MadBirders

January 13, 2005

Friday the 13th was warm and partly sunny, an atypical January day in the Valley. In an apple tree near the Post Office, eight Cedar Waxwings were checking out the fruit still hanging on the tree. Of course they flew off before being photographed.

Less than 1/2 mile north on Route 100, a flock of at least thirty Bohemian Waxwings chatted and enjoyed the sunshine behind the pond just north of Back to Action physical therapy, formerly Mad Mexican restaurant. Bohemian Waxwings have been seen around the Valley for the past three winters, from Warren to Moretown along Route 100, and up in the hills along East Warren Road. While Cedar Waxwings nest in the Valley, Bohemians are only seen in the winter, nesting in spruce forest and bogs of the far Northwest.

Beautiful and uncommon Pine Grosbeaks have been seen in several locations around the Valley this winter – Moretown Village and Common, Waitsfield Common, East Warren Road. These birds are unusually tame and can be found feeding in fruit trees, often returning to the same location day after day. Three Christmas Bird Count teams reported Pine Grosbeaks sightings in the Valley in December.

Common Redpolls are winter visitors to the Valley, they nest in far north. Redpolls are small members of the finch family and form large flocks (50-100) in the winter. Many people are reporting these cheerful little birds at their thistle feeders this winter.

At about noon on November 17th we spied an unusual looking bird at our rear feeder in Fayston, Vermont. It caught our attention because it had an almost completely white head. We concluded that it was a partial albino chickadee, because the size, shape, behavior and other plumage on the bird looked like a Chickadee. Chico D, as we dubbed him, stayed around for 4 days. On his last day with us, November 20th, I camped out underneath our front feeder with the camera and got a clear shot of him. His beak and feet were pink, another atypical coloration. Though we looked for him every day after that…he evidently flew the coop and has not been seen again.