2013 christmas bird count results

a Barred Owl peers at a field team in Rutland TownOn Saturday, December 28, Rutland County Audubon completed its 40^th annual consecutive Christmas Bird Count. On the national level it marked the 114^th Christmas Bird Count.

Recognition and credit is due to the 22 dedicated field observers and eight faithful home feeder watchers who participated. Two dozen participants rallied later in the evening at the Proctor Free Library for a pot-luck supper and count down. To the four team members from outside Rutland County who joined the local teams, thank you for your enthusiasm and contributions. 

Weather conditions were mostly favorable with partly cloudy skies in the morning becoming more intense in the afternoon while a biting westerly wind at times gusted up to 15 mph. Temperatures for most of the day were above freezing and remained in the 30° to 38° range. Small ponds were frozen but streams were open, a contributing factor to the record number of Belted Kingfisher tallied. Snow cover varied from open ground to approximately 4 inches. Roads were clear, well sanded and drivable, an important consideration with the field teams covering 386.5 miles by car.

With 8,674 individual birds counted the number was within 2% of the ten year running average of 8832. The species count of 51 closely reflected the ten-year running average of 51.2.

In spite of the apparent ordinariness of the above numbers several records were established. The sighting of a single Bald Eagle and three Rough-legged Hawks matched previous records for the species. A Red-tailed Hawk count of 42 exceeded the previous record of 37 established 15 years previously. For many years only a single Peregrine Falcon had been sighted, now the record is two. It was a good year for Belted Kingfisher with a tally of six. The previous record of four goes back 25 years. The Carolina Wren total of 16 birds increased the record by one.

partly open water attracted geese and Belted KingfishersA new species was added to the count as species number 101 for the forty years Rutland County has undertaken the Christmas Bird Count. The new species is none other than the Vermont State Bird, the Hermit Thrush. Not one but two Hermit Thrush were documented! One bird was heard and the other bird was seen, each bird by a separate field team. Well done!

Count Numbers:

Canada Goose (705), American Black Duck (43), Mallard (74), Common Merganser (4), Bald Eagle (1), Sharp-shinned Hawk (1), Cooper’s Hawk (5), Red-tailed Hawk (42), Rough-legged Hawk (3), Peregrine Falcon (2), Ruffed Grouse (2), Wild Turkey (30), Rock Pigeon (609), Mourning Dove, (388), Barred Owl (1), Belted Kingfisher (6), Red-bellied Woodpecker (4), Downy Woodpecker (57), Hairy Woodpecker (32), Pileated Woodpecker (8), Horned Lark (10), Blue Jay (359), American Crow (1045), Common Raven (18), Black-capped Chickadee (858), Tufted Titmouse (67), Red-breasted Nuthatch (16),

White-breasted Nuthatch (78), Brown Creeper (7), Carolina Wren (16), Winter Wren (2), Golden-crowned Kinglet (13), Eastern Bluebird (25), Hermit Thrush* (2), American Robin (60), Cedar Waxwing (511), Northern Shrike (1), European Starling (1956), Northern Cardinal (110), American Tree Sparrow (237), Song Sparrow (4), White-throated Sparrow (20), Dark-eyed Junco (263), Snow Bunting (3), Red-winged Blackbird (4), Rusty Blackbird (10), Brown-headed Cowbird (4), Purple Finch (8), House Finch (68), American Goldfinch (475), House Sparrow (307).

Bold → Record Number    * New Species to the count.

book review: bird sense by tim birkhead

In this concise guide, Tim Birkhead’s goal is not only to explain the biology, anatomy and physiology of bird sensation, but also to enable us to perceive what it feels like to be a bird – to be snuffling the humid undergrowth like a kiwi, or to sniff rain falling 100 km away like a flamingo.

The author gives a lucid description of bird senses, allotting a chapter to each: seeing, hearing, touch, taste, smell, magnetic sense and emotions, and traces the observational and experimental history that led to the current understanding. He relates clever, insightful means of testing hypotheses and debunking or confirming folk anecdotes. An important point is that our conclusions of how birds sense are constrained by the limitations and biases of our own human senses. Notable in this respect, was the discovery of birds’ ability to detect ultraviolet light.

In some cases, as for the eye, the avian sense organ is anatomically distinct from that of humans. Birds of prey, with their extraordinary vision, have two foveae (where the image is sharpest) whereas humans have one. Birds have a nictitating membrane under the eyelid, which cleans and protects the eye. They also have an unusual structure, the pecten, which projects into the posterior chamber and contains a mass of blood vessels able to provide oxygen and other nutrients to the eye. As opposed to the human eye, which has a richly vascularized retina, the bird’s eye is largely bereft of blood vessels, other than those of the pecten.

Birkhead sidesteps for a moment, to remind us that the brain, of course, is the ultimate mediator of all sensation: long, fine, neuronal axons link the sense receptors to the brain. However, the brain is not just a passive control center. For example, the center of the avian brain that controls acquisition and production of song in male birds shrinks at the end of the breeding season and grows again the next spring.

a Sanderling probes for foodUntil recently, birds were not thought to have senses for touch, taste and smell. The development of higher power microscopes and finer dissection techniques revealed that birds have touch receptors within pits in their beaks. Using these sensitive bill tips, birds like sandpipers, woodcock and snipe detect prey such as worms or mollusks either by touching them directly or detecting their vibrations, or by noticing pressure changes in sand or mud.

