After searching the White River in vain for waterfowl, including the Red-breasted Merganser that several birders have reported at the South Royalton bridge as recently as yesterday, I went up to Fox Stand along Gilman Road.  I was hoping the Rusty Blackbirds that have been present there off and on this winter (as recently as March 8) might still be around.  I didn't find them, but I was treated to some of the best looks I've ever had of Horned Larks and Snow Buntings, often within 10 feet in the large weedy patch.  There is also an impressive flock of American Tree Sparrows, which I almost certainly undercounted.

American Crow  2
Horned Lark  10     with Snow Buntings in weedy patch
Snow Bunting  12     all birds still in full basic (winter) plumage; in large weedy patch
American Tree Sparrow  55     most in thick shrubs around abandoned yellow house, a few in weedy patch; probably undercounted
Song Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  12

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S17472049


I also visted the Wilder Dam twice today, once in late morning, then again at dusk.  During two dusk visits in late February, I'd observed that the typical aggregation of nocturnally-roosting waterfowl (often numbering >100 individuals) below the dam was absent.  I decided to give it one more try.  When I arrived at 6:55 pm, the same 5 male Common Mergansers that had been there this morning (and most every day over the past 2+ weeks) were still present, roosting in a tight group.  When I left at 7:20, they were still the only ducks there.  On my two late February visits, there had been no ducks at all roosting below the dam, even after these (and/or other) Common Mergs had been there during the day.

Does anyone know of another nocturnal waterfowl roost site in the Upper Valley?  I have never conducted dusk observations this late into the winter, so I don't know if it's typical that the roost disbands in late February or March.  Does anyone else know?

Chris

-- 
Chris Rimmer
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
P.O. Box 420
Norwich, VT 05055
802-649-1431 ext. 1
www.vtecostudies.org

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