To add to the birds at Brilyea access today, I visited later (around 5pm)
and saw 2 immature Orchard Orioles were hanging out at the edge of the
field and 3 Solitary Sandpipers were foraging on the margins of the marsh.
Water levels were higher than Friday, with much of the shorebird habitat
diminished and the birds hanging out in emergent vegetation. I had been
planning on checking Farrell as well, but darkening clouds and a few drops
of rain scared me off...

David

On Sat, Aug 11, 2012 at 9:26 PM, Ian A. Worley <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Craig Provost and I serendipitously met at Brilyea Access this morning.
>  From there we moved on to Farrell Access -- to be serendipitously met by
> Allan Strong and Ted Murin.  Migrant shore and water birds were our quests.
>
> No new surprises, and low numbers were the order of the day ...
> notwithstanding abundant suitable habitat as water levels remain low in
> spite of recent rains.  Five shorebird species at Brilyea and five at
> Farrell, a total of six overall.  At Farrell, Least Sandpiper flybys
> suggested more individuals than we recorded, but we couldn't be sure and
> didn't want to double count.
>
> Farrell birds were kept active by the collection of raptors: Osprey, Bald
> Eagle, Northern Harrier, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, and
> Peregrine Falcon.  Nearby on Jersey Street an immature Cooper's Hawk
> perched in a dead tree, watching us as we drove between accesses.
>
> Lists are below.
>
> Ian
> ================
> Farrell Access, Addison, US-VT
> Aug 11, 2012 9:34 AM - 12:01 PM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 1.5 mile(s)
> Comments:     Craig Provost, Allan Strong, Ted Murin, Ian Worley
> 42 species
>
> Canada Goose  3
> Wood Duck  2
> American Black Duck  2
> Mallard  219
> Blue-winged Teal  2
> Northern Shoveler  3
> Green-winged Teal  18
> Great Blue Heron  3
> Green Heron  5
> Osprey  1
> Bald Eagle  1
> Northern Harrier  3
> Red-tailed Hawk  2
> American Kestrel  1
> Merlin  1
> Peregrine Falcon  1
> Semipalmated Plover  5
> Killdeer  15
> Spotted Sandpiper  1
> Least Sandpiper  17
> Wilson's Snipe  1
> Ring-billed Gull  31
> Caspian Tern  1
> Mourning Dove  2
> Downy Woodpecker  1
> Eastern Kingbird  2
> Blue Jay  2
> American Crow  2
> Common Raven  2
> Purple Martin  4
> Tree Swallow  5
> Black-capped Chickadee  2
> American Robin  1
> Gray Catbird  2
> European Starling  120
> Cedar Waxwing  7
> Savannah Sparrow  5
> Song Sparrow  6
> Northern Cardinal  1
> Indigo Bunting  1
> Bobolink  1
> American Goldfinch  4
> ==============================**=
> Brilyea Access, Addison, US-VT
> Aug 11, 2012 6:54 AM - 9:23 AM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 1.5 mile(s)
> Comments:     Craig Provost, Ian Worley
> 36 species
>
> Wood Duck  2
> Mallard  7
> American Bittern  1
> Great Blue Heron  13
> Green Heron  2
> Bald Eagle  1
> Red-tailed Hawk  1
> Semipalmated Plover  3
> Killdeer  7
> Spotted Sandpiper  1
> Semipalmated Sandpiper  2
> Least Sandpiper  5
> Ring-billed Gull  9
> Caspian Tern  1
> Mourning Dove  2
> Yellow-billed Cuckoo  1
> Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
> Downy Woodpecker  1
> Northern Flicker  4
> Pileated Woodpecker  1
> Eastern Wood-Pewee  3
> Willow Flycatcher  3
> Great Crested Flycatcher  2
> Eastern Kingbird  4
> Blue Jay  6
> Common Raven  1
> Tree Swallow  3
> Barn Swallow  4
> American Robin  5
> Gray Catbird  4
> Yellow Warbler  1
> Song Sparrow  9
> Northern Cardinal  2
> Red-winged Blackbird  1
> Baltimore Oriole  1
> American Goldfinch  2
>