*Vermont

 

*Statewide

9/29/05

 

*VT0403.06

 

This is the Vermont Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, September 29, 2005
covering the period September 23-28, 2005. 

 

            Five COMMON LOONS were sighted off Grand Isle on September 23rd
and 2 were seen on Chittenden Reservoir on the 25th of September. 

 

            Fourteen GREAT BLUE HERONS were seen on Lake Bomoseen on
September 27th, with smaller numbers before and after that date.  Two GREAT
EGRETS were spotted at Little Otter Creek WMA on September 24th. 

 

            SNOW GEESE were present at Mississquoi NWR on September 27th.
CANADA GEESE were also seen there, as well as on Lake Bomoseen (23) on the
27th.  WOOD DUCKS, AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS and MALLARDS were also seen in large
numbers at both of these locations.  From Charlotte Town Beach on the 23rd
of September, 325 NORTHERN PINTAILS were sighted.  On the 23rd six
WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were seen off Grand Isle and 10 were observed at
Charlotte Town Beach.

 

            Nine OSPREYS were seen from Brigham Hill in Essex on September
23rd, and one was observed at Mississquoi on September 27th.   One BALD
EAGLE was spotted from Brigham Hill on the 23rd.  Two NORTHERN HARRIERS were
seen from Brigham Hill and one on Grand Isle on the 23rd. Fourteen
SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS were counted from Brigham Hill on the 23rd and one was
seen in Rochester on the 24th.  A COOPER'S HAWK and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK were
seen from Brigham Hill on the 23rd, and an immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK
devouring a red squirrel on the ground was flushed in Hubbard Park in
Montpelier on September 26th. One RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, 2 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 2
AMERICAN KESTRELS, 2 MERLINS and 1 PEREGRINE FALCON were also spotted during
4 hours of hawk-watching on Brigham Hill in Essex.  A PEREGRINE FALCON was
observed at Shelburne Bay on the 22nd of September.

 

            One BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER was seen on Grand Isle on September
23rd.  Two SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 2 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and 34 KILLDEER
were spotted at the outlet of the little creek at the Charlotte Town Beach
on September 23rd.  A SOLITARY SANDPIPER and both GREATER and LESSER
YELLOWLEGS were observed at Mississquoi NWR on September 27th.  A POMARINE
JAEGER was sighted at Charlotte Town Beach on September 23rd.

 

            A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was seen at Lake Bomoseen on September
27th.

 

            The latest sighting of a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD was on the
28th of September in Rutland Town.

 

            A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen in fields along Rte. 5 in Norwich
on September 27th.

            

            

Thanks to the following contributors whose observations were cited:  Jeffrey
Allen, Michael Cosgrove, Sue Elliott, Bruce Flewelling, David Hoag, John
Lunde, Matt Medler, Scott Morricall,  Ted Murin, Roy Pilcher,  Rick Renaud
and Chris Rimmer. 

 

VERMONT AND NEW HAMPSHIRE BIRDERS' CONFERENCE:
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
 
ATTENTION ALL NEW ENGLAND BIRDERS. You asked for a birders' conference,
and we're delivering!  
 
 WHERE: the beautiful Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee, Vermont (just off I91
in the valley of the Connecticut River and about 20 miles north of White
River Junction and the intersections of I91 and I89)
 
 WHEN: Saturday October 15th with field trips on the 16th 
 
 PROGRAM: the program includes a varied mix of talks and workshops about
New England birds, how-to and where-to presentations, for all levels of
expertise. Also, we intend to organize field trips on the Sunday for
those who want to see some of the northern New England specialties.  
 
Learn from and interact with fellow birders, including a number of
speakers who will present a wide variety of talks on New England birds,
including:
 
Steve Kress. Restoring Endangered Seabirds: Lessons from Puffins and
Terns
                        
Steve Mirick and Iain MacLeod. Documenting Rare Birds in a Digital Age:
the Use of Digiscoping and Digital Video
 
Bryan Pfeiffer. Becoming a Better Birder: a Workshop for Beginners and
Intermediates
 
Chris Martin. Peregrine Falcon and Osprey Recovery in NH  
 
Erik Hanson. A 30-year Success Story: the Recovery of Common Loons in VT
and NH 
 
Chris Rimmer, Kent MacFarland. New Insights on a Rare and Enigmatic
Species: Bicknell's
Thrush

 And many more....
 
FIELD TRIPS: on the Sunday We are organizing field trips for those who
wish to see some northern specialties - the thousands of snow geese at
Lake Champlain; boreal species of the northern forests, combine birding
with leaf-peeping in the beautiful Connecticut Valley.
 
VENDORS: birding equipment manufacturers and retailers and book vendors
will also present. Compare binoculars, scope out the scopes, and buy
that essential book! 
 
The cost of participation for the Saturday events will be $75 (if
registered by September 15) or $95 (after September 15). Students are
($55 or $75) and members of VINS and NHA ($65 or $85). These costs
include lunch and snacks. Field trips: $20/person, $10 for those under
18.
 
Don't fail to register for this unmissable event at (603) 668-2045 or at
www.nhaudubon.org <http://www.nhaudubon.org/>  <http://www.nhaudubon.org/> .
See you at Lake Morey!  


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.vinsweb.org
<http://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 Quechee, 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 email 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/.

 

 Mary Holland

 

Chris Rimmer

 

Kent McFarland

 

Roz Renfrew

 

Vermont RBA Compilers

 

Vermont Institute of Natural Science

 

Conservation Biology Department

 

27023 Church Hill Road

 

Woodstock, VT  05091 

 

802-457-2779