tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39289972803417959952024-02-20T21:09:57.742-08:00Beautiful Flying ObjectsBirds,Birding and Photographic AdventuresPeter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-60974825155005543382012-03-24T07:30:00.000-07:002012-03-24T06:41:48.083-07:00Looking for Wintering Hawks in Addison county Vt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I have been looking for wintering hawks for a few years now and it is still </div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
as much fun as it was that first winter. This winter was no different even with a lack of snow. The numbers of hawks and variety seemed fairly normal. I had Kestrels, Red-tailed hawks and Rough-legged hawks all in the usual places for the most part. Northern Harriers were here all winter, mostly males of the gray ghost variety and a couple of juveniles. A few Coopers and Sharp-shins plus some Peregrine Falcons, plenty of Bald Eagles and whats not to like about winter hawk watching. I found the ratio of dark morph to light morph Rough-legged hawks interesting , Normally on any given winter day you might see 1 or 2 dark morphs, 1 of the very light morph and 6 or so normal light morph rough legs. But this year I had 3 to 4 dark morphs and 6 to 9 light morph rough-legs. I only found one very light morph all winter.(see bellow) I found this Rough-legged hawk to be very interesting because of the absents of the dark tail band like on the rough-legged bellow it, both are light morphs. It looks as if this light morph is a very lightly marked type Rough-legged hawk which I think is somewhat unusual marking for these hawks. <span style="color: #b45f06;">I just found out that this bird could be a juvinale, to see page 329 (lower left image) in Raptors of Eastern North America by Brian K Wheeler</span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT7Z6H5yOIrlnThsZnw-9DGu7M83yRjgsiE9xKkb6vyHwNmFBaQQ40mDC76pIbV4TSrs46rAUoNBewfKlj5t2ayNWzFOFY4Q5OLDhBVibvNLM9iNmMuqrSx5os4HusiFFUubRQIzseKk/s1600/DSC_5364hnsc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqT7Z6H5yOIrlnThsZnw-9DGu7M83yRjgsiE9xKkb6vyHwNmFBaQQ40mDC76pIbV4TSrs46rAUoNBewfKlj5t2ayNWzFOFY4Q5OLDhBVibvNLM9iNmMuqrSx5os4HusiFFUubRQIzseKk/s640/DSC_5364hnsc.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Gdv4Ag2Jziz72-2nabwEgWyVqhXDtGflBiwV4XBBRKQaPggNr__UZsy1QFEArRKEGK40UBCiRIz7aI8fKRneVo-1UMlEDfQAJXiD6h0zqj6tOoAo8PpLYm3HwrDqQ5xV49BS2-hJYZg/s1600/HKM_6115zb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Gdv4Ag2Jziz72-2nabwEgWyVqhXDtGflBiwV4XBBRKQaPggNr__UZsy1QFEArRKEGK40UBCiRIz7aI8fKRneVo-1UMlEDfQAJXiD6h0zqj6tOoAo8PpLYm3HwrDqQ5xV49BS2-hJYZg/s640/HKM_6115zb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJM6wF8lhVbaRoJqkRN-BcGuPkPD9j1E_nxRuu8sijjG_VtjykV6jAJETqwPabE3y9X1veD8HIckyKgu8_hyA57zeQT0PStEUC7wV2zoqZBsrZkUiyGxf1Y-IrhWxYxaf-rZ5N1Ooars/s1600/DSC_5890zb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJM6wF8lhVbaRoJqkRN-BcGuPkPD9j1E_nxRuu8sijjG_VtjykV6jAJETqwPabE3y9X1veD8HIckyKgu8_hyA57zeQT0PStEUC7wV2zoqZBsrZkUiyGxf1Y-IrhWxYxaf-rZ5N1Ooars/s640/DSC_5890zb.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This dark morph Rough-legged hawk (above) was found on Lapham Bay road Shoreham Vt. Lapham Bay road has always had something interesting going on and this season was no different, this Red Fox cross the road just ahead of me and stopped to check us out. My little red dog saw the fox and wanted to go for a run. Thank god the windows were up!