Complex studies have also elucidated the sense of taste in birds. Taste buds were found to be located at the back of the tongue and throat and in the palate. Birds are able to respond to the same four categories as humans: sweet, sour, bitter and salt. Research has shown that hummingbirds can detect differences in the amount of sugar in nectar, fruit-eating birds can differentiate ripe and unripe fruit, and sandpipers can taste the presence of worms in sand.

At the end of the chapter on taste, the author takes an odd, almost reverse track in discussing the five New Guinea birds that are toxic to humans and he goes on to query the relation of plumage color to palatability.

If a book on bird physiology can possibly have a climax, Birkhead pulls it off in the chapter on smell. He begins by dethroning our beloved John James Audubon, at least on his merits as a scientific logician. Audubon believed vultures had no sense of smell, as they were unable to detect carcasses he had hidden in secluded spots, like a dead tree cavity. His conclusions even received plaudits in the scientific journals of the time. Later it was determined that vultures only respond to fresh carcasses, whereas Audubon had supplied only rotting carrion.

Contrariwise, it was Betsy Bang, a Hopkins trained medical illustrator, but only an amateur ornithologist, who did the fine dissections delineating the labyrinthine maze of bird nasal cavities. She also measured, with a ruler, the olfactory bulb size of many birds and developed an index of size corresponding to olfaction’s relative importance, the kiwi coming out on top. However, in subsequent decades, this straightforward reasoning did not always hold true. Recent, the advent of 3D reconstruction by means of high resolution scanning and tomography has shown the volume of the olfactory bulb to be a much better measure of olfactory sensibility.

Topping off this chapter on taste is a bombastic statement only a pretentious birder would declare: “Apart from the publication of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and the ongoing Napoleonic War, the most significant event of 1813 was Europe’s discovery of the kiwi." Indeed, having very poor eyesight, the kiwi is very dependent on foraging by snuffling into the ground for earthworms.

As humans have no innate magnetic sense, scientists were at ground zero when contemplating this capability in birds. Actually, they were in negative territory, since it is only recently that it has even been speculated that birds possess this special property. Some of the first studies were done by Steve Emlen implementing his Emlen funnel: "It consists of a blotting paper funnel about 10 cm in diameter, with an ink pad at the bottom, and a domed wire mesh top, through which birds can see the sky. As the bird hops, the ink on its feet leaves a trace on the blotting paper which provides an index both of the direction and intensity of the migration." (A drawing of this apparatus would have enhanced the reader’s visualization.) In further searching for the Holy Grail of a “magnetic compass,” robins were put in a cage surrounded by huge electromagnetic coils. Shifting of the magnetic fields altered the direction of the robins’ hopping.

Alas, there is no “magnetic organ” as such. “Magnetic sensations are different, because unlike light and sound, they can pass through tissue: this means it is possible for a bird to detect magnetic fields via chemical reactions inside individual cells and through its entire body.” Ingenuous studies have substantiated a visually induced chemical reaction as the mechanism of magnetic field detection. On a grander scale, we have seen how the new geolocators and satellite trackers have been utilized to study bird migration and navigation.

Lastly, emotions – still largely a conjecture and somewhat of a romantic frontier of investigation – perhaps mocked by many, but any devout birder will tell you that the behavior she/she has seen suggests otherwise.

Although each chapter has an introductory page with a few drawings and diagrams, more would have provided further clarification. Birkhead’s writing is clear and flows at an even pace. Anatomy and biology come alive and are not fact-ridden and textbook like. At only 209 pages, it will provide pleasant and enlightening reading for a few dark winter evenings.

Click here to check out some of the other books we've review.

christmas bird count feeder watchers needed!

Downy WoodpeckerCalling all Feeder Watchers!

This year’s annual Christmas Bird Count marks the 114th for National Audubon and the 40th for Rutland County Audubon. The information collected for over 2,300 counts in Canada, Mexico and the USA is combined into a single data set that constitutes the longest and most extensive Citizen Science bird monitoring exercise ever!

Count protocol dictates that the count area be a circle 15 miles in diameter and once designated remains constant. The local count circle is centered where Route 4 west crosses the Otter Creek in Center Rutland.

If you have a feeding station at home that attracts a “countable” number of birds and, if you live in Rutland City, Rutland Town, West Rutland or Proctor and would be willing to identify and tally your birds on count day, Saturday, December 28, please contact Roy Pilcher at shamwarivt@aol.com and he will take it from there.

west rutland marsh - december monitoring report

Brrrrrr! Twelve degrees greeted eight participants for our 149^th consecutive monthly monitoring walk around West Rutland Marsh. Fortunately a crystal clear day and no wind compensated for the chilly temperatures.

Nineteen species were tallied, matching last year’s December count, and one above our December average.

While a handful of American Tree Sparrows took advantage of the feeding station at the kiosk (some singing), a large flock of 23 was observed further down Marble Street. The cheery song of a Carolina Wren was heard along Whipple Hollow Road.

Other highlights included two Red-tailed Hawks basking in the morning sun and a lone Red-winged Blackbird, hopefully winging south.

