West Rutland Marsh - April 2019

The morning of April 13 dawned warm and drizzly, when 23 birds of all generations, including visitors from Southern Adirondack Audubon Society, set out on our monthly monitoring walk around West Rutland Marsh, the last one for the season to be held at 8 a.m. (on our May 23 walk, we will start at 7 a.m.).

The trip along the length of the boardwalk produced multiple Swamp Sparrows, new arrivals, legions of nosily cackling Canada geese, and the expected Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles and Song Sparrows. A few members were lucky enough to hear an American Bittern and a Virginia Rail as well, but alas, this author did not.

Travel along Marble Street brought a surprise five-minute downpour, and then six Wild Turkeys, one make in full display, were sighted, creating lots of excitement for everyone and photo ops for the camera buffs.

A more dismaying event took place as well, five coyote carcasses were round in the ditches along the roadside. It would seem that trappers or hunters had thrown them there after their catch. While this was an unpleasant sight for adults, it was perhaps most horrifying for the children in our group.

Luckily, we spied a patch of spring’s first wildflowers, too, as if to counteract the ugliness. These were snowdrops and soooo lovely. The Pleasant Street bridge yielded our first Tree Swallows of the year (FOY, in birder’s terms), such a delight to watch them wheeling about, in pursuit of their next snack, whatever insect was flying.

On to Whipple Hollow Road we went where a Winter Wren sang loudly and sweetly, making it impossible to ignore its presence. At the walk’s end, many claimed this species to be the highlight of the walk for them.

But still other delights lay ahead. A Barred Owl sang out ‘who, who cooks for you?” as we passed by. Several Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned kinglets showed up too. The Ruby-crowned even sported his crown on this day.

Turning onto Water Street, all were listening for a Virginia Rail, often heard here. None appeared, but while observing the bluebird house near the end of the street, several sharp-eyed birders spied a Palm Warbler (FOY). And, on the bridge, we all watched a leucistic Canada Goose swim lazily around, keeping apart from the other geese.

As we departed for our cars, the Kulas’s excitedly reported having seen two Black-crowned Night-Herons fly overhead, ending our trip with a bang! Next month there will be nearly too many birds to count, but this month was wonderfully exciting.

The next walk is Thursday, May 23, at 7 a.m.

The list:

 

Canada Goose  26
Mallard  5
Hooded Merganser  2
Ruffed Grouse  3
Wild Turkey  6
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  1
Mourning Dove  5
American Bittern  1    heard
Great Blue Heron  2
Black-crowned Night-Heron  2   
Turkey Vulture  4
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Barred Owl  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Downy Woodpecker  7
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Pileated Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  2
Eastern Phoebe  8
Blue Jay  5
American Crow  6
Common Raven  2
Tree Swallow  6
Black-capped Chickadee  10
Tufted Titmouse  5
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Brown Creeper  1
Winter Wren  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet  7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Eastern Bluebird  2
American Robin  9
European Starling  8
House Finch  3
American Goldfinch  6
American Tree Sparrow  3
Dark-eyed Junco  14
White-throated Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  15
Swamp Sparrow  7
Red-winged Blackbird  18
Common Grackle  15
Northern Cardinal  3
House Sparrow  1

 

 

West Rutland Marsh - March 2019

KONK-A-REE !
     The ringing tones of the first Red-winged Blackbirds of the year greeted us as we stepped out of our cars at the kiosk on Marble Street on March 16. Overhead, at the tops of bare trees, we could see their shiny black feathers gleaming in the early morning sunlight. And, soon after, we heard the raspy “chucks” of the Common Grackle, which had also just returned from its southern winter sojourn. But, even more surprising, the opening notes of the Song Sparrow pealed out as we headed off on our 3.7-mile trek. For sure, despite the ice and snow still covering the wetland plants and the sad lack of green in the reeds, spring had come to West Rutland Marsh once again. 
     Inspired by such an auspicious outset, eight of us tramped along the road, spying a Bald Eagle, two Sharp-shinned Hawks, and a Turkey Vulture, all soaring high in the clouds above the hills to the west of us. We also stole a quick glimpse of a Merlin, as he attempted to catch his breakfast at a bird-feeding station en route and were delighted by the rosiness of three House Finches hidden in the bushes at this same station.
     Up close and personal, five Wild Turkeys trotted across the road in front of us, giving us each a clear view of these magnificent American birds and their multi-colored feathers. The photographers among us were happy to have a good photo op while these grazed in the field they had reached. Of course, there were still the typical winter birds around and we catalogued twenty-seven species in all for the two and a half-hour jaunt. All in all, it was a glorious and very solid day of monitoring the marsh. 

 

The day's list (27 species):

Canada Goose  8
Wild Turkey  5
Mourning Dove  12
Turkey Vulture  1
Sharp-shinned Hawk  2
Bald Eagle  1
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Downy Woodpecker  3
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Merlin  1    
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  26
Common Raven  4
Black-capped Chickadee  23
Tufted Titmouse  5
White-breasted Nuthatch  6
Eastern Bluebird  1
American Robin  16
European Starling  17
House Finch  3
American Tree Sparrow  5
Dark-eyed Junco  4
Song Sparrow  3
Red-winged Blackbird  25
Common Grackle  13
Northern Cardinal  6
House Sparrow  1

Member Photo Show - Maclure Library

Green HeronThis spring Rutland County Audubon Society will be holding a photo exhibit featuring birds at the Maclure Library in Pittsford. Rutland County Audubon members are invited to submit up to three of their favorite photographs of birds. If you aren’t already a member of RCAS, we’d love to have you join us! The show will run from April 15 until the end of July so photos must be on loan for that period. Click here for the Maclure Library hours.

