Vermont Birder

Early this morning, I walked down our path to the river and heard some some splashing. As the dog and I watched, three families of Canada Geese swam upriver. Here’s the first group. Our unique little backyard, near downtown,Montpelier, is where we have a ever-changing bird and animal watching site.

With the melting of snow, I’ve been getting some geocaching notifications from people finding my local caches. Yesterday there was a note that my most recent Travel Bug, Traveling Ginger Ale, was moved to a new spot in Texas. She’s logged 1705 miles so far and she’s moving. Here’s how she looks on the road: My most successful Travel bug is Wandering Vizsla. She has logged 47,097 miles…

Note: I am posting current articles on my free substack account. This is one of my favorites on this blog. On our first trip west with the van, we had breakfast at Irma’s, a small Mexican restaurant just outside [Pancho Villa State Park] in Columbus, New Mexico. The food was great and the decorations quite unique. The owner has a penchant for roosters. They are too neat not to share. There was…

I’ve been writing this blog since 2012 but last early last month, I suddenly lost access to it. The other day, it just reappeared and my technical guy is helping me shore up things. In the meantime, I started writing on Substack and some of you have subscribed to that. I think I’ll use both systems but not post the same articles. So here are a few of the photos I took during the hiatus. A…

Today, walking with Ginger, I was using my iPhone to capture some images for a Spanish lesson. This garden of coneflowers (Echinacea) just down the street, caught my eye. You might notice the butterfly – I did as it moved from plant to plant. I got my regular camera ready and as it settled, got a nice shot of it. In spite of floods, warming, smoke from Canada, and all, moments like this give me…

After yesterday’s encounter with the Great Egret, I vowed to carry my camera every jaunt. Here are a few shots from this morning, when mosquitos seem to outnumber birds. The Great Blue Heron was on patrol again. This Alder Flycatcher was singing instead of bug-catching. I probably saw these geese as youngsters earlier in the summer. These young mergansers have been cruising since the…

As the hills green up, often you can hear a bird but not spot it — at least open enough for a photo. Here are a few successful encounters I’ve had in the last few weeks. Typically, warblers are bouncing around and in foliage, like this Yellow Warbler. But, once in a while … A cooperative Common Yellowthroat A Chestnut-sided Warbler taking a quick break. A more laid-back Veery. Eastern…

We’ve been home for a few weeks and just getting to the rest of the NC photos. It was a great trip — and this is our second visit to a nice cottage in Manteo that we really like. The birding in the yard is wonderful — here’s a Carolina Wren singing to me early one morning. There’s a nice mix of woodlands and ocean — here are some shots from our outings. A House Finch serenading. There were…

We are on an outing to North Carolina for some warmer weather and beach walking. It’s been quite windy but things have improved, as has the birding. We stay in Manteo and usually visit the national seashore daily. Our backyard Brown Pelicans surround a fishing boat Here’s a young Herring Gull and then an older model. Sanderlings are fun to watch. A Black-bellied Plover joined the party. And…

Yesterday I came upon a dozen or more Wild Turkeys and just like last year’s post in mid-April — the guys were displaying — the hens were in a “get lost, Buster” mood.

The snow is melting, back roads are muddy, and every week new birds show up. Downy Woodpeckers, here in our backyard all year, are some of our favorites – and we get to see their fledglings in a few months. American Crows are very active, hassling hawks like this Red-tailed, and often gathering in groups, known as “murders.” Likewise, Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles, recent arrivals,…

A week and a half ago, we were walking on the river while dozens of skaters came and went as we watched. A few days later, things thawed and now the ducks are back, enjoying some early spring-like weather. Sunday, I came upon this couple tucked into the back just upstream from the house. A week earlier, this couple was foraging downtown in the main Winooski River. Mergansers are here – not sure…

Now that birding has slowed, with many of the winter denizens still delighting us, it’s a chance to think about past adventures. Most of us, when we bird, love to observe other things — for some it’s plants or butterflies, for me it’s unusual stuff along the trail. Here are some items from this Fall. Needs a little TLC Fancy trim – a long way from a road. Beavers worked hard night after night…

See You Next Spring

In spite of wintry weather in December, our visiting Great Blue Heron hung in there until mid-month. Here are the last photos I got before it departed just before Christmas. Midst a snowstorm Two days later See you later

This popular birder bumper sticker seems especially appropriate at this time of year when I’m looking for winter birds that can be elusive – Grosbeaks, Buntings, Horned Larks, Bohemian Waxwings, Snowy Owls. I had some extra time this morning and took the long way on back roads to my appointment. Coming around the corner of a narrow road, I came upon a flock of about a dozen Evening Grosbeaks…

We’ve had a Nor’easter forecast for a week and it’s hitting today. Yesterday Ginger and I took several outings and found a number of interesting birds along the river. In an early walk, I surprised a few Mallards, only to notice that one was a diving duck. It was a first sighting for this spot, a Ring-necked Duck who was actively feeding for about an hour. The Mallards were busy in the icy…

We’ve had a warm fall, as witnessed by the number of ticks on Ginger and the number of birds hanging around. Most migrating birds have left but I still hear a Carolina Wren every morning. Several days ago, I was on an early walk with the dog and saw a bird upstream, and returning a bit later with my camera, found this pretty male Hooded Merganser, hiding amongst the branches of a fallen tree. I…