winter regulars and rarities in the champlain valley

Sixteen participants rose to the challenge of temps in the low teens and a brisk wind for Rutland County Audubon’s annual winter visit to the Champlain Valley. Starting north at Shelburne Bay and ending on Gage Road in Addison, 39 species plus one hybrid were tallied and entered on 17 eBird checklists. Thanks to Roy Pilcher’s advance scouting and careful planning, the day was a great success despite the weather.

a frosty morning along Lake ChamplainShelburne Bay brought the first Bald Eagle of the trip, an adult, and one of nine eagles, seen throughout the day. Mallard, American Black Duck, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneye were also observed here as they were at most of our other shoreline stops which included Shelburne Point, Shelburne Farms, Charlotte Town Beach and the ferry landing as well as Fort Cassin Point.

Along Harbor Road at Shelburne Point, a Merlin was seen at fairly close range, dining on a chickadee. A Pileated Woodpecker flew about the woods nearby. Four Red-breasted Mergansers were out on the bay. A Northern Flicker, one of three for the day, was also seen in the area.

Two more Bald Eagles were seen at Shelburne Farms, both immatures. Other raptors at this location included Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk and Rough-legged Hawk. At nearby Meach Cove (Shelburne Beach), an American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid was spotted among a group of other members of its gene pool. Four Horned Grebes were also present.

Fort Cassin produced four Gadwall among a group of Mallard and American Black Duck plus four more eagles, two adult and two immature.

Other sightings of the day included two Red-winged Blackbirds in a lilac bush near a feeder, a single Snow Goose among a large flock of Canadas, and a good number of American Robins. Large flocks of Snow Buntings were observed swirling over frozen farm fields in Charlotte and Gage Road in Addison. Small groups of Horned Larks were also seen as well as Wild Turkeys.

Three members of the group visited the Champlain Bridge at the end of the day and added Redhead, Ring-necked Duck and Greater Scaup to the list.

The day's list:

Canada Goose

Snow Goose

Gadwall

American Black Duck

American Black Duck x Mallard

Mallard

Redhead

Ring-necked Duck

Greater Scaup

scaup sp.

Bufflehead

Common Goldeneye

Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Wild Turkey

Horned Grebe

Bald Eagle

Northern Harrier

Red-tailed Hawk

Rough-legged Hawk

Merlin

Ring-billed Gull

Herring Gull

Mourning Dove

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Pileated Woodpecker

Blue Jay

American Crow

Horned Lark

Black-capped Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

Eastern Bluebird

American Robin

European Starling

Snow Bunting

American Tree Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

House Sparrow

rcas 38th christmas bird count results

Why, you ask, give up eight or nine hours of your time to participate in an annual count of the birds?

Tufted TitmouseCould it be because there are birds out there to be counted and birds are part of our natural world? And the more one knows about them the more one appreciates them and the greater the wonderment? Or is it because there are those fellow enthusiasts whose addiction and concentration may rival your own and whose company is to be enjoyed?

However, striking a more rational stance, don’t forget there is a tradition now stretching back one hundred and eleven years of generations of birders who were similarly motivated to record and to contribute their time and their efforts to an ever expanding database of information of which the local contribution is a mere miniscule, nevertheless essential part! With the enormous capabilities of computers to store data, Christmas Bird Counts have now gone global expanding beyond the U.S.A and Canada to many countries of the Western Hemisphere. 

Saturday, December 31, was the appointed day for Rutland County’s thirty-eighth annual count.  The weatherman’s prediction was for sleet and rain after midnight but we were spared! Intermittent light rain and a generally cloudy day were as favorable conditions as could be expected for this season of the year. Our standard 15-mile diameter circle was divided as usual into eight sectors. It was covered by eight designated teams of three to seven members each with the mandate and responsibility to record with due diligence the numbers and species of birds present. These teams totalling 38 individuals traveled 289 miles by car and another 38 miles on foot. While at home six households within the count circle maintained a watchful eye on their feeders over a combined period of 48 hours.

Following the day's efforts, and despite it being New Year's Eve, over two dozen participants gathered at the Proctor Library to enoy a bountiful potluck and to count down the day's birds.

With the last list submitted and a final tally made, the data for the local Rutland Count is ready to be transmitted electronically and gathered with between two to three thousand similar counts from across the hemisphere.