The next marsh walk is scheduled for Thursday, January 16, at 8 AM.

Today's list:

Canada Goose  32   
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Mourning Dove  30
Downy Woodpecker  2
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Blue Jay  21
Black-capped Chickadee  42
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Brown Creeper  1
Carolina Wren  1
European Starling  3
American Tree Sparrow  31    
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  8
Northern Cardinal  4
Red-winged Blackbird  1
House Finch  2
American Goldfinch  8
House Sparrow  6

west rutland marsh - november monitoring report

a Black-capped Chickadee clings to phragmitesWith a brisk breeze blowing in our faces (seemingly from whichever direction we faced) and a chilly temperature, we had our first taste of winter birding this morning at West Rutland Marsh.

Eighteen species were tallied, one less than last year this time, but equaling our November 13-year average. Our highest November count has been 26 and as low as 11.

Most of the action was found at the feeders at some of the residences that circle the marsh. However, a Belted Kingfisher was observed flying over the marsh and the ‘kyeer’ of an unseen Northern Flicker was heard coming from the trees along Marble Street.

A Cooper’s Hawk circled overhead and was the only raptor for the day. 

As expected American Tree Sparrows have arrived although not in great numbers. The only other sparrow species was Dark-eyed Junco.

The next marsh walk is scheduled for December 12 at 8 AM.  

Today's list:

Mallard  8
Cooper's Hawk  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  3
Mourning Dove  7
Belted Kingfisher  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  1
Blue Jay  9
American Crow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  23
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Golden-crowned Kinglet  2
American Robin  3
American Tree Sparrow  3
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  5
House Finch  3
American Goldfinch  18

thank you RCAS seed sale supporters

Thank you to everyone who supported RCAS by stopping by Garland’s Agway this past Saturday to buy seed. And a special thanks to Paul Garland and his staff for supporting us in this annual effort.

RCAS also uses this time to spread the Audubon message and to attract new members. Thank you to all who signed up. This includes Dave Underhill who received a birdhouse for joining RCAS. In addition, Dave was the winner of a free bag of seed as a result of the drawing held in conjunction with the RCAS display in the Forestry Building at this year’s Vermont State Fair.  

Hope to see you this winter at the RCAS seed sale at the new Brandon Blue Seal store! Until then may your feeders attract your favorite birds!

RCAS annual seed sale and membership drive - November 2

Red-breasted Nuthatch It’s that time again – to fill our feeders and watch the birds from the warm comfort of our own homes.  Plan to stock up on Saturday, November 2 at the annual RCAS birdseed sale and membership drive at Garland’s Agway on Park Street in Rutland. Hours run from 8 AM to 1 PM.

Seed prices are good this year and you won’t pay sales tax. Cash or check only please. In addition, Agway is offering 25% off their birdfeeders (sales tax applies to those).

If you are not a member of RCAS, please consider joining us. New members will receive a free birdhouse at the sale.

Hope to see you on the 2^nd!

Note: Due to Brandon Blue Seal Feeds moving to a new and improved location on Rte 7, the annual RCAS seed sale there will take place after the first of the year.

audubon adventures

Teachers, are you looking for a fun way to teach environmental science and language arts to your students? And that is also educational and correlates to the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and the Next Generation Science Standards for grades 3 – 5? Then look no further. Why not try Audubon Adventures? Audubon Adventures is an award-winning, nationally-acclaimed program that aims to interest children in exploring, learning about, and enjoying the natural world around them. It comes directly to the teacher as a kit of materials, including a classroom guide with background material for teachers and hands-on activities inside and outside the classroom. New this year is interactive web content that will be updated monthly and will enhance the printed student newspapers and classroom guides. All this for the modest cost of $38.50. Rutland County Audubon picks up the cost of the first year.

The theme for the 2013-2014 school year is Sharing Our World with Birds. It covers the following topics:

• Seabirds: Feathered Ocean Travelers – highlights the successful reintroduction of breeding colonies of puffins in the Gulf of Maine

• Hooray for Hummingbirds!

• Raptors! The Birds of Prey

• Caring For Our Planet – highlights ways kids can get involved in conservation projects

Click here for more information. If you are interested in participating, contact Marsha Booker at mbooker105@hotmail.com. This year there are seven classrooms and one afterschool program in Rutland County already participating. Homeschool kits are also available. Assistance in paying for the kits may be available.

west rutland marsh - october monitoring report

Eastern BluebirdNot much could be done to improve today’s trip around West Rutland Marsh, our 147^th consecutive monthly monitoring walk. Cool morning temperatures rose to 70 degrees and the sky was cloudless. Thirteen participants tallied 34 species, matching last year’s total and two above our 13-year average.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets were in much evidence, a couple of them even singing. Two Golden-crowned Kinglets were also spotted. Swamp Sparrows and Song Sparrows were also singing. At one point a Marsh Wren, a Carolina Wren and House Wren were battling for best vocalist.

A soaring Red-tailed Hawk looked much like the front cover of the Sibley Field guide. Three Northern Harriers were observed including one high up near the mountain ridge.

The always popular Eastern Bluebirds were present giving everyone a good look and looking spectacular against the blue sky.

A single Hermit Thrush was seen, but no Gray Catbird or Common Yellowthroat. Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows were in much evidence as with the rest of the state this week. A single Savannah Sparrow was noted.

