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