We are looking for your photos of birds taken anywhere in the world in frames up to 12” x 16” and suitable for hanging. You should include a separate informational item including your name, the name of the bird species, location, type of camera, and if appropriate, lens used, and a small fact about the bird, such as why it appealed to you, something of interest about that particular species, or its conservation status. We will prepare this information and display it next to the photo.  

Photographs can be for sale, but must remain up for the show. All photographers will be responsible for negotiating their fees with the buyer and a 15% commission to the library.

An opening reception with light refreshments for RCAS members, the photographers, and the general public, will be held on Monday, April 29, from 6 – 8 pm.

Also, look for programs and events to be held in connection with the exhibit!

Please respond to RCAS at birding@rutlandcountyaudubon.org by March 30 if you are interested in submitting your photo(s). For information on becoming a member, click here. 

West Rutland Marsh - February 2019

For mid-February it was a pretty nice day to be out birding. Sixteen birders participated in today’s walk around West Rutland Marsh, which coincided with this weekend’s Great Backyard Bird Count.

Despite the mild weather, the number of species was fairly low with 17 species seen and/or heard. This is one less than our February average of 18 and two less than one year ago.

Except for 29 black-capped chickadees, the number of individuals was low as well – one downy woodpecker, two hairy woodpeckers, four tufted titmice, one white-breasted nuthatch. But there was definitely a bit more bird song than in January!

The highlight of the day was an out-of-season gray catbird, lurking in the brush and phragmites along Whipple Hollow Road. We did see pussy willows along the route today so maybe spring is not all that far off!

We heard a Carolina wren singing and the walk ended with four American robins. The feeders near the boardwalk are still busy with American tree sparrows.

The Great Backyard Bird Count runs through Monday, February 18, so there is still time to get out and count birds!

Our next walk is scheduled for Saturday, March 16, at 8 a.m.

 

Ruffed Grouse  1
Mourning Dove  34
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Blue Jay  7
American Crow  7
Common Raven  3
Black-capped Chickadee  29
Tufted Titmouse  4
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Brown Creeper  1
Carolina Wren  1
American Robin  4
Gray Catbird  1   
American Tree Sparrow  4
Northern Cardinal  4

 

 

Great Backyard Bird Count

Lots of fun things happen in February – Ground Hog Day, Valentine’s Day and……the Great Backyard Bird Count!

The Great Backyard Bird Count aka the GBBC is an annual, world-wide event sponsored by National Audubon, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. Last year over 160,000 people participated. From two Blue-headed Macaws in Peru to six Oriental Greenfinches in Japan to eight Wild Turkeys in Castleton, Vermont, birdwatchers provided of a four-day snapshot of bird species across the globe.

We’ve been experiencing some pretty cold weather, but you don’t have to be IN your backyard to participate although you can be outside if you chose (more on that below). From Friday, February 15, through Monday, February 18, fill your feeders, grab your favorite cold weather beverage, take a sit by the window, and count the birds.

Common RedpollIt’s simple to participate. Count birds anywhere (not just your backyard) for as little as 15 minutes for any or all of the four-day event. Click here to find out more. It’s easy and fun and a great family project.

In conjunction with the GBBC, Rutland County Audubon, will be holding its monthly walk around West Rutland Marsh (fingers crossed for above freezing temperatures) on Saturday, February 16. We'll meet at the boardwalk on Marble Street in West Rutland at 8 a.m. The route is 3.7 miles, but there is an option to go halfway.

This year we have an added GBBC event for beginners. On Wednesday, February 13, Rutland County Audubon will hold a training session at the Poultney Library on Main Street from 3 to 5 p.m. Come learn how to be a citizen scientist and participate in the GBBC! But warning - birdwatching can be addictive!

 

When You Find an Injured Bird

My husband Marv and I had the privilege of assisting in a bird rescue this week. Kevin Gecha of Clarendon found a horned grebe on the exit off of Route 7 in Manchester. Grebes, like loons, can’t take off from the ground, only from water. We can only guess how it got there, but perhaps it saw the dark pavement of the exit and thought it was water. Fortunately, the bird appeared to be in good shape. 

So what to do? Kevin called his wife Casey, a birder lover. They knew to call the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS). VINS advised Kevin to bring the bird in. As he needed to be at work, my husband Marv and I volunteered to drive down to Manchester to pick up the grebe and take to VINS in Quechee. We kept the grebe in a box lined with a blanket on the way over.

Rutland County Audubon frequently receives calls about injured birds and other wildlife. Unfortunately, we are not rehabilitators so we cannot take in birds, only licensed rehabbers can do so. We have, however, included a list of rehabilitators on our website Resources section under Vermont Wildlife Rehabilitators. There are links to VINS and the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. Both have excellent advice on how to handle injured birds and mammals.

Keep in mind that rehabilitators work from the goodness of their hearts (and donations!) so don’t be surprised if the rehabilitator asks you to bring the injured bird (or small mammal) to them. They can advise you how to best do this. 

Also, it doesn’t seem like it, but before long it will be spring and nesting season. That brings up another set of issues. What to do if you find a baby bird? Click here for a refresher on what to do in that situation.

And what should you do if you don't find an injured bird or mammal? Be thankful and make a donation to VINS or a rehabilitator near you!

West Rutland Marsh - January 2019

Black-capped ChickadeeEight, very bundled up birders, managed to tally 21 species on January’s walk around West Rutland Marsh. This is two more than our average for this month of the year and one more than a year ago.

The morning started at 2 degrees, but when we really concentrated, we could feel the warmth of the sun on our backs (admittedly not a lot). Fortunately, there was no wind.

Black-capped chickadees were the winners of the day as far as numbers go. Forty-eight were counted along the route, some in groups of seven or eight. American robins were second, in two groups, one of about 30 or so. Three cedar waxwings were spotted among the robins.