Several Red-winged Blackbirds were seen, but Common Grackles were present in large numbers including a flock of 300 or so on Pleasant Street.

Our next marsh walk is scheduled for Thursday, November 14, 8 AM.

Today's list:

Canada Goose  300
American Black Duck  1
Mallard  17
Great Blue Heron  1
Northern Harrier  3
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Mourning Dove  2
Belted Kingfisher  2
Downy Woodpecker  3
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue Jay  7
American Crow  3
Common Raven  8
Black-capped Chickadee  19
Tufted Titmouse  2
Marsh Wren  1
Carolina Wren  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  9
Eastern Bluebird  3
Hermit Thrush  1
American Robin  22
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  4
Savannah Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  9
Swamp Sparrow  8
White-throated Sparrow  26
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)  21
Northern Cardinal  1
Red-winged Blackbird  22
Common Grackle  339
American Goldfinch  10

book review: butterfly people

Silver-bordered FritillaryThe benefits of casual browsing struck again when I espied Butterfly People at the Rutland Free Library. A rainbow of multicolored butterflies covered a book set atop the ‘new selections’ case. Like nectar, it drew me in. A quick thumb through revealed many plates of butterflies and moths illustrated with artists’ skillful drawings, saturated with deep oranges, yellows and blues. They evoked a collision of sensuous beauty with scientific detail – wing venation to internal organ systems. Such enticement is the jewel in William Leach’s historic chronicle of nineteenth century America’s infatuation with butterflies.

The Victorian world is often acclaimed as the ‘heyday’ of natural history. Similar to what I related regarding early gatherers of bird eggs in my review of Oology and Ralph’s Talking Eggs, butterfly collection had become a frenzied mania. To capture hundreds of butterflies during a day’s outing was routine. As with bird eggs, butterflies were a marketable commodity, with advertisers searching for distinct species. Henry Edwards amassed 250,000 specimens.

The adventurous and harrowed lives of many ‘butterfly people’ are outlined by Leach, highlighting the curious ways they became enamored of butterflies. One of the chief collectors, Wm. Henry Edwards was a West Virginian coal mining kingpin. Many had another primary day job: Herman Stecker was a stone mason. Very few arose from a professional science background because they were the first ones writing the biological science of butterflies, dissecting and describing morphology, analyzing and comparing species.

American LadyTwo of the main contentions were species distinction and taxonomy. Sexual dimorphism of males and females, and sometimes significant changes in the mature winged adult throughout its lifespan, were the source of much confusion and heated debate. Arguments also arose over taxonomic nomenclatures – should it be Linnaean, alluding to antigenic relations, or should just a common vernacular name be attached? Stecker named one moth “Eudaemonia jehovah.” At this even his religious friends thought he had breached conventional standards of decency. Another source of dispute and rancor (Darwin having lately arrived on the scene) was whether each species was a perfected end in itself or represented evolutionary adaptations over eons. In fact, sixty fossil butterflies were discovered during this time.

An interesting parallel between today and these 19^th century butterfly people, popped out to me. Today many birders saunter out and post their notable findings on eBird or similar websites and listservs for professionals such as the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and etc. to encounter, accumulate, consolidate and arrive at hypotheses on species survival or decline, distribution, etc. Similarly the Victorian ‘butterfly people’ often fell into two groups. The collectors did the field work, catching as much as possible and shipping their harvest off to those like Wm. Henry Edwards who spent most of his hours at his desk in his library, examining specimens and writing the first catalog listings of butterflies and moths.

This is a fascinating story, well written, except that I often had trouble keeping straight Wm. Henry Edwards and Henry Edwards, two separate collectors who were close colleagues. It makes one long for earlier decades when there was such a widespread enthusiasm to get outside and experience and learn more about the natural world. Even further, one hopes mankind harbors a deeper reverence for nature beyond the monetary economies of the ‘collecting bug.’

Be sure to check the RCAS Flickr page for more photos of some of the beautiful butterflies that can be seen in Vermont.

hawk watching at Mt. Philo

Hawk watches might seem a bit strange especially to novices. A group of birders perch on a rocky outcrop staring out into the sky and clouds, seemingly at nothing and sometimes at unidentified specks.

Raptors (hawk, falcons and accipiters) migrate over several weeks in the fall, but the Broad-winged Hawk movement is restricted to a short period in mid-September. However, pinpointing the exact moments raptors will pass over a hawk watch site is an inexact science. So it went with RCAS’s annual visit to Mt. Philo State Park on September 14.

the view from Mt. PhiloFortunately, the breaks in the action, and there were many, were filled with the camaraderie of birders. There was much joking, laughing and the more serious business of sharing birding knowledge and experiences. With the backdrop of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks, the morning went quickly.

One of the early highlights was an immature Broad-winged Hawk sailing beneath the outcrop, its markings clearly visible to even the inexperienced. Bald Eagles caught the attention of non-birding picnickers. In all eight raptor species were identified (Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk).

a kettle of hawkJust before we departed a kettle of broad-wings came from behind Mt. Philo and into our line of vision. A kettle is a group of migrating raptors taking advantage of thermal updrafts to gain altitude and then ‘peeling off’ and moving on, an energy saving measure.

