Date: 9/3/26 6:35 pm From: Nicholas Parker <parkernick802...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] 9/3/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 1,376
I counted 60 nighthawks heading over North Montpelier Pond on Tuesday
(starting at 6pm) and there were reports around Montpelier and East Calais
that evening as well. Here’s hoping we get more on the way!
Nick
On Thu, Sep 3, 2026 at 9:28 PM John Snell <jrsnelljr...> wrote:
> Lots of ants flying in Montpelier tonight but did not see any nighawks.
> Thanks for all you incredible work.
>
> > On Sep 3, 2026, at 8:58 PM, Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
> >
> > 9/3/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. Another great flight night
> with 1,376 bringing the season total to 23,802.
> >
> > Also of interest were 2 cormorants,3 Black Vultures, merlin, Peregrine,
> Gt Egret and 3 monarchs.
> >
> >
> >
> > Don Clark
> >
> > Grafton, Vermont
> >
> > <sapsbks...>
>
Date: 9/3/26 6:28 pm From: John Snell <jrsnelljr...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] 9/3/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 1,376
Lots of ants flying in Montpelier tonight but did not see any nighawks. Thanks for all you incredible work.
> On Sep 3, 2026, at 8:58 PM, Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
>
> 9/3/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. Another great flight night with 1,376 bringing the season total to 23,802.
>
> Also of interest were 2 cormorants,3 Black Vultures, merlin, Peregrine, Gt Egret and 3 monarchs.
>
>
>
> Don Clark
>
> Grafton, Vermont
>
> <sapsbks...>
Date: 9/3/26 11:05 am From: Ian Clark <ian...> Subject: [VTBIRD] More wildlife photos on my blog, take a look
I checked in on the Easton loon family and spent some time with the herons. There are lots of photos in my new blog post at: https://tinyurl.com/58svpa4v
Date: 9/3/26 5:51 am From: Ted Levin <tedlevin1966...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 03 September 2026: Hurricane Hill (1,100 feet), WRJ
5:52 a.m. Twenty-two minutes before sunrise. The air is a cool fifty-eight
degrees, with a south-southeast wind whispering at four miles per hour and
occasional gusts reaching twelve. To the east, above the New Hampshire
skyline, the clouds are softly ruffled. Elsewhere, the overcast sky lies
taut as a drumhead—a long, sleepy dawn broken only by a barred owl calling
from its hemlock throne. Plumes of river fog rise and curl like aqueous
smoke from a dozen phantom campfires.
Summer is visibly draining from the hills, leaving streaks of red and the
first glimmers of yellow among the tired green.
*Department of Auditory Transition: *The hum of tree crickets has replaced
the drone of red-eyed vireos, laying down a softer, smoother backdrop for
thought.
6:06 a.m. Ovenbird—the first I've seen or heard in a week—works the ground
beneath the aspens and maples. It pauses to call: a loud, off-key *chip.*
6:29 a.m. A single crow heads west, cawing.
*Department of Contrasting Voices: *A common raven, perching out of sight,
calls and calls—a stationary broadcast to an unknown audience. Nearby, a
brown creeper scaling a pine trunk gingerly whispers its presence.
*The Morning's Roster, eighteen species: *Myrtle warblers, many and active,
rummage among the hardwood leaves; black-capped chickadee; tufted titmouse;
white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches; American goldfinch, chattering
flocks; blue jay; song sparrow; chipping sparrow; red-eyed vireo (calling,
not singing); gray catbird; lone northern house wren, in rhododendron
shade, loud as ever; mourning dove; northern cardinal, maple red.
Hummingbirds move like erratic electrons around the feeders. They come and
go, always chasing—never a dull moment.
Gray squirrels along oak limbs loosen raindrops.
Broadwings perch-hunt from electric lines and roadside limbs along the
meadow edges, keeping low beneath the canopy, seldom wary. I saw three
yesterday, four the day before—three of them high in the air, circling and
calling, lifted on columns of warm air until they reached the peak, then
folded their wings and slipped south, one thermal to the next. Vermont to
Texas to Costa Rica to Colombia, obedient to the old pull of the season.
Date: 9/2/26 5:29 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 9/2/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 1,132
9/2/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. A good flight this evening with 1,132. Season total 22,426. A group of 300+ feeding nighthawks shut down the count for a while.
Date: 9/1/26 6:08 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 9/1/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 574
9/1/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. Rain let up just before count time and managed to hold off till the end. With the overcast sky birds were flying low. Our nighthawk count ended with 574 birds (21,294 for the season). We were also treated to a surprising 2 Sandhill Cranes and a Goshawk.
Thank you, I’m trying to catch a flight on the Black River up here in VT. The flights are pretty rare here.
Elinor
Elinor Osborn
<nekv1v2...>
802 586-9994
1286 Lost Nation Rd
Craftsbury Common VT 05827
> On Aug 31, 2026, at 3:48 PM, Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
>
> The day after a rain that sets off a flying ant hatch or SE and SW. winds
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Aug 31, 2026, at 1:55 PM, Elinor Osborn <000011fd2819610c-dmarc-request...> wrote:
>>
>> For the nighthawk count, are there fairly reliable weather conditions which predict a good flight?
>> Elinor
>>
>> Elinor Osborn
>> <nekv1v2...>
>> 802 586-9994
>> 1286 Lost Nation Rd
>> Craftsbury Common VT 05827
>>
>>> On Aug 30, 2026, at 9:28 PM, Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
>>>
>>> 8/30/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. This evening was a lot of ones and twos with a final tally of 220. Season total is now 20,375.
>>>
>>> Don Clark
>>> Grafton
>>> <sapsbks...>
Date: 8/31/26 12:48 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] 8/30/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count
The day after a rain that sets off a flying ant hatch or SE and SW. winds
Sent from my iPhone
> On Aug 31, 2026, at 1:55 PM, Elinor Osborn <000011fd2819610c-dmarc-request...> wrote:
>
> For the nighthawk count, are there fairly reliable weather conditions which predict a good flight?
> Elinor
>
> Elinor Osborn
> <nekv1v2...>
> 802 586-9994
> 1286 Lost Nation Rd
> Craftsbury Common VT 05827
>
>> On Aug 30, 2026, at 9:28 PM, Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
>>
>> 8/30/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. This evening was a lot of ones and twos with a final tally of 220. Season total is now 20,375.
