Birding activity began this morning with a Norwich 2010 Birding Quest  
program in the Norwich nature area. Seventeen bird species were found  
and three birds banded: an Eastern Phoebe, a Black-capped Chickadee,  
and a White-throated Sparrow. Other species found at the nature area  
included a Turkey Vulture and Osprey flying past, Mourning Dove, Hairy  
and Downy Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, crows, titmouse, 2 Ruby-crowned  
Kinglets, 2 Gray Catbirds, a Song Sparrow, a Lincoln's Sparrow, Purple  
Finches, and a House Finch. The highest count for a single species was  
an estimated 16 for White-throated Sparrow.

Four of the original participants then continued to Foley Park near  
the Ledyard Bridge. Highlights among a dozen species there included a  
Double-crested Cormorant on the Connecticut River (hence in NH), a  
well seen but well camouflaged and relatively late American Bittern  
along the south shore of the cove on the west side of the river south  
of the Ledyard Bridge, a Belted Kingfisher, 9 Cedar Waxwings, and a  
Common Grackle. An unusual nonavian feature along the river this  
morning was the presence of numerous floating orange pumpkins  
dislodged from a flooded pumpkin field far upstream along the river;  
we saw people in a power boat near the Ledyard Bridge collecting  
pumpkins from the river.

After being at Foley Park, Ed Hack and I continued birding northward  
in Norwich, and some highlights included the following. A Great Blue  
Heron was in the pond along Route 5 north of Butternut Road. A Pied- 
billed Grebe was near Pompy Farm. Waterfowl today included 2 Canada  
Geese and 5 Wood Ducks near Pompy Farm, and 2 Green-winged Teal and 6  
Hooded Mergansers at Pompy. Two immature Bald Eagles were seen flying  
together near Pompy Farm. Six Turkey Vultures and a Red-tailed Hawk  
were flying at Pompy. Along Kendal Station Road were a Red-eyed Vireo,  
a Red-breasted Nuthatch, and a Golden-crowned Kinglet with its crown  
feathers momentarily spread wide making a spectacular color show. The  
largest flocks of passerine birds seen today were of European  
Starlings and Red-winged Blackbirds along Campbell Flats Road.

Additional bird species among the 44 found around Norwich today  
included Mallards, Rock Pigeons, flickers, ravens, White-breasted  
Nuthatch, robins, Yellow-rumped Warblers, cardinals, and goldfinches.  
White-throated Sparrows were relatively numerous and widespread.

George

George Clark
Norwich, VT

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