Wren’Streamer

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Richard

My brother Barry and his wife, Mica DeAngelis, have restored two vintage Airstreams and have travelled to the South and Southwest for Habitat For Humanity builds and general travel.  They have always been watchers of birds but recently have sort of caught the birding bug.  Barry got a new camera a few months ago and has been testing it out here and there — and captured this wonderful shot of a House Wren in their backyard.

Barry and Mica originally thought that this birdhouse was a gag gift but Momma wren has called it home for the last two years.  photo by Barry K. Mansfield, Burlington, VT
Posted in Photography | Comments Off on Wren’Streamer

Shakedown – Day 1

Posted on June 4, 2013 by Richard

As I wrote in the last post, I hitched up the Airstream last night and we began to load. This morning, when I brought some more items out to the refrigerator, I found that the inside was room temperature. “One more glitch, and a serious one,” I thought. We were getting ready for church, the temps were heading to 80, and for a few minutes, I thought that the trip was not going to happen. But then I had a revelation – the tow hitch was lower and I had rolled off the levelers, so the rig was far from level. And reefers don’t work when the are not level.

So, I pulled down the driveway and then backed the rig, in four-wheel-drive up the winding driveway, missing the big ledge on one side and the ditch in the other, ending on the one level spot we have. I brought out some freezer packs to protect the food we’d just loaded, and went off to church. To cut to the chase – it was working fine when we got home.

After a rest, we finished loading and headed out, worrying about dark storm clouds to our west. It was an easy trip until it wasn’t. With about ten minutes to go, a deluge hit. I was on a snake path of a highway, VT 232, fighting to see the road and no pulloffs to stop at when we rounded a corner and encountered two trees across the road. Here’s what we saw through the window wipers:

You can’t see the intensity of the downpour but believe me, it was raining hard when I ran out in shorts and flip-flops to tug on these.  Two of us pulled, slipped, fell, but moved the darn things.

During a brief lull, I ran out and tried to move the trees with no luck – getting drenched in the process. Three or four cars showed up heading toward us and finally, one guy got out and started tugging. I joined him and we got both trees moved to the edge of the road. I was soaked and covered with pitch and bark but we were on our way – with one more delay for downed trees.

Ricker State Park is set up for lean-to and tent camping with onlybabout five RV sites. And they are tough to negotiate. I had reserved the one that looked the biggest and most remote, but when we got to it, we had several trucks sort of in the way and a real tough back-in. Plus it was raining just enough to make Mary’s job of helping challenging.

So, I got smart. I asked our neighbors, “Any of you good at backing up trailers?” They allowed how Kevin was a pro at it and sure enough he was. With Joe giving directions, he turned that rig around, backed it carefully down the narrow access, and was done in five minutes. I’m not sure I might not be still at it. Turns out that Kevin drives big trailer trucks for a living.

The rain has pretty much stopped and the warblers are singing as night falls. There goes an Ovenbird “disturbing” the silence. Hope to get the boats on the water tomorrow – it looks like a pretty pond. Glad we are here.

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Posted in shakedown trip, Vermont State Parks | Tagged | Comments Off on Shakedown – Day 1

Shakedown Cruise Tomorrow

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Richard

It’s been 14 months since we have used the Airstream so it’s no wonder that I have been dealing with glitch after glitch with the rig and our gear.  I got the furniture and the systems running and about everything inside cleaned up.  There was a lot of grime from the polishing of the aluminum and the floor was filthy from all the traveling in and out with work boots.

It just takes patience.  I found some gas pipes hanging a little loose underneath, and then noticed a nut missing off a bolt holding a pad on to its leg.

When I got our gear ready, my bike was in need of a little TLC and lubrication.  The tires were low and when I found my good bike pump, the hole had been plugged with a mud dauber — no big deal.  The fancy security cable for the kayaks had apparently been run over at some point – so kiss that baby goodbye.

I got hitched up this evening and tested the lights again (we just did it several weeks ago) and one turn signal was dead.  I changed the bulb — same thing.  A little scraping of the contacts got it going fine.