One sharp-eyed birder stayed back along Pleasant Street where he spotted a northern shrike, which has been seen in the area since our December walk.

Eighteen wild turkeys were seen in fields along Whipple Hollow Road.

We ended the day with a white-throated sparrow among the American tree sparrows and chickadees near the boardwalk.

Our next walk is scheduled for Saturday, February 16. The walk is being held in conjunction with the Great Backyard Bird Count, February 15-18. If being out in the cold isn’t your thing, click here to find out how you can participate in the GBBC.

The list: 

Wild Turkey  18
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  3
Mourning Dove  19
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Downy Woodpecker  5
Hairy Woodpecker  3
Northern Shrike  1
Blue Jay  30
American Crow  5
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  48   
Tufted Titmouse  8
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
American Robin  42
Cedar Waxwing  3
American Goldfinch  1
American Tree Sparrow  6
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  2
White-throated Sparrow  1
Northern Cardinal  2
House Sparrow  4

 

 

 

Winter Regulars & Rarities Field Trip

The temperature for this year’s Winter Regulars and Rarities in the Champlain Valley was brutally cold with the day starting around one degree. Fortunately, there was no wind for most of the day and the sunshine made for spectacular scenery along the route.

A quick stop at a turkey farm in Orwell yielded nine bald eagles and a very large number of ravens. We also saw a rough-legged hawk, a dark phase bird, which looked beautiful in flight against the bright blue sky.

Then it was on to find open water along Lake Champlain and hopefully some ducks. Although the water was open at the Champlain Bridge, it had frozen overnight so our first stop was at DAR State Park. There we observed a large number of common goldeneye with a few scaup and American black ducks mixed in along with a handful of mallards.

Lapland LongspurAt the Tri-Town Water District in Panton we found more goldeneye, about 750 with uncounted number around the corner and mostly out of sight. We also saw an immature bald eagle at this spot.

On Walker Road in Ferrisburgh we spotted a large flock of horned larks, some flying in fairly close and landing. We were able to pick out at least three Lapland longspurs in the group and a single snow bunting. A large flock of about 150 snow buntings were seen early on Schoolhouse Road in Vergennes.

At Converse Bay we found a belted kingfisher, Canada goose, mallard, including a mallard x American black duck hybrid, bufflehead, and more goldeneye.

The Charlotte Ferry Landing was mostly frozen, with no birds in the water. At Charlotte Town Beach we encountered our first wind of the day so we did not stay long. There were mallards, ring-billed gulls, bufflehead and goldeneye present.

We ended the day at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area and, in the fading light, saw two northern harriers, a rough-legged hawk, a red-tailed hawk and two short-eared owls.

A total of 10 eBird checklists were submitted for the day, representing 35 species.

Thanks to C. J. Frankiewicz for leading the trip. It was great to be out in the sunshine despite the cold temperatures. The list:

Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck
Mallard x American Black Duck hybrid
Greater/Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Wild Turkey
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
European Starling
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
House Sparrow

 

 

 

Canada Goose
Mallard
American Black Duck
Mallard x American Black Duck hybrid
Greater/Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Wild Turkey
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Horned Lark
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
European Starling
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
House Sparrow

 

 

Book Review: The Family of Hummingbirds

Here, reproduced entirely, in The Family of Hummingbirds by Joel and Laura Oppenheimer, are the 418 magnificently detailed hand-colored lithographs of hummingbirds by John Gould (1804-81), the “British Audubon.”

White-throated Mountain GemIn the opening essay, co-author Laura Oppenheimer tells the story of Gould’s nearly predestined career, beginning as an apprentice to his father, horticulturist at Windsor Castle. While cultivating diligent and observant gardening skills, he found a secondary interest in ornithology and taxidermy, largely self-taught. In London, he set up shop as a successful taxidermist in a Victorian Age obsessed with the strange wonders of the natural world sent back to England by intrepid explorers. Elizabeth Coxen, formally trained in drawing and painting, became his wife (she later executed many of his prints). His knowledge was recognized by his appoint as superintendent of the ornithological department of the Zoological Society Museum, which provide him with a network of learned, wealthy gentlemen naturalists.

These successive life events nicely telescoped into his magnum opus, The Family of Hummingbirds. Gould had been entranced by the hummingbirds collected in the New World, where their habitats extend from Alaska to the tip of South America. Their skins, preserved in arsenical soap, were transported back to Britain. Gould mounted over 5,000 hummingbirds. With entrepreneurial business and organizational skills, he assembled a staff of talented artists and printers, and published, over 13 years (1848-61) the 418 plates. Gould tactfully promoted sales of his lavish production by combining it with a public display of 1,500 taxidermied bird specimens at the Zoological Gardens in Regent’s Park. 75,000 attended, including Queen Victoria. Eager subscribers were astounded by these ‘living gems’ as he called them.

Gould’s complementary use of two innovations – lithography and gold leaf under hand-coloring – make this work outstanding. Prior to his time, the laborious process of engraving and etching on copper plants had often been used for printing natural subjects. Gould brought a more advanced method of lithography to maturity and a greater expressive potential in his bird prints. Here, the initial drawn image is transferred to a limestone slab with a greasy lithographic crayon. (Joel Oppenheimer, in the introduction, compares the techniques of etching and lithography in detail.) The beauty of lithography was that it enables the original artists to participate more directly in the process, resulting in a more faithful final image. The process was also more economical, producing more affordable prints.

