Category Archives: Lamoille County

Caution, I Brake For Goslings

Yesterday, I had to take our living room couch up to Hyde Park – about an hour north – and drop it off for the upholsterer. So bright and early, Penny and I started up Route 12 toward Morrisville. It was a beautiful Vermont morning with the temperature in the 60’s, light traffic, and lots of bird song as we cruised along with the truck windows down. I had not birded Lamoille County, my target county last year, at all so it was nice to get back into parts of the state I explored in detail last year.

I gave myself plenty of time to get there which was just as well because while only one school bus stopped me, this parade of Canada Geese took their sweet time letting me get past.

These CAGO's were adjacent Lake Lamoille. The goslings sat on the roadway, waddled a bit, walked some more. They seemed pretty accustomed to vehicle traffic.

These CAGO’s were adjacent Lake Lamoille. The goslings sat on the roadway, waddled a bit, walked some more. They seemed pretty accustomed to vehicle traffic. The last one seems to be saying, “I’m tired!”  (Taken through truck windshield)

There is a wonderful country road leading to the turn for our upholsters. Part way along, I came across this line of old bicycles, each with a planter in a handlebar basket or on the frame, and stopped on the highway for a couple of iPhone photos. “Only in Vermont”, I thought.  It was certainly unique and rather lovely.

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I dropped the couch off without problems and we did some more birding – sometimes just stopping at turnouts and listening. Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, even some Wild Turkeys graced one field. I got about 25 species for the county including a couple of Osprey on a platform nest and many warblers and vireos.

Heading home, I stopped to take this photo of a round barn just south of Morrisville which was restored by the Welch family. Over the years, we had watched it age and were excited to notice and hear about renovation work, which was mostly done by the family over a long period of time.

The barn was painted yellow 45 years ago but the Welch's matched the original red stain that was there when it was built in 1916. It is a wonderful structure saved through a lot of hard work and is now available for weddings and other functions.

The barn was painted yellow 45 years ago but the Welch’s matched the original red stain that was there when it was built in 1916. It is a wonderful structure saved through a lot of hard work and is now available for weddings and other functions.

 

eBird Targets–Exploring the Possibilities

Cornell’s eBird just announced the launch of eBird Targets–a new tool that creates a prioritized list of county, state, or life birds that you can expect to find in a region. You enter a region, range of months, and then select the list you’d like to compare. eBird compares your selected list against the full species list for the selected region and months, creating a target species list that can be sorted taxonomically or by frequency (the percentage of checklists that have reported the species). Each time you submit a checklist to eBird, a geo-referenced tag is created that allows you to keep track of your lists on the My eBird pages. From the simple life list to very focused region-based year lists, eBird Targets allows birders to play the games they find most interesting while creating more and better data for science.

I decided to run a list to see what I might find in my target county for this year, Lamoille. I am sort of stuck on 130 species and recent visits have drawn blanks and the combination of other commitments, weather, and the departure of many of my “missing” birds, make 135 to 140 a reasonable expectation.  So let’s see what eBird says — what I want are the birds that will be there during the next six weeks that I don’t have on the year’s list.

So first, I run this query:

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Now this is for a life list for the county, which in my case is the same as the year list.  The report shows 34 species and ranks them by frequency — so if I can get five I’ll be happy.

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The other neat aspect of this program is that it provides a map of where a given species was reported in the past, highlighting recent sightings.  Here is one for Evening Grosbeak.

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I’m sure that I’ll be using this a lot as we start traveling to states in the Southwest. Combined with alerts from eBird, email listings, and various iPhone apps that cull eBird data, we have a lot of tools available.

The eBird team ends with this suggestion:

Please give the new eBird Targets output a try, and use it to find everything from your next life bird to your next year bird in your home county. Have fun, and submit lots of complete eBird checklists along the way!

Babcock Nature Preserve

One of the benefits of doing a big year in another county is to explore new birding places.  Yesterday I did that when I visited the Babcock Nature Preserve, a pretty 1,000-acre area of forest that serves as an outdoor laboratory for field biology, ornithology and environmental science courses at Johnson State College.  It has a large b0g, three ponds, and lots of deer flies.  

