American Tree SparrowA stiff wind greeted three hardy participants in the monitoring walk at West Rutland Marsh, making the seasonable temperature feel frigid. Despite the weather the count was a respectable 19 species. The average for November is 18 (the high was 27 in 2001). This was our 160th consecutive monthly walk.
Appropriate to the season, 26 Wild Turkeys were spotted. The day’s lone raptor was a Red-tailed Hawk. American Tree Sparrows have returned to the feeders near the boardwalk. (A Fox Sparrow spotted the prior day was a no-show).
Two Red-breasted Nuthatches, not always reliable at the marsh, were seen along Whipple Hollow Road.
Good humor is always a part of our walks - a distant gray blob, hoped to be a northern hawk owl, turned out to be a paper wasp nest! One can always hope.
The next marsh walk is scheduled for Saturday, December 20, at 8 a.m.
List:
Wild Turkey 26
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 13
American Crow 7
Common Raven 2
Black-capped Chickadee 30
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
American Robin 1
American Tree Sparrow 5
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 14
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 7
House Sparrow 4