Vermont Birder

Foresters for the Birds

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Richard

On Saturday, January 26, 2013, Audubon Vermont and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (VT FP&R) will be hosting a woods tour of an active logging job that demonstrates concepts and practices developed through a unique and innovative partnership between the two organizations: the Foresters for the Birds project. The tour will take place at the 255-acre Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington, Vermont where a timber harvest designed to improve timber and forest songbird habitat for species including wood thrush and black-throated blue warbler is underway. The tour is open to the public and press, and will run from 9:00 am to noon. Space is limited; pre-registration is required. Forest landowners, municipal volunteers and officials, foresters, and other natural resource professionals with an interest in applying similar practices on land they manage are especially encouraged to attend. Featured highlights of the event will be meeting with the foresters, biologists, landowner, logger, and other leaders who are all working together on this harvest, and seeing the logger and his equipment in action.

The timber harvest is designed to improve timber and forest songbird habitat for species including wood thrush and black-throated blue warbler. photo by dick mansfield.

The harvest at the Audubon Center is one of nine being done across Vermont and New Hampshire as part of the Foresters for the Birds project to test and demonstrate how timber management can be used as a tool to improve bird habitat while also generating income from forest products to offset land holding costs and keep forests forests. The tour will be led by VT FP&R county foresters and Audubon Vermont biologists. VT FP&R Commissioner, Michael Snyder, and Agency of Natural Resources Secretary, Deb Markowitz, will also discuss how the Foresters for the Birds project is making a positive difference for forest stewardship, forest health, and the forest-based economy in Vermont.

The tour will begin with a brief introduction at the Birds of Vermont Museum located at 900 Sherman Hollow Road in Huntington. The group will then take a short walk to the harvest area at the Audubon Center to see how forestry practices such as thinnings, crop tree management, and selection harvests are being used to benefit birds and other wildlife as well as the long-term vigor and growth of the forest. Participants will learn about services and resources available to landowners interested in doing a similar harvest on their own land. Logistics and financial considerations, including Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) incentive programs, will also be discussed.

For information and registration visit the Audubon Vermont website or call Charley Wilkinson at (802)434-3068. Registration is $10 for Audubon Vermont members and $15 for non-members. Come ready for a winter walk in the woods; snowshoes are recommended. Hope to see you there!

Posted in Bird conservation, Vermont Birding | Comments Off

A Snowy but Birdy Day

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Richard

Last night, I was at a meeting when a non-birding friend of mine said, “Dick, I saw a beautiful Bald Eagle today down on the Dog River.” He went on to briefly describe the location and then the meeting started.

Bald Eagles are much more common in Vermont these days but still pretty unusual in Washington County — none have been recorded this year — and it’s a bird I need for my county big year so this morning, Penny and I were off in the truck to go birding. It was snowing with an inch or more on the ground as we drove around Montpelier looking for Pine Grosbeaks. (Another friend had emailed me about a flock of 16 the day before.) We saw nothing bird-wise and the snow was just steady enough to make the trip questionable.

We drove south about four miles to where Shawn had seen the eagle but I couldn’t spot anything. Route 12 has a lot of traffic and with the snow, there was no shoulders to pull off on — and so we trudged along southward to Northfield, thinking the there might be some Grosbeaks at Norwich University. There weren’t.

A bit discouraged about wasting gas on wild eagle chases, I back-tracked and just where it should be, perched the eagle, regal in a Birch tree with a couple of crows mobbing it. It was on the passenger side so I drove up ahead, found a driveway to turn in, (thank you 4WD), and drove back with the window down. I pulled partway off the highway, with blinkers on, and took photographs through the open window for about five minutes as cars wooshed by. It was a great bird to get. Here’s a photo from quite a distance.

Bald Eagle, Berlin, VT CanonPowershot SX50HS 1/400ƒ/6.5ISO 1250 215 mm

Returning to Montpelier in the light snow, I decided to try a few more spots for birds I need. I drove up Junction Road which parallels the Winooski River and spotted a couple of Blue Jays and slowing, two American Tree Sparrows foraging. Just ahead was a parking area so I pulled in, got the dog on a leash which I tied to my belt, and she pulled me up the snowy dirt road to where we had seen the birds. It was a literal jackpot: first the Blue Jays, then a few Chickadees, then three American Robins. Robins are a bit sparse in January in central Vermont and these were my first of the year. After watching a couple more tree sparrows, several birds flew in and the robins hassled them. I got my glasses on them: waxwings — another bird I need. Soon about a dozen Bohemian Waxwings were going after the fruit on one of the trees.

