Birdnotes: {BIRD NOTES} November 10, 2010

Bird Notes

Upside to Feeding Birds in the Backyard:

Red-breasted Nuthatch – first of the season (vanguard of an irruption?)

Fox Sparrows – 3

Evening Grosbeak – when my count of the feeding flock reached 20, something spooked them and they flew. A moment later, an equal number hidden in the bushes also flew – so an estimated 40+. Plus all of the usual suspects, including Pine Siskins, though these are erratic in appearance.

Downside to feeding birds: filling the small feeders 2 or 3 times a day and going through an estimated 15 pounds of seed each day.

Downtown Brattleboro

New yard birds here on Elliot Street: Red-breasted Nuthatch and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Already looking forward to the Christmas Count.

---Paul Miksis, Brattleboro, VT

Bluebirds at Westgate

November 7th. A pair of Bluebirds on the wires above a tree full of red berries. First bluebirds I’ve seen in Westgate. Yesterday, at the same tree, a flock of robins.

---Lynn Martin, W. Brattleboro, VT

A Note From Waltham

Here in Waltham Ma, on Bentley pond, 14 Wood Ducks, one Great Blue Heron.

At my window feeder, 3 to 5 chickadees, 2 titmice, one goldfinch. Also in the area, were over 150 Canada Geese. In general, over the summer, birds were very scarce.

---Doreen Pugh, Waltham, MA

Townshend Warbler in Walpole, NH

On Monday, Suki Russo and Don Clark et al, reported seeing a TOWNSHENDS WARBLER along River Road in Walpole, NH.

Retreat Meadows

Today (11/8) we counted 20 Hooded Mergansers and 1 Common Merganser. Sitting atop the tangle of bittersweet at the water treatment plant was a vigilant Mockingbird. The numbers of Canada Geese fluctuate between two and three hundred birds.

Vernon Sightings

Nine Turkeys were seen on the hillside at the Miller Farm from Peck Road and two Bluebirds were hunting from their perch on the electric wires along Pond Road. A group of more than two dozen Turkeys were feeding in a cornfield off of Rt. 142.

Chipmunk Crossing

Here at home we have been entertained by the large group of Chickadees, 3 White-breasted Nuthatches, a two day showing of a Red-breasted Nuthatch, 3 Tufted Titmice, a lone White-throated Sparrow, 3 FOX SPARROWS, many Dark-eyed Juncos, several Goldfinch, 2 Downy and 2 Hairy Woodpeckers, a pair of Morning Doves, 5 Blue Jays, and a short visit from 6 Robins that stopped by for some vitamin C in the rose hips of the large wild rose tangle on the hillside.

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Please share your birding news with us.

What have you got coming to your feeders?

Are there any birds nesting in your yard?

What have you seen while on a trip?

Drop us an e-mail chpmnkx@sover.net

Al Merritt

W. Brattleboro, VT

chpmnkx@sover.net

http://sevtaudubonbirdnotes.blogspot.com/

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A friend is someone who reaches for your hand