FW: {BIRD NOTES} December 17, 2010

 

Bird Notes

 

Power Canal in Turners Falls, MA

A male BARROWS GOLDENEYE was on the power canal in Turners Falls yesterday (12/13).  He was with a large number of Common Goldeneyes.  It was late and I was losing light, so I did not search the crowd for a female.  In addition, there was one Iceland Gull and many Great Black-backed Gulls.  I was also told that there had been a Glaucous Gull there, but they all flew before I could locate it.

---Nori Howe, W. Brattleboro, VT

 

 

Common Redpolls & Evening Grosbeaks (12/14)

This morning there were 3 C. Redpolls along with ~ 15 Goldfinches feeding on
birch catkins at our home in W. Brattleboro. At the same time 14 Evening
Grosbeaks flew in under the feeders to feast on sunflower seeds,
---Dave Johnston, W. Brattleboro, VT

 

 

Snow Goose (12/14)

There was a single white Snow Goose among the many Canada Geese on the waters of the
Retreat Meadow in Brattleboro this morning.

---Hilke Breder, Brattleboro, VT

 

 

Shrike?

Hello, my name is Jordan Fletcher. I am writing to ask your opinion about a possible Northern Shrike sighting just 10 minutes ago in my yard. I saw a strange bird in my yard, about 300' away and at first thought it was a killdeer doing a courtship display with the wings out, sitting squat and going in circles. But knew that couldn't be it this time of year. I got right on it with binoculars and saw that it was two birds fighting. One was larger (maybe the size of a blue jay) and the other was a sparrow or junco. It got still and I could see only one bird standing on top of the other, pulling out feathers. A car drove past and the larger bird flew off with the smaller bird in its claws -- dead.

 

I did not see the eye bar but could see dark wings and a plain, light colored breast. I couldn't tell if it had a longer, dark colored tail or if it was the bird in tow. My only thought was a shrike.  Is this the right time of year and would a shrike be this far east? If so, I saw one.

Please contact me with your impression.

---Jordan Fletcher, Westminster West, VT

__________

• From your description I would say that your assumption was correct.

 

 

More on the Power Canal

After receiving the heads up from Nori Howe, we stopped by the Power Canal in Turner’s Falls on Wednesday on our way back to Brattleboro from Shopping in Massachusetts. It was bitter cold and windy. The thermometer read 27 but a 10-15mph wind made it feel like single digits. There was ice in the cove of the canal where the water is very shallow and it was thick enough to hold the weight of about a hundred or more Canada Geese and many of the three common species of gulls. Also in the mix were a GLAUCOUS GULL and 2 ICELAND GULLS. Out in the open water we scoped a CACKLING GOOSE, a pair of American Wigeon, a pair of Common Goldeneyes, 2 male Hooded Mergansers with hoods spread vying for the attention of several females, and a very large flock of Mallards.

 

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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

Check out our website:  http://sevtaudubonbirdnotes.blogspot.com/

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