Birdnotes: FW: [BIRD NOTES] October 23, 2007

From: Al Merritt [mailto:chpmnkx@sover.net]
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 12:16 PM
To: sevtaudubon.birdnotes@blogger.com
Cc: 'Al Merritt'
Subject: [BIRD NOTES] October 23, 2007

Bird Notes

Last week we were visiting in the Catskill Mountains of New York State and remarking how the foliage had not really turned its usual color for Columbus Day week. Then last Friday morn we started our trek back to Vermont and noticed that an overnight transformation had taken place. It was as if Mother Nature had spent the previous evening hours painting the countryside with a myriad of colors. It was a remarkable transition from the subdued yellows and golds to brilliant splashes of red and orange across the Shawangunk Mountain ridges. We have never witnessed such a rapid, overnight foliage change. It was spectacular!

Turners Falls & the Power Canal

Seen at Turners Falls were a CACKLING GOOSE, 2 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 12 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 3 PIED- BILLED GREBES, and 3 AMERICAN COOT.

Late Warbler

Richard Foye in South Newfane had a very late WILSONS WARBLER in his yard on 10/23.

Keep Checking the Retreat Meadows

There was a juvenile NORTHERN SHRIKE at the Brattleboro Retreat Meadows this morning (10/23). The BLACK VULTURES that have been around Brattleboro for the past couple of months, grew to a flock of 4 this afternoon (10/23). At about 3pm they were circling over the old ski jump on Harris Hill.

---Hector Galbraith

There were 13 AMERICAN PIPITS in the Marina field this past Saturday and I spotted 4 on Sunday at the same location.

---Dave Johnston, W. Brattleboro

Coops and Crows

Saturday morning, as the sun broke through the storm clouds, illuminating peak foliage at the edge of the back field, two crows and a Cooper's hawk attacked each other overhead. First the crows went after the hawk, then the hawk attacked one of the crows, their bodies making contact in mid-air. Then the crows went after the hawk again, all disappearing behind the tree line. The crows reappeared, but not the hawk. I suppose that he (smaller than the crows) eluded them in his preferred forested habitat.

---Jean Arrowsmith

Rockingham Birds

This morning at Herrick's Upper Meadows a recently plowed corn field was heaving with birds:

Red-winged blackbirds 1500-2000

Pipits 150-200

Robins 100-200

Horned larks 10

Snipe 8

Savannah, song, swamp sparrows 200-300

White crowned sparrow 30-40

White-throated sparrow 80-100

Lincoln's sparrow 1

Also still around were 2 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS

---Hector Galbraith, Dummerston, VT

On Tuesday a female COMMON MERGANSER showed off it’s diving skills in the West River just upstream from the Marina. We also noticed that the MALLARD DUCK population there has grown to more than 20. Overhead there were 30+ TURKEY VULTURES taking advantage of the south-westerly winds to sharpen their soaring skills.