There is a gated-gravel/dirt road that makes it easy walking.

There is a gated-gravel/dirt road that makes it easy walking.

The dog and I arrived about 9 as a nearby Hermit Thrush sang away in the deep woods.  There was no one else around as we headed out laden with bug dope.  The first two bodies of water are partially hidden and require some bushwhacking to check them out.

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There were dozens of chipmunks squealing and running as we moved along, giving Penny lots of chances to crash through the underbrush.

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The biggest pond is Rittenbush Pond which featured a cooperative Common Loon who ignored us and moved around the quiet pond.

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The college has some rustic cabins around the pond which, while worn from weather and use, seem to get a lot of use from students and leaders.

One of the cabins is directly across the pond.

One of the cabins is directly across the pond.

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I saw or heard 22 species of birds — nothing new per se except for the new setting.  We spent several hours watching and listening — and several Swamp Sparrows, like this one, trilled away.

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I was wishing that I had a plastic bag with me to grab some of the discarded beer cans and water bottles that folks, not necessarily students, had tossed here and there.  My frame of mind was improved when I got to Rittenbush Camp and saw this sign.

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“EARTH provides enough for everyones (sic) need, not everyone’s greed.  Keep Mother earth —“.  (I cut off the ending with the camera — provide your own ending word.)  Good birding.

The preserve is named for Robert and Anne Hanchett Babcock who donated the tract to the Vermont State Colleges. Robert Babcock was the first provost of the Vermont State Colleges, a member of the Vermont House of Representatives, and a lieutenant governor of Vermont serving under Governor Robert Stafford.

Some July Birds

The woods are lush and green and many birds have stopped singing as they nest and tend to offspring and the deer flies and no-see-ums abound — yet it’s a great time to get out and bird.  There’s a lot to see: White-throated Sparrows trying out their new songs and getting part of it; the crop of house wrens that fledged out of our bluebird house that scold me and Penny as we walk by; the half dozen new Blue Jays that have discovered and are hogging our suet.  Ever present to me in the muggy mornings is the thought that most of these birds will be out of here in a month or so — which gives this time of year a poignancy.

Yesterday, we took the expensive drive up the toll road at Mt. Mansfield (no connection, unfortunately) to show our son and grandson some more of Vermont.  Of course, I did a little birding, hearing Bicknell’s Thrushes and seeing Swainson’s Thrushes.  I also ran into the guys from Vermont Center for Ecostudies who band birds on the summit each summer.  Here is a photo of one of the Blackpoll Warblers I saw and heard.

A Blackpoll Warbler at the summit parking lot, Mt. Mansfield.

A Blackpoll Warbler at the summit parking lot, Mt. Mansfield.

Today, I took a few shots of some of the birds in our woods as I walked the dog on our series of trails.

We have had a family of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks nesting on our property with at least two young males.

We have had a family of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks nesting on our property with at least two young males.

Eastern Phoebes seem to be silent this time of year and this one did not bob its tail.

Eastern Phoebes seem to be silent this time of year and this one did not bob its tail.

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We seem to have dozens of new Song Sparrows. This one has caught a little treat.

We seem to have dozens of new Song Sparrows. This one has caught a little treat.

White-throated Sparrows a practicing their songs and chipping at the dog and me as we move by them. This guy was about ten feet away, holding his ground.

White-throated Sparrows are practicing their songs and chipping at the dog and me as we move by them. This guy was about ten feet away, holding his ground.

So, while it is frustrating to search for warblers in fully-leaved maple trees, there’s a lot going on lower down with all the “newbies” learning the ropes.  Slap on the bug dope and enjoy summer birds.  Most will be gone pretty soon.  Good birding

Birding a New Patch

As I have launched a County Big Year for Lamoille County, I have found a “patch” where I have been focusing much of my attention:  it is close and pretty, and it is productive.

Lamoille County is about 10 miles from the house and the "patch" is 2 miles further.

Lamoille County is about 10 miles from the house and the “patch” is 2 miles further.

