Congratulations to VCE on 25 years of dedication to our ridgeline ecosystem!
Many thanks for all you do.
Scott
Moretown





> On May 22, 2016, at 10:08 PM, Chris Rimmer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> With apologies for a tardy post, here is a brief update from Mt. Mansfield,
> where Kent McFarland and I spent last Thursday evening and Friday morning
> on our first netting session of 2016. We luckily dodged the thunderstorms
> on Thursday and were able to set up 15 nets. Bird activity was light, but
> we did hear 6 Bicknell's Thrushes sounding off sporadically in the hour
> preceding dusk. Only calls were given - no songs - and they were of
> decidedly low intensity compared to how cranked up they'll be in about 2
> weeks. White-throats and American Robins were the only other species that
> were much in evidence on the ridgeline, and we heard several songs of each.
> The robins were actually in full voice.
> 
> We opened our nets at 5 am to a relatively quiet dawn chorus. Temperatures
> were in the low 40sF, with a light northerly wind. It was clear that not
> all residents are yet back. We heard the same 6 Bicknell's Thrushes, with
> one bird delivering a brief bout of song. Winter Wrens, robins and
> white-throats put on a reasonable vocal show, complemented by a few juncos.
> The Yellow-rumped and Blackpoll Warblers chimed in later, once the air
> warmed, as did 2 Magnolia Warblers. Two Swainson's Thrushes also briefly
> piped up, as did a Blue-headed Vireo (not a breeding resident on the
> ridgeline). Pine Siskins were still scattered about, as were a few Purple
> Finches.
> 
> We netted a total of 18 birds, none of which were in breeding condition:
> 
> Bicknell's Thrush - 2 males (both old friends, including a bird banded as a
> yearling in June of 2011, making him 6 years old)
> Swainson's Thrush - 1
> American Robin - 1 female (no incubation patch yet)
> Blackpoll Warbler - 2 males (including, unbelievably, the champion
> long-distance migrant among the 3 birds that returned with its geolocator
> in 2014! See our blog from last summer about this bird:
> http://vtecostudies.org/blog/champion-blackpoll-globe-trotter-returns-to-mansfield/
> )
> Yellow-rumped Warbler - 4 (all new birds; 1 male, 3 females)
> Black-throated Blue Warbler - 1 yearling male
> White-throated Sparrow - 5 (3 new, 2 returns from previous years)
> Pine Siskin - 2
> 
> We expect to find the full complement of local residents up there during
> our next visit in early June. This marks VCE's 25th year studying breeding
> birds on Mansfield's ridgeline - some of us just don't know when to quit!
> 
> Chris
> 
> ________________________
> 
> Chris Rimmer
> Vermont Center for Ecostudies
> PO Box 420 | Norwich, Vermont 05055
> 802.649.1431 x1
> http://vtecostudies.org/
> 
> <http://vtecostudies.org/>
>