Roy tallies the day's resultsFor our Rutland County count, 58 bird species were observed on count day with two additional species not seen on count day but during count week (three days prior and three days following the actual CBC day), yielding a grand total of 60 species. As to individual birds, a total of 8,744 was tallied on count day. By way of comparison the running ten year average of species for the Rutland count is 52.3, an increase this year of 15%, and 9,200 individual birds, a decrease this year of 5%.

This year’s list:

Great Blue Heron (1), Canada Goose (819*), American Black Duck (14), Mallard (329), Hooded Merganser (1), Common Merganser (7), Northern Harrier (2), Sharp-shinned Hawk (1), Cooper’s Hawk (2), Red-tailed Hawk (24), American Kestrel (1), Merlin (CW), Peregrine Falcon (1), Ruffed Grouse (2), Wild Turkey (74), Wilson’s Snipe (3), Rock Pigeon (581), Mourning Dove (603), Eastern Screech Owl (1**), Barred Owl (3), Belted Kingfisher (2), Red-bellied Woodpecker (6*), Downy Woodpecker (65), Hairy Woodpecker (43), Northern Flicker (1), Pileated Woodpecker (10), Horned Lark (CW), Blue Jay (302), American Crow (794), Common Raven (19), Black-capped Chickadee (873), Tufted Titmouse (44), Red-breasted Nuthatch (14), White-breasted Nuthatch (97), Brown Creeper (20), Carolina Wren (8), Golden-crowned Kinglet (10), Eastern Bluebird (30), American Robin (136*), Northern Mockingbird (1), Gray Catbird (1), Cedar Waxwing (244), Northern Shrike (2), European Starling (2276), Yellow-rumped Warbler (3**), Northern Cardinal (79), American Tree Sparrow (91), Chipping Sparrow (1), Song Sparrow (3), White-throated Sparrow (7), Dark-eyed Junco (221), Snow Bunting (13), Red-winged Blackbird (73), Brown-headed Cowbird (5), Purple Finch (11), House Finch (149), Common Redpoll (29), Pine Siskin (15), American Goldfinch (195), House Sparrow (382).

BOLD       Equal to previous Numerical Record.

BOLD*     New Numerical Record.

BOLD**   New Species to the Count.

The thirty-eight local Rutland counts have now tallied 100 species!

Historical information on Rutland's counts and CBCs across the hemisphere, click here.

county quest update

2011 has ended and with it the first County Quest, a yearlong friendly competition among Vermont’s 14 counties to count the most species in a year.

searching high and low for birdsRutland County tallied an astounding 216 species! While not the most (Addison County holds that honor at 249), we have much of which to be proud. An amazing 2,247 checklists were submitted to eBird for our county alone by a small, but dedicated and hardy, group of birders. 

2012 marks ten years since eBird, a real time, online checklist program, was first launched. And we’ve come a long way! In 2001 188 species were observed in Rutland County and reported on 449 checklists. This year represents a new high in both categories. Our previous highs were 202 species in 2009 and 1,652 checklists in 2010. In that light this year's results are remarkable.

We are very fortunate in Vermont to have our own portal into eBird. We are grateful to the Vermont Center for Ecostudies for maintaining this valuable resource. If you haven’t done so already, plan to check it out soon for the latest in Vermont birding news. We also hope that if you haven’t used eBird in the past, you submit your first checklist in 2012. Click here to get started.

Some of this year’s highlights include:

• 26 species of waterfowl including all three scoters
• Red-throated Loon at Lake Bomoseen
• Golden Eagle, three reports, in Hubbardton, Rutland and Chittenden
• American White Pelican, a county first, at Kent Pond in Killington in May and again in November
• 12 species of shorebird including Dunlin and Red-necked Phalarope
• Laughing Gull, another first, at Lake Bomoseen
• Black Tern at Chittenden Reservoir and Kent Pond and Common Tern at Lake Bomoseen
• 29 species of warbler including Cerulean, Bay-breasted and Cape May plus both Blue-winged x Golden-winged hybrids (Brewster's and Lawrence's)        

 Click here to see the full list for Rutland County.

