This Week at Heinz NRW

Plenty of signs at Heinz NRW that Spring is finally well entrenched. Waterfowl - except for the nesters - have moved on. Plenty of song activity from the residents or early arrivals, plus returning passerines present. A few images ...

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Palm Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warblers were not singing during mid-day, but were finally sporting their breeding finery ...

Yellow-rumped Warbler

The nesting Bald Eagles have hatched. This adult took off from the nest and flew overhead en route to the marsh and estuary for foraging ...

Bald Eagle

 This Carolina Wren was in a song duel with another nearby male ...

Carolina Wren

Mallards were on the nest. Most other ducks were gone, except for a few pairs of Green-winged Teal and a pair of Blue-winged Teal ...

Green-winged Teal (male and female)

Along the edge of the impoundment, a muskrat was foraging, while in many locations, turtles were enjoying the returning warmth of the Spring sun ...

Muskrate

Good Birding!!

Spring Migration - Arrivals

Southeastern Vermont Audubon has done 2 walks along the old railroad bed at the Hinsdale Setbacks, listing species, and hoping to establish a baseline for future years.

Yellow-rumped Warblers have been the most numerous warbler to date, followed by Palm Warbler, and those are the only 2 which have provided photo ops.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Palm Warbler

On some occasions at the setbacks, Tree Swallows are been rife ...

Tree Swallows

After today's walk, I did my favorite type of birding - sitting on the back porch and watching the action around the yard. The new arrival today was the Rose-breasted Grosbeak ... at least 3 males. Girls haven't arrived yet.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

The Evening Grosbeaks are back in numbers (yet to figure out how many pairs). They are using the maple just off the porch to do their courtship (when they aren't emptying the feeders of sunflower seeds). The boys are displaying their fine grosbeak genes ...

Evening Grosbeak displaying

Evening Grosbeak displaying

 Finches have also been abundant, including Pine Siskins ...

Purple Finch

Finch Feeder - Purple Finch (female), Pine Siskins, American Goldfinch

I don't want to neglect the year-round residents who endured the tough winter, and are now singing the hearts out. Black-capped Chickadee is just one ...

Black-capped Chickadee

And to add the downside to all of this, there have been plenty of Brown-headed Cowbirds ...

Brown-headed Cowbird

Good Birding !! ... and more to come

Nectar Feedering Warbler

Palm Warblers were common everywhere we went in South Florida, including Dry Tortugas. The brown western race seemed to fill the niche which I usually associate with sparrows - low shrub, low branches, open understory, and grassy areas - quite different from what we usually see as these birds make their early return to our northern climes.

What was unexpected, and completely new to me, was to see them drinking nectar.

Brown (Western) Palm Warbler

Good Birding !!

More This & That - 2

A few more "un-themed" birds from Wakodahatchee and Green Cay - all friends who have returned, or will return soon, to my Vermont neighborhood.

Red-winged Blackbird

(Western/Brown) Palm Warbler

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Blue-headed Vireo

Pine Warbler

Northern Harrier - female

Good Birding ! !

Autumn in Vermont

Many activities have prevented regular blog updates, but those are past and I have retreated to the quiet of our Philadelphia retreat.

Here's a catch-up on the last month.
 

Autumn in Vermont was the best in many years. Last winter was a throw back to pre-climate change conditions, aligning all the elements needed for a brilliant foliage season. The first half of October was one awed gasp after another.

along the Augur Hole Road

The Autumn of Spark's Barn

Most of the drive up Putney Mountain one early morning was through valley fog. Near the crest of the ridge, the fog was thinning as the autumn sun slowly warmed the air, creating a fantasy of light.

Dawn's Early Light

The mid-September Broad-winged Hawk season on Putney Mountain was dismal.Weak weather seasons did nothing to concentrate the flight along the ridge. The count was the lowest in years. The "second season" in early October when the accipters, falcons, and other buteos finally get themselves going, has been much better.

Birds often move quickly over the ridge without giving clear ID indicators. That was the case for this accipiter. The Cooper's Hawk seemed to have a "small" head. The photo shows a very full crop, disguising the size of its head.

Cooper's Hawk with full crop

 Hawk watchers on Putney Mountain also count Monarch Butterflies. In 2012, the count was about 1500 for the season. Last year, the crash in Monarch numbers noted by so many was reflected in the count: 19. This year the Monarch numbers are rebounding, with the count by mid-October being around 250. The photo below was taken in my yard on October 14; the Monarch Butterfly is sharing the marigold with a bumblebee ...

Monarch Butterly - mid-October, South Newfane

On Columbus Weekend, the Newfane Common is transformed for the Newfane Heritage Festival. 90+ artists and craftpersons create a tent city to display the creations. As chair of the Exhibitor's Committee, the organization and smooth set-up and clean-up occupies much time and energy. But the people are fun and friendly, and the event highlights the best of the Vermont life.

Newfane Heritage Festival

20 minutes from my Philadelphia retreat is the Heinz NWR. Made my first Autumn trip to the refuge yesterday.

The "wader gathering" I saw in mid-September was still going on, with dozens of egrets and Great Blues in attendance ...

Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets

Active flocks of Yellow-rumped Warblers were everywhere, joined by what seemed like an unusually large number of Palm Warblers ...

Palm Warbler

Waterfowl were congregating all about the impoundment, including dozens of Wood Ducks. In the vicinity of these three woodies were another three dozen ...

Wood Ducks

Now it is time to go watch a grandson play soccer!

Spring Returns - and so do Old Friends

Since returning home to Vermont from our wintering in Philadelphia, we have been immersed in needed work on our home - hence the hiatus in posts.

But today was a Spring day, and early in the morning I headed out to greet returning friends.

Along the Connecticut River, abundant Yellow-rumped Warblers in their prom-going finery were joined by a few Palm Warblers ...

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler

Also along the Connecticut River, Osprey were busy building their nest on a transmission tower and pursing their courtship ...

Osprey

In nearly every location I stopped, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were actively "singing" and displaying ...

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

During late April in our back yard, we watched many species in active courtship, including Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ...

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

 ... and Belted Kingfisher, a trio of which put on quite an air show one evening as we sat on the lawn.

Belted Kingfisher

In the realm of serendipitous good fortune, Evening Grosbeaks are again performing their pre-nups in our yard, and we anticipate that we will have another summer of helping to raise their young.

Evening Grosbeak

And finally, when I returned home for lunch, I was greeted by a stunning Rose-breasted Grosbeak and his shy lady lover ...

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

 Spring!! ... and after a long, tough winter, a time of exceptionally Good Birding!!