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RECAPS OF "WARBLER WEDNESDAYS" AND "FEATHERED FRIDAYS" WALKS

"Feathered Fridays'

Union Village Dam Park's "Mystery Trail"

Thetford Center, VT

Led by Becky Cook and Ted Boze

Friday, May 2

Under mostly sunny skies, nine observers kicked off the Mascoma Chapter's 2014 "Feathered Friday" series logging a respectable, early spring total of twenty-five species. Highlights included a ruffed grouse, a wilson's snipe, eight ruby-crowned kinglets and two pine warblers. It clearly was too early for warblers and flycatchers.

For a complete checklist of birds seen, please click on the following link:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18178794

Friday, May 9

The second "Feathered Friday" outing occurred under unsettled conditions with Becky and Ted hosting seven other birders. An interesting mix of 36 species waa observed. Warbler numbers remained low, but insectivore sightings included least and alder flycatchers, three blue-headed vireos and eastern kingbirds and phoebes.

A complete checklist of birds seen, is available when you click on the following link:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18314829

Friday, May 16

On a sparkling, spring morning, twelve birders set out into the bucolic, setting of the Union Village Dam Park's "Mystery Trail" in search of newly arrived spring migrants. Thirty-nine species were observed, and there was a noticeable uptick in warbler and insectivore sightings. Highlights included alder and least flycatchers, red-eyed and blue-headed vireos and a northern waterthrush. 

For a complete checklist of birds seen, please click on the following link:

http://ebird.org/ebird/vt/view/checklist?subID=S18421062

Friday, May 23

This morning the luck of "Feathered Fridays" continued as seven birders were rained on getting to and leaving from the Union Village Dam area, but enjoyed almost three hours of no rain while finding 45 species. Highlights were two Indigo Buntings seen together, and a combined sightingof pairs of Orioles and Red-eyed Vireos in the same tree.  A male and female Wood Duck were seen at the pond with at least 6 chicks.

Thanks to Becky Cook and Ted Boze for leading and compiling the species record.

For a complete checklist of birds seen, please click on the following link:

 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18521671

Friday, May 30

The last "Feathered Friday" of the season took place under partly sunny skies with the temperature ranging from 45 to the mid-50s. Ted Boze and Becky Cook led a party of nine birders who managed to record 35 species over a bit more than two hours. The day's "best bird" was a black-billed cuckoo heard calling from a thicket, but despite best efforts no visual contact was made.

Please go to the following link for a complete count of the morning's observations.

http://ebird.org/ebird/vt/view/checklist?subID=S18627506

"Mystery Trail" Pond and Wetland/Blake Allison - Lyme, NH

Wedn



Green Heron at the "Mystery Trail"/Brenda Martin

"Warbler Wednesdays"

Boston Lot Lake

Lebanon, NH

Led by Pip Richens

Wednesday, May 7

The inaugural "Warbler Wednesdays" birding series attracted 15 participants who headed up to the lake under partly cloudy skies and a temperature that started near freezing but warmed to 50 degrees by the trip's end. Thirty-two species were observed with seven warblers and a least flycatcher among those counted.To cap off the enjoyable morning, a broad-winged hawk patiently posed atop a snag some 50 yards up the trail from the parking area.

A complete list of species counted may be viewed by following this link:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18288936

Wednesday, May 14

With high hopes that spring migration was moving into high gear, nine birders led by Pip Richens, headed up the trail to Boston Lot Lake. As always happens, a good amount of the allocated time ended up being spent under the power lines  watching the scrub and two apple trees that are warbler magnets. Twelve warbler species were talllied, and the morning was capped by an immature bald eagle flying south over Wilder Dam as the group prepared to disembark from the parking lot.

For a complete checklist of birds seen, please click on the following link:

http://ebird.org/ebird/nh/view/checklist?subID=S18469824

Wednesday, May 21

Partly sunny skies and breezy, cool conditions were the order of the day. Seventeen people led by walk host "Pip" Richens observed 34 species.

The day's list included in order of appearance:

common grackle
song sparrow
ring-billed gull
rock/feral pigeon
mallard
wood thrushe
black-throated blue warbler
mourning dove
ovenbird
red-eyed vireo
American crow
common yellowthroat
chestnut-sided warbler
blue jay
northern parula
gray catbird
white-throated sparrow
goldfinch
veery
yellow-bellied sapsucker
rose-breasted grosbeak
white-breasted nuthatch
redstart
scarlet tanager
hairy woodpecker
least flycatcher
tree swallow
eastern phoebe
kingfisher
Baltimore oriole
American robin
black-capped chickadee
magnolia warbler
indigo bunting

Wednesday, May 28

It was a very productive outing for the season's last "Warbler Wednesday." Despite damp conditions and a temperature hovering near 50 degrees, a group of nine birders managed to tally 42 species. Some of the highlights included four spotted sandpipers seen up at Boston ot Lake, a singing Louisiana waterthrush, two rose-breasted grosbeaks and an indigo bunting.

A complete list of the day's sightings can be found by clicking on the link below.

 http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18598645