With a teacher inservice day today in Lebanon, I snuck in a little birding before work. Blake Allison asked me about birding the Mascoma River, so for Blake and anyone else interested, I will include some directions to a couple of spots. This morning I got off of 89 and onto Route 4 (Mechanic Street). Driving east, I turned right onto Slayton Hill Road just before the vet clinic. An immediate right onto Baxter Court and a parking spot at an electrical sub-station gives you an opportunity to check the river. A sidewalk on the Slayton Hill Road bridge allows you to scan downstream, but ducks usually congregate upstream, so be careful on the narrow shoulder of the upstream side of the bridge. This morning there was a male Wood Duck mixed in with a big flock of Mallards. A Wood Duck overwintered on this stretch last year. Northern Pintails and Green-winged Teals have also been seen here. A Carolina Wren was singing in the vicinity this morning also. From here I got back on Mechanic Street and traveled a short distance east to 85 Mechanic Street (Rivermill). I park near the river, where there is a red shelter (Rivermill Center smoking area). Check the pond above the dam for ducks. A Lesser Scaup was here last spring or the previous spring. I then walk in an upstream direction and onto Blacksmith Street. This is one of my favorite spots for early migrants and ducks. Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackles and Brown-headed Cowbirds showed up here a couple of weeks ago. This morning a White-throated Sparrow and a Song Sparrow were singing. At the bottom of the hill on Blacksmith Street are some good feeders. Sometimes ducks come up for the spilled seed. I had a female Green-winged Teal here once in winter. There is a short trail across from the feeders that was recently cleared, and from here you can get a nice view upstream. This often remains ice-free in winter and attracts many migrant waterfowl in spring. There are a lot of great spots along the river, but these are my two favorite ones this time of year. Good luck if you go! Jeff
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