Pine Siskins often arrive like shoppers on Black Friday morning (pre-Covid), chattering, jostling, always moving toward a better deal. I see them first in the recently-bare trees in the backyard.
They flock to the feeder and especially the ground beneath it where finches and others have left sunflower seed parts.
After several hours of frenzy, they were off, leaving the finches to carry on with relative politeness.
We are fortunate to get a nice variety of birds to our small backyard where we have some feeders, lots of brush, and the river. Here are a few visitors from the last two weeks.
Some of our daily visitors, wanted or not, are Rock Doves – better known as pigeons.
We have noticed an increase in the need for the expensive sunflower hearts and discovered one significant reason.
It’s “stick season” in Central Vermont: the leaves are down, most of the birds have left, and hunting season is yet to start. It’s a great time to hike in the woods. I’ve often leave my binoculars and camera in the car – and have recently started to focus, with my iPhone, on other things I see on outings. I’ll start with a mailbox I saw this summer on a backroad.
Old farms have all sorts of interesting things in their woods, like these two “fixer-upper” projects.
Quartz outcroppings show up nicely this time of year.
When I’m not concentrating on seeing and hearing birds, I seem to notice a lot more around me as we walk – I guess there’s a lesson there. Just being able to get out and walk for a hour or two without meeting anyone is a blessing in these tough Covid-19 days. Be safe.
Montpelier is blessed to have many multipurpose trails within the forest land of the city – trails that are not used much midweek. The dog and I walk them most days and aside from meeting a few runners and mountain bikers, have the trail to ourselves. Here’s a stretch we walked this week.
As Ginger and I move along, we see the usual bird suspects including many Yellow-rumped Warblers who are foraging and moving continually. I find them tough to photograph, and the dog, usually roaming ahead on a short loose leash, is not a great help, Here’s a shot I grabbed as the bird launched.
At the start of a walk the other day, this Eastern Phoebe posed for me. It will be migrating soon.
It looks like a Pileated Woodpecker found this tasty.
This is an interesting time of year, the leaves are nearly gone, as are the summer birds, but we are starting to see juncoes and finches and so it continues. Good birding.
In very light drizzle and temperature about 70, the dog and I took a walk at one of our favorite spots, North Branch Nature Center. It was shorts and t-shirt weather, perhaps the last for a while.
Ginger has little interest in the birds along the trail but the chipmunks and squirrels are another story.
Here are some birds from several outings we’ve had locally during a beautiful but too dry, Fall season. Many of these shots were taken with a Labradoodle straining on with leash to “help.”
Many birds are moving out and others are gathering to do so. But we have the finches, juncos, and siskins coming. They and the faithful crows, nuthatches, chickadees, blue jays, woodpeckers, and titmice will slug through the winter with us, as we continue to hunker down and get out to enjoy Vermont. Be safe.
Ginger and I have been exploring a local forest and its network of trails. Yesterday, we walked and birded for nearly three hours and never saw anyone.
It was quiet: there were no road noises, chainsaws, people, or dogs – all was I could hear was the jingle of her harness, the chirps and trills of the ever-present chickadees, and calling of crows and the drumming of woodpeckers. It was lovely as the temperature climbed from 45 into the sixties – a perfect Fall morning and a welcome break from the onslaught of disturbing news in the nation and the world.
I took my time and saw a lot of birds but thought I’d first give you a flavor of the trek. I’ll sort the birds out next post.
These old farmlands have a variety of stone walls, old foundations, interesting debris, and lots of natural features that catch your eye. This massive boulder right near the start has a big crack and missing piece that piques the imagination.
The leaves are starting to turn and it’s goldenrod and aster time in Vermont.
Some of the forest is being used for sugaring.
Here are a few more shots from the walk:
It is heartening to know that these trails and quiet forest have been preserved and protected for future generations.
During our stay in Maine, we heard a nice variety of birds but many were buried in foliage and constantly moving. This Black-throated Green popped out for a quick photo op.
This Alder/Willow Flycatcher and Cedar Waxwing pair picked a dead tree for their perch.
On the water, there were lots of cormorants, gulls, and ducks beyond scope range. I saw a passing White-rumped Sandpiper, a bird I haven’t seen in 8 years.
Just after seeing this Herring Gull, we returned to the trail and Ginger suddenly darted into the underbrush. I went after her, saw trouble, and yelled at her to come. She turned, moved toward me, and I grabbed her leash. Then I took a picture of this guy, who had just ambled up the tree a few feet. It could have been a disaster, dozens of miles from a vet. She got big-time praise and treats.
We spent last week in Maine, doing some sight-seeing, a little birding, and enjoying the quiet and beauty around us.
We drove over to Eastport and saw this massive cruise ship and the mermaid sculpture, and walked and shopped a bit.
We had a great time and hope to return next year. Next post will have a few of the birds we saw.
Lots of young birds active – White-throated Sparrows practicing their song, Blue Jays begging for food, and many inquisitive youngsters.