>>
>> Don Clark
>> Grafton
>> <sapsbks...>
Date: 8/31/26 10:55 am From: Elinor Osborn <000011fd2819610c-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] 8/30/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count
For the nighthawk count, are there fairly reliable weather conditions which predict a good flight?
Elinor
Elinor Osborn
<nekv1v2...>
802 586-9994
1286 Lost Nation Rd
Craftsbury Common VT 05827
> On Aug 30, 2026, at 9:28 PM, Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
>
> 8/30/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. This evening was a lot of ones and twos with a final tally of 220. Season total is now 20,375.
>
> Don Clark
> Grafton
> <sapsbks...>
Date: 8/29/26 7:15 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 8/29/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 498
8/29/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. A slower night with birds scattered and not finding a consistent flight path probably due to wind directly out of the West. None the less, 20 sets of eyes were able to come up with 498 nighthawks to push us to a new seasonal high of 20,055. Back for more tomorrow.
Date: 8/28/26 6:11 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 8/28/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count / 3178 nighthawks
8/28 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. And still they come. 3178 this evening putting our season total at 19,557 and a record high for the site. With a couple of weeks left the sky's the limit. This site continues to produce unreal numbers.
Date: 8/27/26 7:21 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 8/27/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 1,122
2026 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count / An overcast cool night with wind out of the WSW. Birds were high and distant for the most part but at the end we had tallied 1,122 nighthawks. Season total now stands at 16,379.
Date: 8/27/26 7:11 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 8/27 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 1,122
Westminster Station Nighthawk Count / An overcast cool night with wind out of the WSW. Birds were high and distant for the most part but at the end we had tallied 1,122 nighthawks. Season total now stands at 16,379.
Date: 8/26/26 7:14 pm From: Charlie La Rosa <charlie.larosa...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] 8/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count / 2065
Two, count 'em, two nighthawks over Chelsea village!
Charlie La Rosa
So. Washington
I would like to see every single soldier on every single side, just take
off your helmet, unbuckle your kit, lay down your rifle, and set down at
the side of some shady lane, & say nope, I ain't gonna kill nobody. Plenty
of rich folks wants to fight. Give them the guns. - *Woody Guthrie, 1939*
On Wed, Aug 26, 2026 at 9:22 PM Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
> Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. The count this evening started slow
> but picked up much to the delight of the 11 observers. Final tally for the
> 3 1/2 hours was 2065 nighthawks bringing the season count to 15,257.
>
> Don Clark
>
> Grafton, VT
>
> <sapsbks...>
Date: 8/26/26 6:22 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 8/26 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count / 2065
Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. The count this evening started slow but picked up much to the delight of the 11 observers. Final tally for the 3 1/2 hours was 2065 nighthawks bringing the season count to 15,257.
Date: 8/25/26 6:39 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 883
8/25 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. A little tamer tonight with only 883 birds. Had a couple of hundred+ bird kettles that were fun to watch. Season total is 13,192.
Date: 8/25/26 7:25 am From: Ron Wild <ronhwmail...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] VTBIRD Digest - 22 Aug 2026 to 24 Aug 2026 (#2026-147)
Spectacular!
On Tue, Aug 25, 2026, 00:00 VTBIRD automatic digest system <
<LISTSERV...> wrote:
> There are 3 messages totaling 102 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
> 1. 8/24 Westminster StationNighthawk Count, 5,375 (3)
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2026 21:38:14 -0400
> From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...>
> Subject: 8/24 Westminster StationNighthawk Count, 5,375
>
> 8/24 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. An exciting flight tonight with
> a final tally of 5,375. Highlights were some non stop strings of 842, 562,
> 486 and feeding groups all around us with many only a foot off the ground.
> Total for the season so far is 12,309 with almost 3 weeks to go.
>
>
>
> Don Clark
>
> Grafton, VT
>
> <sapsbks...>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2026 21:47:31 -0400
> From: R Stewart <2cnewbirds...>
> Subject: Re: 8/24 Westminster StationNighthawk Count, 5,375
>
> INCREDIBLE, Don.!!! Have your ever seen that many in one night in all your
> years counting? Ruth
>
> On Mon, Aug 24, 2026 at 9:38 PM Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
>
> > 8/24 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. An exciting flight tonight with
> > a final tally of 5,375. Highlights were some non stop strings of 842,
> 562,
> > 486 and feeding groups all around us with many only a foot off the
> ground.
> > Total for the season so far is 12,309 with almost 3 weeks to go.
> >
> >
> >
> > Don Clark
> >
> > Grafton, VT
> >
> > <sapsbks...>
>
>
>
> --
> Ruth Stewart
> E. Dorset VT
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2026 22:16:06 -0400
> From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...>
> Subject: Re: 8/24 Westminster StationNighthawk Count, 5,375
>
> That’s a new high. Previous high was 4,096.
>
> > On Aug 24, 2026, at 9:47 PM, R Stewart <2cnewbirds...> wrote:
> >
> > INCREDIBLE, Don.!!! Have your ever seen that many in one night in all
> your
> > years counting? Ruth
> >
> > On Mon, Aug 24, 2026 at 9:38 PM Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
> >
> >> 8/24 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. An exciting flight tonight
> with
> >> a final tally of 5,375. Highlights were some non stop strings of 842,
> 562,
> >> 486 and feeding groups all around us with many only a foot off the
> ground.
> >> Total for the season so far is 12,309 with almost 3 weeks to go.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Don Clark
> >>
> >> Grafton, VT
> >>
> >> <sapsbks...>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Ruth Stewart
> > E. Dorset VT
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of VTBIRD Digest - 22 Aug 2026 to 24 Aug 2026 (#2026-147)
> *************************************************************
>
Date: 8/24/26 7:16 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] 8/24 Westminster StationNighthawk Count, 5,375
That’s a new high. Previous high was 4,096.
> On Aug 24, 2026, at 9:47 PM, R Stewart <2cnewbirds...> wrote:
>
> INCREDIBLE, Don.!!! Have your ever seen that many in one night in all your
> years counting? Ruth
>
> On Mon, Aug 24, 2026 at 9:38 PM Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
>
>> 8/24 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. An exciting flight tonight with
>> a final tally of 5,375. Highlights were some non stop strings of 842, 562,
>> 486 and feeding groups all around us with many only a foot off the ground.
