Join birdwatchers across the U.S. and Canada for the Great Backyard Bird Count on February 12 – 15. Your participation, besides being a lot of fun, will help scientists learn more about our backyard birds.White-breasted Nuthatch Last year 620 species were submitted on 94,165 checklists with an astounding 11,558,638 individual birds counted across the country.

Click on the Blue Jay below for information on how to participate (it’s easy!), photos from past counts, and tips on identifying those tricky little brown birds.

Want to venture further afield? Join RCAS for its monthly monitoring walk around West Rutland Marsh on Saturday, February 13. Meet at the West Rutland Price Chopper parking lot at 8 AM.

So fill your feeders, grab your binoculars, and get ready to count!

RCAS had a spectacular day for the annual Winter Regulars and Rarities in the Champlain Valley trip on January 16. Nineteen participants, perhaps suffering from cabin fever and inspired by the day’s beautiful weather, gathered to tally 42 species at various points along Lake Champlain. Previous years’ trips have averaged about 33 species.

Sunshine, no wind, and warm temperatures made for good, and comfortable, viewing conditions. The day was even fair enough to enjoy lunch outdoors at Ferrisburg Town Beach once the picnic table was cleared of snow with a snowbrush.

Waterfowl, the highlight of any winter trip along the lake, included a good number of Common Goldeneye (581). At Meach Cove in Shelburne they were in close enough to shore to see them in close detail, including the males throwing their heads back in courtship display. One Horned Grebe was also seen at Meach Cove. Another eight grebes were at Charlotte Town Beach. Two Common Loons, no longer sporting their formal summer attire, were also seen there. A third Common Loon was observed at Converse Bay, but what drew the observers’ attention was a Double-crested Cormorant, about seven weeks out of season. A Belted Kingfisher, also uncommon in winter, was also heard.

Other highlights included a high number of Red-tailed Hawk (29) and Bald Eagle (16). The eagles included two immatures bathing side by side in the water along the shore. Four Rough-legged Hawks, being reported in lower numbers this year, were observed. Last year we reported 19.

Other birds which birders search for in winter are Northern Shrike and Snow Bunting. The group enjoyed good looks at a shrike through a spotting scope as perched high in a tree in the bright sunshine. Snow Buntings were located in two locations, sparkling across snowy fields in small flocks.

Eastern Bluebirds and American Robins in several locations were another cheerful addition to the day as was a Red-bellied Woodpecker at Kingsland Bay. The day ended with 80 Horned Larks on Nortontown Road in Addison.

A total of 25 checklists were submitted to eBird.

A special thanks to Roy Pilcher for leading a sometimes unruly, but grateful, crowd through the Champlain Valley.

Total Species List:

The Rutland County Audubon Christmas Bird Count held on December 26 produced forty-three species and a total of 6,333 individual birds. This compares to a 10-year running average of 49.5 species and 9,103 individual birds.

This year family gatherings, work obligations and illness reduced the number of field teams from eight to seven, comprised of 19 observers. Dire predictions of sleet and rain did not materialize, but winds of 10 to 15 mph with gusts of 30 to 35 mph no doubt affected the numbers as birds, like us, dislike being out in bad weather.

Nevertheless, dedicated birders, plus nine feeder watchers, prevailed, completing RCAS’s 36^th annual CBC. 749 Black-capped Chickadees were seen during this year's CBCAnd, as in most years, new records were broken. The numbers of Mallard and Common Merganser set new highs with 474 and 16, respectively. Other species have established themselves as regulars on the annual list such as Red-bellied Woodpecker (1) and Carolina Wren (4). Bald Eagle made its second CBC appearance.

Other species, whose numbers are cyclical and tied to food sources, were in low numbers or absent altogether this year such as White-winged Crossbill (0), Common Redpoll (0), and Pine Siskin (1). Other species, sadly, seem to be observed in declining numbers as the years pass. For example Evening Grosbeak has not been observed since 2007 when 45 were counted. In 1983 there were a record 1,871 grosbeaks!

One bonus is Christmas Bird Count protocol which allows 142 Dark-eyed Juncos were countedspecies seen during the count week, but not the day of the count, to be included in the final tally. This year, thanks to keen eyes and a bit of extra effort, Cooper’s Hawk, Barred Owl, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Northern Shrike, and Pine Siskin were added during count week.

Stories of the day and a countdown of the day’s birds were shared that evening at the potluck supper at the Proctor Library. Good food and the camaraderie of fellow birders closed out the birding year for RCAS. 

Many thanks to Roy Pilcher for making sure the CBC happens, as he does every year, and to all the participants for their dedication to the Christmas Bird Count!

Information on past counts across the country can be found at the National Audubon website.  Once the final results are reviewed, the 2009 data will be available as well.

Hope to see you at the 2010 count!