BIRD NOTES ~ August 30, 2008

Nighthawk by Paul Miksis

Bird Notes

 

 

Marsh Wrens YES, Sedge NO

Al, I was down at Herrick’s this morning(8/24--nothing much there) and stopped in at Allen’s on my way back. I went equipped with my Ipod loaded with Stokes bird songs. I played both marsh and sedge songs but the only birds that responded were two recently fledged marsh wrens on the right side just where the road begins crossing the marsh.  They came right up and I had really good lengthy views. Both were recently out of the nest and still had their gapes. They had only very indistinct grey supercilia and had some barring on their wings, but were still the typical unstreaked rufous on the mantle and wing coverts. Both were in heavy body moult. At first glance one of them seemed to have a streaky cap (like sedge) but when I got a closer look I saw that what had looked like streaks were in fact the quills of the new emerging feathers showing thru. Tricky little boogers!

---Hector Galbraith, PhD

Director Climate Change Initiative

Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences

 

 

We saw two COMMON NIGHTHAWKS flying over our field yesterday (Sat.) evening, about 7:45.
---Ned Pokras, W. Brattleboro, VT

 

 

We spotted a flock of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS, 50-60 at least, feeding high over the River in downtown Brattleboro at around 6 p.m.(8/27) Then I had another 25 over town, 7 p.m. There was one lone CHIMNEY SWIFT among the latter flock. ---Paul Miksis & Robyn Flatley, Brattleboro, VT

 

Hey Al & Barb, I know, nighthawks again. But they are, as you know, so cool. Rob and I were relaxing in our canoe in a Vermont side setback.

There were numerous WAXWINGS and BLACKBIRDS busy feeding on the bugs.

Suddenly there appeared a flock of 25 NIGHTHAWKS, low and directly over us. They busily had their dinner for maybe a half hour, then moseyed on south. It was sheer bliss to lay there and watch.

---Paul & Robyn

 

 

17 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were feeding in West Brattleboro last night(8/28) at 6:15, in the vicinity of Dunkin Donuts.  Flying ants were present in high numbers.

---Cliff Seifer, Keene, NH

 

 

At South Pond in Marlboro, on Sunday afternoon, (8/24/08), a single OSPREY was observed circling, hovering, and fishing (successfully) before it flew off low over the town beach.
---Anne Wheelock

 

 

Vermont Sandhill Cranes

At 8:00 a.m., the family of four was in their usual spot -- a field on the east side of the Monkton-Bristol Road between Church Road and Mountain Road (about 1/4-1/2 mile north of the New Leaf Organics farm stand). They were VERY close to the road -- great looks possible without binos.

--Miriam Lawrence

 

 

 

 

 

Birdwatcher, painter, writer, teacher, scientist and inventor of the modern field guide, Roger Tory Peterson would have been 100 years old on August 28. Although Mr. Peterson died in 1996, his legacy lives on at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, New York. The Institute houses a 10,000 book library, over 150,000 slides, limited-edition prints, film reels as well as thousands of original pieces of artwork in its museum, which is open daily to the public.

 

 

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.

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

 

 

Al Merritt

W. Brattleboro, VT

chpmnkx@sover.net