So, we will attend church tomorrow — it is the last Sunday this Spring for formal choir — and finish heading out mid-day tomorrow.  We have reservations at Ricker Pond State Park — a very small park with just a few RV sites — about an hour and a half away in Groton.  Thunderstorms are predicted so it may be an interesting journey — but we have plenty of time and no schedule.  It will be nice to get the boats out and do some paddling although I did get out yesterday for some birding by kayak.

There’s definitely no wifi and likely no 4G signal but we’ll survive.  Mary has downloaded two new books for her Kindle and I am bringing a thick book that I picked up at the library.  A real book – what a concept.  We’ll let you know how we did when we return next week.

Just a about ready to go.  Can you see the two or three items not ready for the road?  (The roof vents are open, the step is down, and the radio antenna, which you can barely see, needs to be stowed.)
Posted in rig maintenance, Vermont State Parks | Tagged | Comments Off on Shakedown Cruise Tomorrow

Kayak Birding

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Richard

Five years ago, when I would kayak early in the morning, I’d strap on my iPod and crank workout tunes and paddle hard up and down  the placid waters of our local Wrightsville Reservoir.  I was sort of oblivious to my surroundings as I worked on technique and speed.  That was before I was a birder.

Yesterday, I let the birds provide the music — and did they ever.  I wore my binoculars, covered with a plastic bag, and carried my camera in a dry bag in the cockpit and set out on a quiet, fog-shrouded journey.  Four Canada Geese came honking in and landed with a splash quite near me — we seemed to be the only critters on the water.

Heading north on the reservoir with the still air punctuated by the songs of Ovenbirds and White-throated Sparrows .

Heading north on the reservoir with the still air punctuated by the songs of Ovenbirds and White-throated Sparrows .

I’m not great at bird call identification but had dozens to chose from as I cruised along — I think I had 25 species in the first 15 minutes.  Kayaks let you cruise up close to the shore and approach some birds rather closely.  I was gliding toward a perched Belted Kingfisher for a photo but made the same mistake I can make on land: I moved too quickly raising the camera and spooked him.

Up ahead, a Common Merganser was feeding in the shallows.  I approached her slowly, hardly paddling, and she seemed undisturbed, but just easing away from this big approaching object.  Here’s a shot I took from the kayak.

It's a tough life being a small migratory bird. Studies estimate that half of all adult Ovenbirds die each year. The oldest known Ovenbird was seven years old.

It’s a tough life being a small migratory bird. Studies estimate that half of all adult Ovenbirds die each year. The oldest known Ovenbird was seven years old.

Merg1W

The North Branch River runs into the reservoir on the north end resulting in a short stretch of quiet water with narrow banks and overhanging trees.  It was easy to cruise up to warblers and sparrows — I got some great looks at a Mourning Warbler.

Returning, I spooked two beavers out for an early sapling breakfast and approaching the takeout ramp, saw a gull that seemed out of place.  It let me get pretty close so it was either used to people or not feeling well.  I snapped a few shots and let it be.

A Ring-billed Gull on the shore, perhaps waiting for me to feed it.

A Ring-billed Gull on the shore, perhaps waiting for me to feed it.

It was a great paddle and I logged 35 species, getting a mild exercise session in while enjoying a perfect Vermont morning.  It was the first, but won’t be the last, birding by kayak outing of the year.  Nice way to multi-task.

Posted in Kayak Birding, Local Birding, Vermont Birding | Tagged | 2 Comments

Nearly Ready to Go

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Richard

For the last several weeks, when it was not freezing or 8o degrees outside, I’ve been working away, polishing the inside of the trailer.  (Last Fall, I had taken off the grimy “mouse fur” lining the walls and fried a few brain cells getting the glue off the walls.) The polishing is just hard grimy work which requires removing the oxidation and rust with one compound, and then finishing up with another.  It looks pretty good.

The polished walls, with terrible reflections from outside, before I started re-installing beds and cabinets.

I had carefully marked most of the stuff I had removed and stored down cellar, putting the screws in small plastic bags and taping them to the item.  It worked pretty well although the rails to hold the curtains were a challenge.  I had multiple sets of holes in the walls but with Mary’s help holding the ends, and some retries, we got them in place.