The patch is a hiking/bike/ski trail from Route 12 up to Little Elmore Pond.  Here’s the starting point with a bridge across the North Branch of the Winooski River.

Note the post, with a lock, to keep out four-wheelers and snow machines.

Note the post, with a lock, to keep out four-wheelers and snow machines.

The North Branch is a lovely stream here, colored brown with tannic acid.

The North Branch is a lovely stream here, colored brown with tannic acid.

Yesterday, I had a couple of hours so the dog and I went up for some birding.  I hadn’t even got out of the truck when I heard two Ovenbirds calling back and forth.

Ovenbirds are probably the most common bird along the trail -- usually hear five or ten -- but rarely see them.

Ovenbirds are probably the most common bird along the trail — usually hear five or ten — but rarely see them.  This one was more accommodating than most.

There’s little traffic on the highway but it’s nice to get up the trail a bit and get away from what road noise there is.  The the woods come alive with the calls of warblers however the new foliage makes sightings a challenge.  I never meet anyone along the way and it is wonderful just walking along, listening.  I usually keep the dog leashed going up so that she doesn’t spook everything before I get there and it pays off, we heard and saw a Tennessee Warbler early on the trail.

The trail has water in vernal pools and a small brook runs alongside and the black flies are out and about.  Last week, about a quarter-mile in, I heard a loud bird up ahead, low in the underbrush, but didn’t recognize the call.  Quietly moving ahead with the dog straining, I saw a small bird moving and got it in the binoculars (one-handed since the leash was in the other) and saw an Ovenbird-like bird with a different call.  I realized that I had my first Northern Waterthrush of the year.

A "Selfie" along the trail - birding was slow.

A “Selfie” along the trail – birding was slow.

Of course, although the landscape is wild and beautiful, there is debris — some from hunters (shell cases), and some from former logging operations.  I spotted this big black object off the trail and thinking “bear cub,”  saw that it was just an abandoned skidder tire.

Why haul it out when you can just leave it in the woods?

Why haul it out when you can just leave it in the woods?

It’s really been fun getting to know this little area.  I see Common Yellowthroats in the same spots each visit and am getting to know the hot spots along the way.  I took my bike a few weeks ago and rode/pushed the six or seven miles up to Little Elmore Pond.  I approached the pond carefully, thinking that I might see some waterfowl but nothing was there.  I sat by the water’s edge, hearing a Barred Owl and a Pileated Woodpecker, when a shorebird whizzed past.  It settled on a rock and I got a few shots of this lonely Spotted Sandpiper.

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So far, in about a month I have over 60 species in this birding patch and got three new birds yesterday.  It’s been a good find and in fifteen minutes I can get there and be in wild country filled with some pretty good birds.  It’s a great place to slow down and enjoy things.  Here are a couple more shots of things along the way.  Good birding.

Fungi on yellow birch

Fungi on yellow birch

Many patches of violets adorn the pathway.

Many patches of violets adorn the pathway.

Russ Pond – A Mystery Solved

One of the neat things about tackling a new county for a big year is that you get to explore many new places.  In reviewing the Lamoille County map online and in a printed atlas (I need to get some topo maps), looking for interesting back roads and features, I came across a tiny body of water called Russ Pond just over the County line, not far from the highway.  There was nothing online about it other than a map, showing it with a trail leading to it.

With visions of flocks of unmolested waterfowl at a secret place, I took the dog on a hike to it the other day.  I  didn’t see any ducks or grebes but found an interesting mystery.

Gated roads are no big deal unless they are posted -- and you don't block the entrance. Or at least that's my theory.

Gated roads are no big deal unless they are posted — and you don’t block the entrance. Or at least that’s my theory.

So, up the steep road we trekked and soon were away from the highway noise and hearing Yellow-rumps and the other usual suspects.  There was no evidence of recent travel but there was one small tree that had fallen across the path with a saw cut from perhaps this winter.  We came into an opening and up ahead, several large I-beams lay in the field.  I thought that a bridge might be up ahead but was puzzled by them.

