With weather more like a humid day in August, 15 participants were unsure whether they would hit 100 species for this year’s Century Count XVI. Nevertheless, a respectable 109 species were tallied in our annual attempt to see or hear as many species as possible within the county.
Sora (seen on a previous occasion)As expected, the early morning visit to West Rutland Marsh was one of the most productive stops of the day with 63 species. The day started with a Blackpoll Warbler singing on Sheldon Avenue. Other highlights included Virginia Rail and Common Moorhen at the boardwalk. Participants were thrilled with great looks at a Sora.
The birdsong along the Pleasant St. powerline in West Rutland was a bit subdued, but we still managed to pick up Blue-winged and Golden-winged warblers, Prairie Warbler and Field Sparrow. Indigo Buntings have finally returned to this spot for the year.
Cerulean Warbler is back at the Route 4 rest area this year (and adding one to our County Quest numbers). An American Redstart, seen nest-building last week, is now sitting on her nest.
The Kehoe Fishing Access at Lake Bomoseen produced a Louisiana Waterthrush singing away at mid-day.
Cliff Swallows were collecting mud for nests at the Fair Haven Municipal Airport. A Savannah Sparrow sat in the open and sang for us.
West Haven and Benson in the western part of the county produced the expected Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks along with Northern Harrier, Wild Turkey, and Red-bellied Woodpecker.
Wilson's SnipeA stop at the old Brandon Training School for Northern Mockingbird also provided Wilson’s Snipe, sitting nearby on a stump and giving us a great look, and another Eastern Meadowlark singing on a wire.
After the warm day, we needed a spotting scope to make out a Common Loon and two Common Mergansers on Chittenden Reservoir. At Lefferts Pond American Woodcock were ‘peenting’ and Northern Waterthursh and White-throated Sparrow singing in the fading light.
Trip List:
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Sharp-shinned Hawk 4 Trip List: Canada Goose Wood Duck American Black Duck Mallard Common Merganser Ruffed Grouse Wild Turkey Common Loon American Bittern Great Blue Heron Green Heron Turkey Vulture Northern Harrier Cooper’s Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Kestrel Virginia Rail Sora Common Moorhen Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Wilson’s Snipe American Woodcock Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Red-bellied Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Eastern Wood-Pewee Alder Flycatcher |
Willow Flycatcher Least Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Northern Rough-winged Swallow Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Cliff Swallow Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper House Wren Winter Wren Marsh Wren Eastern Bluebird Veery Hermit Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird European Starling Cedar Waxwing Blue-winged Warbler Golden-winged Warbler Nashville Warbler Yellow Warbler |
Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Pine Warbler Prairie Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Cerulean Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Louisiana Waterthrush Common Yellowthroat Canada Warbler Eastern towhee Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Scarlet Tanager Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak Indigo Bunting Bobolink Red-winged Blackbird Eastern Meadowlark Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Baltimore Oriole House Finch American Goldfinch House Sparrow |