MadBirders » Uncategorized http://madbirders.org Fri, 11 Jun 2010 01:16:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.1 en hourly 1 Center Fayston Road Bird Walk delivers the goods! http://madbirders.org/2010/05/23/center-fayston-road-bird-walk-delivers-the-goods/ http://madbirders.org/2010/05/23/center-fayston-road-bird-walk-delivers-the-goods/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 01:11:48 +0000 Jeannie Elias http://madbirders.org/?p=663 CFR Bird Walk 5-23 Indigo Bunting

Indigo Buntings… three years running now.

CFR Bird Walk 5-23 Tree Swallows

Tree Swallows nesting in a bluebird box.

CFR Bird Walk 5-23 Butterfly in Lilac

An unidentified butterfly among the lilacs.

CFR Bird Walk 5-23 Alex

Alex…

CFR bird Walk 5-23 Group

Alex, Patti, Jeannie, Jeff, Kay and Ave

CFR Bird Walk 5-23 Group 2Pat

Alex, Kay, Jeff, Patti and Ave

Seven Mad Birders had a wonderful walk on Center Fayston Road this fine May morning and spotted gorgeous Indigo Buntings for the third year in a row.  Thanks to Pat Folsom for these great shots and to Patti Haynes for recording our sightings for Ebird.

Number of species:     32

Ruffed Grouse     1
Broad-winged Hawk     1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker     2
Northern Flicker     1
Alder Flycatcher     1
Eastern Phoebe     1
Red-eyed Vireo     2
Blue Jay     3
American Crow     1
Common Raven     1
Tree Swallow     2
Black-capped Chickadee     X
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
Veery     1
Wood Thrush     1
American Robin     1
Chestnut-sided Warbler     2
Magnolia Warbler     1
Black-throated Blue Warbler     1
Yellow-rumped Warbler     2
Black-throated Green Warbler     1
Blackburnian Warbler     2
Ovenbird     X
Mourning Warbler     1
Common Yellowthroat     1
Scarlet Tanager     2
Chipping Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     1
White-throated Sparrow     2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak     1
Indigo Bunting     1
Purple Finch     1

]]> http://madbirders.org/2010/05/23/center-fayston-road-bird-walk-delivers-the-goods/feed/ 0 Mad Birders Serenaded by a Baltimore Oriole on the Mad River Path http://madbirders.org/2010/05/20/mad-birders-serenaded-by-a-baltimore-oriole-on-the-mad-river-path/ http://madbirders.org/2010/05/20/mad-birders-serenaded-by-a-baltimore-oriole-on-the-mad-river-path/#comments Thu, 20 May 2010 21:00:53 +0000 Jeannie Elias http://madbirders.org/?p=651 Baltimore Oriole

Mad Birders on the Mad River Path

A beautiful Spring morning brought out eight Mad Birders to the boardwalk section of the Mad River Path near the Big Picture Theater.  A pair of Baltimore Orioles serenaded us and we all got great looks at both the male and female.  Thanks to Bill Martin for bringing a camera and getting a great shot.  Thanks also to Laura Brines of the Mad River Path Association for helping make the morning walk happen as part of the Mad River Valley Walk and Roll week.  Other birds seen included Yellow Warblers, Eastern Kingbirds, Song Sparrows and Chestnut-Sided Warblers.

]]> http://madbirders.org/2010/05/20/mad-birders-serenaded-by-a-baltimore-oriole-on-the-mad-river-path/feed/ 0 At LONG Last…The Mad Birder Hats have arrived and they are very popular! http://madbirders.org/2010/05/02/at-long-last-the-mad-birder-hats-have-arrived/ http://madbirders.org/2010/05/02/at-long-last-the-mad-birder-hats-have-arrived/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 00:24:10 +0000 Jeannie Elias http://madbirders.org/?p=623 Mad Birder capMad Birder Hat in Spruce

Thanks to Bryan Pfeiffer, Vermont Bird Photographer Extraordinaire, the Mad Birders now have a logo and it is making its first appearance on some terrific hats.  The inspiration was Bryan’s fabulous photograph of a Ruby Crowned Kinglet.  Bryan is already a consummate Mad Birder, having written (with Ted Murin) the ultimate local birding guidebook:  Birdwatching in Vermont.  Check out his photos at Wings Photography.

Mad Birder hats come in six colors and cost $20 for Mad Birders and $25 for birders who have not yet officially become Mad Birders.  Membership dues are to be paid annually and are a modest $15  for an individual and $20 for a family.  For details on membership see the “ABOUT” tab on top of our home page.  To purchase a hat send an email to info@madbirders.org.  We’ll make it easy for you to join or renew, at the same time you are buying a hat.  Just ask!  Thanks.

