Vermont may be one of the smallest states in the US, but because of all the north-south mountains and ridges, often it's the case that "You can't get there from here," as we're fond of saying here in Vermont. Because of the geographic constraints, I have to plan out how to get where I'm going to bird; I also try to maximize the number of towns along my route that get surveyed, and target 5-6 town each day I head out.

The morning of June 17th started out with the best of intentions, but the second town on my hit list - Weathersfield - threw me a spanner. I selected the outflow meadow below the Stoughton Pond dam as my birding area; but instead of spending 20-30 minutes birding there, I was there for 2 hours.

Insectivores were everywhere that morning. Flycatchers, Swallows, Warblers, Vireos, and even a Hummingbird and a Bluebird came into range of my binoculars. The nest boxes in the meadow were very busy, and I had many objects of my avian affection try to drive me off as I walked down the trail.

This particular meadow did not suffer badly from last summer's devastating floods, but the stream channel below showed signs of a major battle between the water and the land. Trees downed, a bridge out, and a reconstructed road all bore witness to nature's destructive power when the sluice is opened fully.

My checklist:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (male)
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Wood Pee-wee
Eastern Phoebe
Least Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cedar Waxwing
Red-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Common Raven
American Crow
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Downy Woodpecker
Ovenbird
American Redstart
Pine Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Black-throated Green Warbler
Gray Catbird
American Robin
Veery
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch