Mascomabirds.org        

Winter 2018 Events Calendar

2018 - 2019 Nature Series

We are pleased to introduce our slate of speakers and their topics for our forthcoming series of nature-related talks.

All events take place in the Meyer Room of Hanover's Howe Library located at 13 South Main Street. The talks run from 7:00 p.m. to approximately 8:30 p.m. They are free and open to the public.

 Postponed until Thursday, February 28 due to inclement weather!!

MK Beach

The Arctic Through My Lens

Thursday, February 28

In August, 2018, MK Beach traveled on an expedition cruise from Iqaluit, Nunavut to Western Greenland. Part of Dartmouth's Alumni Travel program, the group navigated across the Davis Strait and above the Arctic Circle to experience remote towns and villages, sea ice, icebergs, fjords, and Arctic flora and fauna. They ultimately set foot on the Greenland ice sheet. This is her story, told through her camera lens.

MK first moved to NH in 1972 when she enrolled in the historic first co-educational class at Dartmouth, graduating in 1976. She later earned an MBA from the Tuck School of Business, She describes herself as an "Observer, Creator, Consultant, Occasional Teacher, and Eternal Student." MK says she  is very aware of a "sense of place" and feels enormously grateful to live in a region where she can steward 100 acres of land which includes delaying the mowing of her fields so the Bobolinks can safely nest. She  "loves Nature and capturing - with whimsical words and various camera lenses - big skies, small moments, billowing clouds, bees on flowers and birds on branches." She "has a special affinity for Ravens."



Nathaniel Sharp

Exploring Tools for the Citizen Scientist

Tuesday, March 12

There have never been more programs available for people to engage in "citizen science." In the Upper Valley there are Vermont eBird and New Hampshire eBird as well as iNaturalist. These tools not only help you track your own sightings but put a wealth of useful and interesting data at your fingertips.

Exploring and understanding all these programs have to offer, can be somewhat daunting, but Vermont Center for Ecostudies "Citizen Science Outreach Naturalist" Nathan Sharp is more than capable of helping interested users navigate their way.

Nathan will provide an introduction to both the eBird and iNaturalist portals showing how to enter data into both websites. He'll also discuss the myriad uses of eBird and iNaturalist, ranging from tracking the migratory patterns of birds, to pinning down locations for hard to find species, to viewing phenological changes throughout the year. 

Whether just starting out or experienced users looking to maximize the range of information available to them, attendees are sure to find Nathan's talk both informative and entertaining.

James Kennedy

The American Woodcock; Ecology and Management

Tuesday, April 9



Jim Kennedy will give a presentation on the American woodcock, the migratory bird famous for its springtime mating ritual on the “singing grounds”. By most accounts, woodcock are declining in the Northeast. Jim will describe the woodcock’s unique anatomy and habits and where this adapted shorebird is found in our area. He will show the steps being taken to preserve and enhance the particular habitat of fields, brushy edges, and young forests which are critical to woodcock survival.

Jim is a wetland scientist, a landscape architect, and Chair of the Hanover Conservation Commission.  Jim is also a bird dog enthusiast who has navigated the thick woodcock “covers” throughout the Northeast, Midwest, and Atlantic Canada. He has competed, judged and reported on wild bird field trials and is a former winner of the International Amateur Woodcock Championship, held annually in New Brunswick (no birds are killed in these events).  Has worked on the Huntington Hill Wildlife Management Area in Hanover for 40 years, maintaining and enhancing woodcock and ruffed grouse habitat.

The talk is free and open to the public.





Upcoming Birding Events

Annual Bald Eagle Watch

Wilder Dam - Wilder, VT

Saturday, February 16

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Join us for our first birdwatching event of the 2019 calendar year. We'll be looking for early bald eagle nesting activity in the woods bordering the Connecticut River downstream from the Wilder Dam. We also will scan for waterfowl that feed in the ice-free waters created by the dam’s outflow.

The event is free and open to the public. All experience levels are welcome. Bring binoculars and/or spotting scopes as you prefer. The viewing site, reached from Wilder Village on the Vermont side, is handicapped accessible.

In the event of inclement weather, the outing will be moved to Sunday, February 17 with the same start and finish times.

Directions: Take US Route 5 to Wilder. Turn onto Depot Street. At the U.S. Post Office, turn left onto Norwich St. followed quickly by a right hand turn to cross the railroad overpass. Then turn right onto Wilder Dam Road and follow it down to the dam. There is limited parking at the dam. It is advised that you park in the first lot on the right, just before the one where Great River Hydro has its company vehicles and walk down to the dam, if you are able.



Recent Birding Events



Dead Creek WMA 

Addison, VT

Saturday, November 3

Cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

Bedell Bridge State Historic Site

Haverhill, NH

Saturday, October 6





Recent Birding Events, cont.