IMG_1890

Mad Birder hat colors (from left to right) Periwinkle , Espresso, Spruce, Charcoal, Chamois, and Cactus

We have a new supply so currently, all colors are available!

]]> http://madbirders.org/2010/05/02/at-long-last-the-mad-birder-hats-have-arrived/feed/ 0 Eric Hanson – Loon Biologist to speak at Mad Birders’ presentation of The Dark Side of the Loon http://madbirders.org/2010/04/17/eric-hansen-loon-biologist-to-speak-at-mad-birders-presentation-of-the-dark-side-of-the-loon/ http://madbirders.org/2010/04/17/eric-hansen-loon-biologist-to-speak-at-mad-birders-presentation-of-the-dark-side-of-the-loon/#comments Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:56:20 +0000 Jeannie Elias http://madbirders.org/?p=591 Eric Hanson – of the Vermont Loon Recovery Project- will present a slide show and talk as part of the Mad Birder’s upcoming showing of Gail Osherenko’s documentary: The Dark Side of the Loon.  Eric has been the Loon Biologist with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies’ Loon Recovery Project since 1998 and has studied loons for almost two decades.  Eric’s knowledge about this unique and intriguing bird species will make an already special evening even more interesting.  Join us on Saturday April 24th at 7:30PM at Graves Farm Road in Waitsfield.  (at intersection of Joslin Hill, Common, and North Rds, turn east on East Rd – Joslin Hill becomes East Rd.  Graves Farm is first road on right).  The Reillys are the fourth driveway on the right.   Please carpool if possible, parking is limited.  Pat Folsom will meet people to carpool at Shaws at 7 PM.  Bring a dessert or wine to share.

]]> http://madbirders.org/2010/04/17/eric-hansen-loon-biologist-to-speak-at-mad-birders-presentation-of-the-dark-side-of-the-loon/feed/ 0 Winter Birding http://madbirders.org/2010/01/17/winter-birding/ http://madbirders.org/2010/01/17/winter-birding/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:11:11 +0000 Jeannie Elias http://madbirders.org/?p=521 Barred Owl

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.

]]> http://madbirders.org/2010/01/17/winter-birding/feed/ 0 Mad Birders Christmas Bird Count and Pot LuckS!!! http://madbirders.org/2009/11/10/mad-birders-christmas-bird-count-and-pot-lucks/ http://madbirders.org/2009/11/10/mad-birders-christmas-bird-count-and-pot-lucks/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:40:30 +0000 Jeannie Elias http://madbirders.org/?p=507 A Winter Visitor to the Valley

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.
]]> http://madbirders.org/2009/11/10/mad-birders-christmas-bird-count-and-pot-lucks/feed/ 0 The Latest in Birding Fashion http://madbirders.org/2009/10/17/the-latest-in-birding-fashion/ http://madbirders.org/2009/10/17/the-latest-in-birding-fashion/#comments Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:32:40 +0000 Craig Goss http://madbirders.org/?p=502

]]> http://madbirders.org/2009/10/17/the-latest-in-birding-fashion/feed/ 0 Red Eyed Vireo on the nest! http://madbirders.org/2009/07/03/blue-headed-vireo-on-the-nest/ http://madbirders.org/2009/07/03/blue-headed-vireo-on-the-nest/#comments Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:22:32 +0000 Jeannie Elias http://madbirders.org/?p=427 Red Eyed Vireo

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.

]]> http://madbirders.org/2009/07/03/blue-headed-vireo-on-the-nest/feed/ 0 Young Pileated Woodpecker the day before it fledged. http://madbirders.org/2009/06/27/young-pileated-woodpecker-the-day-before-it-fledged/ http://madbirders.org/2009/06/27/young-pileated-woodpecker-the-day-before-it-fledged/#comments Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:26:30 +0000 Jeannie Elias http://madbirders.org/?p=422 Baby Pileated in the Nest

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!

Pileated nest

]]> http://madbirders.org/2009/06/27/young-pileated-woodpecker-the-day-before-it-fledged/feed/ 0 Blue Headed Vireo Nest http://madbirders.org/2009/06/21/blue-headed-vireo-nest/ http://madbirders.org/2009/06/21/blue-headed-vireo-nest/#comments Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:17:30 +0000 Jeannie Elias http://madbirders.org/?p=411 Blue Headed Vireo Nest

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.

]]> http://madbirders.org/2009/06/21/blue-headed-vireo-nest/feed/ 0