>> Total for the season so far is 12,309 with almost 3 weeks to go.
>>
>>
>>
>> Don Clark
>>
>> Grafton, VT
>>
>> <sapsbks...>
>
>
>
> --
> Ruth Stewart
> E. Dorset VT
Date: 8/24/26 6:47 pm From: R Stewart <2cnewbirds...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] 8/24 Westminster StationNighthawk Count, 5,375
INCREDIBLE, Don.!!! Have your ever seen that many in one night in all your
years counting? Ruth
On Mon, Aug 24, 2026 at 9:38 PM Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
> 8/24 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. An exciting flight tonight with
> a final tally of 5,375. Highlights were some non stop strings of 842, 562,
> 486 and feeding groups all around us with many only a foot off the ground.
> Total for the season so far is 12,309 with almost 3 weeks to go.
>
>
>
> Don Clark
>
> Grafton, VT
>
> <sapsbks...>
Date: 8/24/26 6:38 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 8/24 Westminster StationNighthawk Count, 5,375
8/24 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. An exciting flight tonight with a final tally of 5,375. Highlights were some non stop strings of 842, 562, 486 and feeding groups all around us with many only a foot off the ground. Total for the season so far is 12,309 with almost 3 weeks to go.
Date: 8/22/26 5:58 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 8/22 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 468
8/22 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count / Four observers counted 468 nighthawks this evening under overcast skies and variable NE-SE winds. Season total is at 6934.
Other interesting species: Kestrel, Cormorant Gt Blue Heron, Great Egret, Osprey, Raven, 3 unidentified shorebirds & 35 Geese.
Date: 8/21/26 6:18 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Westminster Station Nighthawk Count , 3350
A steady flight tonight all over the sky from 4-8. Had strings of 200+ and one just under 400. Final tally was 3,350 putting the season total at 6,466.
Date: 8/21/26 5:46 am From: Ted Levin <tedlevin1966...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 21 August 2026: Hurricane Hill (1,100 feet), WRJ
5:52 a.m. (eight minutes before sunrise). Fifty-one degrees, wind
north-northwest four miles per hour, gusting to eight. A tremor of aspen
leaves. Heavy river fog, crests unbraiding, stands rising over the summit
of Hurricane Hill. The sky clean blue everywhere but the east, which blooms
soft tangerine and orange deepens around the sun. Wisps of fog lit to
pastel apricot. Altogether, a quiet, fruit-colored sunrise. Clear, clean,
obedient to the seasons.
In a corner of the meadow, beneath the erratic goldfinches,
Jerusalem artichoke dominates, a wall of yellow. Some goldenrod gone to
seed; others bloom, sprays of yellow flaring like water from a fountain.
In the woods, green acorns dropping, loosened by jays and squirrels,
ticking through the leaves.
Hop hornbeam in seed, oblong clusters pendant at the ends of twigs. And
beneath everything, the eternal murmur of tree crickets. Then the screams
of pileated and red-bellied woodpeckers—brief, bright pockets of noise. One
on each side of the road.
*Department of Aerial Activity: *great blue heron and crow, both intent.
Crow heads north, high over the road. Heron south, higher still. Their
paths cross in the pale morning air, one hundreds of feet above the other.
*Just Passing Through: *6:11 a.m.: Tennessee warblers, too many to count,
never still, working the aspen leaves for little green caterpillars. Plain,
for a warbler—gray-green and small, with a white blaze through the eye.
Eye-level in Costa Rica; here at home ... forty and fifty feet
up—neck-cramping and eye-watering. Several myrtle warblers en route to the
outer beaches of Long Island (and beyond).
Chickadees and titmice. Nuthatches, both species. Song and chipping
sparrows. Juncos, fledged now from the begonia. Yellowthroat. Waxwings. A
brown creeper, a lonesome whisper in the pines. Jays scream. Raven belches.
Cardinal lends his red to a roadside lilac.
Hummingbirds are everywhere: at the feeders, in the begonia, in the vine
honeysuckle. Males. Females, Young-of-the-year. Much chasing. Not so much
feeding. A speck of a bird. How do they ever cross the Gulf of Mexico?
Through tropical weather and open dark, past hungry gulls, cuckoos, small
falcons, even spiders and praying mantises. One of Earth’s tiny miracles,
flickering before us, still almost too easy not to see.
*The Hunter and the Hunted: *Adjacent to the raspberry patch, above the
path into the meadow, a broad-winged hawk on a bouncing cherry branch. Up
and down, a woodland trampoline. Same perch as the barred owl in winter. A
bouncing ellipsoid, a tapered sphere. Drops to the ground. Rises
empty-taloned. Bouncing again, limb in motion, hawk shifting by degrees.
Then drops again. A burst of feathers, like a splash of water. Broadwing
rises, a small bird clutched in its talons ... and vanishes into the
shadows, a conspiracy of hemlocks.
Date: 8/21/26 4:16 am From: Rich Kelley <rich...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] Lake Champlain pelagic birding trips
I don’t want to speak for Allan, but I think he meant again for this year.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Aug 19, 2026, at 21:01, Becky Giroux <ravenrr...> wrote:
>
> In this post you start off saying you've got another round of birding trips. Was there a prior post and I missed it?
>
> Becky Giroux
Date: 8/20/26 6:10 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 8/20 Westminster Station Nighthawk Count , 1,207
Westminster Station Nighthawk Count. A great flight tonight even with the light rain. By the end we had 1,207 pass by with many right overhead. We had a couple groups of 100+.
If we're lucky the rain will produce a flying ant hatch tomorrow night which will give us another good count. Now 3,116 for the season.
Date: 8/20/26 8:51 am From: Ian Clark <ian...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Free loon presentation, Saturday 8/22 Norwich VT
This Saturday, August 22, I'll be giving my slideshow, An Uncommon Look at the Common Loon at Beaver Meadow Chapel at 1672 Beaver Meadow Road Norwich, VT <https://www.google.com/maps/place/1672+Beaver+Meadow+Rd,+Norwich,+VT+05055/ @43.7644271,-72.3763742,790m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x4cb4cf66760369cb: 0x8ed14d7e4538addc!8m2!3d43.7644233!4d-72.3737993!16s%2Fg%2F11pf8v0cw_?entry =ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDgxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D> at 7:00 p.m. Free and everyone welcome.
