*Vermont
*Statewide
*12/19/03
*VTVT0312.19

This is the Vermont bird report for Friday, Dec. 19, 2003.

COMMON REDPOLLS  reported statewide at feeders. High count reported was 80
in Brattleboro. Redpoll reports on Vermont eBird began on Dec. 5th and have
continued nearly every day since. Visit Vermont eBird to read an article
about winter finch irruptions and enter your reports.

A tantalizing report of a HOARY REDPOLL at a feeder with Common Redpolls in
Brookfield/Northfield. Observer was not sure of identification, but
description was very good. Keep your eyes open for these. If you have
access to old issues of Birding magazine, there was an article in the
December 1995 issue by Dave Czaplak titled, "Identifying Common And Hoary
Redpolls In Winter" and some of his photos are at
http://www.mdbirds.org/mdbirding/gallery/rarebirds10.html.

Only scattered reports of EVENING GROSBEAKS at feeders. Interestingly, the
Northeast is showing significant declines since 1980. See
http://www.birdsource.org/Features/Evegro/index.html for more information
on this.

NORTHERN SHRIKE observed in North Ferrisburg and Strafford on the 14th. The
individual in Strafford was observed taking a Black-capped Chickadee at a
feeder.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK in Brookfield/Northfield area streaked through a
yard.  PEREGRINE FALCON on spire of the Grace Congregational Church in
Rutland on the 15th provided an observer with a little "inspiration".  And
one was observed on the 14th across from Berlin City in Williston in a
tree. BALD EAGLE was seen on 14th in a tree near the covered bridge at
Charlotte Town Beach. A trip through the Champlain valley on 13th produced
7 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (4 light phase and 3 dark phase), 1 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK,
and 14 adult RED-TAILED HAWK.  BARRED OWLS were noted at several locations
throughout the state. A juvenile COOPER,S HAWK hunting in downtown
Woodstock on 14th.

HORNED LARK and SNOW BUNTINGS have been noted throughout the Champlain
Valley by many observers.

Other interesting reports included - A later GREAT BLUE HERON  was observed
along Rt. 7 in Ferrisburgh on 14th.  RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER reported in
Poultney. SONG SPARROW in Brookline, Shoreham and Woodstock at feeders.
WINTER WREN at Pelots Point in North Hero on 15th during the Lake Champlain
Islands CBC and one in E. Clarendon on 13th reported via Vermont
eBird.  NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD in Shelburne on 16th and one in South
Burlington on 19th. CAROLINA WREN in Grande Isle, Waterbury and Woodstock.


'Tis the season for Christmas Bird Counts. To find a count near you, visit
Vermont eBird for a full list and contact around Vermont. Six have already
been completed, but there are still at least 11 more to go in Vermont.

Thanks to the following contributors whose observations were cited above
for the period (lot of redpoll reports!):
Gregory Askew, Graham Bates, Angele Brill, Michael Cosgrove, Steve Faccio,
Pat Folsom, Larry Haugh, David Hoag, Hector Galbraith, William Gilbert,
Paula Gills, Jo Ann Lafayette, Dave Merker, Kent McFarland, Silas Miller,
Julie Nicholson, Mike Palombo, Michele Patenaude, Roy Pilcher, Virginia
Rasch, Larry and Mona Rogers, Jemsa Sheriff, Sharon Tierra, Kathleen Upton,
Audrey Werner, Gary Worthington
_____________________________________

We encourage you to contribute all your sightings to Vermont eBird, an
on-line database for tracking birds across Vermont and North
America.  Visit Vermont eBird - http://www.ebird.org/vins/  for more
information.   If you're already a Vermont eBirder - thank you for your
contributions to the database.

The Vermont Institute of Natural Science offers natural history trips,
lectures and programs.  To receive a copy of our program calendar, stop at
one of our centers, call the office during business hours at 802-457-2779
or visit the VINS' web site at <http://www.njaudubon.org>www.vinsweb.org.

This Vermont birding report is a service of the Vermont Institute of
Natural Science.  VINS is a non-profit, membership organization located in
Woodstock with regional centers in Montpelier and Manchester. Founded in
1972, VINS' mission is to protect our natural heritage through education
and research. Your membership supports these goals and this reporting
service.  Updates are typically made on Fridays.  Please report your
sightings of rare or unusual birds to VINS , or e-mail reports to
[log in to unmask]

This message is also available by phone recording: call 802-457-1053 and
press 3. This will put you into a menu where you will be directed to press
5 to hear the RBA. If you have any interesting birds to report, you can
leave a message by pressing 6, or you can send your sightings to the RBA
via e-mail at: [log in to unmask]  Or enter your sightings on Vermont eBird
at http://www.ebird.org/VINS/.

Kent McFarland, Roz Renfrew, Chris Rimmer
VT RBA Compilers

Vermont Institute of Natural Science
Conservation Biology Department
27023 Church Hill Rd.
Woodstock, VT 05091
802-457-2779