On a mostly sunny day, a dozen birders on the latest Windsor County  
2012 Birding Quest trip today enjoyed finding more than three dozen  
bird species in visiting 1) Lake Runnemede, 2) Mill (= Kennedy) Pond,  
and 3) the flood plain by the Windsor Industrial Park (Simon Pearce  
area), all in the town of Windsor, VT. Highlights included a flock of  
more than a dozen American Pipits (nice views) in the flood plain and  
a Rusty Blackbird and a passing Bobolink at Lake Runnemede.

The birding today exemplified the progressing seasonal ascendency of  
sparrows over warblers in the autumnal daily checklist as the variety  
of sparrows exceeded that of warblers. The sparrows included Chipping,  
Field, Savannah, Song, Lincoln's (some especially nice views), Swamp,  
and White-throated, Warblers included Magnolia, Black-throated Green,  
Common Yellowthroat, Palm, and Yellow-rumped, with the last three of  
these species being numerous, and the Yellow-rumps especially so.

Raptors also made a good showing and included Sharp-shinned, Broad- 
winged, Red-tails, and an immature Bald Eagle. Other species seen  
today included Canada Geese, Wood Ducks, Turkey Vulture, two  
kingfishers, a few Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and some Red-winged  
Blackbirds.

Special thanks to Spencer Hardy, who is preparing the eBird reports  
for today.

George Clark
Norwich, VT