I conducted my annual Forest Bird Monitoring Program census at Roy
Mountain WMA in Barnet yesterday morning. I highly recommend this
unique, seldom-visited site, a lowland cedar-fir swamp with some
monstrous green ash. It's a challenging place to navigate - with many
deadfalls, hummocks, sinkholes, and beaver flowages - and there are no
established trails, but it's a wondrous place.
Yesterday's highlights were 4 counter-singing Northern Waterthrushes at
one point, a singing Olive-sided Flycatcher, and discovery of an
apparently just-fledged Rusty Blackbird nest. In >20 years of censusing
Roy Mt. WMA, I've never encountered Rusties. I first heard this pair in
the dense alder swamp bordering the cedar-fir swamp proper. Approaching,
I noticed both adults carrying food and alarmed at my presence. Marking
the spot where they went down and re-emerged with empty bills, I slogged
over, which elicited serious agitation on their part. When I found a
fresh nest moments later, just 4 feet above ground and surprisingly
visible in an intertwining alder and fir, the pair's agitation peaked.
The nest was empty, and I retreated after briefly searching the
immediate area, not wanting to stress the adults further. I have to
believe there were fledglings nearby. Although it seems early, Rusty
Blackbird fledglings were observed as early as June 5 during the second
VT Breeding Bird Atlas (2003-2007).
For details, check out my eBird list at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23885318
Chris
--
Chris Rimmer
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
P.O. Box 420
Norwich, VT 05055
802-649-1431 ext. 1
www.vtecostudies.org
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