There was a nice collection of waterfowl at the Pompy Farm oxbow this
morning at 8:45 am. This is a great spot during spring and fall migration.
For anyone who doesn't know the site, it's just north of Farrell Farm Road
on the east side of Rt. 5, at the north end of the fields used by Killdeer
Farm. There is a small gravel pull-off on the east shoulder of Rt. 5, right
next to the RR tracks. Fishermen sometimes park here, and there is easily
room for 3 vehicles. Cross the RR tracks (carefully!), and look for a small
path a few meters south through the sumac to a break in the wire fence that
separates the RR right-of-way from the northernmost farm field.

The oxbow itself extends north from the north end of the field (please walk
only along the field edge) and is where waterfowl often congregate. A
peninsula dominated by cattails extends south from the cut that leads from
the main stem of the Connecticut River into the oxbow. The peninsula's tip
and inner channel are also good places to find waterfowl, and occasionally
shorebirds when low water exposes the shoreline flats.

Please be considerate of the Killdeer farm fields if visiting this site,
which can also host good numbers of migrant landbirds along the brushy
edges, especially in fall.

Highlights from this morning:
Canada Goose  75
Wood Duck  15
American Wigeon  2 (M&F)
Mallard  8
Green-winged Teal  3
Ring-necked Duck  4
Hooded Merganser  3
Red-breasted Merganser  2 (M&F)
Killdeer  1

View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28897798

Nothing of note at Pompy Flats, but a flock of 18 adult Ring-billed Gulls
foraging on an exposed flat off the Ompompanoosuc River mouth was unusual.

Chris

________________________

Chris Rimmer
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
PO Box 420 | Norwich, Vermont 05055
802.649.1431 x1
http://vtecostudies.org/

<http://vtecostudies.org/>


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