On a cool morning starting with fog which gradually gave way to  
largely sunny skies, 11 observers participated in a birding trip  
northward along the eastern shoreline of the Connecticut River  
starting at Wilson's Landing in Hanover and continuing along River  
Road to its intersection with North Thetford Road in Lyme. Sponsoring  
organizations were the Mascoma Chapter of the New Hampshire Audubon,  
the Hanover Conservancy, and the Upper Valley Land Trust. Special  
thanks go to Cathy Hybels for compiling records, to Cynthia Crawford  
and Wayne Cripps for sharing photos, and to Jack Elliott and Dartmouth  
Printing for enabling use of their parking lot.

An American Bittern seen flying southward along the river in Lyme was  
photographed. At the conserved area of Grant Brook in Lyme, a Cooper's  
Hawk was photographed with vigorous pursuit by a couple of Eastern  
Kingbirds. In accord with the season, flocks of Bank and Barn  
Swallows, with totals numbering in the dozens, were present,  
presumably gathering before their southward departure. About a dozen  
Bobolinks were present in an unmowed portion of a field in Lyme. Bird  
song was, as expected, much reduced relative to earlier in the summer  
along this morning's route. A list of species from the trip follows.  
After the regular trip ended, a few participants returning along River  
Road found two additional species including a Great Blue Heron at  
Grant Brook and a Northern Flicker.

Species list with additional annotations:

Canada Goose    10 in a flock
Mallard -- small numbers seen
American Bittern
Cooper's Hawk
Rock Pigeon   -- about 30 seen flying at Wilson's Landing
Mourning Dove  -- calling
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  -- at Wilson's Landing
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker -- at 2 locations
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Willow Flycatcher  -- identified by song
unidentified Empidonax
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird -- widespread along the river
Warbling Vireo  -- song heard and seen
Red-eyed Vireo -- numerous, singing
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Veery  -- call notes heard, but no song
American Robin -- numerous
Gray Catbird  -- numerous
Cedar Waxwing  -- widespread along the route
Ovenbird  -- song heard
Yellow Warbler -- seen but no song detected
Black-and-white Warbler -- singing
Common Yellowthroat -- singing
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting  -- bright blue male singing in a treetop
Song Sparrow  -- plentiful and singing
Swamp Sparrow  -- singing
Bobolink    -- well seen; call notes but no song
Red-winged Blackbird -- some males still singing
American Goldfinches -- widespread and vocal

George Clark
Norwich, VT