Birdnotes: {BIRD NOTES} ~ September 26, 2011

Purple Finch male © Google

Bird Notes

Migrating Warblers (9/24)

This afternoon about 100-150 warblers in my yard. Mainly yellow-rumps, but many Pine, a few Parula, Blackburnian, and 2 Prairies (not common in these
parts).
---Hector Galbraith, Dummerston, VT

West B. Birds (9/24)

A good day for birds at home in West Brattleboro on Bonnyvale Rd. highlighted
by great looks at a Philadelphia Vireo. One Blue-headed Vireo and 4 Red-eyed
Vireos were present at the same time. Warblers included 4 Yellow-rumped, 2
Magnolias, 2 Redstarts, 1 N. Parula, 1 Blackpoll, 1 Chestnut-sided, and 2
Black-throated Greens.

---Dave Johnston, W. Brattleboro, VT

Spring Tree Road (9/24)
The area around the cornfield behind the Marina Restaurant and the West
River (AKA Spring Tree Rd.) was productive this morning with 2 Lincoln Sparrows, 1 Field Sparrow, as well as several Swamp, Song, and Savannah Sparrows, 6 Indigo Buntings, 1 N. Parula, 1 Wilson's Warbler, 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 Sharpie, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Kestrel, 2 Osprey, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, and 3 Great Egrets.
---Dave Johnston, W. Brattleboro, VT

Winter Finch Forecast 2011-2012 (9/23)

This winter’s theme is that cone crops are excellent and extensive across much of the boreal forest and the Northeast. It will not be a flight year. Finches will be spread thinly over a vast area from western Canada east across the Hudson Bay Lowlands into Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces, New York and New England States. White-winged and Red Crossbills and Pine Siskins should be widespread in low numbers. A small movement of Pine Grosbeaks is probable because mountain-ash berry crops are variable and some are of poor quality in the boreal forest. Evening Grosbeak numbers are increasing as spruce budworm outbreaks expand in the boreal forest so some may show up at feeders in southern Ontario and the Northeast. Redpolls are unlikely to come south because the dwarf birch crop is bumper in the Hudson Bay Lowlands.

For details see: www.ofo.ca/reportsandarticles/winterfinches.php

---Ron Pittaway, Ontario Field Ornithologists, Minden, Ontario, Canada

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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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