Thursday, June 22, 2017

Bobolink Survey photos - Charlotte Vermont

Photo by Shirley Zundell



We joined a Bobolink Survey, organized by Green Mountain Audubon Society and students of Noah Perlut, on Lake Road in Charlotte, Vermont. 


The goal was to look for Bobolinks and other grassland birds, especially birds that have been banded in the past or those carrying geolocators. 


Many Bobolinks were seen, including nesting pairs. The male above is carrying a grasshopper. He waited to go down to the nest until we pesky humans were out of the way. 


Another male Bobolink viewed had a silver leg band, indicating that it had been banded as a nestling at Shelburne Farms. (No photo available of the banded bird.)


A banded Savannah Sparrow was also seen. This was an unusual sighting because the bird had been banded three times, each time across from The Inn at Shelburne Farms - but it was seen today twelve miles from there, and apparently involved in nesting. One of the purposes of Perlut's study is to determine if grassland birds tend to nest where they themselves fledged. 

















We found one nest that looked like a Savannah Sparrow's. It looked quite new but was upside down and empty.


The above photo and the one below were taken by Shirley Zundell.


























The male Bobolinks and sparrows were all strutting their stuff. 

















Cows, calves and bulls were watching us as we were watching birds.

Vermont Birds and Words

Monday, June 19, 2017

Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge - Bird Photos


Every now and then, a bird walk is just blah. The birds skulk in the undergrowth. They hide behind foliage. They choose to perch directly between us and the bright sun. They taunt us by refusing to leave the tops of the highest trees around.




Last Saturday, at Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge, was exactly the opposite! 

Birds wanted to be seen. They wanted to be admired. They perched in the open. They tilted back their heads and sang. They turned this way and that, giving us views of back, front, and both profiles.
Cardinals ignored us humans completely, intent on finding yummy insects in the pine needles and leaf litter right next to the parking lot.
Elegant Cedar Waxwings whirled in and out and among branches right over our heads.
A male Rose-breasted Grosbeak selected a bare branch in a little clearing and shared his beautiful song with us.
An Eastern Wood-Pewee (often a shy and elusive little creature) posed for photos, first on one branch and then another.

This photo was taken by Barbara Mines.

A pair of Scarlet Tanagers stayed in the same tree in the sun for at least a half an hour, the male holding a large bug in his beak. 

Female Scarlet Tanager
A nest full of young tanagers must have been close by. The cautious papa wasn’t about to show us where it was by flying in with the food!




Chestnut-sided Warblers emphatically repeated, “Yay ME! I’ve got CHESTNUT SIDES!”


A Savannah Sparrow was also busy feeding babies, pausing at the top of a little bush with a tasty morsel in its beak.

And, almost most exciting (although it’s difficult to choose!), at least ten Bobolinks fluttered over an open field singing their tinkling flight song.









Other critters were also basking in the warm sunshine.  












The outing was an OLLI-UVM (Osher Lifelong Living Institutefield trip with 15 participants. 














For more information about this beautiful location, click here: Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge 

Maeve and Bernie endorse the Vermont outdoors and your participation in "Stop, Look, and Listen" allowing nature to come to you!

Vermont Birds and Words