thirty-eighth annual Christmas Bird Count on December 31

a Bohemian Waxwing earlier this yearThe first Christmas Bird count took place on Christmas Day, 1900. It was organized as a reaction to the tradition of the Christmas Side Hunt in which participants would choose “sides” and then proceed with their guns to the fields and woods to shoot as many birds and wild creatures as possible. Ornithologist Frank Chapman decided there was the potential for a better holiday tradition, namely counting birds in a “Christmas Bird Census”! In that first Christmas Bird Census there were 27 participants who observed 90 species of birds and approximately 18,500 individual birds. In contrast, the 111^th Christmas Bird Count achieved a new all-time record with 62,624 participants representing 2,215 counts of which 1,714 were in the United States, 394 in Canada with the remainder in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands.  Of the 61,359,451 individual birds tallied, 57,542,123 were in the United States and 3,355,759 were in Canada.  In Vermont we contributed 18 local counts to the international effort. The Annual Christmas Bird Count, now in its 112^th year is both the largest and the longest running citizen science project anywhere!

Last year marked the 37^th consecutive annual count by Rutland County Audubon. Thirty-one field observers in 8 teams covered 25.5 miles on foot and 310.5 miles by car. In addition there were 6 feeder watchers. Their combined efforts tallied 9,260 individual birds across 51 species.  Record high counts were achieved for Pileated Woodpecker (16), Common Raven (41) and Bohemian Waxwing (798). For a description of last year’s count click here.

Rutland County’s 38^th Annual Christmas Bird Count is set for Saturday, December 31.  The count circle is 15 miles in diameter and is centered where old Route 4A crosses the Otter Creek in Center Rutland. Feeder watchers and field observers are always most welcome to join in this annual quest. As tradition dictates, a pot luck dinner follows at the Proctor Free Library at 6 o’clock in the evening, affording an opportunity to relax and enjoy the company of fellow birders as a tentative list of the day’s sightings is developed.  Mark your calendars to reserve the date and call Roy Pilcher at 775-3461 if you are interested in participating. 

many thanks to our seed sale sponsors

Paul Garland of Garland's AgwayAs members and friends of Rutland County Audubon well know, the first Saturday in November marks the annual ritual of RCAS bird seed sales. These sales have take place at both Garland’s Agway in Rutland and Blue Seal Feeds in Brandon. What the reader of this journal may not know is that the first seed sale Rutland County Audubon undertook was with the cooperation and sponsorship of Rutland Agway in November, 1984.  This would make the recently completed bird seed sale in November of 2011 the twenty-eighth!

Anita Campeau and her daughter help out RCASFor the majority of these years Paul Garland of Garland’s Agway has been the sponsor and facilitator of this annual event. Anita Campeau of Blue Seal Feeds in Brandon goes out of her way to ensure the seed sale at that location runs smoothly. If you happen to meet Paul or Anita either at their stores or on the street, a “thank you” would be in order and much deserved.

The opportunity of greeting many friends and supporters of Rutland County Audubon occurs but once a year at these seed sale events. These are important contacts for us in Audubon and so we too would like to state our appreciation of these two local merchants.

county quest update

Eleven months down – one more to go in this year’s eBird County Quest! November ended with 214 species year-to-date observed in Rutland County. This is one more than in October without a new bird actually being seen, thanks to the approval by the Records of Vermont Birds committee of a Connecticut Warbler seen in early October during the end of the warbler migration.

Kent Pond on a late November dayEighty species were seen in Rutland County in November alone, four more than a year ago. Some of the highlights include a return visit from an American White Pelican to Kent Pond, an eighth state record.

Thanks to warmer than usual weather, a good variety of waterfowl remain on Lake Bomoseen and the county’s smaller ponds and lakes. These include species not seen during the spring migration such as American Wigeon, Greater and Lesser scaup, White-winged and Black scoter, and Ruddy Duck. A lingering Double-crested Cormorant spent the month at Kent Pond.

Winter Wren and Yellow-rumped Warbler put in what may be their last appearance for the year. Pine Siskins are beginning to be seen in good numbers although not many yet at feeders. An Evening Grosbeak was reported only once this fall.

Hopefully with the upcoming Christmas Bird Count on December and its preliminary scouting will produce some rarites.

