Northern Shrike
Vagabonds from the North

Vermonters are seeing a huge influx of birds who normally remain further north during the winter. Because of cold temperatures and a poor cone/seed crop, Pine Grosbeaks, Red Crossbills, and Northern Shrikes are joining the more common northern visitors - Redpolls, Pine Siskins, and Evening Grosbeaks.

The black and white, masked Northern Shrike is often called the 'Butcher Bird.' It kills its prey by severing a vertebrae and then impaling the victim on a thorny tree or barbed wire, or wedges it into the fork of a tree for eating or storage. The Northern Shrike breeds in taiga and tundra and winters in southern Canada and the northern U. S.

The last major irruptions of shrikes in the eastern U. S. occurred in the fall and winter of 1995-96 and 1999-2000. Daily reports from the past month indicate that we are in for another big migration this year. Look for these 'irruptive species' at your feeders or listen for them chattering while feeding on wild fruits or cone seeds.

Bald Eagles

Bald Eagles in VT? YES!!! In early 2000 it was observed that VT was the only state in the contiguous US without nesting Bald Eagles. Thus in 2004 four federal and state wildlife organizations and Central VT Public Service began raising and releasing young birds in the Champlain Valley. http://cvps.com/eagles At the end of the release program in 2006, 26 birds had been released. Today it is almost a guarantee that a Bald Eagle can be sighted sometime during the year in VT. Before that, seeing a bird during migration was cause for excitement and it was never a given.

Over the past 5 years there has been a wintering population around Lake Champlain. Now there are birds seen regularly throughout the season. But most of the birds that are being seen are juveniles. It takes 4-5 years for an eagle to sport the telltale white head and tail. Immatures are variably dark with white scattered throughout plumage. Are the birds we're seeing the ones released from restoration program? That is certainly the hope. It will take 5-7 years for a bald eagle to begin reproducing. The released birds are banded, so we are watching and waiting.

In the meantime, over in the CT River Valley, an active Bald Eagle nest was spotted in 2005. It was a practice run. In 2006 at least one chick hatched but was found dead on the ground perhaps due to the inclement spring weather or predation. There was a 2007 hatching as well, but that, too, has failed. But there are now Bald Eagles nesting in VT. Historically, the last report of a breeding pair was in 1940s. Their VT status has gone from 'scarce migrant' to 'dependably sighted.' No matter where you are, any sighting of a Bald Eagle is cause for celebration!

Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal

Although fall migration is in full swing, it's not so much the passerines (perching birds) we see as it is hawks, ducks and geese. Both Blue-winged Teal and Green-wing Teal are among the many species of ducks seen in Vermont. The Blue-winged Teal arrives later in the Spring and departs earlier in the fall than the Green-winged. Most Blue-wings have left by October with Green-wings at their peak of movement.

Both teal are small, fast flying ducks, the females a non-descript brown. But the breeding male Blue-winged sports a distinctive white crescent shape behind the bill. In flight Blue-wings flash light blue on the leading edge of their wing. Green-winged males have a dark red-brown head with a wide green eye comma. At a distance a white, vertical strip forward on the body is diagnostic on a sitting bird.

However, identifying fall teal is difficult. Time of year helps. A Blue-winged Teal in flight is easy, but all the male and female fall birds on the water are garbed in drab browns. The Greens are our smallest dabbling duck with thinner bills and show a vertical buffy streak at the tail.

Look for some fall ducks on any body of water in Vermont in the fall. You might see Mallards, Blacks, Wood Ducks, Hooded or Common Mergansers on the small areas. White-winged and Black Scoters, Ring-necked Ducks, Common Goldeneyes and Scaup are all regulars on Lake Champlain and environs.

Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwings are 'stylish' looking masked, gray brown birds with a crest on the top of the head and a diagnostic yellow (sometimes orange) tipped tail, easily seen in flight and on a perched branch. These birds are nomadic in groups often seen gorging themselves on fruits of cherry, honeysuckle, and Autumn Olive sometimes to the point of intoxication. Their name derives from their fondness for Red Cedar or Juniper berries and the waxy tips on the secondary wing feathers.

The larger cousin to the Cedar Waxwing is the Bohemian Waxwing (far right), a bird of the north which is often 'irruptive' in our area in the winter months. While similar in profile, it sports a reddish undertail patch and white and yellow feather edgings on the wings. Both species emit a high pitched 'seee' call.

American Goldfinch

Avian parenting is on the wane. Small flocks of shorebirds are beginning to show up in VT as they start their long migrations from the more northern regions of North America to South America. There are, however, a few late nesters. The American Goldfinch doesn't start thinking about nesting until late June. This adaptation may be related to the availability of suitable nesting materials and seeds, primarily thistle, for feeding young.