Gould himself, initially sketched an overall design, with a male and female of each species, in a composition with a plant native to its habitat. An artist would further develop it to completion with only a few subtle adjustments suggested by Gould. The finished drawing was transferred to the lithographic stone. e resulting black and white toned print then required a final state of hand-coloring Here, Gould’s achievement was to illuminate the reflective iridescence of these ‘living gems’ with use of ‘transparent oil and varnish colors over pure gold leaf.’ And that is all we know of the formulas and techniques he labored over, for many years, to perfect. No notes have been found, and he obtained no patents.

The plates are indeed, awe-striking. The exquisite jewel-like patterns of the birds’ feathers stand out against muted background botanicals. About a dozen of the hummingbirds are further shown in enlarged images. But, unfortunately, in order to accommodate all 418 plates, it was often necessary to squeeze nine on one page, such that each is barely the size of a playing card and thus difficult to decipher and appreciate.

I was particularly taken by the design and composition of each plate. The birds do no merely perch on a branch, but seem comfortably at ease in their surroundings. Their poses are so animated that they appear like a balletic pas de deux pirouetting and jete-ing as they sweep across the page. How could Gould have such imaginative insight of their acrobatic activities when he dealt with dead specimens and did not see a live hummingbird until a trip to Philadelphia in 1854?

Each plate, actually, usually has three birds. Since the third has a slight size and color variation, I assume it is a juvenile.

Acquainted only with our common ruby-throated hummingbird, I was surprised to learn of their marked heterogeneity. Yes, I knew their long, pointed bills had supposedly co-evolved to extract nectar from deep inside trumpet-shaped flowers, but there are also ‘saw, sword, and tooth’ -billed hummingbirds. Tails may be ‘racket’ or ‘scissor’ -shaped. ‘Comet, sylph, sunbeam and sungem’ are just a few of the species names, attesting to their brilliant plumage.

If the birds were not present on the plates, this tome would nonetheless be a virtual encyclopedia of tropical foliage. Though, as noted, in somewhat lighter, cooler colors, the botanicals are beautifully rendered, many derived from Walter Fitch, chief illustrator for the era’s preeminent Curtis Botanical Magazine. Regretfully, none of the plants are labelled.

The Family of Hummingbirds will captivate birdwatchers, fans of natural history art and hummingbird lovers everywhere.

$65.00

www.rizzoliusa.com

Christmas Bird Count Results

Another Christmas Bird Count is in the books, Rutland County Audubon’s 45th and National Audubon’s 119th.

A total of 48 birders, consisting of eight field teams and 12 feeder watchers, tallied 46 species. Two additional species, great blue heron and peregrine falcon, were sighted during Count Week (the three days before count day and three days following when species not seen on count day may be included in the tally).

The day started in the low 40s and was mostly cloudy, and ended in the low 30s, with some light rain and snow, but virtually no snow cover. Whether this is what affected the lower number of birds is hard to tell. Although this is time of year when the lowest number of species is expected, most of the field teams and feeder watchers noted exceptionally low activity.

Our average count for the past 10 years is 51 species with a high count of 58 in 2011 and a low count of 43 in 2009.

Bohemian WaxwingsWe had several new participants this year with two coming from as far away as Georgia. Two teams had seven participants and two teams achieved 35 species for their areas. And more territory was covered on foot this year. There were a few new feeder watchers and they did an excellent job, including one who had the dubious privilege of counting the American crows as they came in to their evening roost.

But there were highlights despite low species numbers!

Several bird species have irrupted from the north this season. An irruption is defined as a “dramatic, irregular migration of large numbers of birds,” usually in response to food supply. Two of these species were observed on the count: pine grosbeak seen by three field teams and Bohemian waxwings by two teams. Hopefully we will see more of them as the winter progresses. Ornamental crabapples are the place to look for these.

Two other irruptive species being seen in Vermont this season were not recorded on our count – common redpolls and evening grosbeaks. The pine siskins seen this fall seem to have moved on.

Two new species had a record high of individuals for the count: eastern bluebirds, with 51 observed, and 14 red-bellied woodpeckers, a species that has been increasing rapidly in the state over the past 15 years or so.

There were some unusual species that were not new, but are never guaranteed. Two Wilson’s snipe were spotted along Otter Creek by the same team that also saw a winter wren.

MerlinOverall raptor numbers were low, 22 red-tailed hawks were spotted, about half our high which occurred in 2017. Three sharp-shinned hawks and five Cooper’s hawks were seen, contrasting with a high of nine in 1995 and eight in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Only one barred owl was noted. Two of the ever-increasing bald eagles were seen. A photo of one raptor, originally thought to be a kestrel seen in poor light, turned out to be a merlin. No other raptors, other than these and the count week peregrine falcon, were observed.

Some misses included no belted kingfishers, despite all the open water; no-snow no-show snow buntings; and no golden-crowned kinglets.

On a non-avian note, a green frog was seen at Rocky Pond at Pine Hill Park in Rutland and reported to the Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas.

Of course, the highlight of the count is the potluck supper where we countdown the day’s results and enjoy everyone’s best potluck contribution. We had a high number of birders attend the supper – 35! Although bird numbers were down, spirits were high!

Thanks to Kathleen Guinness for organizing a successful count! It’s a lot of work, but it comes together year after year.