Current standings: Addison 245; Chittenden 244; Windham 228; Grand Isle 215; Rutland 214; Windsor 210; Franklin 196; Bennington 195; Washington 190; Orleans 186; Orange 176;  Lamoille, 166; Caledonia 144; Essex 147

county quest update

A Common Tern sits atop a buoy on Lake BomoseenAs hoped, south-bound migrants have increased Rutland County’s Quest numbers to 213 as of the end of October. Seven species have been added since the previous month. Five were on Lake Bomoseen: American Wigeon, Lesser Scaup, White-winged and Black scoter, and Red-necked Phalarope. The lake, until freeze up, remains one of the best places for migrating waterfowl.

A Dunlin was seen at Kent Pond in Killington, only the second time this species has been observed at that location, the previous being in June of 2008.

A 30 flock of American Pipits was seen in Tinmouth on October 14 and then a flock of 50 on the 23^rd.

Unfortunately, the hoped for Nelson’s Sparrow was a no-show at Pomainville WMA, possibly due to flooding throughout the year and a delay in mowing. The area did produce a Black Scoter on November 3 and, although not a first for the year for Rutland County, an unusual sighting for Pomainville.

So what’s ahead? The annual Winter Finch Forecast by Ron Pittaway gives some predictions on what we may or may not see this coming winter. While the report focuses on Ontario, it gives some hints we may expect here. Details of the forecast can be seen by clicking here.

Keep your fingers crossed for crossbills and Pine Grosbeaks and keep eBirding!

The standings to date: Addison 241; Chittenden 241;Windham 227; Rutland 213, Grand Isle 212; Windsor 207; Washington 190; Franklin 195; Bennington 194; Orleans 183; Orange 174; Lamoille 166; Essex 144; Caledonia 144

annual seed sale and membership drive - November 5

Black-capped ChickadeeFor over two decades Rutland County Audubon has held an annual bird seed sale. This year's event falls on Saturday, November 5 at two locations - Garland's Agway in Rutland and Blue Seal Feeds in Brandon. As expected seed prices are up, but sales through RCAS can at least save you sales tax. In addition you help the birds! A reminder: Sales though RCAS need to be paid either in cash or by check.

As an added incentive this year Garland's Agway will be reducing bird feeder paraphernalia by 20% These sales are by Garland's and should be made at the counter rather than at the RCAS table; sales tax does apply to these items.

For RCAS supporters this is an occasion to meet and exhange bird banter about the feathered friends we all enjoy so much. If you are not already a member, we hope you consider joining us. See you on Saturday, November 5, between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.!

county quest update

Sometimes bad weather brings in good birds!The push is on, hopefully with a north wind blowing migrants south. After a rather dry summer (species-wise that is, certainly not weather-wise), three birds were added to Rutland County’s year list in September for the Vermont County Bird Quest. Roy Pilcher contributed two – a Greater Scaup at Kent Pond and a Laughing Gull at Crystal Beach at Lake Bomoseen. Nancy Brown added Cape May Warbler in Danby.

Some hoped for species for the remainder of the year include Nelson’s Sparrow, seen the past couple years at Pomainville WMA; White-winged and Black scoter at Lake Bomoseen or possibly one of the smaller ponds before freeze up; and White-winged Crossbill just before year-end.

Rutland County remains in fourth place with Grand Isle behind us by only one species. Addison is still in first place.

Get birding and don’t forget to eBird!

RCAS expands online

Great Blue Herons at nest in Florence, VermontIn addition to this website, where we hope to provide you with articles of interest and information about our events, RCAS has joined Flickr for showcasing the birds in and around Rutland County and Vermont. No account is necessary to view the photos. Click here to see the latest and then bookmark the site so you can check back again. If you are a Flickr member, you can set up RCAS as a contact and receive notification when new photos are posted.

RCAS is also venturing into the world of social networking. Facebookers can find us by searching Rutland County Audubon. Don’t forget to hit ‘like’ to receive the latest posts from us.

Hope to see some of you online soon for some virtual birding!

a decade of bird monitoring

On August 16, 2001, fifteen members and friends of Rutland County Audubon sallied forth with the simple goal of recording, on a monthly basis, all the birds seen and heard on the 3.7 mile walk around West Rutland Marsh. The tally for that day was forty-five species! On July 21, 2011, ten years later, and having never missed a single month, nine well seasoned and, still enthusiastic, birders recorded 48 bird species. The log of species in the intervening years has now risen to 143 and the total number of participants to a staggering 1,395! Unforeseen only ten years ago was the introduction of eBird, now the ever expanding repository of not only these local marsh monitoring records, but of bird sightings across North America and now, in fact, to the world beyond.