The well known American Goldfinch male is bright yellow bird with black wings and cap. The yellow of females and young is more muted. As common visitors to backyard feeders, goldfinches may have their less bright, noisy young in tow during the next few weeks.

Although considered a permanent resident in VT, American Goldfinches are migratory with numbers varying from season to season. Those that we see in the winter arrive from future north and wander in large flocks. Fall migration peaks between August 15 and September 15.

Goldfinches are energetic songsters throughout the summer. The 'po-ta-to chip', po-ta-to chip' call is often heard as birds fly overhead in an undulating flight path.

Other species still reported nest building, on nest or feeding young are American Robin, House Finch, and Cedar Waxwings. September brings the confusing fall plumages. Stay tuned.

Nuthatches - White and Red-breasted

More Warblers...

Warblers

American Woodcock

The Migration has begun! Usually we think of American Robins as being the first birds of spring, but the Killdeer, Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles, American Woodcock, hawks, geese and ducks have all started arriving in Vermont. Some stay to breed and some continue moving north. The American Woodcock is one of our more unusual migrant birds.

Its stocky, round, brown camouflaged body sports short legs, little neck and a long bill which is used to probe for grubs and worms in moist areas. At this time of year it is not as much the expectation of seeing this bird as hearing it. As soon as the male arrives on a potential breeding area, he begins a courtship dance which takes place at dusk and can resume during the dawn hours. He gives repeated "peents" on the ground, often on remaining patches of snow in the early spring. He will then launch upward in a wide spiral. As he gets higher, his wings start to twitter. After reaching a height of 230-300 ft, the twittering becomes intermittent, and the bird starts chirping as he starts his zig-zag, diving descend. As he comes near the ground he lands silently and starts peenting again. All this to impress a female!

Carolina Wren

One exciting visitor to my winter feeder has been the Carolina Wren. These small songsters are rufous backed with a buffy belly, short, cocked tail and distinctive, white eye line. Like most wrens, the Carolina Wren is easily heard and more difficult to see. His loud 'tea kettle, tea kettle, tea kettle' song belies such a small bird. Although usually thought of as sensitive to the cold, these new visitors to VT are becoming year round residents and breeders. Perhaps they (and the Red-bellied Woodpecker) will join the other 'southern' species who now are common year round VT birds - the Northern Cardinal and Tufted Titmouse.

Dark-eyed Junco

Feeding birds in the winter brings pleasures of the expected and the unexpected. Seed, suet and water. These are my winter offerings to my feathered friends. I feed only black oil sunflower seed as it attacts most winter birds with very little waste. The suet hangs in a mesh citrus bag and I keep a heater in my bird bath. So what am I seeing? The expected: Black-capped Chickadees, Red and White Breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice, Woodpeckers - Downy and Hairy, Cardinals, Mourning Doves, Gold Finches, House Finches and Dark-eyed Juncos. The unexpected or infrequent: Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Wren, Tree Sparrows, Evening Grosbeaks, Turkeys and sometimes a vigilant, nearby hawk or owl. I also see non-avian visitors such as squirrels, rabbits, mice and voles.

One of the most common winter feeder birds is the Dark-eyed Junco. Although these are year round residents in VT, we most often see them scratching under our feeders in winter. These small, smart looking birds sport a hood and 'cape' of gray to gray-brown and a white belly. White outer tail feathers are conspicous in flight. Juncos are altitudinal migrants, heading to the mountains to breed in the spring. The cone shaped bill distinguishes these sparrows as seed eaters.

Each year Cornell's Lab of Ornithology promotes the Great Backyard Bird Count. This year's event is February 16-19. Join hundreds of citizen scientists across North America and count your birds. It's fun, it's free, it takes as little as 15 minutes-- and it helps the birds.

Red Tail Hawk

At 18 - 22" perched height, the Red-tailed Hawk is the largest of the hawks we see in VT. As in all hawks, the female is larger than the male. The dark brown back and wings contrast with a white/light front. A dark belly band and rufous tail of the adult bird distinguishes it although plumage variations are great. The Red-tailed is the most widespread hawk in the U. S. ranging from Canada and AK into Central America. There is some seasonal movement of these hawks, but they generally are resident throughout their range. A soaring bird with broad wings and fanned tail is mostl likely a Red-tailed Hawk.

Recently a white hawk was photographed by Harry Lee in the Dorset Hollow area. It sports some rufous feathers in its tail thus revealing its idenity. A white Red-tailed Hawk was photographed in E. Dorset last year, so this could well be the same bird.