While reading early this morning (00:30)a Great Horned Owl landed in our back tree and commenced to hooting away. Off to a great start for our first bird! And the book that had me up late... "The Big Year". A trip from N. Ferrisburg to S. Burlington and back helped end our year on a nice note too, a flock (50+) of mixed Waxwings by the Teddy Bear Factory in Shelburne. On Dorset St in Shelburne we had a flock of Snow Buntings. A flock of 40+ Waxwings in Charlotte on Brigham Brook Rd which also produced a mixed flock of Horned Larks etc. and on One Mile Rd in Charlotte we had another flock of Snow Buntings. A total of 7 Red-tailed Hawks on the way up on Dorset St. Mike C., Heather and kids N. Ferrisburg