The show presents some of the natural history of loons, then follows a loon family through the breeding season. It closes with some of my favorite loon photos from over the years.
Date: 8/20/26 8:18 am From: Ian Clark <ian...> Subject: [VTBIRD] New blog post: Adventures with Hank Heron, A Visit with the Eastons
The fog has been hanging over the Upper Valley almost every morning, creating some wonderful - and occasionally challenging - conditions for photographing the my bird buddies.
I got out to see Hank, the great blue heron, along with his cousin Heron Burr, the green heron. Along the way, I saw wood ducks and spotted sandpipers. And I made another visit to the Easton loon family, whose two chicks are now rapidly growing their adult feathers and getting ready to attempt their first flights.
There are plenty of photographs - including some rather entertaining behavior from Hank and the loon chicks - in my latest blog post:
Date: 8/19/26 5:49 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Westminster Station Nighthawk Count, 557
The count tonight was 557. Another good night although late to start with W winds. Birds were not close for the most part and clouds disappeared making it hard to pick them up in the blue sky. A merlin & a kestrel were noteworthy. Season total is 1909.
Date: 8/19/26 6:02 am From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] Westminster Station Nighthawk Count / 479
Hi Victoria,
I’m there by 4:30. Parking is behind the buildings. Take Rt123 in Westminster Station. Take the last driveway on the left before the bridge over the Conn. River. Stay to the left behind the buildings past the loading dock and park on the grass where it drops off. You will see us sitting by some shrubs behind the car wash. You might want to nring a chair or blanket. Hope you can make it abd we’re having a good night.
Don
> On Aug 19, 2026, at 7:45 AM, Victoria Arthur <singtolive57...> wrote:
>
> Don...
> What time do you usually arrive, and where do you park?
> It's a bit of a trip for us to get there, but intriguing enough to maybe
> hop in the car...
> Victoria
>
> On Mon, Aug 17, 2026, 8:42 PM Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
>
>> A good flight this evening with 479 birds. A light S-SE wind was more to
>> their liking. 705 now for the season.
Date: 8/19/26 4:46 am From: Victoria Arthur <singtolive57...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] Westminster Station Nighthawk Count / 479
Don...
What time do you usually arrive, and where do you park?
It's a bit of a trip for us to get there, but intriguing enough to maybe
hop in the car...
Victoria
On Mon, Aug 17, 2026, 8:42 PM Donald Clark <sapsbks...> wrote:
> A good flight this evening with 479 birds. A light S-SE wind was more to
> their liking. 705 now for the season.
Date: 8/18/26 5:43 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Westminster Station Nighthawk Count 647
A good flight of 647 nighthawks tonight on a light NNW wind. There was some feeding with one group of 164. Total now for the season is 1,352. Looks like tomorrow will have light WSW winds which shoud keep them moving.
Date: 8/18/26 7:54 am From: Sean Beckett <sean...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Birding in Ecuador with NBNC and Chip Darmstadt
Hi all,
We wanted to invite you to check out an upcoming birding adventure to
Ecuador with North Branch Nature Center, guided by Chip Darmstadt, on Feb
17-27. Amazing birds, unbelievable ecosystems, and a great group of
like-minded travelers. Toucans, tanagers, cock-of-the-rock, and even Andean
condors.
https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/adult-programs/adventures-afar/ecuador-2027 .
All the proceeds of our birding trips support our youth nature education
work here in Vermont, so these trips are a great way to combine
philanthropy with your passion for birds. And we offset the trip's carbon
footprint (including your flights) through Vermont wilderness conservation
projects with the Northeast Wilderness Trust.
On a personal note, I traveled with Chip to Ecuador as a teenager on a
similar itinerary long ago. These birds, these birding lodges, and Chip's
passionate leadership were big catalysts in my subsequent pursuit of a
career in nature—I'm so excited for others to be similarly transformed by
the experience!
Contact me directly if you'd like to join.
Thanks,
Sean Beckett
Program Director, North Branch Nature Center
713 Elm St, Montpelier VT 05602
Date: 8/17/26 6:45 am From: Ted Levin <tedlevin1966...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 17 August 2026: Hurricane Hill (1,100 feet), WRJ
5:34 a.m. (twenty-two minutes before sunrise, already forty-nine minutes
later than at the summer solstice). Sixty-four degrees (eighteen degrees
warmer than yesterday morning). Wind south at seven miles per hour, gusting
to seventeen. Aspen leaves expressing themselves. My neighbor's
Buddhist prayer flags, thin and colorful, out straight ... the morning's
weather vanes.
The sky is overcast, gray, and restlessly in motion. A low cloud ceiling
scrapes Moose Mountain and shears away the summit of Smarts Mountain. Cube
and Moosilaukee have vanished from sight. An absence of river fog
today—none of yesterday's thick uprising from beds below, Ice Age-like,
with only the summit of Smarts thrust through, an island in an ocean of
moisture. What a difference a day makes. No sign of the sun.
5:46 a.m.: Inside the cave of a rhododendron, a catbird in the mews. Inside
the sky vault, raven calls ... much more ambitiously than the catbird.
5:47 a.m.: Goldfinches, everywhere and noisy (many little beaks to feed).
5:49 a.m.: Four crows caw, heralding a new day. All head north. One pauses
in the crown of a roadside maple and weighs my intentions, then chases
after the other three, screaming like a cartoon character left behind.
The fuse of autumn has been lit: A leaf, a branch, an entire sapling in
transition. Bloodshot eyes of August. Birdsong—and color—drains from the
trees and meadows. And from the shadows, crickets and katydids murmur
softly, an undercurrent of summer's withdrawal.
5:52 a.m.: House wren, hidden, cuts loose.
I pause, attempting to tease out a warbler among the dancing aspen leaves.
Yellowthroat, maybe. Maybe not.
6:23 a.m.: A half-hearted red-eyed vireo sings ... without conviction.
Softer. Phrases are more widely spaced than early in the summer. A farewell
cantata.