As always there are other things to see in the Champlain Valley. Earlier reports of shorebirds on Lake Road in Charlotte drew us there after leaving Mt. Philo. Although few birds were left, we did manage to scope an American Golden-plover, a Baird’s Sandpiper and two Pectoral Sandpipers along with several Killdeer. A late stop at the Brilyea Access at Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area gave us a hint at the next group of migrants to pass through - waterfowl. There we saw Green-winged Teal, a couple Blue-winged Teal and, overhead, a skein of Canada Geese.

west rutland marsh - september monitoring report

Marsh WrenIt was a spectacular almost fall morning at West Rutland Marsh as 10 birders gathered to tally 40 species. This is above last year’s mark of 38 as well as our 13-year average of 38.

As the fog over the marsh began to lift and the sky turned a cloudless blue, the birds became more active. There is plenty of fruit to help the migrants on their way and those that will remain for the winter. Temperatures started in the mid-40s, but rose to around 70 at the mid-point of the walk.

As always there were several highlights. A very obliging Tennessee Warbler was a first for at least two participants. Other warblers included Common Yellowthroat and Yellow-rumped and Black-throated Green warblers. 

Tennessee WarblerTwo Marsh Wrens came in for close observation, one an adult and the other an immature. Swamp Sparrows were numerous and one Lincoln’s Sparrow was in a weedy field singing a weak song. A Blue-headed Vireo, on the other hand, was singing robustly. 

A Ruby-crowned Kinglet was seen. Raptor numbers were low – one Sharp-shined Hawk and one Northern Harrier.

The next marsh walk is scheduled for Saturday, October 12, starting at 8 AM.

The complete list:

Wood Duck  1
Turkey Vulture  1
Northern Harrier  1
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1
Rock Pigeon  7
Mourning Dove  11
Belted Kingfisher  2
Downy Woodpecker  10
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  1
Pileated Woodpecker  2
Eastern Phoebe  7
Blue-headed Vireo  1   
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay  9
American Crow  6
Common Raven  1
Black-capped Chickadee  18
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Marsh Wren  2
Carolina Wren  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
American Robin  4
Gray Catbird  17
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  10
Cedar Waxwing  4
Tennessee Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  5
Yellow-rumped Warbler  2
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
Song Sparrow  3
Lincoln's Sparrow  1
Swamp Sparrow  13
Northern Cardinal  2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Red-winged Blackbird  129
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  18

see you at the fair

Stop by the Forestry Building at the Vermont State Fair in Rutland! Once again RCAS has a display in honor of the fair’s ‘tree of the year’ – this year’s tree is the oak.

RCAS Board Member Kathleen Guinness worked hard researching the many ways birds utilize oaks. Learn all about it through fun facts and photos.

And if you haven’t signed up to be on our email list for events, programs and website articles, be sure to complete an entry form to win a 40 lb. bag of black oil bird seed at the annual seed sale at Garland’s Agway in November.

west rutland marsh - august monitoring report

a perfect day at the marshRCAS celebrated a new year at West Rutland Marsh this morning and a happy one it was. Twelve participants joined us as we began our 13^th year of monitoring the marsh. It is worth noting that over the years we have counted 145 species and, albeit with many repeats, have had 1,693 participants. And not to mention walking almost 537 miles!

Fifty-one species were tallied today, six more than this time last year and well above our August average of 45. 

Today’s walk couldn’t have been better - a blue-sky day with just a smidgen of fall in the air. Trees and shrubs are showing plenty of fruit. This bodes well for the coming migration. The Cedar Waxwings are already digging in.

A lone Virginia Rail was heard and then put in a very brief appearance. Swamp Sparrows and Marsh Wrens are still being heard. 

Several warblers were about, most notably American Redstarts and Black-and-white Warblers and, of course, Common Yellowthroats. One Chestnut-sided Warbler and one Yellow Warbler were a nice addition.

plenty of fruit for migrantsOne of the surprises today was the number of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, 13 in all. Many were seen in pairs with what looked like immatures chasing females. Several immature Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were also observed.

A small group of Bobolinks was in the field near the intersection of Pleasant Street and Whipple Hollow Road.

Next month's walk is scheduled for Thursday, September 19, 7 AM.

Today's list:

Mallard  4
Great Blue Heron  2
Turkey Vulture  6
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Virginia Rail  1
Killdeer  1
Mourning Dove  26
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  13    
Belted Kingfisher  3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  4
Downy Woodpecker  7
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  2
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Willow Flycatcher  5
Eastern Phoebe  7
Great Crested Flycatcher  2
Eastern Kingbird  8
Warbling Vireo  2
Red-eyed Vireo  11
Blue Jay  5
American Crow  3
Common Raven  1
Tree Swallow  4
Barn Swallow  7
Black-capped Chickadee  14
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
House Wren  1
Marsh Wren  3
Carolina Wren  2
Eastern Bluebird  1
Veery  1
American Robin  6
Gray Catbird  17
Cedar Waxwing  22
Black-and-white Warbler  4
Common Yellowthroat  11
American Redstart  6
Yellow Warbler  1
Chestnut-sided Warbler  1
Chipping Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  7
Swamp Sparrow  6
Northern Cardinal  7
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  3
Bobolink  7
Red-winged Blackbird  72
Common Grackle  1
Purple Finch  5
House Finch  4
American Goldfinch  18

