[BIRD NOTES]--Nov. 25, 2007

 

Bird Notes

 

Rockingham Birds

There is still a WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE among the 950 Canadas at the reservoir in Bellows Falls. Also 2 NORTHERN SHRIKES at Herricks Upper Meadows. Three REDPOLL flyovers, of maybe 30 birds in total.

---Hector Galbraith PhD, Dummerston, VT

 

W. Brattleboro Birds

On Wed.,11/21,  at home in W. Bratt.-a male YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was eating bittersweet berries in a white pine tree, and also pecking about on a willow tree. Also, late in the afternoon a N. SHRIKE was chasing a bird from tree to tree around our house. Today, 11/24, I observed the immature N. SHRIKE again perching in various trees lining the field next to our house. Hiking around Grout Pond today I spotted a male PINE GROSBEAK and a very busy PILEATED WOODPECKER.

---Dave Johnston, W. Brattleboro

 

Chipmunk Crossing

Two COMMON REDPOLLS were feeding on the dead heads of the Fall Asters in our garden this morning. The Fox Sparrows that had been here for over 2 weeks have finally moved on.

---Barbara Merritt

 

Marina Road

Yesterday afternoon near the WTSA radio tower on Marina Rd., we watched an immature N. Shrike for several minutes as he hunted near the edge of the cattail marsh. It made several strange calls as it sat on the guy wire of a telephone pole. The West River was starting to get a skim of ice and in the open water near the island were 3 female COMMON MERGANSERS cavorting in the frigid water.

 

 

Turners Falls, MA--Power Canal--11/23/2007 (late afternoon)

BARROWS GOLDENEYE (F)

CACKLING GOOSE

Hooded Merganser (F)

Common Goldeneye (7 M)(14 F)

Common Merganser (8 F)

Plus the usual Canada Geese & Mallards

---Al & Barb Merritt, W. Brattleboro, VT

 

 

IOC Recommends English Bird Name Changes

There is a committee of the International Ornithological 

Congress that is trying to standardize the English names of all 

birds. They have reached the point where they now have chosen their names 

and they are trying to get the major ornithological bodies to comply. It seems to me that not only will it be impossible to get all of those bodies to agree, but imagine the enormous cost of such a venture. ALL field guides and checklists would have to be changed. Reference guides and encyclopedias too. It would be an insurmountable task to say the least. But, here is their proposed list, let’s hope it never comes to fruition:

 

Fulvous Whistling-Duck à Fulvous Whistling Duck

Brant à Brant Goose

Ring-necked Pheasant à Common Pheasant

Greater Prairie-Chicken à Greater Prairie Chicken

Common Loon à Great Northern Loon

Eared Grebe à Black-necked Grebe

Greater Shearwater à Great Shearwater

Wilson's Storm-Petrel à Wilson's Storm Petrel

White-faced Storm-Petrel à White-faced Storm Petrel

Leach's Storm-Petrel à Leach's Storm Petrel

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel à Band-rumped Storm Petrel

Western Reef-Heron à Western Reef Heron

Black-crowned Night-Heron à Black-crowned Night Heron

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron à Yellow-crowned Night Heron

White Ibis à American White Ibis

Rough-legged Hawk à Roughleg

Eurasian Kestrel à Common Kestrel

Black-bellied Plover à Grey Plover

American Golden-Plover à American Golden Plover

Pacific Golden-Plover à Pacific Golden Plover

Black-headed Gull à Common Black-headed Gull

Pomarine Jaeger à Pomarine Skua

Dovekie à Little Auk

Rock Pigeon àCommon Pigeon

European Turtle-Dove à European Turtle Dove

Common Ground-Dove à Common Ground Dove

Eastern Screech-Owl à Eastern Screech Owl

Northern Hawk Owl à Northern Hawk-Owl

Great Gray Owl à Great Grey Owl

Western Wood-Pewee à Western Wood Pewee

Eastern Wood-Pewee à Eastern Wood Pewee

Gray Flycatcher à American Grey Flycatcher

Gray Kingbird à Grey Kingbird

Northern Shrike à Great Grey Shrike

Gray Jay à Grey Jay

Eurasian Jackdaw à Western Jackdaw

Common Raven à Northern Raven

Bank Swallow à Sand Martin

Cliff Swallow à American Cliff Swallow

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher à Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Gray-cheeked Thrush à Grey-cheeked Thrush

Gray Catbird à Grey Catbird

European Starling à Common Starling

American Pipit à Buff-bellied Pipit

Yellow Warbler à American Yellow Warbler

Black-throated Gray Warbler à Black-throated Grey Warbler

Painted Redstart à Painted Whitestart

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow à Nelson's Sparrow

Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow à Saltmarsh Sparrow

White-winged Crossbill à Two-barred Crossbill

Hoary Redpoll à Arctic Redpoll

(Listing from Tom Wetmore, Newburyport, MA)

 

 

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/