It was a picture-perfect day for our walk around West Rutland and the start of the 25th year of our monthly monitoring of the marsh! Thirteen participants joined us for all or part of the walk.
The Marsh Wrens were silent, but we spotted two at the end of the Marble Street boardwalk along with a couple Swamp Sparrows that sang weakly.
Believe it or not, migration is underway. A Solitary Sandpiper and a Louisiana Waterthrush and three Song Sparrows were sharing a large mud puddle, a rare find with our extremely dry weather. The waterthrush was originally thought to be a Northern Waterthrush, but photos revealed differently.
Solitary Sandpiper. Photo by Sue Elliott.
A couple of flocks comprised largely of Red-eyed Vireos included several warbler species - Black-and-white Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Canada Warbler.
One of the highlights of the walk was a lone Common Nighthawk over Marble Street.
A Baltimore Oriole sang two or three times along Marble Street and a Warbling Vireo sang once although rather weakly.
Three Eastern Wood-Pewees were singing along Whipple Hollow Road and the Whipple Hollow Trail.
Additions to the day’s report along Whipple Hollow Trail included Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, and Winter Wren.
Shoulder-high Goldenrod (Solidagp sp.) covers the Whipple Hollow meadow.
A trip report of all we saw can be found here: https://ebird.org/tripreport/405157
Our next walk is scheduled for Thursday, September 11, at 8 a.m. and meeting at the Marble Street boardwalk.