 

 

 

Species List:

Canada Goose                                     
Mallard                                    
American Black Duck              
Common Merganser                
Ruffed Grouse                                             
Wild Turkey                             
Rock Pigeon                           
Mourning Dove                       
Wilson's Snipe                        
Great Blue Heron                   
Sharp-shinned Hawk               
Cooper's Hawk                         
Bald Eagle                                
Red-tailed Hawk                       
Barred Owl                                
Red-bellied Woodpecker           
Downy Woodpecker                   
Hairy Woodpecker                      
Pileated Woodpecker                
Northern Flicker                                
Merlin                                         
Peregrine Falcon                    
Northern Shrike                       
Blue Jay                                   
American Crow                    
Common Raven                       
Black-capped Chickadee           
Tufted Titmouse                        
Red-breasted Nuthatch            
White-breasted Nuthatch          
Brown Creeper                           
Winter Wren                                
Carolina Wren                            
Eastern Bluebird                        
American Robin                          
European Starling                       
Bohemian Waxwing                    
Cedar Waxwing                          
Pine Grosbeak                            
House Finch                                
American Goldfinch                    
American Tree Sparrow              
Dark-eyed Junco                        
White-throated Sparrow              
Song Sparrow                             
Red-winged Blackbird                 
Northern Cardinal                        
House Sparrow                            

 

 

West Rutland Marsh - December 2018

by Kathleen Guinness

Monitoring the West Rutland Marsh for birds in December can be a tricky thing; it can be bone-chillingly cold or the weather can be as warm as it is in early spring. Today, the eleven of us from RCAS who set aside our Christmas busy-ness and who set out were given the gift of a spring–like day, with a sun peeking out at us to start and becoming more bright with every step we took and temperatures rising into the 40s. It made all of us feel optimistic and maybe even a little giddy, after the cold spell we’d had just two days earlier.

But, better than the weather, even, were the exciting birds we spotted along the 3.7 mile walk. There were the usual suspects at the feeders at the kiosk: sparrows, cardinals, downy woodpeckers, and chickadees. Further up, there were titmice and nuthatches and a spectacularly harsh sounding raven. It was after we rounded the bend that we got our second gift of the day - a northern shrike, appearing at the top of a distant deciduous tree and looking like a cotton bud or a catkin to an inexperienced birder. This sighting made us jump for joy, as it is so infrequently seen. Everyone had a happy face as we headed onto Whipple Hollow Road and spied our first junco of the day.

On Whipple Hollow Road, a group of eight turkeys surprised us, too. And, then....someone spotted a big-eyed, flying squirrel poking its sweet head out of a birdhouse made by Marv Elliott. Several good pictures were taken of that special creature, even though it was not a bird (Audubon treasures all of wildlife). It was our third gift.

No, there was not a Partridge in a Pear Tree, but there were seventeen, lovely species, with the high count being friendly, chirping chickadees, on a beautiful day in mid-December. With these gifts, who could want a hippopotamus for Christmas?!

 

The List:
Wild Turkey  8
Mourning Dove  10
Downy Woodpecker  6
Hairy Woodpecker  5
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Northern Shrike  1
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  3
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  26
Tufted Titmouse  9
White-breasted Nuthatch  3
European Starling  5
American Goldfinch  6
American Tree Sparrow  5
Dark-eyed Junco  1
Northern Cardinal  3

 

 

Christmas Bird Count

What better way to celebrate the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019 than by participating in the Christmas Bird Count (CBC)? This year marks the 119th annual count for National Audubon and the 45th for Rutland County. The Rutland count will be held on Saturday, December 29.

What is the Christmas Bird Count? Many years ago, it was the custom to go out during the Christmas season and shoot birds for sport. In 1900, as people began to realize that bird populations were in decline (and some species going extinct), ornithologist Frank Chapman decided it would be better to COUNT birds instead of shooting them. The idea began to spread and today there are over 2,500 counts throughout the U.S., Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Pacific Islands.

The Rutland Christmas Count area is a circle centered at the falls in Center Rutland and encompasses a 15-mile diameter around that. That includes all of Rutland City, Rutland Town, portions of Proctor, West Rutland, Ira, Pittsford and Clarendon. Participants go out to cover assigned portions of the circle, counting as many birds as possible, as well as noting weather conditions and mileage covered. Others count from home.

The Christmas Bird Count is fun! And it’s a great way to get out in the fresh air and enjoy nature after the excesses of the holidays. You join other bird enthusiasts to take on the challenge of identifying and counting as many species and individual birds as possible. If you don’t feel your skills are up to par, don’t worry, we’ll pair you with a team. It can be an opportunity to meet new friends and learn more about birds and citizen science, the real point of the CBC.  

Citizen science, the idea that non-professional people can contribute to a body of data, important to furthering scientific study, is what the Christmas Bird Count is all about. With over a century of data, the CBC is one of the oldest citizen science projects. Data has been used by researchers, conservation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America.

So now you know why you should participate here is how:

Join a field team! We have eight teams, seven that cover a portion of the circle and travel by car, getting out at promising spots. One team walks along Otter Creek and is definitely for the hardier among us. Contact Kathleen Guinness at birding@rutlandcountyaudubon.org to join the count.

Not a fan of going out in the cold weather? Feeder watchers within the count circle are also needed. If you aren’t sure if you live within the circle, contact us at birding@rutlandcountyaudubon.org and we can help you figure it out.

The day ends at the Proctor Library with a potluck supper and a countdown of the species seen. Attendance at the supper isn’t mandatory (we know this is a busy time of year), but it’s a lot of fun and the food is always abundant and good. The supper starts at 6 p.m. with beverages and utensils to share. Just bring your favorite dish to share!

West Rutland Marsh - November 2018

Temperatures under 20 degrees and impending snow reminded the seven participants at today’s West Rutland Marsh walk that winter is looming. Despite the cold we tallied 22 species, one less than a year ago, and three more than our average for November.

Two common redpolls were spotted near the boardwalk by one early birder. This is a species expected to be seen in the northeast this year.

Further down Marble Street one sharp-eared birder picked up the sound of Bohemian waxwings, another winter irruptive reported this past week throughout the state. We then found 12 of them on top of a tree. If you are interested in what else might be seen this winter, click here for the annual finch forecast (which includes other species).

Also, along Marble Street, we alarmed a great blue heron lurking in the reeds and watched it as it circled a field and took off.

