Early Birders’ Observations for June 23

The June 23rd Early Birders Morning Walk focused on birding by ear a bit more than usual—sometimes the birds (and habitats) are just like that! It was very well attended as well. Once again, our Board President Shirley Johnson led the walk, and Mae Mayville (another great volunteer and Board member) eBirded the results. Thank you!

Here’s their report:

Birds of Vermont Museum, Chittenden, US-VT
Jun 23, 2013 7:20 AM - 9:10 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 kilometer(s)
Comments:     Early morning bird walk led by Shirley Johnson
37 species

Mourning Dove  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  4
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Great Crested Flycatcher  2
Blue-headed Vireo  2
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  2
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  3
Tufted Titmouse  2
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Brown Creeper  1
Winter Wren  2
Veery  2
Hermit Thrush  2
American Robin  1
Gray Catbird  1
Cedar Waxwing  X
Ovenbird  4
Common Yellowthroat  2
American Redstart  1
Blackburnian Warbler  1
Black-throated Green Warbler  2
Song Sparrow  2
Northern Cardinal  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  3
Indigo Bunting  1
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Common Grackle  2
Baltimore Oriole  1
American Goldfinch  2

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14482501

Join us for one last early morning ramble on June 30! Enjoy the start of the day with us, birds, and other woodland inhabitants. Walks are led by experienced birders familiar with Vermont birds—and we welcome additional possible leaders! Let us know if you’re interested in volunteering.

Finish the walk with bird-friendly coffee at the viewing window inside the Museum.

Bring binoculars and good walking shoes. Park at 900 Sherman Hollow Road, in the Museum parking lot.

Appropriate for: Adults and older children • Free, donations welcome.
Pre-registration is helpful but not required. Call 802 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org

Early Birders’ Observations for June 16

The June 16th Early Birders Morning Walk walk left the Museum about 7 am. led by our amazing Shirley Johnson. A great group of friendly birders! They were out until almost 10, because it was such a lovely day. Here’s their list:

  • Mourning Dove
  • Barred Owl
  • Chimney Swift
  • Ruby-throated Hmmingbird
  • Yellow-bellied Sapasucker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Northern Flicker
  • Eastern Wood Pewee
  • Least Flycatcher
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Great-crested Flycatcher
  • Red-eyed Vireo
  • Blue Jay
  • American Crow
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Brown Creeper
  • Winter Wren
  • American Robin
  • Veery
  • Hermit Thrush
  • Cedar Waxwing
  • Chestnut-sided Warbler
  • Blackburnian Warbler
  • Black-throated Green Warbler
  • Pine Warbler
  • Common Yellow-throat
  • Scarlet Tanager
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Indigo Bunting
  • Song Sparrow
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Baltimore Oriole
  • American Goldfinch

 

Join us next time, for an early morning ramble! We’re out in the Birds of Vermont Museum‘s forest and meadows every Sunday from May 12 through June 30. Enjoy the start of the day with us, birds, and other woodland inhabitants. Walks are led by experienced birders familiar with Vermont birds—and we welcome additional possible leaders! Let us know if you’re interested in volunteering.

Finish the walk with bird-friendly coffee at the viewing window inside the Museum.

Bring binoculars and good walking shoes. Park at 900 Sherman Hollow Road, in the Museum parking lot.

Appropriate for: Adults and older children • Free, donations welcome.
Pre-registration is helpful but not required. Call 802 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org

Early Birders’ Observations for June 9

The June 9th Early Birders Morning Walk walk left the Museum about 7 am. led by Shirley Johnson. I was out of town, but she left me a lovely long list to share with you. I’m quite envious!

  • Wood Duck
  • Wild Turkey
  • Mourning Dove
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Great-crested Flycatcher
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Blue-Headed Vireo
  • Red-eyed Vireo
  • Blue Jay
  • American Crow
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • House Wren
  • Winter Wren
  • Veery
  • American Robin
  • Gray Catbird
  • Cedar Waxwing
  • Chestnut-sided Warbler
  • Black-throated Blue Warbler
  • Black-throated Green Warbler
  • Pine Warbler
  • American Redstart
  • Common Yellowthroat
  • Ovenbird
  • Scarlet Tanager
  • Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  • Indigo Bunting
  • Song Sparrow
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Brown-headed Cowbird

Her note adds: Really great views of Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos to compare. Great views of Indigo Bunting, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Veery, and Great-crested Flycatcher.

