Hi all,

I began in Williston and ended in Ferrisburgh.

1st stop:

Oak Hill Rd. & Sunset Hill Rd., Williston, Chittenden, US-VT
Dec 10, 2011 8:37 AM
Protocol: Incidental
1 species

Northern Shrike  1     Gray 1st winter atop a tree next to the road

2nd stop: I birded this stop with Ted Murin.

Thompson's Pt. Rd./ Black Willow Lane, Charlotte, Chittenden, US-VT
Dec 10, 2011 9:31 AM - 9:49 AM
Protocol: Stationary
5 species

Blue Jay  3
Eastern Bluebird  15     12 flew in 1 group, then they were followed by 3 more 
from the same area as the 1st group
American Robin  21
European Starling  9
American Goldfinch  14

3rd stop: Thanks to a call from Ian Worley, I was able to see the Snowy Owl!!

Button Bay Overlook, Ferrisburgh, Addison, US-VT
Dec 10, 2011 10:51 AM - 11:45 AM
Protocol: Stationary
4 species

Common Goldeneye  12
Northern Goshawk  1 juv. flew directly overhead while I was talking to 3 duck 
hunters in the parking lot. Large Accipiter with buffy underside and broad, 
dense streaking. It was soaring southwardly and it circled just over us.
Red-tailed Hawk  1     This bird followed the Goshawk about 5 seconds later.
Snowy Owl  1     My look was not crystal clear because of the air/water temp. 
differential, but it looked quite white. . . I was in the parking lot and it was 
perched on the top of a tree that is on the north end of the island that is 
farthest west in Button Bay. I then got a little closer look from the rutted road 
which starts from the paking lot. The Snowy Owl was on the rocks at the 
water's surface directly below the tree that it was in.  My view was a little 
better than from the parking lot but not by much.

4th stop:

Button Bay Rd./ Basin Harbor Rd., Ferrisburgh, Addison, US-VT
Dec 10, 2011 11:49 AM
Protocol: Incidental
1 species

Northern Shrike  1     Brown 1st winter on a utility line, then on a shrub, then 
on several fence posts. It went down to the ground and came back to a fence 
post with an insect (I think), and ate it.

5th stop: When I saw the Cormorant, I tried really hard to turn it into a Great.

Fort Cassin Rd., Ferrisburgh, Addison, US-VT
Dec 10, 2011 12:20 PM - 12:27 PM
Protocol: Stationary
8 species

Common Goldeneye  1
Common Merganser  1
Common Loon  1
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Ring-billed Gull  16
Herring Gull  1
Great Black-backed Gull  1
American Crow  3

Enjoy Birds,

Jim Mead