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What are these massive I-beams doing in the middle of nowhere?

We pushed ahead about a quarter-mile and through the sparse trees, I saw a big rusty structure that at first looked to me like some sort of an industrial building — but as I got closer it turned out to be a massive A-frame skeleton built on ledge, anchored by a large reinforced concrete base.  Eerie to say the least — no sign of recent activity.

This photo does not reflect the size of this large structure -- it is very large -- and rusting away.

This photo does not reflect the size of this large structure — it is very large — and rusting away.

Since birding was the objective of the trip, I scanned the small pond, finding nothing on the water but one aluminum boat lying on the shore.  Penny went down to check it out.

Any critters under this boat?

Any critters under this boat?

I went down to the water and watched a Belted Kingfisher, oblivious to us, fishing on the far bank.  It was very still except for a few warblers and peepers — and a pretty little pond.

Russ Pond on a May morning - 2014

Russ Pond on a May morning – 2014

I walked back to the truck, after seeing my first Black-throated Blue Warbler for the county, wondering what the deal was with this place.  Did someone die?  All sorts of scenarios came to mind — but why haul skyscraper-style I-beams up a mountain and leave everything?

I searched for Russ Pond history online — nada — and decided to do a little research next time in the County.  So, yesterday morning, I stopped by the highway garage — they were out working somewhere — but found a young man working at the volunteer fire company building.  He didn’t know much about the place but said, “The guy who will know, if anyone does, is Warren over at the store.”

Warren Miller is a fixture in the County, a long-time resident who has operated the Elmore Country Store for ages, and who knows everyone.  I know him by name and dropped by, explained my birding trip and asked if he knew Russ Pond.  He responded, “Haven’t been up there in years, but the place is owned by a doctor from Nova Scotia.  He wanted a little piece of Vermont so I sold him 504 acres, for cheap money back then — about $80,000.”

I asked him about the massive structure and he related that the guy’s brother-in-law was a steelworker (which brings up all sorts of steel beam acquisition scenarios) and that the doc wanted to build something that could withstand anything.  Guess plans changed – there it sits.

I expected to have to get into tax records or go on a long chase for information but in the time it took to order a coffee and muffin, I had my answer.  No bodies, nothing newsworthy, but still a good example of some of the interesting things you stumble into into when you get off the beaten paths of Vermont.  Looking at the photo of the pond, I can see why the doc bought it.

Birding Lamoille County

One of my plans for 2014 was to focus on one of our adjacent counties for a mini-Big Year effort once I got home from the Southwest.  I looked at Caledonia, to our east where we sometimes camp, and Orange to the south which is not too long a drive.  I settled on our northern neighbor, Lamoille County, since it starts just ten miles or so up the road and it is the county in which my brother has a second home — which we like to visit periodically.  So last week, I got started and am enjoying the challenge of learning a new county.  Here’s the layout (our home is marked at the bottom):

LamoilleMap

So once or twice a week, I head north on Route 12 with the dog.  The snow is still melting and there are many “Moose Crossing – next X miles” which are taken seriously.  There’s a fair amount of commuter traffic into Montpelier but later, it is lightly traveled.  Here’s a typical scene from the road — here at the county line.

It's damp and not very inviting in this changeover season but nuthatches, kinglets, woodpeckers, and chickadees welcome you.

It’s damp and not very inviting in this changeover season but nuthatches, kinglets, woodpeckers, and chickadees welcome you.

I bird my way north, half-watching in Washington County but then really sharpening my attentiveness (to birding and driving) once I cross the line.  I’m finding some new personal hotspots and with the help of eBird and an avid birder I met yesterday, am learning some of the “go-to” places.

In less than two weeks, I’m over 50 birds and migration is yet to kick in.  The best bird so far was this Palm Warbler I saw last week, as he made his way through the area.

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I’m a little surprised at how energized I get from tackling a new area.  I still check my home county spots when I’m out and about but it is fun to game plan and explore a brand new birding area, even one like this just “up the road a piece.”

Now, if that Snowy Owl that I saw last week was only about four miles further north….