 

Richmond Conservation Land

Orford, NH

Saturday, September 15

Over twenty participants turned out on a foggy morning to explore a few hotspots in the town of Orford. Birding was a bit slow, but the group managed 23 different species of birds at the Richmond Conservation Land, Boat Landing Road and Reed’s Marsh.

Some highlights included nice views of a Belted Kingfisher, Warbling Vireos still singing from a couple of spots, a large flock of Cedar Waxwings and a few species of warblers ( Black-throated Greens, Common Yellowthroats and a Magnolia Warbler seen by several members of the group).

Thanks to George Clark and Blake Allison for co-leading and to Susan Tiholiz for compiling the eBird lists. 

Complete eBird lists of the day's sightings can be found by following the links below.

Reed Marsh WMA

https://ebird.org/vt/view/checklist/S48516534

Norwich Birdwalk – Early Fall Migrants

Saturday, August 18

Undeterred, the group set off and managed to total a respectable 31 species by the time the walk ended two hours later under slightly less oppressive conditions. The corn field provided good opportunities for viewing bobolinks (16), indigo buntings (6) and song sparrows (7). More were certainly present, but the corn's height limited viewing to the field's perimeter.

Only four warbler species were seen including three common yellowthroat and one each of black and white warbler, chestnut-sided warbler and American redstart.



Birding River Road – Hanover to Lyme

Saturday, July 28

Less than three hours before the start of this morning's bird walk in Hanover and Lyme, a noisy thunderstorm was still in progress in the region. However, by the time the bird walk began, a predicted "dry slot" had arrived, and the rain had stopped. No rain fell during the bird walk, but water drops were falling off overhead trees and the vegetation under foot was very wet on a humid morning.

On this trip, arranged by the Mascoma Chapter of NH Audubon, ten observers found more than 55 bird species with coverage along NH Route 10 in Hanover and along River Road in Hanover and Lyme.  Among numerous highlights were a Pied-billed Grebe,  46 Turkey Vultures by an East Thetford (VT)  roosting area, an adult Bald Eagle, a Wild Turkey, Willow Flycatchers still calling "Fitz-bew", five species of swallows over the Connecticut River at Wilson's Landing; apparently moving southward,  Overhead Bobolink calls suggested that at least a few of those birds were on the move southward as well.

Also notable were a calling Louisiana Waterthrush heard on the return pass over Lyme's Hewes Brook, a flock of five Eastern Bluebirds, and brightly colored mature male Purple Finches. Species still singing this late in the season included, in part, a Black-billed Cuckoo at Grant Brook in Lyme,  Blue-headed, Warbling, and Red-eyed Vireos, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Scarlet Tanager, and Indigo Bunting. 

A Solitary Sandpiper flying over the Sheridan Printing parking lot in Hanover was unexpected. None had ever been seen previously at that location. The only other shorebird found was a Spotted Sandpiper at Grant Brook in Lyme.  A Merlin perched in a tree by the Hanover Golf Course was a bonus for a few birders to see after the regular trip had ended. 

Thanks go to Sheridan Printing NH for providing parking spaces to enable car-pooling. Special thanks go toGeorge Clark and his three coleaders whose contributions were too numerous and varied to list in full. Susan Tiholiz diligently compiled records in the field and prepared the eBird lists cited below. Kathy Thompson played a major role in field compilation and tabulation of results.. Adam Burnett helped greatly by detecting bird species.



Windsor Grasslands WMA

Saturday, June 16

Marton Road -- Windsor, VT

Northern Rail Trail Bird Walk

Saturday, June 9

Lebanon, NH

Thanks to all who participated,  to Jeff MacQueen for valuable assistance in planning, and special thanks to Susan Tiholiz for coleading, for keeping the list of birds while afield, and for preparing the eBird report cited above.

Co-sponsored by the Mascoma Chapter of NH Audubon and the Mascoma River Local Advisory Committee.



Bedell Bridge Bird Walk

Saturday, May 26

Bedell Bridge State Historic Site

Haverhill, NH

On an overcast, Saturday morning with the temperature ranging through the 70s, Mascoma Chapter of NH Audubon Steering Committee members George Clark and Jef MacQueen led 17 birders around the Bedell Brdige's woodland and wetland complex; habitats where we encountered most of the species we typically get here, plus a few surprises. Blackpoll Warblers were the notable migrants present and we had great looks at several. Some of us also got a glimpse of two Northern Harriers as they flew towards the south from the area. An immature Bald Eagle perched obligingly, twice, and we had good scope views. We had a great opportunity to scrutinize and study vocalizations of Willow and Alder Flycatchers as they called almost simultaneously at one point. We also heard a Yellow-throated Vireo, but could not find it. An American Bittern flew over and gave most of us a quick look.

An impressive count numbering 50+ species was recorded. The eBird list can be observed here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S46037649. 

Thanks to George Clark and also Adam Burnett for his keen ears and knowledge.