American Robin in light snowfall, on sumac. Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. 1/1600ƒ/7.1ISO 1250154.8 mm

Bohemian Waxwing in light snow. Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. Settings: 1/400ƒ/6.5ISO 400215 mm

It was a great morning after a poor start. I added four birds to my county list bringing my County Big Year total to 29. January goal is 35 — may just make it with a few more outings like today’s.

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Posted in Big Year, County Big Year, Vermont Birding | Tagged Bald_Eagle, Bohemian_Waxwing | 2 Comments

Tips For Watching & Photographing Wildlife

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Richard

A Guest Post by Sue McGrath

Study wildlife identification on your own before going out into the field. Learn about the most abundant species in the area, focusing on their physical markings and common behaviors. Even just familiarizing yourself with the sections of your identification book will be an enormous help in the field as you try to find information while keeping track of an animal on the move.

Develop your wildlife viewing techniques: scan bushes, trees and shrubs for subtle movement; cup your hands around your ears to help amplify sound.

Find wildlife with your eyes first, then focus in with your binoculars. Look for nearby landmarks and objects to help direct others to your sighting.

Look for wildlife signs. Scat, tracks, whitewash and buck rubs are just a few of the signs that tell you wildlife is nearby.

Wear clothing that blends with your surroundings /except/ during hunting season when bright colors are advisable. Earth tones and drab colors work best and help you blend into the background.

Your vehicle makes an excellent wildlife blind. Animals are often used to vehicles and will pass close by. Turn off your engine and sit quietly. Wildlife may come right to you.

Most animals have very strong senses of sight, sound and smell. Move slowly and quietly to avoid attracting their attention.

An upright human figure stands out in the landscape. To disguise your shape, try crouching down.

Crouch down when possible to avoid startling wildlife. photo by Seven Bedard

Animals may be startled by staring human eyes. Try wearing a wide-brimmed hat to shade and hide your eyes.

Watching and listening are the two keys to identifying wildlife warning signals. Animals communicate distress in subtle ways.Learning these signals is important for your safety and the animal’s welfare.

Sue McGrath

www.newburyportbirders.com

Posted in Photography, Wildlife Watching | Tagged Newburyport Birders, photography, Wildlife Watching | Comments Off

Mergs Chilling Out

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Richard

One of the neat things about birding locally is that you can combine it with other errands – and since most of us carry binoculars and camera with us, the trick is to stay on the road while scanning the trees for birds.

Vermont has a law against texting while driving – we don’t want to instigate a “no birding while driving” although Mary has had to warn me a few times as I drifted while saying, “Is that a crow or a hawk?” No, you don’t want to add a Subaru to your life list!

We were picking up some items yesterday downtown and checking out the Winooski River for mergansers. Most of the river is frozen but there are still some open spots. Mary was checking for me but we had no luck and headed westward for a coffee stop at Red Hen Bakery in Middlesex. We then continued up Route 2 to look for gulls at Grow Compost. As we crossed a bridge, I noted that the Winooski was ice-free so we swung down a dead end dirt road called Lover’s Lane. I immediately noticed a couple of small ducks feeding in the icy water. We pulled off to the side (there’s little traffic except for the residents) and I took a few photos, first with the Powershot and then, getting the scope out, digiscoping with my point and shoot. These were County Bird #20.

The two female Hooded Mergansers were feeding -- on was wrestling with a small fish as I was getting the camera ready.

The two female Hooded Mergansers were feeding — one was wrestling with a small fish as I was getting the camera ready.

They then stood on the ice at the edge of the river.

Finally, as I got them in the telescope, they tucked their bills into their downy coats and took a nap on the ice.

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Posted in Vermont Birding | 1 Comment

Nemesis Bird – Northern Shrike – Yes!

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Richard

This is my fourth year of birding and for the last two of them, I’ve been whining about not finding a Northern Shrike. I’ve sort of whined in posts here and here. A couple of days ago, I saw Chip and Larry, young friends of mine from the North Branch Nature Center, and I began again. I noted to Larry that he was on my bad guy list because he keeps seeing shrikes and I never do. He replied, “Dick, I hate to tell you. I just saw one on my way to work” and went on to tell me where — up near my eye doctor’s office.

Fast forward a couple of days. Yesterday, I had to take Mary up to the hospital for an appointment and had some time to kill so off the dog and I went in the truck to bird. I headed right up to the spot Larry had mentioned, figuring it was another wild shrike chase. I scanned the tree line way off as I drove in and saw a dot way off. As I parked and got the glasses on it, aha! Definitely a Northern Shrike perched at the top of a big birch tree, over a quarter mile off. I watched a bit, took some long-range photos from the truck, and then got out to get my scope. As I set up the rig, I noted that the bird was gone. I doubt with all the coming and going in the parking lot I spooked it but it was a find — life bird number 355. Here is a lousy image that I got from far away:

Life bird 355. Hope to see it closer for a better photo.

