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/> 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] To unsubscribe: E-mail this command to [log in to unmask]: UNSUBSCRIBE UV-Birders To change your e-mail address: E-mail this command from your old address to: [log in to unmask]: CHANGE UV-Birders [new e-mail address] Web based archives and subscription management are available at: http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/Archives/uv-birders.html