This morning's Norwich 2010 Birding Quest walk for about an hour at
Foley Park in Norwich by the Ledyard Bridge yielded 13 species
including Canada Geese, Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, Common
Mergansers, one Ring-billed Gull, and an assortment of land birds,
among which a few soaring Turkey Vultures and an aggregation of four
Downy Woodpeckers were particularly notable. Water levels in the
Connecticut River were substantially higher than on the previous two
days, and there was a newly formed, very thin, layer of ice over some
side areas without much current.
After the Foley Park walk, several of the participants continued
birding in Norwich for the remainder of the morning, going northward
along the Connecticut River to Pompy and then west onto Campbell Flats
Road. Two first-of-the-year species for Norwich were an American
Kestrel at Pompy and one Herring Gull seen in the Connecticut River
from Kendall Station Road. Other notable species for the latter part
of the morning included American Black Ducks, Green-winged Teal,
Killdeer, an adult Red-tailed Hawk and a few Common Ravens. One field
along Route 5 North and another field along Campbell Flats Road
contained numerous American Robins, estimated at over 100 birds in
each field.
Highlights of a late afternoon walk around Lake Morey in Fairlee, VT,
included over 30 Ring-necked Ducks, 6 Buffleheads, and at least 37
Common Mergansers.
George
George Clark
Norwich, VT
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