Mascomabirds.org        

Summer 2019 Calendar

Upcoming Birding Events



Windsor Grasslands WMA    

Saturday, June 22

6:30 am – 9:30 a.m.

Windsor, VT

The grounds of the now closed Southeast Vermont State Correctional Facility (aka The Prison Farm) in Windsor were transferred in 2018 to Vermont Fish and Wildlife and renamed the Windsor Grasslands WMA. For years they have offered some excellent birding opportunities. Among species observed during Mascoma Chapter visits are "winnowing" Wilson's Snipe, several members of the flycatcher family and singing mimids including Gray Catbirds and a Brown Thrasher. Among warbler species found, there have been Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler and Chestnut-sided Warbler.

We’ll spend the majority of our visit surveying the grasslands and an adjacent, old orchard. If time allows we’ll also check the fields at the junction of Hunt Rd. and Marton Rd. for grassland and wetland species.

Meet at Dartmouth’s new Lewiston parking area at the Vermont end of the Ledyard Bridge at 6:30 a.m. and carpool to Windsor.

People wishing to drive directly to the site should take I-91 to Exit 9 (Hartland/Windsor). At the top of the ramp turn left onto US Route 5 and drive south to Windsor. At the traffic light in town, turn right onto State Street and head west. After about a mile the road splits. Stay to the left. You're now on Hunt Road. Continue west, passing under I-91, about another mile to Marton Road. Turn right and follow it about 1.2 miles to a grassy parking area overlooking the former prison grounds and surrounding fields.

The event is free and open to the public. All skill levels are welcome. Bring binoculars and/or spotting scopes as you prefer. The walking at the various stopping points is level and mostly paved. Wear comfortable shoes. It is advised to bring water and sun screen. The trip is to be led by members of the Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee. 

Birding River Road – Hanover to Lyme

Saturday, July 27

6:30 am – 9:30 a.m.

Members of the Mascoma Chapter's Steering Committee will lead this outing along scenic River Rd. from its beginning in northern Hanover to Lyme’s Grant Brook. Meet at 6:30 a.m. in the Sheridan Printing Company parking lot on NH Rt.10 next to The Richmond School. From there, we’ll carpool north along the Connecticut River making a number of stops beginning at Hanover’s Wilson’s Landing and concluding at the Grant Brook outflow in Lyme.

The trip is free and open to the public. All skill levels are welcome. Bring binoculars and/or spotting scopes as you prefer. The walking at the various stopping points is level and mostly paved. Wear comfortable shoes. It is advised to bring water and sun screen.

Norwich Birdwalk – Early Fall Migrants

Saturday, August 24

7:00 am – 9:30 am

This will be a leisurely excursion up the Connecticut River’s Vermont side to see what waterfowl and land birds might be passing through as they begin their journey south to their wintering grounds.

Starting at Foley Park located at the bridge, we’ll carpool north along US Route 5. Likely stops include the Ompompanoosuc River Outflow, “Pompy” Flats, Kendall Station and Campbell Flats.

Gather at Dartmouth’s new Lewiston parking area at the Vermont end of the Ledyard Bridge to form carpools.

The trip is free and open to the public and is to be led by Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee members. All skill levels are welcome. Bring binoculars and/or spotting scopes as you prefer. The walking at the various stopping points is level and mostly paved. Wear comfortable shoes. It is advised to bring water and sun screen.



 

 Common Mergansers at Wilder Dam

Wayne Benoit - Reno, NV

Recent Birding Outings



Note: "Warbler Wednesdays" and Feathered Fridays" results can be found under the "2019 Bird Walk Archive" tab by clicking on "May 2019."

Mascoma River Greenway Bird Walk

Saturday, June 8

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Lebanon, NH

For the third consecutive year, Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee member Jeff MacQueen led a bird walk along the Mascoma River via the Northern Rail Trail.

This year's trip explored the newly opened (July 21, 2018) Mascoma River Greenway Trail (MRG). This recently paved trail along a former railroad bed offers a great, level, tick-free walk through some nice habitat in residential Lebanon and along the Mascoma River beginning just east of Alice Peck Day Hospital (APD), then traveling westerly to its current terminus near Glen Road and the Miracle Mile.

Under a mostly sunny sky with a light breeze, and the temperature ranging through the 60s, twenty-one participants enjoyed a range of sightings totalling 36 species that provided opportunities to observe several individuals close enough to study their vocalizations.

The broad families of species observed included chimney swifts (two), a great blue heron, a pair of red-tailed hawks and a turkey vulture.

Passerine species seen ranged from insectivores (great-crested flycatcher, wood pewee and red-eyed vireo), to sparrows (chipping, white-throated and song) to six warbler species (ovenbird, black-and-white, common yellowthroat, American redstart, yellow and chestnut-sided).

A complete eBird list of the day's sightings can be seen by clicking on the following link:

https://ebird.org/vt/view/checklist/S57218840

Thanks to Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee members Jeff MacQueen, Susan Tiholiz and George Clark for hosting the event. Special thanks to Susan for keeping the count list.

The walk was co-sponsored by the Mascoma Chapter of NH Audubon and the Mascoma River Local Advisory Committee.



Spring Migrants Bird Walk

Saturday, April 27

Hanover, NH

6:30 – 9:00 am

Conditions were inauspicious, decidedly damp and cool, for the Mascoma Chapter's annual bird walk along the Connecticut River from northern Hanover to Lyme's Grant Brook outfow. Meteorlogically speaking, most strikingly, the group's departure from Wilson's Landing in Hanover was marked by a barrage of small hail bouncing off vehicles and briefly whitening the ground. Most of the time, however, there was merely rain to a greater or lesser extent.

Despite the less than ideal weather conditions, two dozen or so bird species were found by five, hardy walk participants. The Connecticut River and its tributaries were all running high and swiftly due to recent extended rain and spring snow melt. This no doubt accounted for the lower than anticipated waterfowl numbers. Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, and hooded mergansers were seen, but their counts were low. Two double-crested cormorants were seen winging their way northward along the river.

Non-waterfowl species recorded included two belted kingfishers. While at Wilson's Landing, about two dozen tree Swallows and a barn swallow were circling low over the river; evidently foraging on unseen arthropod prey. Among other spring arrivals encountered this morning were northern flicker, eastern phoebe and American robins. Chipping, song, swamp, and white-throated sparrows were recorded as well as juncos, red-winged blackbirds, and cowbird.

A nice sampling of early migrants was thus a reward for persevering through what might be considered the weather of early spring -- on April 27!
 
Our thanks go to Hanover's Sheridan Corporation for enabling use of their parking lot. Also greatly appreciated was the help provided by co-leader Gail McPeek representing trip co-sponsor The Hanover Conservancy. Mascoma Chapter Steering Committee members George Clark, Blake Allison, and Jeff MacQueen also were on hand. Special thanks to Jeff for submitting eBird lists. Links to those can be found below.


Wilson's Landing                                  https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55570872

Hidden Valley                                        https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55485046

Wilmott Farm Fields                                   https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55485018

Hewes Brook                                                https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55484989

Grant Brook                                           https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S55484970

Woodcock Walk

Wednesday, April 24

Hanover, NH

7:15 – 9 :00 pm

Cloudy, damp conditions did not deter ten hopeful and hearty birdwatchers from tramping through fields in hopes of seeing the male, American woodcock's dazzling and wonderous flight display.

There intrepid characters rewarded the faithful with three confirmed sightings and perhaps a fourth.

Led by Mascoma CHapter Steering Committee member George Clark, this woodcock outing was one of the most successful in recent memory.

Thanks to Joanne Norton and the Kendal Birding Club for co-hosting