Join us next time, for an early morning ramble! We’re out in the Birds of Vermont Museum‘s forest and meadows every Sunday from May 12 through June 30. Enjoy the start of the day with us, birds, and other woodland inhabitants. Walks are led by experienced birders familiar with Vermont birds—and we welcome additional possible leaders! Come to several walks to hear the changes in who calls and when!

Finish the walk with bird-friendly coffee at the viewing window inside the Museum.

Bring binoculars and good walking shoes. Park at 900 Sherman Hollow Road, in the Museum parking lot.

Appropriate for: Adults and older children • Free, donations welcome.
Pre-registration is helpful but not required. Call 802 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org

Early Birders’ Observations for June 2

Our Executive Director, Erin Talmage, led the Early Birders Morning Walk walk on Sunday June 2. Why, yes, we are a wee bit behind in posting these lists. Just a bit.

We had both new and experienced birders along this morning, a beautiful sunny day rising after a rainy night, so lots of dew and a smattering of fog. Our notes suggest we didn’t all see and hear exactly the same birds, but here’s what we were pretty sure about.

  • Great-crested Flycatcher
  • Wild Turkey
  • Veery
  • Black-capped Chicakdee
  • Chestnut-sided Warbler
  • Blue-headed Vireo
  • Red-Eyed Vireo
  • Ovenbird
  • Black-throated Green Warbler
  • American Robin
  • American Goldfinch
  • Winter Wren
  • Common Yellowthroat
  • Cedar Waxwing
  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Blue Jay
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  • Scarlet Tanager
  • Northern Cardinal
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • American Crow
  • Mourning Dove
  • Duck spp (some discussion arose as to whether it was a Wood Duck or Mallard. Both were known to frequent the spot; our youngest birder—age 4—was sure it was Wood Duck and related some field marks, but older birders were less confident, and most had only caught a glimpse as it flew away.)
  • Common Grackle
  • Nest of Baltimore Oriole

Join us next time, for an early morning ramble! We’re out in the Birds of Vermont Museum‘s forest and meadows every Sunday from May 12 through June 30. Enjoy the start of the day with us, birds, and other woodland inhabitants. Walks are led by experienced birders familiar with Vermont birds—and we welcome additional possible leaders! Come to several walks to hear the changes in who calls and when!

Finish the walk with bird-friendly coffee at the viewing window inside the Museum.

Bring binoculars and good walking shoes. Park at 900 Sherman Hollow Road, in the Museum parking lot.

Appropriate for: Adults and older children • Free, donations welcome.
Pre-registration is helpful but not required. Call 802 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org

Early Birders’ Observations for May 26

Shirley led our Early Birder Morning Walk walk on Sunday May 26. One of  our volunteers also posted the list on eBird and emailed it to us. Have you used eBird yet? You can list and generate reports of what you’ve seen there, and the data contributes to a long-running, large citizen science project. Our emailed report looks something like this:

Birds of Vermont Museum, Chittenden, US-VT
 May 26, 2013 7:15 AM - 8:15 AM
 Protocol: Traveling
 1.0 kilometer(s)
 Comments:     Early morning walk led by Shirley Johnson. Cold and rainy!
 23 species (+1 other taxa)
 
 Wild Turkey  1
 Mourning Dove  2
 Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
 Downy Woodpecker  2
 Hairy Woodpecker  1
 Empidonax sp.  1
 Eastern Phoebe  2
 Red-eyed Vireo  1
 Blue Jay  5
 American Crow  1
 Black-capped Chickadee  1
 American Robin  1
 Ovenbird  2
 Common Yellowthroat  1
 Song Sparrow  1
 Scarlet Tanager  1
 Rose-breasted Grosbeak  2
 Red-winged Blackbird  3
 Common Grackle  2
 Brown-headed Cowbird  1
 Baltimore Oriole  2
 American Goldfinch  2
 Evening Grosbeak  2
 
 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14245937 
 This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Birders were out from 7:15 through 8:15 a.m., as it was very chilly and damp.  Another birder’s list records both Least and Great-crested Flycatchesr (instead of Empidonax spp.), which may have been a combination of luck, songs heard, or different birding experience.

Join us next time, for an early morning ramble in the Birds of Vermont Museum‘s forest and meadows every Sunday from May 12 through June 30. Enjoy the start of the day with us, birds, and other woodland inhabitants. Walks are led by experienced birders familiar with Vermont birds—and we welcome additional possible leaders! Come to several walks to hear the changes in who calls and when!

Finish the walk with bird-friendly coffee at the viewing window inside the Museum.

Bring binoculars and good walking shoes. Park at 900 Sherman Hollow Road, in the Museum parking lot.