audubon camp at hog island, maine

Atlantic PuffinMy husband Larry and I attended Audubon Camp on Hog Island, Maine, in June. The session we attended was called The Joy of Birding. Mid-afternoon on Sunday, June 9^th, we boarded a boat along with some of the other campers. It took us the ¼ mile trip to Hog Island. After getting settled in our room, we went down to the main gathering spot, and what was the first thing that happened? A porcupine strolled leisurely around the dining building, oblivious to everyone, climbed an apple tree, ate some leaves, and promptly went to sleep. The next thing that happened was hearing and seeing a very cooperative Northern Parula, a warbler and a life bird for me, which turned out to be the first of many that live on the Island. This was a great beginning to the adventure of the next few days. We then all gathered in a circle in the Fish House and introduced ourselves. There were almost 60 campers from states all over the country (Texas, California, Virginia, New Mexico, Florida and Pennsylvania, to name a few) as well as Canada. We also were introduced to the camp leaders for that week:  Chris Lewey, Rich Eakin, Wayne Petersen, John Pumilio, Sue Schubel, Pete Salmansohn, Clay and Pat Sutton, and Juanita Roushdy, who is also the president of Friends of Hog Island.

At dinner at 6:00 we learned all the procedures for the week. Everyone was responsible for making the dining area run smoothly. If you sat in a particular seat, you were the “hopper” that day and were the one who took all the dirty dishes to the dishwashing crew. Everyone had a cloth napkin that was hung with a personalized clothespin on a line after using and was your napkin for the week.  There was no waste – all uneaten food left in serving dishes was returned and reappeared later in a different guise. There was a compost bin. Each leader sat at the head of a different table so campers were able to chat with them, ask questions, and just get to know them on a more personal basis. I was impressed.

Immediately after dinner, we reconvened in the Fish House. Pete Salmansohn, who is involved with Project Puffin, gave a presentation on the history of Hog Island, and Chris Lewey presented Maine Coastal Ecology. This turned out to be a nightly pattern:  dinner at 6:00 followed by a presentation at 7:15 by one of the leaders or a guest. We were treated to Hawks by Clay Sutton, Island Birds by Rich Eakin, Migration by Scott Weidensaul, and Puffins by Steve Kress, who has directed the Puffin Project since 1973. After the presentations, the schedule for the following day was announced. Each morning there was an early bird walk at 5:45, breakfast at 7:00, and 8:15 the time to meet your group for the daily field trip. The campers had been divided into groups named after birds. On Monday, our first full day of camp, the Loons and the Parulas were going on the boat trip to Eastern Egg Rock to see Puffins. The other two groups (Gulls and Terns, I think) would be going on a mainland birding trip. Since Larry and I were Loons, our first day would be exciting. 

We went back to our cozy, but small, room. Since our accommodations in the Queen Mary building held 18 campers, but only two bathrooms and two showers, getting ready for bed involved some waiting in line. This was something new for me. I had never gone to camp as a kid. But everyone was patient and nice, so it worked out. 

Monday morning, I awoke at 3:30a.m. and couldn’t get back to sleep. I guess I was eager to get going.  Every morning there, I woke up by 4:30. I think it was the sun shining in our east facing window. I literally woke up with the birds. So that first day, I went on the early morning bird walk – heard more Parulas, and Juncos were trilling. Right behind the dining building there was an Osprey sitting on a nest that had two chicks in it (we later got to see this on a birdcam in the dining room).

The weather was absolutely perfect for our boat ride. The sun was shining and the sea was calm. Along the way to Eastern Egg Island, which is about 8 miles from Hog Island, we saw Bald Eagles, Ospreys (sometimes in conflict with each other), Eiders, Black Guillemots, and many gulls. Sue Schubel, another veteran of Project Puffin, provided a running commentary of what we were seeing as well as the history of puffins on Eastern Egg Island. We stopped to look into the water to see how abundant the fish were and why that area in the Gulf of Maine draws so many birds to it. When we finally reached the island, we were not disappointed. There were many puffins, some as close as ten feet from the boat (no need for binoculars). There also were more guillemots, two Razorbills, cormorants, and Roseate, Common, and Arctic terns. 

When we all had had our fill of puffins (if that’s possible!), we sailed to Harbor Island to have lunch and for some afternoon field trips. Since I had trouble getting on and off the boat and into a motorboat to get onto the island, I opted for the easy field trip, a walk in a typical low, shrubby habitat, where we encountered many Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warblers, Song Sparrows, a few Gray Catbirds, and an Alder Flycatcher, among others. One of the two other groups had gone on a challenging geology walk, and the other walked a moderate trail, the highlight of which was a Great Horned Owl and her owlets nesting behind the property of the one family that had a home on the island.

Back on Hog Island in late afternoon, we then had dinner and a presentation on hawks by Clay Sutton. The schedule for the next day involved a major change to Plan B since the weather report was forecasting a bad storm. The Gulls and Terns would not be able to do the trip to Eastern Egg Island as scheduled.   

