[BIRD NOTES] September 29, 2007

 

Bird Notes

 

A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, a COMMON MOORHEN, and a CAPE MAY WARBLER were seen at the setbacks at the setbacks on the Connecticut River in Hinsdale on September 24th. Nearly 7,000 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were seen leaving a roost in the reed-beds on September 25th.

---RBA New Hampshire

 

Report from Waltham, MA

In a snag at Bentley college pond, for two days, a MERLIN, either immature or female. On the Charles river behind Shaws supermarket a GREAT BLUE HERON.  While looking for the merlin days later, a RED-TAILED HAWK flew into a tree just above me, it flicked its wings and seemed to meld into the tree.  A squirrel ran up the other side, peered around at me and was probably going to scold, saw the hawk inches away, and made a kind of squirrely “eek”.  The hawk looked back over its shoulder, and just glared at the rodent, that standoff lasted 30 minutes, maybe longer, I had to leave.

---Doreen Pugh, Waltham, MA

 

 

West B. Birds

I enjoyed watching two stunning BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS in Marlboro yesterday morning, Saturday, the 22nd of Sept.

---Anne Wheelock

 

 

Birds observed at the Crossing

The activity at and around our feeding stations has been phenomenal the past few days. We averaged 5 species of warblers each morning and extraordinary numbers of Goldfinch and Chickadees. This is a partial list:

 

Great Blue Heron (2 flyovers)

Osprey (flyover)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (9/25 late date)

Red-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

Titmouse

Catbird

Blue-headed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Nashville

Northern Parula

Chestnut-sided W.

Black-throated Green W.

Blackpoll W.

House Wren

Song Sparrow

Purple Finch

House Finch

 

 

More Than Birds are Migrating

Monarch Butterflies are on the move everywhere you look. We have noticed that numbers increase along roadsides that run north and south. Birding friends from New York State tell us that they spent the day tagging Monarchs and ran out of the 150 tags that they had on hand. 50 more were quickly delivered to finish out their day. For more information on this project visit www.MonarchWatch.org

 

 

Birding at the Sod Farms

Today we stopped at the sod farms in Northfield, MA hoping to see some shorebird migrants. Instead we were treated to Yellow-rumped Warblers (6), Palm Warbler, Raven, Mockingbird, Bobolinks (8), and a very cooperative juvenile PEREGRINE FALCON that sat in the sod grass, stretched it wings, fanned its tail and turned around for side, front and back views. With the scope at 20X it nearly filled the glass. Magnificent!

     On the way home we stopped at the farm pond on Pecks Road in Vernon and counted 15 Green-winged Teal.

 

A friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.

 

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

 

Al Merritt

W. Brattleboro, VT

chpmnkx@sover.net

 

 

BIRD NOTE archives:

http://sevtaudubonbirdnotes.blogspot.com/

 

Southeastern Vermont Audubon Society website:

http://www.sevtaudubon.org/