Posted on Sunday 17 January 2010
This Barred Owl was spotted in flight mid day on Sunday January 17th. Bare trees make for good birding in Winter. Craig Goss took this photo near Phen Basin in Fayston, VT.
MadBirders
Posted on Sunday 20 December 2009
Sunrise over the Green Mountains greets Frosty Mad Birders
Team Chickadees finds a covey of Quail!
Northern Bob White Quail posing for the camera.
31 Mad Birders lived up to their name on Friday December 18th as they set out before sunrise to participate for the 5th time in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The day was remarkably beautiful and memorably cold. Ten teams of birders spread out over a 15 mile radius ‘count circle’ that encompassed Waitsfield, Warren, Fayston, Moretown, Berlin, Northfield and Roxbury. The birders managed to see 37 separate species and a total of 3348 individual birds. Highlights, in addtiion to the Northern Bob White Quail pictured above, were a Great Blue Heron, a pair of American Robins, a Song Sparrow and a Common Grackle. During “Count Week” the birders ‘bagged’ a pair of Canada Geese and a Red Winged Blackbird. The day concluded with a pot luck celebration at the home of Scott and Pat Sainsbury, with delicious food prepared by their daughter Jackie, whose coconut cake was the perfect end to a winter wonderland day.
Posted on Tuesday 10 November 2009
A Winter Visitor to the Valley
The Mad Birders will hold their annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count on Friday December 18th. Don’t miss your chance to see which birds have arrived from the north or are sticking around to spend the winter in Vermont. The beauty of the count is that you can’t count on the weather! It could be cool, clear and crisp… warm and sunny or snowy and blustery. The birds govern themselves accordingly. Join us on Friday December 18th and finish the day in nature with a celebratory pot luck at the home of Pat and Scott Sainsbury. We’ll also have a planning session on Tuesday December 1st at the home of Jeannie Elias at 6PM. That session will also feature a pot luck. A little known fact is that most birders are absolutely wonderful cooks…so come join us and share the birds. It is a great way to have your cake and eat it too. For details call Jeannie at 496-4730.
Posted on Tuesday 13 October 2009
White Crowned Sparrow
White Throated Sparrow
White Breasted Nuthatch
Dark Eyed Junco
Mad Birder Bill Martin got these great shots in Warren, Vermont as the first snow of the season blanketed the Mad River Valley on this mid October morning. We will see the Juncos and Nuthatches all winter long, but these may be our last glimpses of the sparrows until the Spring. The White Crowned sparrows normally leave in late October, and the White Throated sparrows fly the coop in late November.
Posted on Monday 7 September 2009
This shot of a Warbling Vireo was taken by Mad Birder Scott Sainsbury this week in Moretown. Warbling Vireos typically leave Vermont around the fourth week in September to head for their winter homes, typically located anywhere from Mexico south to El Salvador.
Posted on Sunday 19 July 2009
The sighting of this owl caused a fair amount of excitement here on East Road among our extended family. It was sitting at the side of the house and was seemingly unafraid as it was approached. It looks just like the Juvenile Saw-whet Owl in Peterson’s guide book; the book also implies that this owl is “tame”.
Posted on Friday 3 July 2009
A Red Eyed Vireo was discovered nesting on Two Dog Mountain in Fayston. This nest was discovered on a small maple tree very close to a second story porch. We will keep an eye on the nest, with hopes of capturing some photos of hatchlings before they fledge. Craig Goss got this great photo on 7/3/09.
Posted on Saturday 27 June 2009
Mad Birder Mary Spencer got this terrific shot of a Young Pileated Woodpecker peeking out of its nest in a poplar tree on Center Fayston Road in Fayston. Surprisingly the nest was in the middle of a yard where there was frequent human activity. Mary saw an adult Pileated feed breakfast to the young ones on Wednesday morning June 24th and reported that the nestlings made an amazing amount of noise. She also noted that this particular ”baby” was quite large. The next day, with no witnesses, the young birds fledged!
Posted on Sunday 21 June 2009
Unidentified bird chatter led Mad Birder Jeannie Elias to look about 15-20 feet up in a small maple on Two Dog Mountain in Fayston, Vermont, revealing this wondrous nest filled with loud, insistent baby birds. When an adult bird returned on numerous occasions to feed the occupants it became clear that this was a nest of Blue Headed Vireos. Craig Goss got this great photo.
