July 6

Bird Notes

South Newfane Nesters
In response to your recent request for young birds around the feeders, we've had many in our yard in the last couple of weeks.

Common grackles were the first, followed by downy woodpeckers - either several families or the youngsters from one just won't give up on their demands to be fed. Suet is a great draw for the woodpeckers and their young. Hairy woodpeckers have been around as well.

We've heard yellow-bellied sapsuckers with young and had at the feeders purple finch, white-breasted nuthatch, red-breasted nuthatch, a single young cardinal, chipping sparrow and song sparrow. Crows have been in the neighborhood, and Of course robins and phoebes. All with young.

Through the bedroom window we hear in the morning common yellowthroat, chestnut-sided warbler, and American redstart, as well as the tell-tale feeding sounds of these species.

Mustn't forget gray catbird.

Susan James and Nissa Petrak went up Stratton for atlassing two days ago and memorably confirmed Swainson's Thrush and Blackpoll Warblers. Plus we've had the usual woodland species with young in that area.

In Williamsville, a Broad-winged Hawk is feeding young in the nest. I watched a tug of war between two chicks yesterday over the last remains of whatever it was that mom was feeding them. The bigger chick, already showing some signs of its juvenile feathers, won the tugging match and swallowed the bloody scraps in one big gulp.


Broad-winged Hawk nesting in Williamsville.

I'll put a few pictures of the Broad-winged on my blog soon.

Chris Petrak
South Newfane, VT
Tails of Birding - www.tailsofbirding.net



South of the Border
My niece just attended her high school reunion in Mexico. A colleague senther a list of the birds he saw there in two afternoons of birding, and I thought you might be interested to see it. ---Jean Pett, W. Brattleboro

NOTE:
Here is the list that Jean sent. Most of the bird names will not look familiar unless you have been below the border chasing birds. But, maybe it will whet your appetite for a birding trip there.



Brown Booby
Brown Pelican
Anhinga
Magnificent Frigatebird
Snowy Egret
Green Heron
Roseate Spoonbill
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Common Black Hawk
West Mexican Chachalaca
Red-billed Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Inca Dove
Squirrel Cuckoo
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Groove-billed Ani
Cinnamon Hummingbird
Citreoline Trogon
Golden-cheeked Woodpecker
Northern Beardless Tyrannulet
Nutting's Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
Social Flycatcher
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Grey-breasted Martin
White-throated Magpie-Jay
Rufous-naped Wren
White-bellied Wren
Rufous-backed Robin
Yellow-green Vireo
Northern Cardinal
Blue Bunting
Orange-breasted Bunting
White-collared Seedeater
Great-tailed Grackle
Streaked-backed Oriole
Yellow-winged Cacique


_________
NOTE: If you wish to see what these birds look like, click on this link:
http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en
Then click on IMAGES and type in the name of the bird.




What birds are you getting at your feeders and around your neighborhood?
Have you made any birding trips lately?
Please share your experiences with us.


Al Merritt
Chipmunk Crossing
W. Brattleboro, VT
chpmnkx@sover.net