[BIRD NOTES] January 6, 2007

 

Bird Notes

 

Betsy and Ross

The first two eagles to be hacked in Massachusetts were Betsy and Ross. Ross ended up sticking around the Quabbin Reservoir for years after his release. Betsy splashed into the reservoir on her first flight and after being fished out of the drink by the state biologists, she immediately headed back to Michigan, never to return. ---Trudy Tynan, South Hadley, MA

 

 

Super Saturday in Gloucester, MA

I would give my eye teeth for a day like the one Bill Drummond et al had today in Gloucester. Read on . . .

 

On a record high temperature day, our group all had great looks at the King Eider near the Elks Lodge on Atlantic, the Eared Grebe at Niles Beach, the drake Barrow's Goldeneye near the lighthouse at Eastern Point, the Purple Sandpipers on Dog Bar Breakwater close and in perfect light, and the Dovekie very close at Andrew's Point. We had Iceland, Glaucous, and Black-headed Gulls at the state pier but we could not find the Common Gull that was reported earlier in the week. Nevertheless, there were lots of birds and lots of birders!  It was a day for the ages! Good birding, everyone!

---Bill Drummond, North Andover, MA

 

 

 

W. Brattleboro Birds, Jan. 1^st.

Canada Geese (flyovers)

Red-tailed Hawk

Mourning Dove

Rock Pigeon

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker (heard)

Blue Jay

Am. Crow

Raven

B.C.Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

White-breasted Nuthatch

Brown Creeper

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Am. Robin (heard)

N. Cardinal (m&f)

Dark-eyed Junco

 

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

 

The 10^th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count will be held February 16-19, 2007. It is open to everyone. No need to register, and no fee required.

 

Before you count, go to www.birdsource.org/gbbc for easy-to-follow instructions and local checklists.

 

Count the birds in your backyard, park, or refuge—anywhere! For each kind of bird write down the highest number you see at any one time during your count (Don’t add a bird every time you see one at your feeder: you could be counting the same individuals many times.)

     Take part on one, two, three, or four days. Watch the birds for as long as possible (15 minutes or more) each day.

 

Report your results online. Go back to the GBBC website and complete an online checklist, and report your sightings electronically.

 

View your results! You can see lists and maps online, continually updated throughout the count. See how you and your town fit into the picture.

 

 

 

COMING IN MARCH

 

Vermont Public Television premiers the TV special: Birding In Vermont. Naturalist Bryan Pfeiffer will be the on-screen tour guide to some of the state’s most familiar birds and some of the rarest. Date and time and more information will be forthcoming in a future Bird Notes.

 

 

Please keep us abreast of what birds you are seeing via e-mail, whether at home or on a trip, in or out of the Windham County area.

 

 

Al Merritt

W. Brattleboro, VT

chpmnkx@sover.net