*Vermont

 

*Statewide

5.8.06

 

*VT0403.06

 

 

This is the Vermont Rare Bird Alert for May 8, 2006 covering the period May
1-7, 2006.

 

COMMON LOONS are returning to Vermont's lakes and ponds with regularity,
with reports this week from Echo Lake in East Charleston, Berlin Pond, Grand
Isle and Middlesex Notch.

 

The following locations had AMERICAN BITTERN sightings this week:  West
Rutland Marsh, Dead Creek, Berlin Pond, Corinth, Jericho, Herrick's Cove and
Lowell Lake in Arlington.  A GREAT EGRET was spotted in Burlington on May
3rd, Bennington on the 4th and at Delta Park (2) on the 7th.  A CATTLE EGRET
was observed in Bennington on May 4th, close to the New York border.  GREEN
HERON sightings were numerous, including those in Herrick's Cove, West
Rutland Marsh, Brandon, Perkinsville, Bennington Quechee and Delta Park.  A
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was sighted at Dead Creek on May 7th.  A second
rare GLOSSY IBIS sighting this spring occurred at Herrick's Cove on May 7th,
where two individuals were seen.

 

A single SNOW GOOSE was spotted in Jericho on May 1st.  The first CANADA
GOOSE goslings of the season were seen (4) in North Hartland on May 5th.  A
LONG-TAILED DUCK took place off the Colchester RR Causeway on the 7th of
May.

 

A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK was seen in Bristol on the 6th and COOPER'S HAWKS were
seen this week in Burlington (2 in courtship flight), West Brattleboro and
Bristol.

 

A RING-NECKED PHEASANT was spotted on Grand Isle on May 4th.

 

VIRGINIA RAILS were sighted at Allen Brothers Marsh in Westminster (2),
Herrick's Cove and West Rutland Marsh this week.  Six to eight SORAS were
seen and heard calling in the West Rutland Marsh on May 5th.

 

A possible sighting of 4 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS occurred in Pownal on the 7th
of May.  Nine GREATER YELLOWLEGS were seen at Brattleboro Retreat Meadows on
May 3rd and one in Grand Isle on the 4th.  SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were observed
at Allen Brothers Marsh (2),  Herrick's Cove, Shelburne Bay and Rutland on
May 7th.  SPOTTED SANDPIPERS were spotted at Equinox Pond in Manchester,
East Dorset, Plymouth, Mendon (2) and Dead Creek this week.  Two UPLAND
SANDPIPERS were seen in Highgate Center.  

 

A CASPIAN TERN was sighted at Delta Park on May 7th. 

 

The season's first sighting of a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO took place in Brandon
on May 7th.  

 

CHIMNEY SWIFTS are back in Brandon, Arlington, Herrick's Cove, Bennington
and a flock of over 100 was spotted in Burlington this week.  RUBY-THROATED
HUMMINGBIRDS returned throughout Vermont this week, with the largest number
appearing on the 5th of May.

 

BELTED KINGFISHERS also returned throughout the state this week.

 

A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER continues to visit a feeder in Bennington.

 

LEAST FLYCATCHERS were seen for the first time this spring in Bristol,
Middlesex Notch, Arlington, Howell's Pond in Arlington, Westminster,
Hartland, Tinmouth, Norwich, Danby and Corinth.  

 

The first reports of a GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER came from Brandon on May 6th
and the West Rutland Marsh on the 7th.  

 

EASTERN KINGBIRDS returned to much of Vermont this week, including Herrick's
Cove, Danby, Arlington, Windsor, Allen Brothers Marsh in Westminster,
Quechee and Brandon.

 

A YELLOW THROATED VIREO was seen at Herrick's Cove and in Hartland on May
7th.   Last week BLUE-HEADED VIREOS returned, this week it was WARBLING
VIREO numbers that soared, with sightings all over the state.  

 

An unusual sighting of 4 GRAY JAYS occurred in Brandon on May 7th.

 

A FISH CROW was observed in the Old North End of Burlington on the 7th of
May.

 

PURPLE MARTINS were seen on Grand Isle and at Dead Creek this week.

 

CLIFF SWALLOWS returned to the West Rutland Marsh, Grand Isle, Dead Creek,
Berlin Pond, Swanton and Lowell Lake.

 

CAROLINA WRENS were sighted in Middlebury and Brandon this week.  HOUSE
WRENS and WINTER WRENS returned throughout the state.  A MARSH WREN was
present in West Rutland Marsh continuously this week. 

 

BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS were seen at Herrick's Cove on the 2nd of May (2) and
the 7th (2) as well as in Quechee on the 6th of May.

