Through the Window: September 2017

It’s pretty dry out there this month . Several people have called in to report no one is at their feeders. What are your thoughts about that? Have you observed a decline in recent weeks at your feeders? You can compare this September to past ones: 2016, 2015, 2014. Consider coming on October 19th to Steve Faccio’s presentation, The Status of Vermont Forest Birds. (RSVP, so we can have the right number of chairs and possibly refreshments.)

Bold items in this list are those species not recorded in July 2017 (I had August’s… but my desk seems to have eaten the list…—Kir, blog updater).

  • Blue Jay

    Blue Jay, carved by Bob Spear (photograph by Erin Talmage)
    Blue Jay, carved by Bob Spear (photograph by Erin Talmage)
  • Mourning Dove
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Males left late August; Females/juveniles last recorded September 12 at feeders)
  • American Goldfinch
  • Song Sparrow
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Ruby-crowned Kinglet (in the mini pond September 22)
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Gray Catbird
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • White-throated Sparrow

Four-legged in plenty, again: Red and Gray Squirrels, Eastern Chipmunks, Eastern Cottontail, and Woodchuck (a.k.a. Groundhog). We also had Wood Frogs, Green Frogs, and Two-lined Salamanders in the mini pond and feeder area.

One more month of “summer” (or “open season”) hours! May through October, we are open daily from 10am – 4pm (with a few extra evenings). Click over to our events page.  If you follow us on Facebook, Twitter , tumblr, and/or Instagram too, you’ll find more comments, links, and observations. See you soon!

The “Through the Window” series is an informal record of observations made by staff, volunteers, and visitors. Anyone at the Museum may add to this list. Observations are usually through our viewing window: a large window with a film covering that helps hide watchers from the birds. We have chairs and binoculars to try, a white board, and many identification guides. Outdoors, several feeders are attached on a single, bear-resistant pole. A small pond, flowers and water plants, shrubs and trees add cover and (seasonally) other food choices . You can sometimes see what we see via our webcam.

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