6:46 a.m.: A gimlet-eyed broadwing on an electric line, staring straight
down. When perched, a hawk the size and shape of a football. When on the
wing, high above the corrugated landscape, a feathered kite, circling and
rising and rising and rising, sometimes out of sight.
7:12 a.m.: A male dark-eyed junco lands on the pergola, a small green
grasshopper clamped in his bill. He scolds me through a mouthful ... t*ick,
tick, tick. *The* c*hicks are out of the nest but still in the hanging
begonia, somewhere among the pink stalks and blossoms. Carefully, I water
the begonia. Not carefully enough. Both chicks, fully feathered, burst out
and hop-flutter through the front yard. I gather them up and return them to
the begonia; the male ticks and scolds without let-up. Chicks won't stay
put. Again and again, I chase them down, like feathered bubbles. I reach,
and they're always just beyond my grasp. After the third capture and
return, they finally stay put. Their father feeds them. Everyone's
satisfied ... and hungry, including me.
*While Morning Fails to Brighten, twenty-one species: *ruby-throated
hummingbird, many at the feeders; black-capped chickadee; tufted titmouse;
brown creeper; blue jay, squawking; Carolina wren; cedar waxwing, keeping
track of ripening berries (black, blue, and highbush cranberry); song
sparrow; chipping sparrow; purple finch; northern cardinal; and always a
favorite, rose-breasted grosbeak.
*Deep Summer Blues: *Yesterday, mid-morning, as I delivered Sungold
tomatoes to a neighbor, three broad-winged hawks wheeled on invisible
columns of heated air, which rose off the surface of Hurricane Hill.
Unhurried and high, not the arrow-straight flight of the eagles that pass
over the Hill en route between the Ottauquechee and the Connecticut.
Broadwings (like barred owls) hunt from a perch, often over a road or a
trail. Seldom from the wing. Never at a couple of thousand feet. Birds on
the move, the vanguard of the continental turning.
*From My Endemic Coast: *Shorebirds have already begun to gather on the
beaches of Long Island, mostly ruddy turnstones and sanderlings and a few
semi-palmated plovers and semi-palmated sandpipers (semi-palms, as they say
at the beach). Juvenile common terns and black skimmers assembled along the
shore, waiting to be fed. Piping plovers scurried across the hot, white
sand, while chicks pursued their parents, pleading.
Monarchs, green darner dragonflies, and barn and rough-winged swallows have
begun to drift south. Swallows and dragonflies fed on the wing (hopefully
saltmarsh mosquitoes and green-head flies) ... coastal takeout. Monarchs
were caught again and again in pop-up shade canopies.
On Sun, Aug 16, 2026 at 12:00 AM VTBIRD automatic digest system <
<LISTSERV...> wrote:
> There are 4 messages totaling 152 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
> 1. Warbler and vireo frenzy (2)
> 2. Lake Champlain pelagic birding trips
> 3. Westminster Station Nighthawk Count
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2026 08:00:30 -0400
> From: Veer Frost <veer.frost...>
> Subject: Re: Warbler and vireo frenzy
>
> Vivid imagery, thank you Walter!Veer Frost
>
> On 8/14/2026 at 7:41 PM, "Walter Medwid" wrote:For about 10 to 12
> minutes at 6:15 pm tonight there was a warbler feeding
> frenzy at the edge of my yard. Lots of indistinct calls, seemingly
> young
> food-begging. I saw one adult REV feed a dollop of a caterpillar to a
> young
> one with wings in flutter and a wide open bill. Most of the birds were
> chestnut sided warblers in an array of plumages; some redstarts and a
> few
> chickadees. My guess is that there were 15 to 20 birds. I also suspect
> that
> this burst of activity might be evidence of migration restlessness on
> an
> evening that looks ideal for nocturnal flights. It was intense
> activity and
> then they were all gone.
>
> Derby
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:40:57 -0400
> From: Rita Pitkin <ritapitkin15...>
> Subject: Re: Warbler and vireo frenzy
>
> Awesome!
>
> On Sat, Aug 15, 2026 at 8:00 AM Veer Frost <
> <0000038039fb4cf6-dmarc-request...> wrote:
>
> > Vivid imagery, thank you Walter!Veer Frost
> >
> > On 8/14/2026 at 7:41 PM, "Walter Medwid" wrote:For about 10 to 12
> > minutes at 6:15 pm tonight there was a warbler feeding
> > frenzy at the edge of my yard. Lots of indistinct calls, seemingly
> > young
> > food-begging. I saw one adult REV feed a dollop of a caterpillar to a
> > young
> > one with wings in flutter and a wide open bill. Most of the birds were
> > chestnut sided warblers in an array of plumages; some redstarts and a
> > few
> > chickadees. My guess is that there were 15 to 20 birds. I also suspect
> > that
> > this burst of activity might be evidence of migration restlessness on
> > an
> > evening that looks ideal for nocturnal flights. It was intense
> > activity and
> > then they were all gone.
> >
> > Derby
> >
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2026 18:22:09 +0000
> From: Allan Strong <Allan.Strong...>
> Subject: Lake Champlain pelagic birding trips
>
> Hi VT Birders,
>
> I’ve got another round of pelagic birding trips scheduled on UVM's
> research vessel, the Marcelle Melosira.
>
> There will be three available trips:
> 8/31 (Monday) - 8:00-12:00
> 9/18 (Friday) - 8:00-12:00
> 9/21 (Monday) - 8:00-12:00
>
> These trips are an opportunity to look for some of the more unusual
> species of birds on Lake Champlain that are difficult to see from shore. It
> is hard to predict what we will see on the trips. In past years we have
> found jaegers (Parasitic and Long-tailed), some interesting gulls (Sabine's
> and Little), and shorebirds (Red-necked Phalarope, Ruddy Turnstone). We've
> been able to make a couple passes around the Four Brothers Islands as well,
> which is always a treat. I'll be leading each of the trips and we'll have
> some UVM students that will be in charge of "chumming," which will increase
> our chances of bringing unusual birds closer to the boat. Regardless of the
> sightings, a day out on Lake Champlain with fellow birders is always a good
> time!
