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
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