Appropriate for: Adults and older children • Free, donations welcome.
Pre-registration is helpful but not required. Call 802 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org

Early Birders’ Observations for May 19

Shirley took us out on another Early Birder Morning Walk on Sunday May 19.  Wow, were there some wonderful birds or what!

  • Mallard Duck
  • Wild Turkey
  • Mourning Dove
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Northern Flicker
  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  • Down Woodpecker
  • Hair Woodpecker
  • Great-crested Flycatcher
  • Least Flycatcher
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Blue Jay
  • American Crow
  • Tufted Timouse
  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • White-breasted Nuthatch
  • Brown Creeper
  • Winter Wren
  • Veery
  • American Robin
  • Blue-headed Vireo
  • Red-eyed Vireo
  • Nashville Warbler
  • Northern Parula
  • Black-and-White Warbler
  • Black-throated Blue Warbler
  • Blackburnian Warbler
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler
  • Black-throated Green Warbler

Birders were out from 7:15 through 9:30 a.m., and traversed about 1.5km. Both new-at-it and experienced birders came along, and there was some strong coffee and delicious muffins (from our local Backdoor Bakery) at the end of the walk.  (Coincidentally, the Burlington Bird-a-thon was also out walking here today, so they too saw and heard amazing birds and enjoyed some post-exploration treats. One of the groups saw a porcupine, too.)

Join us next time, for an early morning ramble in the Birds of Vermont Museum‘s forest and meadows every Sunday from May 12 through June 30. Enjoy the start of the day with us, birds, and other woodland inhabitants. Walks are led by experienced birders familiar with Vermont birds—and we welcome additional possible leaders! Come to several walks to hear the changes in who calls and when!

Finish the walk with bird-friendly coffee at the viewing window inside the Museum.

Bring binoculars and good walking shoes. Park at 900 Sherman Hollow Road, in the Museum parking lot.

Appropriate for: Adults and older children • Free, donations welcome.
Pre-registration is helpful but not required. Call 802 434-2167 or email museum@birdsofvermont.org

Highlights of the June 3rd Early Morning Bird Walk

a guest post by Mae M

After yesterday’s rain it was perfect weather this morning for a leisurely walk along the forest trails behind the museum.  Five birders enjoyed great looks at Ovenbirds, a Hermit thrush, a Blackburnian warbler, a Yellow-rumped warbler and two Yellow-bellied sapsuckers. The Northern flicker nesting near the museum also made several appearances for our delight.

After the walk we enjoyed coffee and cake seated in front of the viewing window while Rose-breasted grosbeaks and Ruby-throated hummingbirds came in to the feeders. What could be better than that?!

Our next Early Morning Bird Walk will take place on Sunday, June 10 at 7:00-8:30. Won’t you join us? Continue reading “Highlights of the June 3rd Early Morning Bird Walk”

Birding the Basin: what we saw on our West Haven field trip

It was great to go on the West Haven Field Trip! Birders saw and/or heard 56 species. One participant sent us an email, saying, “A highlight was seeing the Brewster’s Warbler, and Kris saw and heard a Golden-winged Warbler. … It was also fun to see Bobalink [sic], and to watch as a parent fed three young Cliff Swallows sitting on the road.  Of course, we got a little herping in too – lots of Green Frogs!”

Weather: Cloudy and breezy with rain starting right after 2:00 p.m. Temperatures in the 70’s F.
Location: West Haven, Vermont and surrounding area

Birds observed (seen and/or heard) for a total of 56: Continue reading “Birding the Basin: what we saw on our West Haven field trip”

Birding the Basin: West Haven Field Trip

Birding the Basin: West Haven Field Trip -- Join us for a great field trip in the southern portion of the Lake Champlain Basin!
Join us for a great field trip in the southern portion of the Lake Champlain Basin!

This event has been changed due to weather. It will now be held on June 26, 2011. All other details remain the same.

Saturday, June 25, 2011, 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Jim Andrews, herpetologist and long-time birder, will lead us in a field trip to West Haven, Vermont. We hope to find Prairie Warblers, Golden-winged Warblers, and maybe a few rare reptiles! Jim has led many of our Birding the Basin field trips, and we are delighted to have him back again.

Best for adults and older children. Meet at McDonald’s on Route 22A in Fair Haven (pending Lake levels). Birding experience and spotting scopes optional; we recommend binoculars of course! (Have you tried digiscoping yet? Some of us do it with iPhones, even!)

Fee: $20 for members of the Birds of Vermont Museum;  $25 for non-members  (you can pay ahead or at the “door”).

Please pre-register by calling 802 434-2167 or emailing museum@birdsofvermont.org