>
> Registration will be through UVM's ticketing website:
> https://na.eventscloud.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=891043& >
> The cost is $51.75 per person and payment is by credit card online. Once
> on the registration site, you can pay for more than one person.
>
> I don't think the site has the capacity to keep track of a waiting list,
> so if the date/time you want is full, let me know and I can keep track of
> cancellations.
>
> Feel free to reach out to me with any questions (try to avoid replying to
> the whole list). <astrong...>
>
> I hope you can make it!
> Allan
>
> A few more details about the Research Vessel and the trips:
> The boat itself has a hybrid electric/diesel engine, so it is
> significantly quieter than the old research vessel. She is also fully ADA
> compliant, so we can accommodate wheelchairs on the vessel. There is a full
> bathroom on board and significant covered space if there is rain. The R/V
> also has a catamaran hull, which makes her much more stable than the old
> vessel. It is always cooler on the water, so bring some warm clothes (and
> no open-toed shoes). Water, sunscreen, some light snacks, and a camera are
> all helpful. If you need binoculars, please contact me <astrong...>
> <mailto:<astrong...>.
>
> The boat will leave from the UVM slip on the south side of the Leahy ECHO
> Center/Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Lab building at 1 College Street.
> Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure. Unfortunately, there are no
> options for free parking, so you will need to find parking nearby. The best
> options are the Pease Lot on the north side of College St (west of Battery
> St.), the ECHO Center parking lot, or the brown meters at the west end of
> College and Main St.
>
> Hope you can make it!
> Allan
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2026 20:44:59 -0400
> From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...>
> Subject: Westminster Station Nighthawk Count
>
> The first night of the 16th year of doing nighthawk counts in Westminster
> Station produced 135 birds. A good start. Tomorrow’s weather looks much the
> same so should be some movement.
>
> If you’re planning a visit this year would appreciate a heads up.
>
> Don Clark
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of VTBIRD Digest - 14 Aug 2026 to 15 Aug 2026 (#2026-139)
> *************************************************************
>
*Costa Rica Natural History and Birding Adventure:*
* April 10 – 19, 2027*
*Arenal Volcano Extension April 19 - 22, 2027*
*Away from tourist centers: 320 species of birds in twelve days,
crocodiles, eyelash pit vipers, red-eyed tree frogs, poison dart frogs,
toads the size of sneakers, tapirs, anteaters, and four species of monkeys
(one as loud as a lion). Agoutis. Neotropical otters. Coatimundis. Tayras.
Kinkajou. We’ll visit cloud forests, old-growth jungles, the timberline,
both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, and take boat rides down remote
rivers and along the southern Pacific coast.*
*Leaders:*
*1) Ted Levin—*Ted is a lifelong naturalist, whose work has appeared in
Houghton-Mifflin’s *the Best American Sports *Writing, *The New York Times*
, *The *Guardian, *Audubon Magazine*, *Sports Illustrated*, *The Boston
Globe Magazine*, *National Geographic Traveler*, and *OnEarth,* among many
other publications. He is the author of eleven books, including *Liquid
Land: A Journey Through the Florida Everglades*, the 2004 Burroughs Medal
winner, the highest honor given to an American nature writer. *Forbes*
chose *America’s Snake: The Rise and Fall of the Timber *Rattlesnake, one
of the ten finest conservation books of 2016. *The Promise of Sunrise:
Finding Solace in a Broken World* was published in 2026. This will be Ted’s
tenth trip to Costa Rica, including hosting Vermont Public’s *Citizens of
the World Tour *in 2010.
*Email: **<tedlevin1966...>* <tedlevin1966...>
*cellphone: 802 399 9398*
*2) Gil Calvo— *A naturalist and Neotropical birder extraordinaire, Gil has
created & led custom natural-history tours throughout Costa Rica for 30
years, including four with Ted for Hanover High School, Hanover, NH. In
2000, inspired by a lifelong passion for his native country, Gil created
Tropical Advisors Costa Rica, Inc. (formerly Tropical Angel Travel). Today,
Tropic Advisors has evolved into one of Mesoamerica’s premier custom tour
companies.
Date: 8/15/26 5:45 pm From: Donald Clark <sapsbks...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Westminster Station Nighthawk Count
The first night of the 16th year of doing nighthawk counts in Westminster Station produced 135 birds. A good start. Tomorrow’s weather looks much the same so should be some movement.
If you’re planning a visit this year would appreciate a heads up.
Date: 8/15/26 11:22 am From: Allan Strong <Allan.Strong...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Lake Champlain pelagic birding trips
Hi VT Birders,
I’ve got another round of pelagic birding trips scheduled on UVM's research vessel, the Marcelle Melosira.
There will be three available trips:
8/31 (Monday) - 8:00-12:00
9/18 (Friday) - 8:00-12:00
9/21 (Monday) - 8:00-12:00
These trips are an opportunity to look for some of the more unusual species of birds on Lake Champlain that are difficult to see from shore. It is hard to predict what we will see on the trips. In past years we have found jaegers (Parasitic and Long-tailed), some interesting gulls (Sabine's and Little), and shorebirds (Red-necked Phalarope, Ruddy Turnstone). We've been able to make a couple passes around the Four Brothers Islands as well, which is always a treat. I'll be leading each of the trips and we'll have some UVM students that will be in charge of "chumming," which will increase our chances of bringing unusual birds closer to the boat. Regardless of the sightings, a day out on Lake Champlain with fellow birders is always a good time!
The cost is $51.75 per person and payment is by credit card online. Once on the registration site, you can pay for more than one person.
I don't think the site has the capacity to keep track of a waiting list, so if the date/time you want is full, let me know and I can keep track of cancellations.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions (try to avoid replying to the whole list). <astrong...>
I hope you can make it!
Allan
A few more details about the Research Vessel and the trips:
The boat itself has a hybrid electric/diesel engine, so it is significantly quieter than the old research vessel. She is also fully ADA compliant, so we can accommodate wheelchairs on the vessel. There is a full bathroom on board and significant covered space if there is rain. The R/V also has a catamaran hull, which makes her much more stable than the old vessel. It is always cooler on the water, so bring some warm clothes (and no open-toed shoes). Water, sunscreen, some light snacks, and a camera are all helpful. If you need binoculars, please contact me <astrong...><mailto:<astrong...>.
