Despite the warm weather, leaves are just coming out around Lefferts Pond. The Black-throated Blue Warblers are claiming their usual spots. Hermit Thrushes and Juncoes were investigating nesting spots. An early Swainson's Thrush was near one of the dams, taking a dip. Lefferts Pond - Chittenden (55 acres), Rutland, US-VT May 6, 2013 8:15 AM - 12:20 PM Protocol: Traveling 3.0 mile(s) 35 species Canada Goose 6 Wood Duck 2 Mallard 14 Hooded Merganser 4 Common Merganser 5 Great Blue Heron 2 Broad-winged Hawk 2 (circling together overhead and calling) Spotted Sandpiper 3 Barred Owl (after hunting time and from direction where hunters are not likely to be) Mourning Dove 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 Downy Woodpecker 1 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Blue-headed Vireo 5 Blue Jay 3 American Crow 2 Black-capped Chickadee 4 Brown Creeper 2 Winter Wren 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Swainson's Thrush 1 (saw buffy eye ring; breast spots not prominent as in Hermit Thrush; no reddish tail; photo) Hermit Thrush 3 American Robin 2 Ovenbird 3 Northern Waterthrush 2 Nashville Warbler 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 5 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 12 Blackburnian Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Song Sparrow 3 Swamp Sparrow 3 White-throated Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 2 Red-winged Blackbird 5 Common Grackle 4 Purple Finch 3 Sue and Marv Elliott, Sue Wetmore, Tracey and Millie Busony