What accounts for this quite remarkable number of bird species within the confinement of this relatively small area is the diversity of habitats. These include an extensive cattail marsh, a shrub swamp, some red maple-black ash hardwoods, stands of northern white cedar and white pine, in addition to open meadows and some, but limited, scattering of homes and formal gardens. If you have never done so, consider taking the time to visit the ten stations of the Bridge-to-Bridge Interpretive Trail to learn more about these habitats.

a Virginia Rail escorts its young across Marble St.Very few of the bird species encountered rise to the level of requiring Rare Species Documentation. Nevertheless, some of the totals recorded in a single monitoring walk are quite impressive. These record highs include American Bittern (5), Least Bittern (3), Alder Flycatcher (10), Willow Flycatcher (11), Least Flycatcher (10), Eastern Kingbird (29), Warbling Vireo (11), Marsh Wren (19), Eastern Bluebird (28), Veery (16), Common Yellowthroat (24), and Rusty Blackbird (18).

The occurrence, sustainability and diversity of these bird populations are directly tied to the health and preservation of the habitat upon which they depend. The encouraging news is that both Rutland County Audubon and the Town of West Rutland through their elected representatives are united in the goal of preserving this wetland ecosystem and the lands surrounding it.

county quest update

American Robin with nesting materialThe Eastern Wood-Pewee shuts the door behind him and the flood of migrants comes to a halt. Rutland County ended May with 199 species. Since that time we have added exactly two more species – an Orchard Oriole in Benson, thanks to Jean Roberts and Daphne Bartholomew, and a Bicknell’s Thrush on Okemo, courtesy of Nancy Brown.

So here we are with 202 species for the year-long County Quest challenge, still in fourth place. Now what? Unless a rarity shows up, not much until the migration reverses itself later in the year.

Killdeer performing 'broken wing' act

In the meantime, there is still plenty of bird action. Many of the young are off the nest and parents are busy feeding them. If you see an adult with its mouth jammed with worms or bugs, chances are young are nearby. Others are defending a nest or newly fledged birds. You may witness a distraction display in your birding travels such as the broken wing act performed by Killdeer. Still other birds are engaged in a second, or even third, round of nesting, such as the American Robin.

Common Loon with chick on Kent PondOne nesting success story this year is the Common Loon chick at Kent Pond. After failed attempts over the past several years, the parents have apparently gotten it right. Other successful loon pairs this year are at Chittenden Reservoir and Spring Lake.

If you haven’t done so already, check out the new improved eBird! Click here to learn how to make your eBird reporting more meaningful. Besides reducing the number of entry steps to three, you now have the option of reporting breeding codes. So now when you witness evidence of breeding, such as a bird carrying nesting material or a distraction display, you can include that information as well. If you are unfamiliar with breeding codes and when to use them, click here for more details.

RCAS annual meeting

Carmine Bee-Eater, a bird of AfricaEach year at the end of June, Rutland County Audubon celebrates the year's accomplishments with a potluck supper, the annual meeting, and a program. This year, as always, the food was good and so was the bird chatter.

We elected our officers and directors and the annual report and treasurer's report were reviewed. Thanks to Roy Pilcher for presenting his program African Safari: From Penguins to Pachyderms.

RCAS is proud of its achievements this past year. Some highlights:

• Mountain Top Farm easement: During the year RCAS became the owner of a conservation easement on 400+ acres overlooking the Chittenden Reservoir. This is the first such easement in the state with language specific to the preservation of bird habitat. We are seeking volunteers to monitor the boundaries and the bird populations.
• We continued monitoring efforts at locations including West Rutland Marsh, now in its tenth year, and the Pomainville Wildlife Management Area. All our observations are recorded on eBird so we know our efforts are providing valuable data for tracking bird populations. If you are interested in taking on a monitoring project, let us know!
• Continued our education efforts with Audubon Adventures for classrooms, after-school programs, and homeschoolers. We are always looking for volunteers to help spread the word of this award-winning program.
• Further developed our website with expanded birding hotspots and resources.

We have plenty of projects to carry out in the coming year. Our scope is only limited by finding the people to get things done. If you have time to help, please let us know!

