This morning 21 observers participated in a Windsor County 2013  
Birding Quest bird walk in area of North Springfield Reservoir in the  
towns of Springfield and Weathersfield, VT. Cloudy skies kept air  
temperatures at pleasant levels while we visited two sites, the first  
in the area of the west end of the dike forming the North Springfield  
Dam and the second on the southern side of the Maple Street access  
east of Perkinsville. Toward  the end of our time afield, an amateur  
acrobatics aerial competition based at the Hartness Airfield was  
underway, Propeller aircraft overhead were performing barrel rolls,  
loops, and other acrobatics -- activities not ordinarily seen during  
bird walks.

More than 40 bird species were found. Excellent views were obtained of  
one of the singing Prairie Warblers, and numerous Field Sparrows were  
present. Among other highlights were 4 Common Mergansers, 2 Great Blue  
Herons,  2 Bald Eagle fledglings by their nest, a Killdeer at the  
airport, Belted Kingfishers on patrol, a few Ruby-throated  
Hummingbirds, a few Eastern Kingbirds, chickadees caring for their  
young, several Veeries vocalizing with song and call notes, numerous  
Gray Catbirds, 2 Brown Thrashers, an Indigo Bunting, and a Bobolink.

Special thanks to Sara Eisenhauer for compiling the full eBird tallies  
which are available at

http://ebird.org/ebird/vt/shared?subID=UzE0NjMzNDI1&s=t

and

http://ebird.org/ebird/vt/shared?subID=UzE0NjMzNDgw&s=t

George Clark
Norwich, VT