On Thursday, I watched two Cliff Swallows feeding young in nests
under the eaves at the Coach Barn on Shelburne Farms. Today, two of
us paddled Otter Creek from Fort Cassin almost to Vergennes. We were
surrounded by Barn Swallows that were swooping under and over the
little bridge where Basin Harbor Road goes over Otter Creek. When we
kayaked under the bridge, we noticed that one of the many nests on
the underneath had three good-sized chicks in it, eagerly begging for
food. My old Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas lists 7/1 as the last
probable date for breeding activity for both species. Does anyone
know the survival rate of such late broods, compared with earlier
nestings?
also seen today along Otter Creek:
at least 10 Ospreys! - seven at once near the put-in, all making an
amazing racket, two doing aerial acrobatics
1 immature Bald Eagle
3 Turkey Vultures
3-6 Great Blue Herons
1 Green Heron
several Kingfishers
1 female Wood Duck
several Spotted Sandpipers
many Goldfinches
flock of Red-Winged Blackbirds
V of Canada Geese
Cedar Waxwings
1 Eastern Kingbird
Robins
Starlings
Maeve Kim
Jericho Center
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