grosbeaks when I read in The Crossley Guide that they ” form flocks that can often be spotted perched like Christmas lights on a tree….

"Hey Dad, why do you keep stopping and checking the trees? Let's go!"

“Hey Dad, why do you keep stopping and checking the trees? Let’s go!”

We headed out on the trail that I had earlier packed with snowshoes and enjoyed a nice romp, seeing and hearing chickadees and the usual suspects like crows and blue jays.  It was one of those outings where it was unimportant that I didn’t see any target birds — the fresh air, fresh snow, energetic dog, and perfect ski wax made it a wonderful birding trip.  And perhaps next trip, we’ll spook some Ruffed Grouse or an owl.  The Evening Grosbeaks just added icing to the outing.

Sorting Sparrows

I took the Vizsla on a birding outing this morning to the local North Branch Nature Center –   I wanted to check out the community garden for birds.  I hitched up her leash to my belt and off we went, with her dragging me along the mowed pathway.  I met an acquaintance who I see birding from time to time and he reported that he saw many sparrows, and ticked them off to me, including a couple of juvenile Field Sparrows.

Well, my sparrow expertise is about like my warbler ID skills – not great — but I had already heard a Song Sparrow sing from the top of a bush as I started out.  That seemed pretty unusual for this time of year but it was a good start.

I entered the fenced-off garden and watched dozens of skitterish sparrows scatter here and there.  I could see that many were Song Sparrows but then I started to see a few White-Crowned Sparrows.  Here’s a poor picture of one — I’ll blame it on the morning light.

White Crowned Sparrow

In addition to the many active Black-capped Chickadees were a dozen or more Chipping Sparrows.

Chipping Sparrow

A young Chipping Sparrow posed in the morning sunlight.

I also saw some Lincoln’s Sparrows and was looking for White-throated Sparrows but they were likely back in the woods.  Finally, a gardener, with a dog, showed up and I left her to her fall chores since my dog was very interested in hers.

This afternoon I went for another walk with the Vizsla in our woods and among other birds, saw two very cooperative White-Throated Sparrows.  They flitted around and I was able to grab a couple of photos of them.

I suspect I’ll try to get back to the garden sans dog later this week and check for Field Sparrows.  I have yet to see one this year — about the only one I’m missing from our usual suspects.

White-Throated Sparrow

A handsome White-Throated Sparrow in our woods.

When I watch sparrows I wish that I had started birding decades ago like many my age but hey, we all need challenges.  Sparrows are one of mine.

Birding with the bird dog

I spend a lot of time walking and birding in our woods with our Vizsla.  Today, things were relatively quiet until I “pished” up a Winter Wren, who sat on a branch and chattered at me, and the dog.  Being right on her level, it go her attention fast and she chased it around the brambles, staying just ahead of her.  It got me thinking about all the birds I missed as the dog flushes them as we move down the trails together.

Penny, the Vizsla

Can we go birding, Dad?

I recalled how Penny chased a Common Eider in the Merrimack River, going waist deep into the frigid waters, how she slipped the leash and charged in Alligator-laden water at Brazos State Park in Texas after Common Moorhens, and the many Ruffed Grouse and Wild Turkeys she’s flushed and chased through our woods.  I’ve missed a lot of photographs as she has strained on her leash to see what “Dad” was looking at.

Yet, I come back to a poignant blog post by one of my favorite bloggers, Two-Fisted Birder.  I am including it in its entirety and recommend that you subscribe to his wonderful writing.

Lone trail.

Dogs can be lousy bird-watching companions.

I walked a trail this morning, alone. Because it was just me with no dog, I was able to go slow and use binoculars on birds I saw.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker. An out-of-season Belted Kingfisher over the unfrozen river. A Red-winged Blackbird with no red on its wings. Two kinds of nuthatches. All seen close up.

When I’d walked this same trail with my dog a while back, she set the pace, and I couldn’t stop to get my fists around binoculars.

(Two fists around binoculars…one reason behind this website’s name).

Yeah, the dog kept us moving fast, and we made noise, too. Speed and noise are the enemies of two-fisted bird watching.

Today, I was without the dog. And I had the birds.

Actually, that was small consolation. I’ve seen these birds before, and I’ve seen them a lot. I like seeing them, and want to keep seeing them on this or any trail for as long as I can.

But my dog wasn’t with me because she’s gone now.

And the thought occurred: On this winter morning, I’d rather have been with a lousy bird-watching companion.

Screw the birds. It would’ve been nice to be with the dog.

Winter Wren by Frank.Vassen