Moose Bog

Moose Bog in Vermont's "Northeast Kingdom" is the go-to spot for four boreal species. This past week I finally got-to the bog.

Of the target species, I did not see, or even hear, anything that might have been the Boreal Chickadee. Another time, perhaps.

On the trail, we met neighbors from nearby Putney. (Vermont is a small state - not uncommon to travel across the state and see someone you know.) They directed us to where they had just seen the Spruce Grouse. We looked ... and looked ... looked. Could not find it.

So we continued our walk, following a trail into the bog. On the return, we met a small group who told us they had just seen the Spruce Grouse. Same area as the previous report. Again we looked ... and looked ... and looked. And again could not find it. (I think the Brits refer to it as "dipping.") Alas and alack.

But we did not dip on everything. A Gray Jay greeted us soon after beginning our walk, and a Black-backed Woodpecker worked a tree along the trail. So we scored two out of four, plus good looks at the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (which also inhabits many mountain-top spruce forests in southern Vermont)

The photos are documentary, but sometimes you just have to take what you can get ...

Gray Jay

Black-backed Woodpecker

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

The Moose Bog Trail is a delightful (though buggy) walk with much more than just target birds. Among the birds we tallied were 11 warbler species and 3 thrush species. Along the trail, Pink Lady Slippers were in bloom, as well as the occasional White Lady Slipper ...

White Lady Slipper

In the bog, there were Carnivorous Picture Plants ...

Carnivorous Picture Plant

... and working some of the low bushes was this Ebony Jewelwing ...

Ebony Jewelwing

A good day for a walk in the woods.