After packing up and warming up frozen hands, I turned the truck around and up ahead, a small flock of birds flew right in front of me. I turned into another lot, noting that they were snow buntings. They kept moving away from me as I tried to photograph them through the open window – and of course, I was blocking someone coming in for an appointment. I got better positioned as they settled along the driveway edge and was able to grab a couple of shots before a car came along and flushed them for good — off they went sailing across the snowy fields with a 20 knot tailwind. They were a County first for me and County Big Year bird 19. About then, Mary called to say that she was getting fitted for a new support boot for her broken toe and would be ready soon. I think I had more fun than she but we both had successful afternoons.

Snow Buntings working the edge of a driveway. County bird #19 for 2013.

Posted in Big Year, County Big Year, Vermont Birding | Tagged Northern Shrike, Snow Buntings | 3 Comments

Thinking About Vagrant Birds

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Richard

Recently, I was given an old birding book by a friend who was culling her library. I have a soft spot for bird books so while my overall collection of books is shrinking, my birding books seem to be breeding.

So I have been reading A Year on the Wing by Tim Dee, a Brit with a poetic flair who writes a month-by-month chronicle of birding experiences. Some of the stories are more interesting than others but the one story that caught my attention and spurred this post had to do with a vagrant yellow-browed warbler. Dee writes:

Along a fence at the cliff edge at Klinger’s Geo, dancing before my eyes, was a yellow-browed warbler…Yellow-browed warblers breed no nearer than the Siberian taiga. The bird in front of me, almost certainly only a few weeks out of the nest, should have flown in the opposite direction to winter in the open deciduous forests anywhere from Nepal to the Malay Peninsula….

The yellow-browed warbler I saw … had made a mistake, and it is probable that no amount of nurture on Fair Isle (**where Dee was observing) could truly rescue it. Vagrancy is a death sentence. Almost all of the rarities that arrive on the island (and almost all vagrants anywhere) will have the same fate. They are wonderful treasures from far away that we cannot keep and cannot save. There is very little evidence that vagrant birds reorient themselves and correct their journeys. It seems likely that the yellow-browed warbler, having gone southwest where it should have gone southeast, would continue this aberrant direction and fly on west out over an ocean that has no refuges, no green skirts, for thousands of miles. That would be the end of it. It would soon be homeless. I was watching a lost child at death’s door.

Vagrants are wonderful treasures from far away that we cannot keep and cannot save. photo of yellow-browed warbler by sussexbirder

I thought about this yesterday as I traveled to New York state to look (and not find) the rare Common Pochard that was first seen on New Year’s Day on Lake Champlain. It might be wild, it might be an escapee, but in any case, it’s a long ways from safety. The other vagrant, which I’ve not chased but tracked by reports, was the Northern Lapwing in Massachusetts. The finder wrote this post on January 2nd and expresses the mixed emotions of many birders who see rarities:

Despite a four hour vigil in Bridgewater, the Northern Lapwing was NOT seen. Hopefully it found a warm spot or decided to fly to a more hospitable environment. This would have been the bird’s 53rd day since I found it on November 12th. It brought many hundreds of people joy in its presence, from as far away as Canada, California, Hawaii. I know of people from at least a dozen states and I’m sure there were more than that. Anyway, I’m sure we all hope the bird made it to a safe place and who knows, it may turn up again!!

This joy of discovery balanced by the reality of the bird’s situation was aptly described, with humor, by Jim Mead, an active Vermont birder who found a rare Ruby-crowned Kinglet last week:

This tiny bird has already survived 2 nor’easters, many cold days and nights including the night before last with temperatures between -10 to -20 below(F degrees). It was busily feeding while flashing its ruby colored crest the entire time… as I drove off I had a few thoughts.

This bird deserves an all expense paid, First Class, one way ticket to the south! It should be served all of the fresh water that it can drink and bathe in. An employee of the airline should write a frenetic small bird menu so he can have his choice of desirable cuisine during the flight. I mean, with words like- Ruby, Crown and King in his name, shouldn’t he be treated like Royalty?

Two pelicans taken care of by the Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island hang out in a camping tent before being flown to Florida. photo by Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island

Many of us saw the news reports on the two Brown Pelicans blown north by Hurricane Sandy privately flown to Florida in November. I think, even though it is impossible to do very often, that’s the way we’d like to help the rare birds many birders chase. Let folks see them and then FedEx them to their true destination.

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Posted in migration, Rare birds | Tagged migration, rare birds | Comments Off

Birding on Backcountry Skis

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Richard

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!”