Here is a similar shot after the bed, the cabinet, and the infamous curtain railing were installed.  Getting there.

Installing the curtains is a trick, especially with bifocals.  You have to thread little plastic holders into a rail while hunched over and working more by feel.  They are installed, the floor is cleaned up, and I only have Mary’s side to finish and the back end of the trailer is ready.

My side is about ready to go with mattress in place.  All it needs is the dog sleeping on it.

I got the rig de-winterized with fresh water on board — only one problem so far with a spray hose in the sink which sprays me instead of the sink.  I tested out the water heater and finally got the refrigerator going on gas.

Our game plan is to finish up the repairs this week and take a short trip over to Ricker Pond State Park next week for a few days of shakedown.  Feels good to get it this far.

Posted in renovation, repairs, rig maintenance, Vermont State Parks | Tagged | 1 Comment

Teacher, Teacher, Teacher

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Richard

Ovenbirds seem to thrive in our woods.  Each morning, I hear six or more calling back and forth and sometimes, there seems to be even more.  But to see them is another thing.  They can be right next to you calling but if they don’t move, they blend with the forest floor and the low branches.  I always am surprised at how small they are – given their loud voice.  The other morning, two were courting or fighting, and not only did I get a good look, but one perched on a branch 10 feet away.  Of course, it was on of the few dog walks were I left my camera home.

Yesterday morning, I got lucky.  I saw a cooperative Ovenbird who sat still long enough for me to find him in the branches and take a couple of shots.

It's a tough life being a small migratory bird. Studies estimate that half of all adult Ovenbirds die each year. The oldest known Ovenbird was seven years old.

It’s a tough life being a small migratory bird. Studies estimate that half of all adult Ovenbirds die each year. The oldest known Ovenbird was seven years old.

You can see just a bit of the orange crown bordered by black stripes.

You can see just a bit of the orange crown bordered by black stripes.

The other fun fact from my perspective is that Ovenbirds are usually low – on the forest floor or low branches.  They are great for birders, like this one, with a pinched neck nerve.

 

Posted in Local Birding, Vermont Birding, Washington County | Tagged | 3 Comments

Planning a House Wren Party

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Richard

I have made and put out bird houses for the last three years, hoping to attract a pair of Eastern Bluebirds, but I have not even attracted a Tree Swallow.  Zip.

This spring, I took down the houses I had scattered throughout our woods, cleaned them up and changed some fronts where red squirrels had gnawed the holes.  I then mounted them in the open around my bee yard, hoping that the openness and light would make up for a few lost bees.

About two weeks ago, I spotted a House Wren checking out a couple of the boxes and bringing a twig to one of them.  Then, nothing.  Last week I checked the boxes and there was no activity in any of them.  However, two days ago, I noticed a House Wren again checking one out, and as I watched, she brought all sorts and sizes of twigs to the box and proceeded to build a nest.

Some of her twig selections were on the optimistic side.

Some of her twig selections were on the optimistic side.

"Is this more like it, oh critiquer?"

“Is this more like it, oh critiquer?”

"And by the way, that hole you cut isn't round, ol' wood butcher!"

“And by the way, that hole you cut isn’t round, ol’ wood butcher!”

So, Cornell lists the gestation period from 9 to 15 days.  Hopefully in a week or so, we’ll have a hatch of little wrens.  Of course, I’m bringing to new hives with about 60,000 bees to her front yard today.  I suspect, if she’s on the nest, there’ll be no conflicts.

In the 13 years we have lived here, we’ve only had a few nests here and there that we knew about.  We’ve never had one in a bird house.  Hope springs eternal for a few new HOWR’s as neighbors in late May.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment and subscribing by RSS feed or via email to have future articles delivered to you.

Posted in Backyard birds, Local Birding, Vermont Birding, Yard birds | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Flashes of Red

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Richard

For the last several weeks, we have had dozens of Purple Finches coming to the feeder and just hanging out in the trees around the house.  They remind us of the influx of Common Redpolls we got last winter. Like them, finches chow down on sunflower seeds big time.  It’s wonderful to hear them sing each morning as I walk the dog — they seem to go on forever and their melodies are delightful.  They have gotten more red in their appearance and are parading in full breeding plumage these days.  Here’s one on our apple tree last evening.