Click here for the complete 2010-11 Rutland County Audubon Aannual Report.

top of vermont

A trip to the summit of Mt. Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak, is always exciting. On June 22nd I joined the Green Mountain Audubon Society for an early evening tour at the top of the mountain with Chris Rimmer of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE) as our guide. Chris as been studying the Bicknell's Thrush for 20 years here in Vermont and on its winter grounds in the Dominican Republic.

We travelled up the auto road in a light rain and were soon enveloped in the cloud bank. We arrived at the parking lot only to find rain, wind and more thick cloudy conditions. Such is Vermont's mountain weather. Undeterred, Chris gave us a tour of the area and announced that no mist nets would be deployed that evening due to the weather. With conditions not fit for birds nor birders, we beat a retreat down the mountain to a nearby restaurant.

Bicknell's ThrushThe next morning, the wake-up call was at 4:15 a.m. We again proceeded up the mountain, listening to the bird songs as we passed through changing habitats. The weather, while still foggy, was much better. Chris met us at the parking lot where we soon heard a Bicknell's Thrush calling. The mist nets were in place and in no time a Bick's was ensnared. To have such an up close look at this rare thrush was a special thrill. The bird was already banded and Chris thought it was last year's young due to the wear on the feathers.

We accompanied Chris on his rounds to check the nets where a Blackpoll Warbler was the next bird captured. Down another path to check a net, I spied a thrush landing on a dead stump. A Bick's! Chris commented that "this never happens." The bird sat long enough for all in the group to have wonderful looks.

We learned that the Bicknell's Thrush has enjoyed three years free from red squirrel predation and, as a result, has had good success in producing young. However, this may change next year as the spruces are producing a bumper crop of cones. This has been a cyclical process observed in the 20 years of research.

The weather didn't dampen our enthusiasm for this trip and all agreed on what a special experience it had been. We saw the type of weather conditions these hardy birds (and researchers) have to endure on their summer grounds, which can change in an instant.

While the Bick's is most vocal at dawn and dusk, I have seen and heard them in later morning hours both a Mansfield and Mt. Ellen. Often it is the call note, a distinctive down-slurred "whee-ah" that is heard.

This special trip was made possible by the Green Mountain Audubon Society in cooperation with the Stowe Resort and Chris Rimmer of VCE.

If you go, the Mt. Mansfield auto road hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and the cost is $26.00 for up to five people in a car, June 4th through October 16 (call ahead to be sure the road is open and make sure your brakes are in good order!).

count quest update

American White Pelican departing Kent PondFive months down – eight to go! Rutland County ends May with 198 species, an impressive 20 more than we had a year ago at this time. Some of the tough ones have been recorded. A Northern Bobwhite in Wells and a Black-crowned Night-Heron in Brandon put in rare appearances for the county. The hoped for, but not always counted, on Least Bittern was heard at West Rutland Marsh. Black Terns were seen swooping over Kent Pond on two occasions. A Common Nighthawk in Pittsford and an Olive-sided Flycatcher squeaked in at the end of the month at Lefferts Pond, and the Cerulean Warbler is back at the Route 4 rest area. Warblers, overall, have been well represented and include Bay-breasted, Wilson’s and Tennessee. And to end the month with a bang, an American White Pelican showed up at Kent Pond on the 31st.

American White Pelican on Kent PondNow that the migrants are all in, and one oddball on its way who to knows where, the next few months will be tough as we try to pick up some species that we missed. Some hoped for species in the next couple months include Sedge Wren, Bicknell’s Thrush and Orchard Oriole. Or how about Tri-colored Heron, Yellow-breasted Chat, or Summer Tanager? Hey, it could happen! So grab your binoculars and get birding!

Rutland County remains in fourth place with Addison County well in the lead.

Click here to see the results so far (You can read about what to do about reporting rare species, such as the American White Pelican, by clicking here).

Some other statistics of note:

Number of eBird checklists submitted for Rutland County for the year:  1,198

Number of species recorded in Vermont for 2011 as of May: 255

century count XVI

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:

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

annual meeting - june 29

Chestnut-sided WarblerThe annual meeting and election of officers and directors of the Rutland County Audubon Society will be held on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 6 PM at the Proctor Library. Our organization is dependent on volunteers to carry out our mission of preserving and protecting the habitat of birds. The demand for volunteers, however, seems to far exceed the supply. We have completed many good projects, but there is always much more we could do with more help.