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.

Posted in Birding With Penny, Vermont Birding | Tagged Evening Grosbeak, Penny | 1 Comment

Common Pochard — Yes!

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Richard

On New Year’s Day, a very rare duck – a Common Pochard — was identified by Vermont birders with help from others. It was seen on the second and not seen for two days, until today, January 5th.

Common Pochard taken Jan. 2 by Larry Master

Here is the alert issued on VTBIRD by Jim Mead.

Leave it to Ted Murin(one of Vermont’s Top Birders) to have the perseverance to try and relocate the Common Pochard for others to get a chance to see it. He called me about 25 minutes ago to tell me that he has in fact seen the Common Pochard this morning at 10:05 a.m. !!! I was close to my house when he called and raced home to get the word out to all of you ASAP. He was on the NY side of the Champlain Bridge when he found it and he just called me again to tell me that he is trying it from the VT side. It is very windy- about 15-20 mph from the NW. The ice edge is closer to the bridge now and the best place to see the duck at this time would be from the bridge. The Pochard is with a large mixed flock of ducks approx. 1/4 to 1/2 mile from shore and approx. 3/4 of a mile from the bridge. When he saw it, it was close to the ice edge. He said that the viewing is good aside from the wind. He also mentioned that there are 16 Bald Eagles there and that they are putting an attack on the ducks and it is quite a show.

I hope that many more of you get a chance to see this rare beauty.

Good luck to all and thank you very much Ted- nice job. Jim Mead

Posted in Rare birds, Vermont Birding | Tagged Common Pochard, rare birds | Comments Off

County Big Year – Good First Day

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Richard

We awoke to more new snow and a stiff Northwest wind, and a forecast for even colder temperatures. It stays dark until about 7:00 AM but sure enough, at 7:05 the first Black-capped Chickadee visited with window feeder. Right after that, a Common Redpoll came to the thistle seed feeder and then the parade of hungry birds started.

Our first bird of 2013 was a Black-capped Chickadee. photo by Mac Mansfield.

Shortly afterwards, I took our Vizsla out on a cold birding snowshoe outing but most of the birds still around were back at the house chowing down. We then went out and birded for an hour at North Branch Nature Center and got a lot of exercise but few birds.

I had figured that there were about 15 species here in the County this month. When I returned home, the feeders were alive with redpolls and after studying them for some time, I spotted a Hoary Redpoll right next to a Common Redpoll. By noontime, I had logged the following birds:

American Crow
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Common Redpoll
Hoary Redpoll
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Dark-eyed Junco

It was a good first day. Tomorrow’s temperature is supposed to be even colder. Is is OK if I crank up the wood fire and hope for a Downy Woodpecker and a Brown Creeper at the feeders?

Posted in Big Year, County Big Year, Vermont Birding, Winter Birds, Yard birds | Tagged big year, Washington County | 1 Comment

County Big Year – Goal Setting

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Richard

As I plan for a Big Year for the county, I’ve been looking over the data on eBird for Washington County for counts of birds for the last few years. This year’s reports have new records — 196 for the county and 167 by the top individual, the team Fred & Chris Pratt. They are gone three months of the year which makes the feat even more impressive.

The Hairy that hits our suet daily should be an easy New Year’s Day county tick.

We had finch irruptions this year but few if any rare species like the Northern Hawk Owl or Varied Thrush of former years so based on about 200 species for the county, I’m going to to set a personal target of 170 species in Washington County for 2013. (I have only logged 132 species for this year although we were gone from the state quite a bit.) So, off we start next week.

I’m hoping that the Common Redpolls that are overrunning our feeders will stay for another week — or longer.

I decided to set some monthly goals as well based on past arrivals of species on eBird. I took a look at January bird records and set a target of 35 species for the month. Many of them will be easy (crow, chickadee, blue jay, nuthatches,etc) but I’m hoping to see Bohemian Waxwings, which I’ve missed this year, a Northern Shrike, which is a nemesis bird for me, and a return of Pine Siskins and Pine Grosbeaks. The waterways have pretty much frozen up so the Mallard and mergansers I have on the list may have to wait until later. I also need the Common Redpolls to hang around for another week.

White-breasted Nuthatches, like this one visiting today, are here all winter (along with their red-breasted cousins.

The next step in my planning will be to spend more time with maps of the county, putting together a list of hot spots and areas that have potential that I’ve never visited.

Given the new two feet of powder, I have a feeling that much of my January birding will be on snowshoes or XC skis. Oh Darn!

Posted in Backyard birds, Big Year, County Big Year, Vermont Birding | Tagged back, big year, county bird, Washington County | 2 Comments

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