Starting in fog dense enough to prevent distant views and then  
followed by a gradual clearing, this morning's bird trip along the  
Connecticut River from Wilson's landing in Hanover, NH, northward  
along River Road to Grant Brook in Lyme, yielded more than 30 bird  
species. This event was sponsored by the Mascoma Chapter of New  
Hampshire Audubon, the Hanover Conservancy, and the Upper Valley Land  
Trust (UVLT). Some highlights follow.

Mallards, totaling a few dozen, were the most conspicuous of the  
waterbirds. Apparent family groups contained numerous young Mallards,  
many of which appeared nearly as large as adults. In the vicinity of  
Lower Slade Brook, 3 Great Blue Herons in a flock were winging their  
way sedately northward above the river. Among landbirds, flycatchers  
were especially notable. Both Willow and Alder Flycatchers were giving  
their diagnostic songs, with the Willow Flycatchers present at several  
stops, but Alder Flycatcher only near the Wilder Management area.  
Eastern Kingbirds seemed particularly numerous and were found at every  
riverside stop. Black-and-white Warblers were singing at several  
stops. At Grant Brook, a brightly colored male Scarlet Tanager was  
singing at the top of a riverside willow tree with a adult male Red- 
winged Blackbird perched nearby in the same tree; this juxtaposition  
of species was somewhat unexpected considering that the usual habitat  
of tanagers earlier in summer is within the interior of woodlands.

Special thanks to Dartmouth Printing and Keith Ford for authorizing  
use of the company parking area, to Gail McPeek (Hanover Conservancy)  
and Doug Brown (UVLT) for coleading, and to Gail for compiling records  
to be entered into eBird.

George Clark
Norwich, VT

****************************************************************
To post messages, send e-mail to:  [log in to unmask]
Set your e-mail application to PLAIN TEXT ONLY to post messages.
To contact the list owner:  [log in to unmask]
----------------------------------------------------------------
Web based archives and subscription management are available at:
http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html
****************************************************************