Two winter wrens were heard along Whipple Hollow Road, each in different locations.

Several American robins were recorded as well as a lone red-winged blackbird.

No pine grosbeaks or pine siskins were seen, but maybe we will see them on next month’s walk scheduled for Saturday, December 15, at 8 a.m. We all love our furry friends, but in order to lessen disturbance to our feathered friends, please leave pets at home.

Today's list:
Canada Goose  38
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  6
Mourning Dove  8
Great Blue Heron  1
Downy Woodpecker  4
Blue Jay  12
American Crow  6
Common Raven  2
Black-capped Chickadee  26
Tufted Titmouse  4
White-breasted Nuthatch  4
Winter Wren  2
American Robin  8
European Starling  18
Bohemian Waxwing  12
House Finch  4
American Goldfinch  3
Dark-eyed Junco  3
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Northern Cardinal  2
Common Redpoll  2
House Sparrow  1

 

 

 

Seed Sale & Membership Drive - November 3

On Saturday, November 3, we will hold our annual seed sales at two locations: Garland’s on Park Street in Rutland from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Blue Seal Feeds on Route 7 in Brandon, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. We'll help you pick out the right seed to make your feathered friends happy and there is no sales tax. Checks or cash only please. No pre-order necessary.

Many of you have been loyally coming to our seed sales year after year. Thank you! We appreciate your support. The profits from our sales go to running our chapter. We try hard to keep our expenses down so we can spend more time protecting birds and less time fundraising.  

Another big thank-you to our seed sale hosts - Garland’s Agway in Rutland and Blue Seal Feeds in Brandon are vital supporters of Rutland Audubon. They forgo their seed sale profits for the day to give us this opportunity. We thank them and hope you will give them other business in recognition of their contribution.

The seed sale is also a good time to join our chapter. You can get your fall seed from us at whichever location is best for you. Along with supporting our efforts you will be feeding the birds during winter, their most vulnerable time. While you are there, bring us a bird story or question. We love talking about the birds! 

 

 

West Rutland Marsh - October 2018

Well, it could have been worse! With a 100% chance of rain in the forecast, none of the eight participants said they eagerly jumped out of bed to be in time for today’s walk around West Rutland Marsh. Fortunately, it was warm with little wind, and the ‘real’ rain held off until the second half of the walk.

We ended up tallying 28 species, the same number as one year ago, but three below our October average. Here are some of our highlights:

Two marsh wrens were chattering in the reeds along Marble Street. Although they were fairly close to where we stood, we never saw them. Swamp sparrows gave out a few songs as did a few song sparrows.

A sharp-shinned hawk was mobbed by crows bent on murder. A raven joined the crows who then turned on the raven as the sharpie escaped.

One gray catbird was seen as was a single hermit thrush.

A scolding rattle alerted us to a blue-headed vireo which we then saw as it moved along with a flock of sparrows and yellow-rumped warblers. Numerous yellow-rumped warblers were seen among the tall weeds with some hawking insects. Three common yellowthroats were observed.

Three white-crowned sparrows and several white-throated sparrows were noted.

The walk concluded with an American bittern flying up from the corner of Marble and Water streets and flapping low across the marsh.

Our next walk is scheduled for Thursday, November 15 at a.m. We all love our furry friends, but in order to lessen disturbance to our feathered friends, please leave pets at home.

Today's list:

13 Canada Goose
4 Mourning Dove
1 American Bittern 
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 
4 Downy Woodpecker
4 Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
1 Blue-headed Vireo
13 Blue Jay
27 American Crow
2 Common Raven
16 Black-capped Chickadee
2 Marsh Wren
3 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 Hermit Thrush
29 American Robin
1 Gray Catbird
10 European Starling
1 Cedar Waxwing
3 American Goldfinch
1 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)
3 White-crowned Sparrow
12 White-throated Sparrow
14 Song Sparrow
4 Swamp Sparrow
16 Red-winged Blackbird
3 Common Yellowthroat
23 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
1 Northern Cardinal

Book Review - Birds: The Art of Ornithology

Author Jonathan Elphick has organized his beautifully illustrated book, Birds: The Art of Ornithology in chronologic chapters. Through it all, there are three propulsive currents. First, the development of increasingly sophisticated techniques of printing, advancing from engraving to lithography and beyond, allowing dissemination of bird art to an ever wider public. Second, improved methods of specimen preservation enhancing the study of anatomical detail. And lastly, the maturation over time of the artists’ perception of the essence of the character of his ornithologic subject and how to express that artistically.

Looking back, Captain James Cook’s well-known 18th century South Seas expedition was merely the prototype specimen collecting venture. Indeed, there was a near mania of competitors rushing to explore and document specimens found on all continents. The author covers a plethora of collectors and artists in succinct biographies. Not all were innate naturalists. A Scotsman, Thomas Watting, had used his drawing and engraving skills to forge bank notes, and as punishment, was sent to the Australian convict colony; upon early pardon, he used his skills to depict Australian birds!

The author discusses the wide cast of characters which enabled these, often multivolume, encyclopedic compilations to be produced: world travelers, seamen, taxidermists, artist/adventurers, engravers, watercolorists, publishers, wealthy patrons, subscribers, and ornithologists.

At the end, I felt overwhelmed with beautiful bird art, yet wondered, where it will go from here. Over the ages, bird art has gone from stiff, still subjects, to lively representations of the personality of the birds, and now, often depictions of birds as we truly seen them: blurred in flight or hidden in foliage. In this Anthropocene era, having over-conquered the globe, do we hubristically claim there is nothing more to learn and discover of bird differentiation and intricacies of species? In our rapid-fire internet world do we no longer have the mindset or patience to investigate “every feather around the eye and every scale on the feet?” Today it’s the fantastic digital shots (and questionably photo-shopped) that get National Geographic acclaim.

