Earlier today Ed Hack and I birded in Chester, Springfield, and Weathersfield, all in southern Windsor County, VT. Along the way we found more than 40 species, with two locations being especially notable.

1) At a large pond on Amsden Hill Road just off Route 10 in Chester, at least 7 Wood Ducks, at least 15 Mallards, 2 American Black Ducks, an American Bittern, 4 Great Blue Herons (2 adults and 2 flight-capable young of this year), a Green Heron, and a Belted Kingfisher were water bird highlights, all found right from the road. Earlier this year Ed had found this promising site for birding, and this was my first visit there.

2) Later, while on a bluff on the eastern side of North Springfield Reservoir, we detected numerous birds including Great Blue Heron and Green Heron. An adult Bald Eagle perched high in a tall dead tree and for an extended time held a conspicuous delta-winged posture (in which the leading edge of the inner part of the wings extended outward at nearly a 90 degree angle from the trunk while the outer part of the wings [especially primaries] were folded downward and inward towards the tail}, Shorebirds today at North Springfield Reservoir included at least 6 Killdeer, a Spotted Sandpiper, and our first Solitary Sandpiper of the fall migration season. Another sign of the passage of summer was the presence of at least one independent young-of-the-year Chestnut-sided Warbler with an adult not far away.

George Clark
Norwich, VT
****************************************************************
To post messages, send e-mail to:  [log in to unmask]
Set your e-mail application to PLAIN TEXT ONLY to post messages.
To contact the list owner:  [log in to unmask]
----------------------------------------------------------------
Web based archives and subscription management are available at:
http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html
****************************************************************