A good way for a beginner to get started is to attend some of our events such as a monthly marsh walk or even a board meeting as our guest. Hopefully, you will learn about us and be willing to do more. The next step would be joining our board of directors. Our directors are really the foundation of the organization. They are dedicated to making the organization tick. They work at our seed sales, attend our outings, and contribute their time to making RCAS a success.

From the directors we select the officers (co-presidents, secretary and treasurer). These are our experienced directors leading us to a productive future.

We hope you will be interested in us and consider joining our effort. Nominations will be accepted from the floor at the meeting or you can contact Marv Elliott, vtbirdhouses@yahoo.com, before the meeting to discuss your potential participation. We would love to hear from you.

See you at the meeting and, until then, good birding. The annual meeting includes a potluck supper (utensils, plates, and beverages provided). Following the meeting Roy Pilcher will present his program Penguins to Pachyderms.

time to visit the marsh!

The trees are leafing out, the marsh marigolds are blooming, and the West Rutland Marsh is sparkling after volunteers descended upon the area on May 7 as part of Vermont’s annual Green Up Day. Seven RCAS members joined town residents and other volunteers in the cleanup. Thanks to Dave McDevitt of the Nature Conservancy, our task was made easier by a team of ten AmericCorps of members, who used their day off to help with the huge task. 

Mounds of tires, mattresses, computers and televisions, bags of household trash, and the usual roadside trash of fast food wrappers and beer cans were pulled from the roadsides and ditches around the marsh. Despite the mess, the birds were singing brightly, and while they may not appreciate the efforts, visiting birders in the coming weeks will. 

If you haven’t visited West Rutland Marsh lately, now is the time!  Most of the migrants are back including American and Least bitterns, Virginia Rail, Sora, and Marsh Wren. We await the arrival of the flycatchers, Willow and Alder, and maybe some surprises.

state of the birds report released

Prairie Warbler on the West Rutland Pleasant St. powerlineThe 2011 State of the Birds report, just released, focuses on the role of public lands in maintaining bird populations. Produced by several partners, including the National Audubon Society, the research relied in part to data at eBird. Thanks to eBirders, here in Vermont and across the United States, our bird sightings will be used to inform the public and policy makers about the needs of the birds we love and their habitat. 

Rutland County Audubon and the other Audubon chapters in the state have pledged this year to once again contribute to the support eBird in Vermont, hosted and maintained by the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. 

A copy of the State of the Birds Report can be viewed or downloaded by clicking here.

county quest update

Four months down – eight to go! The spring migration is in full swing and the numbers prove it. As of April 30, Rutland County tallied 147 species for this year’s County Quest! What is remarkable about this number is that it is 23 species more than at the same time last year. 

Rutland County has squeaked ahead of Bennington by two species, putting us in fourth place. Addison County remains in first place. 

Some of April’s highlights include two Sandhill Cranes spotted in Mount Tabor by Nancy Brown, three Bonaparte’s Gulls on Chittenden Reservoir by Joel Flewelling, and a Great Egret in Pittsford by C. J. Frankiewicz. 

a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet flashes its crownBy the end of May, all the birds that should be here will probably have arrived. So it’s going to depend on diligent eBirders to find those birds that are not consistently observed such as Least Bittern, Yellow-bellied and Olive-sided flycatchers, Philadelphia Vireo, and Tennessee Warbler. To find these species, this is good time to brush up on birding by ear skills. A good resource for doing that is at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds online bird guide.

Knowing habitat preferences will also help locate the harder to find species. Pull out those dusty bird reference books and put them to good use. And consider visiting one of Rutland County’s Birding Hotspots to begin your search for rarities. 

Click here for the latest standings and eBird news and to report your sightings! And, remember, the only bird that counts is the eBirded one!

UPDATE: We have four winners! Lane Vargas of Rutland spotted a Baltimore Oriole at West Rutland Marsh on May 1 and C. J. Frankewicz observed a Wood Thrush in Shrewsbury on May 2. Henry Wilton for a Chestnut-sided Warbler in West Rutland. Roy Pilcher for a Scarlet Tanager in West Haven. Each wins a bag of Birds and Beans Coffee. Congratulations!