Purple Finches not only sing like angels but are beautiful this time of year.

Purple Finches not only sing like angels but are beautiful this time of year.

Today, I birded early with the dog and got an email from Mary with a subject:  “At The Feeder.”  Because of poor reception on the iPhone, the message did not download — but I suspected what she was writing about.  When I got home, I got cell coverage off our home system and read as I sat in the truck in the garage:  “Rose-breasted Grosbeak!!!”

We’ve been hoping for some orioles because birders in the area have been seeing a few.  Of course, the bird never showed again as I prepared for a doctor’s appointment in Hanover.

Several hours later, after successful lab test results, I got a text from Mary:  “He’s back again.”   Of course, I was an hour and a half away in another state.

Arriving home in the afternoon, I hoped our friend was not just passing by.  Sure enough, about a half hour after I got home, I saw him in the apple tree.  What a handsome addition to a tree already laden with Purple Finches (and a few apple blossoms.)  So, he’s County Bird 95 and we are hopeful that he’ll stick around and nest in the neighborhood.

"Hey, are you pointing that camera at me?"

“Hey, are you pointing that camera at me?”

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment and subscribing by RSS feed or via email to have future articles delivered to you.

Posted in County Big Year, Local Birding, Vermont Birding, Washington County, Yard birds | Comments Off on Flashes of Red

Savannah Sparrows

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Richard

Yesterday morning, I went up to the aptly-named Sparrow Farm in East Montpelier for a repeat visit to a spot where I picked up five new County birds yesterday.  The area is a fine combination of wetland, farm fields, and forest and has a nice variety.  It’s a favorite mountain biking trail but early in the morning, no one is around.  I got another FOY as I ended the outing by crossing a large hayfield.  Perched on a clump of last fall’s hay was a small brown bird, indistinguishable through the binoculars.  It let the dog and I get closer and I could hear and see it singing — sort of a buzzy call.  It was a pretty Savannah Sparrow.

A Savannah Sparrow at the Sparrow Farm.

A Savannah Sparrow at the Sparrow Farm.

Later, I went up to the airport to do a little work on my plane and then took a walk with the dog to check out grassland birds there.  A sparrow came flying across the runway and perched on the perimeter fence not far from our position.  It was my second SASP of the day.

At the E.F. Knapp airport in Berlin, VT.

At the E.F. Knapp airport in Berlin, VT.

So, now I am looking for White-crowned Sparrows which have been reported in the County.  There’ll likely be a few other species, like Vesper, that I will watch for as we head toward summer.  It really helps, this time of year, when the sparrows sing, to help me sort out those little brown jobs.

Posted in County Big Year, Local Birding, Vermont Birding, Washington County | Tagged | Comments Off on Savannah Sparrows

Springtime Yellows

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Richard

I went up to Berlin Pond yesterday morning looking for what many of us consider the true sign of spring — the arrival of Yellow Warblers.  I had the truck windows down and could hear them singing before we even parked.  These are the kind of warblers I like — they are at eye level and are little yellow beacons in the shrubbery.

Yellow warblers, even females, are easy to spot and delightful to hear. They bring a smile to birders.

Yellow warblers, even females, are easy to spot and delightful to hear. They bring a smile to birders.

I saw several other FOY birds (Barn Swallows, Purple Martins) as well as a great  selection of birds.  I then went over to the airport looking for new arrivals and way out in a field, I saw and heard my first Eastern Meadowlark.

The meadowlark was way out there and I shot from the truck window -- pushing the camera system big time. They are a beautiful bird -- even at a distance.

The meadowlark was way out there and I shot from the truck window — pushing the camera system big time. They are a beautiful bird — even at a distance.

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment and subscribing by RSS feed or via email to have future articles delivered to you.

Posted in Big Year, County Big Year, Local Birding, Vermont Birding, Washington County | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments