More Spring Beauties (Birds, Plants and Critters)

Tree Swallow

We promised ourselves that we would make the most of spring migration this year! We were eager  to see returning Tree Swallows back from the warm winter retreats in the Yucatan or on some Caribbean island ... and the first long-distance shorebirds flying in from Brazil or Chile.

Least Sandpiper - the smallest sandpiper in the world

We were delighted to see new life, like this Canada Goose family along the South Hero Marsh Trail (aka Roy Marsh Trail). 

We walked our own yard almost daily.

Scarlet Tanager in our yard!

As far as we know, tanagers aren't nesting nearby - but the following are nesting right here on the property: American Redstarts, Common Yellowthroats, Gray Catbirds, Northern Cardinals, Eastern Phoebes, American Robins, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Black-capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice. Flickers, Blue Jays and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds apparently are also nesting very near to us.

American Redstart

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Cedar Waxwings descended on our yard in groups of ten to twenty. Somehow they always know exactly when our honey berries are ripe.

Everywhere we went, there was spring!

Song Sparrow nest among the seedlings at a local nursery!

We visited Chickering Bog (which we've wanted to see for ages). Showy lady slippers were in bloom, along with carnivorous pitcher plants just waiting for unwary insects.

Pitcher Plants (carnivorous)

We hiked at Colchester Pond - always a delight - and stayed overnight at a wonderful airbnb in Addison County so we could bird many local hotspots for two whole days. 

our last stop, on the way home

Wood Ducks

We led an OLLI-UVM bird walk in Shelburne, our first in-person guided walk since this endless pandemic began. 

This Field Sparrow along the Ti-Haul Trail was one of many birds we've seen carrying nesting material or carrying food to their young.

We also spent three days birding, walking and hiking in the Champlain Islands. 

our favorite of all the places we walked!

At Pelot's, we were spellbound by a  drama over our heads. A loudly calling Cooper's Hawk chased a Turkey Vulture round and round - and then an Eastern Kingbird appeared, chasing the hawk! (We were, and still are, puzzled about why the hawk felt that it needed to chase away a Turkey Vulture, a bird that isn't a nest predator and very rarely takes live prey. Maybe parent birds are just hard-wired to chase anything that looks like a potential threat.)

Cooper's Hawk chasing Turkey Vulture

Other sightings: 

Anchor Stink Bug

pollinator with LOTS of pollen!

and, last but definitely not least, a Long-tailed Weasel in the yard!

photos by Bernie, text by Maeve