LISTSERV - UV-BIRDERS Archives - LISTSERV.DARTMOUTH.EDU

Today brought a long-awaited pulse of migrant waterfowl, following our first southerly air flow in some time. I birded from Kilowatt South up to Pompy Flats this morning, and both numbers and diversity of ducks were solid. Highlights included:

Wood Duck - 4 at Kilowatt S
Gadwall - pair at Pompy Flats
Green-winged Teal - 10 total

Ring-necked Duck - at nearly every stop, close to 100 total

Lesser Scaup - 7 at Kilowatt S

Common Goldeneye - 11 total

Common Merganser - 32 total

Ring-billed Gull - 5 at Kilowatt S

I capped the day with a dusk stop at the Norwich Coop gardens for my annual American Woodcock "fix". The small meadow and adjacent wet alder thickets just north of the gardens have been a reliable spot in recent years (probably longer) to witness the early spring courtship display. I heard the first 'peeent' at 7:26 pm and the first display flight commenced at 7:31, continuing every three minutes thereafter. I had the bird land within 15 feet of me 2 or 3 times.

Spring has definitely arrived.

Chris

________________________

Chris Rimmer
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
PO Box 420 | Norwich, Vermont 05055
802.649.1431 x202
http://vtecostudies.org/

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