The boat will leave from the UVM slip on the south side of the Leahy ECHO Center/Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Lab building at 1 College Street. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure. Unfortunately, there are no options for free parking, so you will need to find parking nearby. The best options are the Pease Lot on the north side of College St (west of Battery St.), the ECHO Center parking lot, or the brown meters at the west end of College and Main St.
Date: 8/15/26 6:41 am From: Rita Pitkin <ritapitkin15...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] Warbler and vireo frenzy
Awesome!
On Sat, Aug 15, 2026 at 8:00 AM Veer Frost <
<0000038039fb4cf6-dmarc-request...> wrote:
> Vivid imagery, thank you Walter!Veer Frost
>
> On 8/14/2026 at 7:41 PM, "Walter Medwid" wrote:For about 10 to 12
> minutes at 6:15 pm tonight there was a warbler feeding
> frenzy at the edge of my yard. Lots of indistinct calls, seemingly
> young
> food-begging. I saw one adult REV feed a dollop of a caterpillar to a
> young
> one with wings in flutter and a wide open bill. Most of the birds were
> chestnut sided warblers in an array of plumages; some redstarts and a
> few
> chickadees. My guess is that there were 15 to 20 birds. I also suspect
> that
> this burst of activity might be evidence of migration restlessness on
> an
> evening that looks ideal for nocturnal flights. It was intense
> activity and
> then they were all gone.
>
> Derby
>
Date: 8/15/26 5:00 am From: Veer Frost <0000038039fb4cf6-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] Warbler and vireo frenzy
Vivid imagery, thank you Walter!Veer Frost
On 8/14/2026 at 7:41 PM, "Walter Medwid" wrote:For about 10 to 12
minutes at 6:15 pm tonight there was a warbler feeding
frenzy at the edge of my yard. Lots of indistinct calls, seemingly
young
food-begging. I saw one adult REV feed a dollop of a caterpillar to a
young
one with wings in flutter and a wide open bill. Most of the birds were
chestnut sided warblers in an array of plumages; some redstarts and a
few
chickadees. My guess is that there were 15 to 20 birds. I also suspect
that
this burst of activity might be evidence of migration restlessness on
an
evening that looks ideal for nocturnal flights. It was intense
activity and
then they were all gone.
Date: 8/14/26 4:41 pm From: Walter Medwid <wmedwid...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Warbler and vireo frenzy
For about 10 to 12 minutes at 6:15 pm tonight there was a warbler feeding frenzy at the edge of my yard. Lots of indistinct calls, seemingly young food-begging. I saw one adult REV feed a dollop of a caterpillar to a young one with wings in flutter and a wide open bill. Most of the birds were chestnut sided warblers in an array of plumages; some redstarts and a few chickadees. My guess is that there were 15 to 20 birds. I also suspect that this burst of activity might be evidence of migration restlessness on an evening that looks ideal for nocturnal flights. It was intense activity and then they were all gone.
Date: 8/12/26 9:46 am From: Maeve Kim <maevekim7...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] replacing binoculars
Thanks to everyone who contacted me about replacing my lost binoculars. The consensus: the Vortex warranty is the best around, and the binocs are great. So I’m ordering a new pair.
Maeve Kim, Jericho
> On Aug 12, 2026, at 8:02 AM, Ron Wild <ronhwmail...> wrote:
>
> Maeve,
>
> So sorry to hear about your lost binoculars.
>
> You're right that there are many models to choose from. There are lots of
> online reviews,
> I don't think there is a best one.
>
> At our price point, Vortex works very well for us. If I had to replace a
> pair, I would likely stay with Vortex; I really like the company. The Nikon
> Monarch series are also very good.
>
> Good luck!
> Ron
Date: 8/12/26 5:03 am From: Ron Wild <ronhwmail...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] VTBIRD Digest - 10 Aug 2026 to 11 Aug 2026 (#2026-136)
Maeve,
So sorry to hear about your lost binoculars.
You're right that there are many models to choose from. There are lots of
online reviews,
I don't think there is a best one.
At our price point, Vortex works very well for us. If I had to replace a
pair, I would likely stay with Vortex; I really like the company. The Nikon
Monarch series are also very good.
Good luck!
Ron
On Wed, Aug 12, 2026, 00:00 VTBIRD automatic digest system <
<LISTSERV...> wrote:
> There are 2 messages totaling 41 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
> 1. looking for binocular advice (2)
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:08:40 -0400
> From: Maeve Kim <maevekim7...>
> Subject: looking for binocular advice
>
> I lost my beloved Vortex binoculars on a paddle between Kill Kare State
> Park and Burton Island. Before I buy another pair, I’d love information and
> advice from other birders. There are so many new models and new brands
> since I bought the Vortex pair several years ago!
> Thanks!
> Maeve Kim, Jericho VT
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:09:55 -0500
> From: AOL <rsr3513...>
> Subject: Re: looking for binocular advice
>
> I loved my Vortex Diamondbacks but upgraded to Vortex Viper HD and love
> them! You just cannot match a Vortex lifetime warranty! They pay for
> shipping both ways and repair/replace for free!
>
> Thanks,
> Nancy
>
> > On Aug 11, 2026, at 08:08, Maeve Kim <maevekim7...> wrote:
> >
> > I lost my beloved Vortex binoculars on a paddle between Kill Kare State
> Park and Burton Island. Before I buy another pair, I’d love information and
> advice from other birders. There are so many new models and new brands
> since I bought the Vortex pair several years ago!
> > Thanks!
> > Maeve Kim, Jericho VT
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of VTBIRD Digest - 10 Aug 2026 to 11 Aug 2026 (#2026-136)
> *************************************************************
>
Date: 8/11/26 7:10 am From: AOL <0000045717cbf104-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] looking for binocular advice
I loved my Vortex Diamondbacks but upgraded to Vortex Viper HD and love them! You just cannot match a Vortex lifetime warranty! They pay for shipping both ways and repair/replace for free!
Thanks,
Nancy
> On Aug 11, 2026, at 08:08, Maeve Kim <maevekim7...> wrote:
>
> I lost my beloved Vortex binoculars on a paddle between Kill Kare State Park and Burton Island. Before I buy another pair, I’d love information and advice from other birders. There are so many new models and new brands since I bought the Vortex pair several years ago!
