Despite early morning temperatures hovering around zero and the threat of snow, 18 participants tallied a respectable 39 species during our annual Winter Regulars and Rarities in the Champlain Valley field trip on January 15. A full list of species follows below.
Juniper Island on Lake ChamplainWaterfowl are the highlight of any winter trip along Lake Champlain as frozen portions of the lake help to concentrate numbers. Common Goldeneyes were by far the most numerous, tallied at Shelburne Point, Meach Cove, Charlotte Town Beach, and Tri-Town. At Tri-town, most of the 48 Common Mergansers were on the ice near open water. A handful of Hooded Mergansers were seen at Shelburne Point and Charlotte Town Beach. The Scaup seen at Tri-town were determined by two experienced participants to be Lesser based on the slightly pointed head profile and grayer sides.
Horned Grebes were observed at Shelburne Point and Charlotte Town Beach. A large number of Canada Geese were in a farm field along Rte 22a in Addison.
Sharp eyes spotted a Ruffed Grouse eating buds high in a tree in Ferrisburgh. Two Wild Turkey flocks, of over 40 each, were observed in Shelburne and Leicester.
Bald Eagle at Charlotte Town Beach.Raptors were well-represented with four Rough-legged Hawks (a life bird for one participant), a Northern Harrier in Ferrisburgh, several Red-tailed Hawks, and both Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks. A male American Kestrel was seen huddled on a garden arbor in Addison. Three Bald Eagles were seen, one at Shelburne Farms and two at Charlotte Town Beach, all adults. While one of the eagles at Charlotte Town Beach was far out on the lake, the other was perched near the parking area intently watching a bird carcass on the nearby ice.
A Red-bellied Woodpecker was seen at a feeder in Ferrisburgh. Most of the American Tree Sparrows observed were in a flock of 30.
A large flock of American Robins flew over the group at Shelburne Point. Smaller numbers of robins were seen in Charlotte and Addison.
Despite all the Bohemian Waxwing reports this winter, all the waxwings observed, in Shelburne and Kingsland Bay, were Cedar.
Snow Buntings, a favorite winter visitor, were seen in three locations with one flock of about 100 swirling over a field in Charlotte. Horned Larks, a life bird for a couple participants, were seen in Charlotte and Addison, where a large flock of about 75 was on Gage Road. Three larks were observed at close range in a farmyard on Jersey Street.
The day closed with Barred Owls, one each in Bridport and Leicester.
Here are the full results for the day:
| Canada Goose 147 American Black Duck 60 Mallard 93 Lesser Scaup 5 Bufflehead 32 Common Goldeneye 1,060 Hooded Merganser 5 Common Merganser 83 Ruffed Grouse 1 Wild Turkey 96 Horned Grebe 3 Bald Eagle 3 Northern Harrier 1 |
Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 Cooper’s Hawk Red-tailed Hawk 9 Rough-legged Hawk 4 American Kestrel 1 Ring-billed Gull 51 Herring Gull 3 Great Black-backed Gull 10 Rock Pigeon 28 Mourning Dove 1 Barred Owl 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Hairy Woodpecker 1 |
Blue Jay 3 American Crow 110 Horned Lark 94 Black-capped Chickadee 5 Tufted Titmouse 3 White-breasted Nuthatch 1 American Robin 59 European Starling 190 Cedar Waxwing 24 American Tree Sparrow 41 Dark-eyed Junco 11 Snow Bunting 122 Northern Cardinal 4 |