Once upon a time I had the all time earliest record of a Bicknell's Thrush on breeding grounds, May 16th on Belvidere Mountain in northern Vermont on top of snow! Then, Brendan Collins who has worked with us on Bicknell's for years now, found one on Stratton Mountain a few years ago on May 15th. Well, I headed out yesterday to take the world title back. I arrived atop Okemo Mountain at 530am in and out of the clouds but calm air and balmy temperatures for this date, 50F. Just a bit of snow in patches. I covered every square inch of habitat, some several times, with and without playback. I found every bird you'd expect breeding up there accept for Yellow-bellied Flycatchers (they arrive late) and Bicknell's Thrush. I had Swainson's Thrushes coming into the playback on 3 occasions. There were Blackpolls defending territories in most areas as well as Magnolia Warbler and all the other suspects. Was Bicknell's present but not detected? Perhaps, but after my extensive searching under perfect conditions, I doubt it. At 945am the temperature on the summit was 56F. There were even a few black flies around me! Halfway down the hill the temperature was 50F and remained so to the valley. I nice thermal inversion. Well, next year on the 14th of May, I will give it another shot for sure! Hmmm, maybe I will head down to the Catskills and try my luck even earlier. Game on Brendan. Kent Kent McFarland Conservation Biologist Vermont Center for Ecostudies PO Box 420 Norwich, Vermont 05055 <http://www.vtecostudies.org/> Visit Our Pages: [image: Facebook]<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vermont-Center-for-Ecostudies/56930912454> [image: YouTube] <http://www.youtube.com/user/VCE14> [image: Blogger]<http://vtecostudies.blogspot.com> **************************************************************** 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 ****************************************************************