> Thanks!
> Maeve Kim, Jericho VT
Date: 8/11/26 6:28 am From: Maeve Kim <maevekim7...> Subject: [VTBIRD] looking for binocular advice
I lost my beloved Vortex binoculars on a paddle between Kill Kare State Park and Burton Island. Before I buy another pair, I’d love information and advice from other birders. There are so many new models and new brands since I bought the Vortex pair several years ago!
Thanks!
Maeve Kim, Jericho VT
Date: 8/10/26 10:54 am From: <jim...> <jim...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Birds of Dewey’s Landing -- PHOTOS
I spent many days during the last few weeks at Dewey's Landing in Quechee photographing the eagle family and other birds. If you wish to see some of the photos I took you can click the link below.
Date: 8/9/26 5:28 pm From: Ken Copenhaver <copenhvr...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Missisquoi NWR Bird Monitoring Walk
Please join the Friends of Missisquoi NWR for our monthly bird
monitoring walks
on the refuge. Ken Copenhaver and Julie Filiberti lead the walks on various
refuge trails on the 3rd Saturday of each month (except December and May
when it is on the 2nd Saturday). The purpose of the walks is to gather
long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in
populations. Observations are entered into the Vermont eBird database,
where the Cornell Lab of Ornithology stores the data. These walks are
appropriate for birders of all skill levels and provide a wonderful
opportunity to learn about birds throughout the seasons. After 196 months
of walks, we have recorded 170 species of birds.
This month's walk will be held on *Saturday, August 15, from 8:00 to 10:00
AM a**t the Jeep Trail*. Meet at the Louie's Landing parking lot on Rt 78,
about 3 miles west of Swanton village. We will open the gate and drive to
Mac's Bend where we will start the walk.
*Trail Description**:* The walk starts at a gravel parking lot at Mac’s
Bend. The trail follows the river and thus is level. The trail is very
close to the riverbank edge in one section. The trail surface is uneven,
with many roots, rocks, and ruts. There are no benches. We usually walk
about a mile and return, making it approximately a 2-mile walk.
*Trail Conditions:* While there shouldn't be any standing water on the
trail, there could be wet grass, so waterproof shoes are recommended.
If you have any questions, contact me at <copenhvr...>
Date: 8/9/26 8:40 am From: Ian Clark <ian...> Subject: [VTBIRD] New post on my wildlife blog
The weather let me get out three times last week. I had a visit with the Eastons and a change of pace took me to the Waits River where it looks like Hank Heron has found a friend. Lots of photos, check it out at https://tinyurl.com/5hby2y6m
Date: 8/7/26 6:15 am From: Ted Levin <tedlevin1966...> Subject: [VTBIRD] 07 August 2026: Hurricane Hill (1,100 feet), WRJ
5:27 a.m., eighteen minutes before sunrise. Seventy-two degrees, humid and
sticky, wind northwest at two miles per hour, gusting—loosely speaking—to
three. A hermit thrush sings from the stuffy shadows, sweet but faint.
*The morning news*: three bats, first of the summer, conscripted by the
season, head south, dining and migrating at once. Above the meadow, beyond
the deck, they coil, curve, circle, spiral. Slow, erratically smooth. Upright,
toes pointed down as though pirouetting across a stage. They seine insects
from the fertile sky. I’m their audience of one, the sheltered thrush their
accompaniment.
Hummingbirds up early ... feeding and chasing. Feeder to feeder. Vine
honeysuckles to pink begonia. If they don't stop, I may never start uphill.
Dawn on the road. Night in the woods.
Kaleidoscopic heavens: an elastic sky. At first, overcast and bright. Spots
and streaks of rose in the northeast, mostly above Smarts Mountain. Pale
peach in the north. Then, clouds condense. Blue holes. White fluff, as
white as the tip of a fox's tail, fringed and frosted by the sun. A single
beam of sunshine—a searchlight. Thrush in the limelight, still singing;
bats elsewhere.
Mist rising and drifting above the White River and the Connecticut River.
Thin and frayed. As the sky opens, the moon appears, a pot-bellied
crescent, XXL.
5:26 a.m.: Robin in the woods crooning.
5:47 a.m.: Carolina wren, hidden in the lilacs, screams, intensely loud for
a small bird. Not to be outdone, across the road, a house wren cuts loose:
a staccato burst, a machine-gun song. Non-stop wrens, two species, two
songs. Sunrise discord.
Five minutes later, a catbird whines. Then, an outlying pewee salutes the
combustible sky, a sad song announcing summer's departure.
*Along the Way Home: *red-eyed vireo (subdued for a redeye); black-capped
chickadee; tufted titmouse; both nuthatches, red- and white-breasted;
common raven, headed north, disgorging song; gang of American crows in
crown of aspens, conversing loudly (I'm drawn over to their discussion ...
not an owl or a hawk to be found; blue jay eating blueberries; common
yellowthroat, the only warbler singing; song sparrow; chipping sparrow;
eastern towhee; eastern phoebe; cedar waxwing, seven, in the naked crown of
a slowly dying maple, take note of the neighborhood—across the road,
rock-hard highbush cranberries ripen; American goldfinch; dark-eyed junco
(still incubating in potted begonia).
Twenty-two species in all, a waning serenade.
*Bear Schedule:* Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, while I watched the
Yankees play the Cardinals, a black bear as big as a Buick came up onto my
deck, threading carefully around the outdoor furniture. Stood on hind legs
and reached over the railing for the sunflower feeder. Bear prefers the
middle innings, when the starting pitchers are tiring.
You can't help but hear an adult black bear on the back deck, ten feet off
the ground. The heaviest of footfalls. A one-mammal marching band. I slid
open the screen door. Bears don't flee like the morning squirrels. It
dropped back from the railing to all fours. Looked at me quizzically, then
walked (slowly) off the deck.
"You don't belong up here," I said.
Bear paused on the lawn. It huffed several times, a low, earthy sound—more
rumble than roar. I gathered the feeders in for the night, then huffed
back, a ragged imitation. The bear considered me for a moment, then drifted
off into the forest, threading carefully but heavily … not exactly
Bojangles.
And I returned downstairs to another Yankee disappointment.
