A Fox Sparrow here in the backyard in Norwich village this afternoon  
(March 23) was my first sighting of this species for 2009 in Norwich.

My earliest spring record for Fox Sparrow in Norwich was on March 12  
in 2004. The latest spring date on which I have seen this species in  
Norwich was on April 15 in 2008.

Yesterday (March 22) a male Red-bellied Woodpecker was here again.  
I've presumably been seeing the same individual male here, and in the  
nearby neighborhood, occasionally since November 5, 2008.

There has been no known sighting of a female Red-bellied Woodpecker in  
this part of Norwich and therefore no reason at this time to  
anticipate nesting of that species near here this year. That species  
has apparently not yet been known to nest in the town of Norwich.  
However, in view of the continuing northward expansion of the range of  
the Red-bellied Woodpecker, it would seem worthwhile to be on the  
lookout for possible nesting.

George


George Clark
Norwich, VT

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