 

HERMIT THRUSHES continue to return to Vermont, and WOOD THRUSHES joined them
this week, with sightings in West Brattleboro, Brandon, Manchester, Pownal,
Hartland, Wantasiquet Mt. and Dead Creek.

 

GRAY CATBIRDS were seen in Brandon, White River Junction, Arlington, Snake
Mt., Brownsville, West Rutland Marsh, Brattleboro and Herrick's Cove this
week.

A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD was spotted in Danby on the 4th of May.  BROWN
THRASHERS were seen in Norwich, Brandon, West Rutland and Brownsville.

 

            Masses of warblers came through this past weekend, including
NASHVILLE, YELLOW, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, YELLOW-RUMPED,
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS and OVENBIRDS.  Two BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS were
spotted in West Rutland May 6th.  NORTHERN PARULAS were seen in Brattleboro,
Corinth and Arlington this week.  A MAGNOLIA WARBLER was seen at Herrick's
Cove on the 7th of May.  BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS were spotted in Manchester,
Middlesex Notch, Corinth, Bennington, Coolidge State Forest and Arlington
this week.  PINE WARBLERS were observed in Manchester, Wantasiquet Mt.,
Perkinsville and Herrick's Cove.  Two AMERICAN REDSTARTS were seen in
Brandon and one in Norwich on May 7th.  NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH sightings
occurred in Brandon (3), Herrick's Cove, Brattleboro and Berlin Pond.
LOUSIANA WATERTHRUSHES were seen in Hartland, Tinmouth, Woodstock, Bristol,
Danby, Rutland Town and Bristol this week.  COMMON YELLOWTHROATS were
observed in Quechee, West Rutland Marsh and Herrick's Cove on the 6th and
7th of May.  A CANADA WARBLER was sighted in Newport on May 5th and at
Herrick's Cove on the 7th of May.

 

            EASTERN TOWHEES were spotted in Bennington, Brandon, Rutland,
Corinth, West Rutland, Arlington, White River Junction, Rupert, Snake Mt.,
Grand Isle, Hartland and Quechee this week.

 

FIELD SPARROW sightings were numerous throughout Vermont this week,
including 16 in West Rutland on the 6th of May.   VESPER SPARROWS were seen
at the Franklin County Airport on May 7th.  SAVANNAH SPARROW sightings
occurred throughout the state.  GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS were seen at the
Franklin County Airport on the 7th.  A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was spotted in
Rutland Town on the 2nd of May and in Shelburne on the 5th.  WHITE-THROATED
SPARROW sightings were slightly less than last week, but WHITE-CROWNED
SPARROWS were seen throughout the state in large numbers this week.

 

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS returned en masse, with the arrival of many May 3rd
continuing through the weekend.  

 

The first INDIGO BUNTING report of the season came from Pownal and Norwich
on May 5th.

 

BOBOLINKS were sighted in  Milton (2), Shelburne (2), Danby, West Rutland
Marsh and Grand Isle.

 

EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were seen in Brandon, Milton and Starksboro this week.

 

A rare sighting of an ORCHARD ORIOLE  occurred in Danby on the 6th of May.

 

BALTIMORE ORIOLES returned to virtually every corner of Vermont this week.

 

PURPLE FINCHES far outnumbered HOUSE FINCHES, but both returned to Vermont
this week.

 

Thanks to the following contributors and others whose observations were
cited: Lee Allaben, Jean Arrowsmith, Marcia Baker, Karen Barber, Tom Barber,
Fred Bates, Stephanie Bellomo, Matthew Brantner, Nancy Brown, Julia Child,
George Clark, Ken Copenhaver, Martha Coutermarsh, Stephen Cramer, Andy
Deegan, Bonnie Dundas, Bill Eckert, Sue Elliott, Pat Folsom, Linda Hall,
Doug and Spencer Hardy, Richard Harlow, Julie Hart, Larry Haugh, Kevin
Hemeon, Susan Hindinger, David Hoag, Mary Holland, Carol Johnson, Alan
Keitt, Nate Johnson, Scott Johnson, Phyllis Katz, Jo Lafayette, Michael
Langlais, Miriam Lawrence, Larry Levine, Bruce MacPherson, Donna Martin,
Roger Masse, Kent McFarland, Matt Medler, Al Merritt, Mary Marro, Ron Payne,
Diane Pearson, Noah Perlut, Chris Petrak, Bob Phelps, Jeanne and Bill Prue,
Chris Rimmer, Davie Rolnick, Mundi Smithers, Ruth Stewart, John Sutton,
Christopher Trammel, Henry Trombley, Sue Wetmore, Ron and Norma Wiesen,
Terry Wright

 

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]

 

            If you have any interesting birds to report, 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