MadBirders

On Friday December 14, 2007 over two dozen Mad Birders braved the winter weather to participate in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The Waitsfield team got a great look at a Pileated Woodpecker and Pat Folsom snapped this shot.

The Fayston Team dubbed themselves The Peckerheads (because their first birds of the day were Woodpeckers). Pictured below are Allison, Bill and Mae.

This winter many Common Redpolls are visiting Vermont — typically they arrive in large numbers every other year when their food supply in the northern boreal forrest crashes. We think Pat found one Hoary Redpoll within a flock of 70 Common Redpolls. The red spot on the head looks smaller than on the Common, also the bird is gray, rather than brown on the back. The bird’s bill definitely looked stubby. The line from the forehead to the tip of the bill is a straight line on Hoary.

The Hoary is the bird in the back in this shot.

In these next shots, the Hoary is on the left.

Now it is on the right.

We will hold our Christmas Bird Count on Friday, December 14, 2007. This is an all day event in which up to 10 teams will canvass our 15 mile Circle counting all the birds that are seen. The day concludes with a lively potluck where teams report on their bird counts. Home-based feeder watchers can also participate by watching their feeders for 30 to 60 minutes during the day.  Check with Coordinator Bridget Butler (bbutler@audubon.org) for more information.

Participants in Mad River Valley/Northfield Christmas Bird Count are invited to a pre-CBC meeting , Tuesday, November 27th at 7 PM.  We will meet at Dawna and James Foreman’s house on Freeman Hill Rd, Moretown.  We will finalize plans for the Christmas Bird Count, to be held on Friday, December 14th.  We welcome all who would like to join a team or watch birds at home feeders.  Please contact Bridget Butler (bbutler@audubon.org) for more information.

Weather permitting, Mad Birders will travel to Dead Creek in Addison County to view Snow Geese and other birds of interest on Sunday, October 21.  Dress warmly, bring lunch.  We will leave Wait House at 8 AM, return by 3 PM.

For the past two or three years, birders have reported a pair of Sandhill Cranes near Bristol Pond (Winona Lake), about 4 miles north of Bristol Village.  This year the couple successfully raised one offspring known as a colt.  These Sandhill Cranes have been feeding in fields around Bristol all fall and are still around on October 15.  Many Vermont birders enjoy locating and watching this rare bird family.  They will soon fly south, stay together as a family unit all winter, then the parents will send the young off on its own in the spring.  We hope the parents return to Bristol next year to raise another colt.  

A pair of Sandhills was observed several times in the Valley early in June, 2007.   Perhaps they will return to nest in 2008 and we will have our own Sandhill family. 

As the temperatures drop, leaves turn, and daylight hours diminish, most of the warblers have headed south, but birding is still good.  The geese, raptors, and sparrows are moving through.

The Song, Chipping, Swamp and White-throated Sparrows are still around; White-crowned, Lincoln’s, and Dark-eyed Juncoes are showing up in good numbers, and Fox and American Tree Sparrows will arrive soon.  Rare sightings of Nelson’s Sharp-tailed has been reported on VTBird, along with good discussion on locating this elusive little bird.  Plan to get to Dead Creek to see the Snow Geese and some sparrows this month.

VTBird (see recent messages at http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/VTBD.html) and Murin and Pfeiffer’s book, Birdwatching in Vermont, Chapter 5 (shows when birds are seen in the state) are good resources.  Be sure to take your binoculars when out for those foliage trips.  You never know what you’ll find.

White Crowned Sparrow

Annually, Fred and Chris Pratt make a trip to beautiful Monhegan Island off of the coast of Maine and this year they are again extending an invitation for Mad Birders to join them. The island is a stopping point for migrants heading south; many warblers are typically seen. The island is a charming place with a small, nearly carless town at one end, and lots of forest accessible only by footpath. Those who are interested will need to make their own reservations at the island. Those who are planning to attend will coordinate carpooling options.

Join the Mad Birders led by the Pratts (Team Pipit) for an early fall walk on Ward Hill on Saturday, September 1.  We will leave Waitsfield Chamber of Commerce at 7:30 AM, bird walk starts at 8 AM.  We will be looking for fall warblers, many others.  This is always a favorite Valley spot to bird.

You know fall is very close when Fred Pratt starts his daily early morning bird walks on Ward Hill.   He has been doing this during August and September for over thirty years.  Fred is the Valley expert on warblers, especially those challenging fall warblers.   He invites all interested birders to join him for his daily walks and posts the results on Mad Bird Discuss.  Many of us continue to learn much about our feathered friends by walking the fields with Fred.  So, if you want to start your day in a wonderful way, head up to Ward Hill for some early morning birding.

 Fred and wife Chris, known as Team Pipit, lead a formal walk on Ward Hill during Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.  Come join Mad Birders on Saturday, September 1 for our Labor Day walk with the Pratts.  Meet at Wait House at 7:30 AM to carpool to the red gate on Ward Hill.  Wear sturdy footwear and bring water.  We always have a great time. 

Fred Pratt birds daily on Ward Hill near their seasonal cabin.

Jeannie and Dawna join Fred on one of his walks.