4/14 Shelburne Bay

I participated in the WFB 130 bird walk on Thursday, 4/14. The morning started at 7:30am, when we went to the parking lot outside Jeffords to observe a large flock of Bohemian Waxwings (and maybe some Cedar Waxwings). Many of them were flying on an off a tree, foraging for the fruit. A large flock was drinking from a muddy water puddle in the parking lot, and flew off every time a car drove by.

We then went to the boat ramp at Shelburne Bay. We were greeted by the songs of the Song Sparrow and Red-winged Blackbird. We saw an Eastern Phoebe, an early spring insectivore migrant, perched on a tree. Out on Lake Champlain, we observed several Ring-billed Gulls, Buffleheads, Common Mergansers, and Double Crested Cormorants. The Buffleheads and Common Mergansers kept a good distance from the shore. Just north of the boat ramp, we saw a few Tree Swallows with their distinctive "fluttering" flight pattern low to the ground/water surface, probably foraging for insects. A Turkey Vulture was seen in flight, identified from the white on the underside of the wings and the v-shaped wing span.

We crossed the road and headed over to the wetland adjacent to the La Platte River. A few American Goldfinches were perched on a tree and calling at the trail entrance. We could identify their notable "po-ta-to-chip" sound within their call. We spotted a male Wood Duck near the river, with its clown-like plumage. We walked further into the trail and stopped to listen for a few minutes. I could identify a Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Downy Woodpecker, American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, and Black-capped Chickadee by their vocalizations. I also heard two unfamiliar calls, which ended up being the shrill call of a Red Bellied Woodpecker and the loud rattle of the Northern Flicker. I was also able to locate a Downy Woodpecker foraging on a tree. A Red-tailed Hawk and some Canada Geese were also visible from across the river.

Publicado el 20 de abril de 2016 a las 09:05 PM por jgordon