Plan B on Tuesday consisted first of a panel discussion with the leaders about how to become a better birder. The discussion was interesting. We spent a good deal of time discussing the use of audio playback when bird watching. After that campers could choose from presentations given by each of the leaders. These ran the gamut of topics from painting birds to the first year of life of a passerine, storytelling, how to spot owls, gardening for birds and birds asleep. One of the two I chose to attend was called Unfamiliar Facts, Familiar Faces given by Wayne Petersen. I learned that, while most birds learn their songs from their dads, tyrant flycatchers, like our Willow, Alder, Phoebe, Kingbird, etc., are genetically programmed and know their song inherently.  I really wanted to see the Birds Asleep presentation, but decided that I needed some sleep myself by that time. Larry had been snoozing most of the day, which had turned out to be pretty stormy, with a lot of rain and a chilly wind. For most of the week it was cool with temperatures in the 60s. I was glad I had packed mostly warm clothing, and most days wore three layers.

Wednesday’s weather was considerably better, but still cloudy and drizzly. The Gulls and Terns groups got to go see puffins, while our group did the mainland birding trip. We stopped at several roadside places where we heard Brown Creeper, Canada Warbler, and Hermit Thrush singing, but they wouldn’t show their faces. At a wonderful place managed by the Damariscotta River Association, we heard a Sora and got good looks at it and a family of Pied-billed Grebes. There were also many swallows and Bobolinks in an adjacent field. Next we visited a blueberry barren, where I got to see another life bird, Vesper Sparrow. An American Kestrel was there also. 

The leaders were excellent. They knew where the birds were, were very judicious in their use of playback, and they all knew so much about the plants, flowers, trees, and ferns that we were seeing. They answered our questions with knowledge and clarity. 

That evening, we had a real treat. Scott Weidensaul was the guest speaker. He gave a passionate talk on bird migration, in which he described some of the amazing things that have been learned about bird migration in the past several years with the use of geolocators. Some birds are traveling much greater distances during migration than had been thought, and their bodies undergo incredible physiological changes that enable them to do this. He ended with a call for people who care about birds to drink shade-grown coffee, plant their gardens with flowers that attract birds, keep their cats indoors, and work toward educating people to do this, and support organizations that advocate for birds. 

The following morning (Thursday, which was our last full day of camp) began bright and early. Several mist nets had been set up around the area, and we watched as Scott Weidensaul banded birds that had been caught including a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. It had an incredibly tiny band placed around its leg. 

After breakfast, the groups split up, half doing a mainland Medomak bird walk, and the others taking a boat to Ross Island to see nesting gulls and chicks. Our group did the Medomak walk first, which was a loop trail around private land whose owners allow Audubon access to it. We heard more parulas, had good looks at a Black-billed Cuckoo, and explored a wetland area that was part of the property. Larry and I passed on the afternoon boat trip to Ross Island because it would involve walking on slippery rocks and I would have had to stay on the boat.  But we heard from others that it was a great trip, and some even got to hold gull chicks in their hands. 

The last evening at Hog Island was a treat. Those who chose were served freshly cooked lobster. Dessert was cream “puffins,” homemade cream puffs embellished to look like puffins! Steve Kress presented a talk on Project Puffin, which he has headed up for forty years. It was amazing to learn of the dedication and perseverance of the people who singlehandedly managed to bring puffins back to Eastern Egg Island.  Afterward, awards were given out for best “hopper” in the dining room and winner of the Mystery Quiz, which involved answering a bird-related question from a different leader, posted each day in the lab. Needless to say, I didn’t win either prize, but I had fun researching the answers to the quiz in the small amount of spare time that we had. Finally, good-byes were said, and everyone scurried back to their rooms to pack for a very early Friday morning boat ride to the mainland and to catch flights or pick up cars to carry us home. All in all, Larry and I had a wonderful time. We were glad we had made the trip to Hog Island. We now have some very happy memories of our time there.   

For more information about Audubon/Hog Island, click here.

west rutland’s 20th annual butterfly count

a single Black Swallowtail egg The RCAS West Rutland Annual Butterfly Count took place as on Saturday, July 6, 2013. That in itself was remarkable in the context of an extraordinary persistent rainy season. In spite of temperatures that ranged from a low of 77°F to a high of 86°F participants made every effort to faithfully record the butterfly occurrence or lack of it on this the twentieth count.

The numbers probably tell the story best! As indicated this was the 20^th annual West Rutland count and that in itself provides twenty years of data. The number of species recorded over the twenty years has ranged from a low of 20, one such data point which was the first year with only one participant, to a high of 47 species. The number of individual butterflies recorded has ranged from a low of 112, this year, to a high of 2,091. Taking a broader or longer term perspective over the 20 years, the average number of species is 32/count and the average number of individual butterflies is 621/count. Doing the math the species count for 2013 is 34% below the running average while the number count of individual butterflies is 81% below the running average.

Common Wood-NymphWhile there is an understandable disappointment from the participants’ view point in not having the satisfaction of seeing and intercepting a larger number or wider array of butterflies, the effort and data collection is important for the record and future analysis.

The data collected on July 6 for the West Rutland count will be a single snap shot in time and place for the US and Canada that marks its 39^th Annual July 4^th Butterfly Count sponsored by the North American Butterfly Association.

rcas annual report and meeting summary

Alan Gregory and Marv ElliottAs we have for the past several years, RCAS members and supporters gathered at the Proctor Library to celebrate another year of birding and bird conservation in Rutland County. The June 26^th gathering included a potluck followed by the annual election of officers and a summary of the year’s accomplishments.

