With a teacher inservice day today in Lebanon, I snuck in a little birding
before work. Blake Allison asked me about birding the Mascoma River, so for
Blake and anyone else interested, I will include some directions to a
couple of spots. This morning I got off of 89 and onto Route 4 (Mechanic
Street). Driving east, I turned right onto Slayton Hill Road just before
the vet clinic. An immediate right onto Baxter Court and a parking spot at
an electrical sub-station gives you an opportunity to check the river. A
sidewalk on the Slayton Hill Road bridge allows you to scan downstream, but
ducks usually congregate upstream, so be careful on the narrow shoulder of
the upstream side of the bridge. This morning there was a male Wood Duck
mixed in with a big flock of Mallards. A Wood Duck overwintered on this
stretch last year. Northern Pintails and Green-winged Teals have also been
seen here. A Carolina Wren was singing in the vicinity this morning also.
   From here I got back on Mechanic Street and traveled a short distance
east to 85 Mechanic Street (Rivermill). I park near the river, where there
is a red shelter (Rivermill Center smoking area). Check the pond above the
dam for ducks. A Lesser Scaup was here last spring or the previous spring.
I then walk in an upstream direction and onto Blacksmith Street. This is
one of my favorite spots for early migrants and ducks. Red-winged
Blackbird, Common Grackles and Brown-headed Cowbirds showed up here a
couple of weeks ago. This morning a White-throated Sparrow and a Song
Sparrow were singing. At the bottom of the hill on Blacksmith Street are
some good feeders. Sometimes ducks come up for the spilled seed. I had a
female Green-winged Teal here once in winter. There is a short trail across
from the feeders that was recently cleared, and from here you can get a
nice view upstream. This often remains ice-free in winter and attracts many
migrant waterfowl in spring. There are a lot of great spots along the
river, but these are my two favorite ones this time of year. Good luck if
you go!   Jeff

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