*Vermont
*Statewide
4.2.07
*VT0403.06
This is the Vermont Rare Bird Alert for April 2, 2007 covering the period
March 26 - April 1, 2007.
Highlights this week include the BARNACLE GOOSE and 2 CACKLING GEESE (4 on
3/29) that were first sighted at Vernon Dam on 3/25 and remained there
until 3/29, a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Greenland subspecies) in
Springfield Meadows on 3/30, a TUFTED DUCK in the bay south of the
Champlain Bridge on 3/31, a first-year GOLDEN EAGLE at Danby Pond on 3/28, 2
SPRUCE GROUSE spotted along the Moose Bog trail on 4/1 and a FISH CROW heard
and seen flying over Burlington on 4/1.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were spotted in Shelburne, Grand Isle, Little
Otter Creek WMA, Ft. Cassin near Kingsland Bay Park and along the Colchester
Railroad Causeway this week.
GREAT BLUE HERONS were on nests at the Shad Island rookery in Mississquoi
Bay (29 on 3/30), as well as along Route 7 between Arlington and Manchester
on 3/31.
Two TURKEY VULTURES were observed copulating along Mississquoi Bay on 3/30.
There was a large movement of both SNOW GEESE and CANADA GEESE northward
this week, with thousands observed flying north over Grand Isle (4,500 SNOW
GEESE on 3/26 and 3,500 on 3/27), Mississquoi Bay, Dead Creek (2,000 SNOW
GEESE on 3/31 and 1,000 CANADA GEESE on 3/31) and Ft. Cassin.
Two MUTE SWANS were seen in Vernon on 3/30. WOOD DUCKS, AMERICAN BLACK
DUCKS, MALLARDS, RING-NECKED DUCKS, GREATER and LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD,
COMMON GOLDENEYE, HOODED and COMMON MERGANSERS were seen in open water
throughout the state. GADWALLS were observed at Charlotte Town Beach (6 on
3/26), Shelburne Town Beach (2 on 3/29), Ft. Cassin (2 on 3/30) and at the
Champlain Bridge on 3/31. AMERICAN WIGEONS were seen at the Champlain
Bridge on 3/30 and 3/31, at the Colchester Railroad Causeway (2 on 3/31) and
at Lake Runnemede on 4/1 (1 pair) and Grand Isle (6 on 3/31). NORTHERN
PINTAILS were seen in small numbers this week in Vernon, Dead Creek, near
the Lemon Fair Bridge in Weybridge and at Little Otter Creek WMA.
GREEN-WINGED TEAL were observed in Vernon (40 on 3/30), Dead Creek (8 on
3/27), Brattleboro Retreat Meadows (2 on 3/27), Herrick's Cove (2 on 3/31,
14 on 4/1), Mississquoi NWR and Mud Creek WMA (9 on 3/31).
OSPREYS were back in Milton, Dead Creek, Lower Otter Creek WMA, near on the
Sandbar Causeway and on a nesting platform at the Mississquoi NWR. A
NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen in Grand Isle on 3/29 and 3/31 as well as in
Huntington on 3/39. Late-departing ROUGH LEGGED HAWKS were seen at Dead
Creek and in Rutland this week. A PEREGRINE FALCON was spotted in Vernon on
3/29.
A RUFFED GROUSE was heard drumming in Bennington on 4/1.
A WILSON'S SNIPE was observed in both Grand Isle and Berkshire on 3/30.
AMERICAN WOODCOCK were displaying in Hartland, Waitsfield, Milton (5 in one
location), Monkton, Berkshire and Pownal this week.
An EASTERN SCREECH OWL, common but rarely reported, was observed near
Shelburne Bay on 3/31.
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS were spotted in Vernon, Waitsfield, Mississquoi NWR
and Dead Creek this week.
EASTERN PHOEBES are back in Hartland, Saxton's River, Sunderland,
Waitsfield, Brattleboro Retreat Meadows, Bennington, Norwich, Moretown,
Herrick's Cove, Quechee and Grand Isle.
NORTHERN SHRIKES were sighted in North Enosburg and Grand Isle, on 3/28 and
3/29, respectively.
A COMMON RAVEN was observed on the nest along Mississquoi Bay on 3/31.
Fifteen HORNED LARKS were at Dead Creek on 3/31.
TREE SWALLOWS were seen at Dead Creek, Danby Pond, Pownal, Windsor,
Herrick's Cove, Brattleboro Retreat Meadows and the West Rutland Marsh this
week.
CAROLINA WRENS continue to be present in Middlebury, Brattleboro,
Waitsfield, Burlington and Manchester Center. The season's first reported
WINTER WREN was seen at Mississquoi NWR on 4/1.
Two AMERICAN PIPITS were seen in Waitsfield on 3/30, plus 40 in Clarendon on
4/1.
The first PINE WARBLER sighting of the season occurred in South Burlington,
where two individuals were seen on 4/1.
A CHIPPING SPARROW was sighted in Jericho (3/27) and near Mississquoi Bay
(3/31). The first FIELD SPARROW of the season was seen at Mississquoi NWR
on 4/1.
Two LAPLAND LONGSPURS were observed in Vernon on 3/29 and a SNOW BUNTING was
seen in Chittenden on 3/31.
The Vermont Institute of Natural Science offers natural history trips,
lectures and programs. To receive a copy of our program calendar, stop at
one of our centers, call the office during business hours at 802-359-5000 or
visit the VINS' web site at http://www.vinsweb.org
<http://www.vinsweb.org/>.
This Vermont birding report is a service of the Vermont
Institute of Natural Science. VINS is a non-profit, membership organization
located in Quechee with a regional center in Manchester. Founded in 1972,
VINS' mission is to protect our natural heritage through education and
research. Your membership supports these goals and this reporting service.
Updates are typically made on Fridays. Please report your sightings of rare
or
unusual birds to VINS, or email reports to [log in to unmask]
If you have any interesting birds to report, you can send your
sightings to the RBA via e-mail at: [log in to unmask] Or enter your
sightings on Vermont eBird at http://www.ebird.org/VINS/.
Mary Holland
Chris Rimmer
Kent McFarland
Roz Renfrew
Vermont RBA Compilers
Conservation Biology Department
Vermont Institute of Natural Science
6565 Woodstock Road
PO Box 1281
Quechee, VT 05059
802-359-5001
****************************************************************
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
****************************************************************
|
