Bird Notes ~ Feb. 28, 2008

Bird Notes

 

 

 

2/27

I had a single TURKEY VULTURE over North Westminster yesterday morning. A friend saw one over Fall Mt. across the river from Bellows falls on the 20th.

---Don Clark, Grafton, VT 05146

 

 

 

2/26

There was a flock of about 250 CEDAR WAXWINGS, at least 2 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, and ~ 30 ROBINS occupying 3 trees next to the house on the other side of Upper Dummerston Rd directly across from the Brattleboro CC clubhouse Tuesday afternoon.

     Today 2/27) there was a NORTHERN SHRIKE perched in a tree at the corner of Mather Rd. & Bonnyvale Rd. in W. Brattleboro.

---Dave Johnston, W. Brattleboro

 

 

 

2/26

We had WOODCOCKS displaying last evening (25 Feb) near our house in Kent County, Maryland, and large flocks of RED-WINGS & GRACKLES are headed your way - spring is coming...

---Nancy Martin & Walter Ellison, Chestertown, Maryland

 

 

 

Vernon 2/23

Late post from Saturday, March 23rd, 4:45 - 8:30 P.M.:

Monadnock Chapter of NH Audubon field trip.

     A flock of at least 20 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were perched atop trees near Vermont Yankee in Vernon.  They were viewed through the scope from the Hinsdale-side of the river.  Also observed on the VT-side of Lake

Wantastiquet:

 

Mute Swan - 5

American Black Duck - 72

Mallard - 294

Northern Pintail - 5 (four females - there are obviously more pintails in      the area as I have seen three males on occasion - most of the dabblers      fly in late when it is too dark to id and this was the case today).

Greater Scaup - 1 female

Common Goldeneye - 191

Hooded Merganser - 52

Common Merganser - 45

Great Black-backed Gull - 1 1st year

Eastern Screech Owl - 2 heard from Vernon-side of CT River below the dam

---Lance Tanino, Keene, NH

 

 

Birding DelMarVa and Montauk, LI

Birding highlights for us on the Delmarva Peninsula the weekend before last included ten species of shorebirds – MARBLED GODWITS, WILLETS and OYSTERCATCHERS among them -- a flock of AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS at Blackwater Refuge, a life bird for both of us, close up views of CANVASBACKS and REDHEADS on the Choptank River, TUNDRA SWANS at both Chincoteague and Blackwater and MEADOWLARKS at the latter refuge. Perhaps the best part of the trip for us was the ferry ride across Delaware Bay, where we got close-up views of hundreds of GANNETS as they plunged into the schools of fish that were apparently brought to the surface by the boat's wake, both coming and going. At its peak, the flock extended half a mile beyond the boat.

 

Last weekend we birded Montauk, LI and were astounded by the immense rafts of scoters that were visible from the viewing terrace where Block Island Sound meets the Atlantic. For literally as far as the eye -- or scope -- could see, all three scoter species floated on the waves and flew past in serried lines. There were thousands of them. COMMON EIDERS were relatively few in comparison. Between Delmarva and the East End of Long Island, we managed to see 28 species of waterfowl over the two weekends (including loons and grebes). Incidentally, on the ferry from Orient Point to New London, not a single gannet appeared. 

---Michael King and Molly Martin, Marlboro, VT

 

 

 

2/27

Here at Chipmunk Crossing we have been hosting a breakfast and dinner hour each day for WILD TURKEYS. The numbers vary anywhere from 1 to 17.

 

 

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/