Lots of bird activity on Bragg Hill in Norwich today! The following list includes those seen on a run and during lunch at home.

My goshawk ID hasn't been confirmed by anyone, yet I'll go out on a limb based on photos; it was big.

Even more exciting was what I would confidently call a Scarlet Tanager... were it not for the date. The bird was seen -  w/o binoculars - in an apple tree near the corner of Bragg Hill Rd. and Dutton Hill West, a tree known to Spencer and I as being good for interesting migrants every year. My impression was brighter, smaller, and more slender than a cardinal, with different behavior; I didn't even think cardinal (which I see every morning) until I realized how early it is for a SCTA. There was a robin in the tree for color and size comparison. Although I immediately stopped running when it caught my attention, the bird was among branches and observed rather briefly; I can't therefore be certain it didn't have a crest and can't say whether the wing coverts were black...

If anyone passes this spot, it would be worth a look (right at the point Bragg Hill Road levels out).

Doug Hardy


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: eBird Report - Bragg Hill Rd. above Happy Hill Rd jct., Apr 9, 2014
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2014 13:40:44 -0400 (EDT)
From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask] 


Bragg Hill Rd. between Happy Hill and Tucker Hill Roads, Windsor, US-VT
Apr 9, 2014 10:40 AM - 12:40 PM
Protocol: Traveling
5.0 mile(s)
Comments:     Distance is out AND back, starting at Tucker Hill Road end and including all to Jacobson's (at 2.5 mi)
17 species

Northern Goshawk  1     Took a pass at feeder area, loaded with juncos, chickadees and jays; perched briefly and flew off. See 2 images:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/36866981@N03/13742088113/
<iframe src="https://www.flickr.com/photos/36866981@N03/13742088113/player/" width="500" height="331" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Red-tailed Hawk  1     Ventral and dorsal views as it took off
Mourning Dove  2
Pileated Woodpecker  1     great views during strong, direct flight; vocalized loudly
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue Jay  21
American Crow  7
Black-capped Chickadee  7
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Eastern Bluebird  2
American Robin  100     conservative estimate
European Starling  5
Song Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  30
Northern Cardinal  1
Red-winged Blackbird  10

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S17815996

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/vt)


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