Seventeen Mad Birder's celebrated 'Quatro de Mayo' with yet another sun
drenched bird walk at Mountain Valley Farm, high up on the Waitsfield
Common Rd this morning. We arrived to the tune of a newly arrived BALTIMORE
ORIOLE in the yard. MALLARDS were on the pond where HOODED MERGANSERS had
set up housekeeping in the nest box on the island, but we did not see them.
We did, however, enjoy the activity of the CHICKADEE couple as they
gathered fiddlehead down for their nest in a hole above the Mergansers nest
box.

Other highlights today were a LEAST FLYCATCHER che-becking as we headed up
toward the bee hives, a KESTREL when we arrived in the orchard, a pair of
BLUEBIRDS around their nest box and a recently arrived  CLIFF SWALLOW in
its nest hole under the barn eave. Toward the woods we heard a HERMIT
THRUSH close by and a couple of YELLOW RUMPS. As we were finishing up a
pair of BROAD WING HAWKS circled overhead.

Today's species total was 34. Many thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm
of Gib and Sue Geiger in sharing their beautiful farm with us.

Patti Haynes
for the Mad Birders