{BIRD NOTES} ~ October 31, 2011

 

Bird Notes

 

 

Late Butter Butt (10/30)

As I was shoveling way too much snow out of my driveway this morning I was joined by a yellow-rumped warbler that was poking among leaves I had turned over as I shoveled. Now that the fields are covered I'm interested to see if all of the geese in the area will move out.
---Charlie La Rosa, Brattleboro, VT

 

 

Retreat Treats (10/30)

This afternoon at the Retreat Meadows: among the 600-odd Canada geese there was 1 cackler and 3 long-tailed ducks. It was a different cackler from one that Dave Johnson photographed here a couple of weeks ago. It was very dark- dark enough to be a Taverner's (reported from western MA a week or so ago), but the head and bill structure were wrong for that race - more like a typical hutchinsii.

---Hector Galbraith, Dumerston, VT

A Grand Day on Putney Mountain

Friday 10/28 turned out to be a spectacular day at the hawk watch on Putney Mt. 6 Watchers trudged up through the snow and were treated to 333 birds, of which 133 were Turkey Vultures . It seemed to be TV moving day, with most birds rising up one after another and gliding over our heads. Most passed in the space of 2 hours.  We also saw to 2 Bald Eagles, 3 Golden Eagles , over 90 Red-tails, Northern Harriers, Goshawks, Cooper's, Sharpies, Red Shoulders (9), 3 Osprey, Kestrels(5)  and a Rough-legged.

Weather: light to mod NW wind, Blue skies, Temps.... well....cold but not freezing and snow on the ground. Guess the birds knew a whomper of a storm was coming.
---Terri Armata, Bennington, VT where the snow is starting to whomp down.

 

 

How Clever Are Ravens?

Check out this short story about a Raven pair, a Dog and a Bone.

http://birdnote.s3.amazonaws.com/Birdnote/2011/10-Oct-2011/111011-Raven-Dog-Bone.mp3

 

 

The Trick or Treat Storm

After it finally stopped snowing, we measured 15 inches of snow in our backyard here at Chipmunk Crossing. The birds were frantically shuttling in and out of the bird feeders and virtually stepping on each other to get to the millet and black oil sunflower seed. There were no unusual species among them, just hungry regulars converting bird seed into energy. They included many Juncos and Chickadees, a male Cardinal, a handsome White-throated Sparrow, 2 Blue Jays, 4 Morning Doves, 2 White-breasted Nuthatches,  3 Goldfinch, and 3 Tufted Titmice. The day before the storm a small vociferous flock of crows flew over the house in hot pursuit of two croaking Ravens. They were doing their best to usher them out of the neighborhood.

 

Keep in mind that the Christmas Bird Count will be held on Saturday, December 17. We are in need of volunteers to do feeder counts. If interested, drop me an e-mail and include your address so we can determine if you live within the count circle.

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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

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!