Co-president Marv Elliott thanked longtime supporter Alan Gregory for a generous gift in memory of his late wife Monica, a true nature lover and the founder of the annual West Rutland butterfly count.

Following the delicious meal, election and annual report, Vermont birder Maeve Kim gave a presentation on her birding travels. Maeve shared stories her many experiences and beautiful photos. Her enthusiasm for birds is infectious and no doubt has inspired many in the audience to plan some bird travels of their own.

Click here for the 2012-13 RCAS Annual Report.

west rutland marsh - july monitoring report

Today’s West Rutland Marsh walk marked the completion of 12 years of consecutive monthly monitoring. Fortunately, this summer’s seemingly endless rain held off.

Fifty-two species were either seen or heard. This is above last year’s July total of 48 and also our July average of 48.

Virginia RailThe morning started with an adult Virginia Rail close to the boardwalk much to the delight of all especially the photographers in the group. As we watched one scurry through the vegetation, a second was calling behind us. This is near the site where young were spotted in June. Hopefully, they survived the high water which is just several inches below the boardwalk.

Despite a lack of any early morning wind, two adult Red-tailed Hawks were soaring high above the marsh. An Osprey was seen later in the morning. On our walk in 2002 four American Kestrel were seen. Since that time sightings of kestrel at the marsh on our monitoring walk have declined. Happily, one was spotted today.

A Brown Thrasher was spotted near the boardwalk. Usually it is heard from Pleasant Street well above the marsh. 

Also of interest were two Northern Waterthrush on Marble Street, a new location for them at the marsh. From their behavior it seems possible they nested there. A second pair was heard in the usual spot on Whipple Hollow Road.

As might be expected there was plenty of evidence of nesting. An immature Eastern Bluebird sat in a tree while an adult was bringing food to nestlings in a box nearby. A Gray Catbird, a Song Sparrow and several Red-winged Blackbirds were seen carrying food. An adult Black-and-white Warbler was feeding young in an apple tree on Whipple Hollow Road. An immature Common Raven was testing out his adolescent voice.

There is plenty of ripening fruit which bodes well for the migration season which will soon be upon us. Our next marsh walk is scheduled for Saturday, August 17 at 7 a.m.

Today's list:

Wood Duck  1
Osprey  1
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Virginia Rail  2
Mourning Dove  10
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Downy Woodpecker  5
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)  3
Pileated Woodpecker  1
American Kestrel  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Alder Flycatcher  1
Willow Flycatcher  2
Eastern Phoebe  3
Eastern Kingbird  4
Warbling Vireo  2
Red-eyed Vireo  6
Blue Jay  6
American Crow  3
Common Raven  2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1
Barn Swallow  7
Black-capped Chickadee  10
Tufted Titmouse  1
House Wren  2
Marsh Wren  7
Carolina Wren  1
Eastern Bluebird  2     
Veery  11   
American Robin  11
Gray Catbird  12
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  7
Cedar Waxwing  18
Ovenbird  4
Northern Waterthrush  4
Black-and-white Warbler  3
Common Yellowthroat  24
Yellow Warbler  3
Chipping Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  11
Swamp Sparrow  14
Scarlet Tanager  1
Northern Cardinal  5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1
Indigo Bunting  2
Red-winged Blackbird  13
Common Grackle  14
Baltimore Oriole  1
American Goldfinch  15
House Sparrow  7

wetland restoration field trip - july 13

suitable habitat for a variety of birds along Otter CreekOver the last five years, private landowners, federal/state agencies and non-profit groups have been working together to restore wetlands along Otter Creek. Find out what was done and why and see the results firsthand. RCAS and SER-New England will have a joint field trip to Rte 73 in on the Brandon/Sudbury line to visit restored land there. 

Click here to read more about the property.

Rain or shine. Bring boots. 9 AM at the pull-off on the east side of the the Otter Creek bridge on Rte 73 (approximately 3.25 miles west of Brandon).

annual rcas butterfly count - july 6

Great Spangled Fritillary | Photo by Roy PilcherThe RCAS Annual Butterfly Count follows the same protocol as does the annual Christmas Bird Count as to the 15- mile diameter circle and the restriction to a single day of observation. As to timing, the seasons are pretty well reversed, midwinter to midsummer!

The West Rutland count will be the twentieth having been inaugurated in 1994.  The number of species observed has varied from a low of 20 to a high of 47 and individual butterflies from 152 to 2091!  From the first count with only a single observer, participants have varied in number to a high of 15.

Since for some participants this may be their first introduction to the world of butterflies, initially a few butterflies will be netted, placed in a translucent container for identification and then released.

Butterflies tend to start flying when the temperature reaches 60° F so we will delay our meeting until 8:30 a.m. at the West Rutland Price Chopper parking area. Bring a lunch and, if the day is hot, pack plenty of fluids. The day’s results are entered on the North American Butterfly Association [NABA] website with an anticipated donation of $3 per adult.

Sunday will be the rain date if by midmorning Saturday it would appear that the whole day need be cancelled. For further information call Roy at 775-3461.