Tuesday there was a lone Song Sparrow almost frantically scratching for grass seed at the base of a pile of snow pushed up by a plow, right next to the old barn at the end of Gage Road in Addison. The thaw will be a real boon to that little bird!

Maeve Kim
Jericho Center

On Jan 10, 2013, at 8:22 AM, Barbara Brosnan wrote:

> TO transition back to birds, we had 4 turkeys feeding at our deck a few
> years ago during a heavy March snowstorm.  One feeder was on a pole and had
> few seeds on the ground.  No problem.  We watched as one turkey jumped up
> beside the feeder and slammed the feeder with the side of his head, thus
> knocking seed to the ground.  He'd feed, then do it again, and again.  No
> noticeable brain damage.  Turkeys are funny enough just standing there, but
> this was worth a couple of circus tickets to see.
> 
> Bird alert:  John just called me to see a Song Sparrow under our feeder.
> January thaw?
> 
> Barbara Brosnan
> Weybridge
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vermont Birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kaye Danforth
> Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2013 6:01 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [VTBIRD] Flying Possum
> 
> Not that we should devote too much space about possums, but I thought you'd
> like to know that apparently they can fly.  My parents have in their Conn.
> backyard a large pole mounted feeder with a bag of suet hanging down from
> one side, attached  with wire.  Several years ago, they were inside the
> house after dark and heard a strange rythmic creaking noise, ree ree, ree
> ree, over and over.  Dad grabbed a flashlight to look out the window, and
> there, hanging from the wired suet was a possum looking right back at him
> with a toothy little possum grin, gaily swinging on the wire.  He was even
> pushing with his little legs at the far point of the arc like a kid on a
> playset wanting to go higher!  For some time they watched him watching them
> until Snap!  Off he sailed with the suet into the night.
> 
> Kaye
> Hinesburg