But the book is a gem in its own right. Most pages have an illustration accompanied by a comment on the artist’s style and intent. It comes in a box, including 34, 10”x 13” prints suitable for framing.

This volume would be great for perusal or study on a cold winter’s night. For our rural community libraries, it would be a lovely addition to set out in a corner reading nook for winter patrons, searching out something to brighten their day. It is available at www.rizzoliusa.com or at Amazon, $45.00.

 

 

West Rutland Marsh - September 2018

The wind was a factor this morning in our ability to detect birds by sound. It was also no doubt keeping them out of sight as well. Fifteen birders (welcome to our new participants!) tallied 28 species along with a falcon species and an accipiter species. This is quite a bit lower than our September average of 38. Our highest September count was in 2008 with 51 species at approximately this same time of the month.

Despite the wind it was a beautiful day to be out and we did have some interesting sightings. A single double-crested cormorant and then three more were circling very high in the sky. An osprey and an immature bald eagle were also seen in flight though not as high as the cormorants.

The ‘bird of the day’ as far as a count was blue jay with 46 of those. Only two warblers species were seen – common yellowthroat and black-throated green warbler, surprisingly low compared to warbler reports around the state this past week. One warbling vireo was seen briefly.

The day ended with the ‘teakettle’ song of a Carolina wren.

Our next walk is scheduled for Thursday, October 11, at 8 a.m. If you can’t get enough of birds before then, be sure to stop by Rutland City Hall, anytime from now until October 10, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to see 12 of National Audubon’s annual photography contest award winners. A reception will be held on Friday, September 28, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Today's list:

Canada Goose  4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  11
Double-crested Cormorant  4    
Great Blue Heron  3
Turkey Vulture  12
Osprey  1    
Accipiter sp.  2
Bald Eagle  1   
Belted Kingfisher  1
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  2
falcon sp.  1    
Eastern Phoebe  2
Warbling Vireo  1
Blue Jay  46
American Crow  9
Common Raven  4
Black-capped Chickadee  11
Tufted Titmouse  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Carolina Wren  1
Gray Catbird  1
European Starling  11
Cedar Waxwing  2
Purple Finch  2
American Goldfinch  13
Song Sparrow  3
Common Yellowthroat  2
Black-throated Green Warbler  2

 

 

National Audubon Photography Award Winners in Rutland

Bird photos are coming to Rutland! And not just any bird photos, but twelve large-sized prints of the annual National Audubon Photography Award winners.

The photographs will be on display at Rutland City Hall on Strongs Avenue from September 19 until October 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday through Friday. Admission is free!

And on Friday, September 28, we’ll have a reception from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at City Hall. Stop by for some bird chat and a short presentation by RCAS Vice President Mike Blust at 7 p.m. So plan a night out in downtown Rutland and make the exhibit part of your evening.

In the meantime, if you’re thinking about entering next year’s National Audubon contest, or just want to improve your pictures for family and friends (or Rutland County Audubon on Flickr), click here or tips from everything from gear to ethics. 

 

West Rutland Marsh - July 2018

Black-billed CuckooOvercast skies were a welcome relief from the relentless sun for the 14 participants of Rutland County Audubon's monthly marsh walk on July 14th.

The day began with juvenile Virginia rails scooting about among the cattails by the boardwalk. Squeaking was what alerted us to their presence. An adult rail was also present keeping an eye on the youngsters.

As we made our way from there a second surprise was a black-billed cuckoo heard calling. It finally flew by and perched for all to see. This was a life bird for one of our group. During the walk a total of four black-billed cuckoos were heard plus one potential yellow-billed cuckoo. However the song was strange sounding as it had elements of the correct call for that species but then adding other notes. So it was noted as a cuckoo species.

Rose-breasted GrosbeakAlder flycatchers were singing their "free beer" song while warbling vireos indeed were warbling. An American redstart was well seen as was a male rose-breasted grosbeak. A chorus of 14 veeries along the route were singing their lovely descending songs.

As we neared the end of the walk another exciting occurrence was a pair of scarlet tanagers flying right by us in hot pursuit. So close did they pass that we could hear the noise of their wings!

The sought after least bittern was seen briefly by one member of the group. We did try to find this secretive bird but no luck for the rest of us.

The tour returned to the boardwalk and we found that 64 species has been seen or heard. A very great outing was had by all.

The next walk is scheduled for Thursday, August 16, 7 a.m., meeting at the boardwalk.

The day's list:

 

Mallard  4
Least Bittern  1    
Great Blue Heron  4
Turkey Vulture  1
Broad-winged Hawk  1
Virginia Rail  5
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  3
Mourning Dove  11
Black-billed Cuckoo  4    
Yellow-billed/Black-billed Cuckoo  1    
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Belted Kingfisher  1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  5
Downy Woodpecker  4
Hairy Woodpecker  3
Northern Flicker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Alder Flycatcher  5
Willow Flycatcher  4
Eastern Phoebe  3
Eastern Kingbird  7
Warbling Vireo  3
Red-eyed Vireo  8
Blue Jay  3
American Crow  4
Common Raven  6    
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1
Tree Swallow  9
Bank Swallow  3
Barn Swallow  9
Cliff Swallow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  4
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
House Wren  1
Marsh Wren  2
Eastern Bluebird  2
Veery  14
Wood Thrush  1
American Robin  17
Gray Catbird  14
European Starling  37
Cedar Waxwing  17
Ovenbird  2
Northern Waterthrush  1
Black-and-white Warbler  2
Common Yellowthroat  14
American Redstart  4
Yellow Warbler  4
Chipping Sparrow  2
Field Sparrow  1    
Song Sparrow  6
Swamp Sparrow  10
Eastern Towhee  1
Scarlet Tanager  3    
Northern Cardinal  6
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  3
Indigo Bunting  1
Red-winged Blackbird  23
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Common Grackle  86    
House Finch  2
Purple Finch  7
American Goldfinch  20
House Sparrow  1

 

 

 

RCAS 2017-18 Annual Report

On July 11, Rutland County Audubon held its annual meeting for our fiscal year ending on June 30, 2018 at the Proctor Library. Following a delicious potluck supper, the business meeting began with the treasurer's report by Russell Kulas.

