Hello all,

First, let me say thank you to Peter Manship for his posting this afternoon of 
this bird. When I saw his subject heading, I immediately opened it, read it and 
then made the decision to drive down there and try for it. I arrived on Marble 
St. (which is along the east side of the marsh) at 7:00 p.m. I got my first look 
at this lifer at 7:09 p.m. I was able to observe it until 7:28 p.m. It was 
hawking insects and/or perching on shrub and tree branches. It offered many 
great looks for myself and seven other birders. I did take several pictures of 
this bird but many of them did not come out very well. I looked at the pictures 
that Peter Manship had posted on 5-10-09 and compared them to the ones 
that I had taken this evening. I believe that the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher that 
I saw this evening may be a different bird than the one that he had taken 
pictures of in Arlington. The most apparent difference between the two is the 
coloration of the flanks. The Arlington bird has obvious pinkish colored flanks. 
The West Rutland bird has little to no pinkisk color on its' flanks. A couple of 
other birders (that were at the West Rutland location this evening) were 
speculating that tonight's bird may be a female. Let me be clear; (they were 
only speculating). I am pretty sure the one that Peter had taken pictures of is 
a male. 

Anyway, if others want to try to find this bird, see Sue Elliott's posting from 
tonight for directions. The small trail that she is referring to is closer to station 
#7 than station #6. I pushed a couple of old branches into the ground on 
either side of that trail to help people find it. 

I was very happy to get this bird tonight. I felt like I was given a second 
chance and am glad that I took it. I had spent four hours Sunday afternoon in 
Arlington hoping to get a look at that one but did not. . .


I also stopped in Brandon (on my way home) to try for Whip-poor-will and was 
able to hear two of them. I was at the intersection of Long Swamp Rd. and 
Short Swamp Rd. I heard one at 8:45 p.m. and the other at 8:52 p.m. I also 
heard several American Woodcock's peenting and displaying.

Enjoy Birds, 

Jim Mead