Nearly every morning this summer, I walk Ginger early. We often start by going down our path the the river and then on to nearby trails. It’s not unusual to see and hear many birds right in our backyard.
Two days ago, this Common Merganser was just cruising down the river.
Yesterday, about six-thirty, we came upon this little Wood Duck family. They gently eased away from us and I wondered if the youngsters were to young to fly.
In a summer of chaos, it’s calming to start the day with a taste of the natural life right around us. Get out and enjoy July.
Suffice it to say there’ve been a few distractions since my last post. Dog injury, Covid, and lousy weather have hindered my birding but focusing on positive things these days, I’m getting out and working on my bird list for 2025.
With temperatures well below zero at night, nearly everything has frozen up but this week, I found an open spot on the Winooski River downtown. Two Common Merganser were feeding in the icy water — here’s the male.
Just across the stream was a Mallard resting.
One of my target birds was Wild Turkey and I thought, “If I were a turkey (hold your comments), where would I be on a cold windy day like this?” I thought of farms and checked one close by and “sorpresa!”, twenty birds were out foraging. Here are a couple of shots from outside and inside the car.
Our backyard feeders have been very active in this frigid weather, with mixed flocks of chickadees, finches, tree sparrows, and juncos. A couple of Mourning Doves join the action every day.
While I miss the birding I once did down South, it’s a fun challenge to get out in frigid weather and see, and try to photograph, the birds of an old-fashioned Vermont winter.
Early this morning on a dog walk/birding outing, I came across this merganser family out for a cruise. For once, the dog was not moving, the sun was behind me, and there was no foliage in the way. I count ten or eleven youngsters – including the two getting a ride.
Ginger and I went out for an outing on the nearby trails mid-day today. The walking was tricky in mushy snow but the birdsong was up-lifting. My first singing Song Sparrows, lots of Brown Creepers and nuthatches, titmice, cardinals, and crows. One who was quietly perched beside the trail was this Pine Grosbeak.
The river is open again and we are seeing a lot of activity, including this handsome Common Merganser, looking for love in all the right places.
Cold weather coming so much of the river will freeze again but that’s life in March in Vermont.
A week and a half ago, we were walking on the river while dozens of skaters came and went as we watched. A few days later, things thawed and now the ducks are back, enjoying some early spring-like weather. Sunday, I came upon this couple tucked into the back just upstream from the house.
A week earlier, this couple was foraging downtown in the main Winooski River.
Mergansers are here – not sure where they retreat to during earlier “below zero” weather. This pair of Hoodies are hanging out – I see them nearly every day.
And we don’t forget the faithful few who hang in here all winter, singing every chance they get. I hear cardinals, titmice, nuthatches, crows, and now and then, a raven on most of our walks.