After the report was approved and accepted, Marv Elliott, chairman of the Nominating Committee, presented the slate of officers for the coming year. Two changes to our current officers will be Thana McGary as Secretary and Marv Elliott as Treasurer, replacing Kathleen Guinness and Roy Pilcher, respectively. The board thanks Kathleen and Roy for their service in these positions.

The business portion of the evening was followed by a presentation of pictures and sound recordings by RCAS members.

President Nate Dansereau presented the following annual report:

Rutland County Audubon had another good year.

We completed a year of monthly walks at West Rutland Marsh with some record-setting days for the number of participants and the some great birds were in attendance also.

It was another good year for the Christmas Bird Count and the Winter Regulars and Rarities trip to the Champlain Valley. 

Members participated in Vermont Green-up Day at West Rutland Marsh in May to help stay ahead of the constant dumping there.

We had some vandalism of the boardwalk this spring and have made efforts to more securely hold down the board walk decking.

Our annual Century Count was a success, coming up just shy of the goal, but it was a great day of birding together.

In June we had what has become an annual event: West Rutland Marsh Education Day. It was another success with a group of members acting as guides to Proctor Elementary School 5th graders at various natural science stations

Over the colder months we had our monthly programs this year at Grace Congregational Church due to some issues at the Fox Room at Rutland Free Library. Successful programs ran from the Grand Tetons to butterflies.

Vermont State Fair: RCAS continued our annual display at last year’s fair

I attended the semi-annual chapter assembly this past winter where we said good-bye to long time Vermont Audubon Director Jim Shallow. Jim is now with the Nature Conservancy.  Audubon Vermont is searching for a new director. We look forward to welcoming a new director at a board meeting.

All Audubon chapters have similar issues with limited active and aging membership. We are always looking for ideas of how we can make this a vibrant, growing chapter. Any ideas for activities and how we can recruit new members are always appreciated.

In addition to this report is our annual financial report. In summary, our financial state is fine as we have little in the way of expenditures. Income and membership is down.

Upcoming activities:

Our website is the best place to check for activities.

Upcoming walk this Saturday, July 14, at West Rutland Marsh

Trip to the Birds of Vermont Museum in Huntington on July 21

Bird walk at the Split Rock Trail in Pittsford on August 11

Details from the Board of Directors:

Rutland County Audubon website:

  • We publish our West Rutland Marsh walk reports on a monthly basis.
  • We also publish trip reports such Winter Regulars and Rarities and our annual Century Count as well as the Christmas Bird Count results.
  • We're always looking for new articles!

Rutland County Audubon Flickr:

  • We currently have 800 photos.
  • Each photo is receiving about 150 views.

Rutland County Audubon Facebook:

  • Currently have 400 likes.
  • Updated frequently to advertise upcoming events and articles of interest from National Audubon.

Events:

Rutland County Christmas Bird Count:

  • Our 43rd count
  • 52 species, over 7000 individual birds counted

West Rutland Marsh:

  • We average 16 participants per walk.
  • This month's walk marks our 17th year of consecutive monthly monitoring, one of the first ongoing bird monitoring walks in the state.
  • Continue to add new species. Golden-winged Warbler was the latest addition.

Audubon VT/VELCO Surveys:

  • Ongoing effort led by Audubon Vermont to tally the number of Golden-winged Warblers along VELCO power lines along with other target species.
  • Several members participated (Sue Eliott, Marv Elliott, Sue Wetmore, Kathleen Guinness, Marsha Booker and others)

Mountain Top Farm was sold to a new owner this spring. We are awaiting a meeting with the new owner and hope to continue monitoring our easement. This is an ongoing issue that we hope to resolve.

Publicity Report

Increased publicity this year has resulted in increased attendance at our events and an increase in the public’s awareness of birds, birding, our natural environment and related issues.

Events for which publicity was provided, in local calendars of events and/or fliers:

Publications and media which provided us with free publicity for these events:

  • The Rutland Herald
  • Sam’s Good News
  • The Rutland Reader
  • The Mountain Times
  • The Brandon Reporter
  • The Manchester News Guide
  • Vermont Woodlands
  • Vermont News Guide
  • The Lakeside News
  • PEG TV
  • WCAX TV

Publication of monthly marsh walk articles from our Birding Journal in three local papers: Sam’s Good News, The Manchester News Team papers, and Vermont Ski News. Thanks to Sue Elliott and Sue Wetmore for providing these.

In addition, Facebook posts by Sue Elliott, website calendars of events on RCAS’ site, and posts in the Rutland Herald Invite and Rutland Chamber of Commerce website calendars kept the e-readers informed of our activities. And a great article by Sue Wetmore appeared in the Rutland magazine.

The manning of booths by RCAS members Kathleen Guinness, DJ Hammond, and Irene Goebel at the Poultney Earth Day event and the June 2nd Rutland Farmers’ Market plus the carrying of our RCAS banner in the Rutland Loyalty Day Parade by Kathleen and Irene rounded out our chapter’s publicity for the year.

Suggestions for other ways and avenues in which to publicize our presence are always welcome.

Respectfully Submitted,

Nathan Dansereau

President Rutland County Audubon