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73SD0ugGDrdoaSs4wcbeHqRVqP5On-Kj-q_GRuEmmZ-Bvp2ZzC6fXZVO2zHBSGFXAO0Y23t9C-VqL3dlZFYqQd6ClTbjUG-o6mZPpBAU-DN2rWXXFtZpwY019ifNCrma66aI-lPUMuwk/s1600/DSC_5777zb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73SD0ugGDrdoaSs4wcbeHqRVqP5On-Kj-q_GRuEmmZ-Bvp2ZzC6fXZVO2zHBSGFXAO0Y23t9C-VqL3dlZFYqQd6ClTbjUG-o6mZPpBAU-DN2rWXXFtZpwY019ifNCrma66aI-lPUMuwk/s640/DSC_5777zb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Good birding.<br />
<br />
Pete<br />
<br />
Legal Notification,<br />
Copyright 2012 - Peter Manship - all rights reserved<br />
Reproduction, printing, or distribution of these images and copy is protected by US and International Copyright laws and is strictly prohibited.Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-89698758672297304232010-11-16T03:55:00.000-08:002010-11-16T04:17:02.793-08:00Townsand's Warbler images pt 2Here are a few more images of the Townsand's warbler that didn't make the first post. Enjoy! <div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540119139867849074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26xuFWN_rp0aYqeiztykl5iWYv4Ifxf2pDTPmlpas_5pTQ1f9GMDakIiKn_OtNmmO3m5gwrzVjewcbQUqjxTa6RXGu8qPBS9L4LVkmVyrf8funnif8lBnFsyhcDTBlYQkRs4_XUwi9CA/s400/DSC_2358dcb.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540118989866809778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiDgYnKDBL79z9nYGGF1VEYh4LMy1U8iwVVAsrBLofqCFRucujkfFz58DGTIzAIsdnHZcA7AqSHmvxm-NBfgT8ZL9dFqKE49A6k2WhL5T0DPDWrDo6AxLhiNuQTICC7Gncv2-Lrd60aA/s400/DSC_2330dcb.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540118814382150482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLN5Yz36B0SQi02WPgFNLtwNpFN5-CEj5lKNzx_Sy6LRHRw6y_jUECgqpHFO8Iq2MZ2wobSEHmMCAaHWLhZaKo0xGxg7vzNIBkm-SMM1rkN8P_BgBg5U8V9YD0QfFMsBaRbnUTTnC7VU/s400/DSC_2341dcb3.jpg" /></div><div>One of the things that always amazes me about chasing rare bird sightings is the locations, usually out there pretty good and in a place where - if someone ( a very good bird I'm sure ) wasn't looking, these rare treats would largely go unnoticed. So my thanks to the birders that find and share these finds with the birding community</div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Good Birding !</div><div>Peter Manship</div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-48033466796374023952010-11-14T13:09:00.000-08:002010-11-14T14:11:45.327-08:00Townsand's Warbler in Walpole NH.Here are some images I took of the Townsand's Warbler that was found last week on River road in Walpole NH. Enjoy!!!<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539528533884808610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDU-6667XOdpiXuxBfa8myo-qhjcqbeKoSFs26Rm5etqn3Zja8l0MtxeJ26i3sxpjUrj_lKZVycXlV333y_BTQ_0AjFeK90K9fp4l8HN8-ukIcfde2e2IbfdDkRECoLm-lKPHczMB5tSQ/s400/DSC_2032dcb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539528249526171730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlfmBKj9rH6wxT385Qd64PDzUfsxOB37Dj0HhCHx_UUHu7cg8ogC87NULwFZuI53y9l-hwBZDHYhZMlcR5FRNbeVfWEXY5yu6SHYTTePwTmu_iRojNeQp5PUMVkiSTYgYCCaoAA8gkVo/s400/DSC_2312dcb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539528044050051474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMx14r95Gqk4D5gFbSLKRKp3WEPtKKnF9UsficZMJEWDWukPpTGjW9DuPyB9BzD8OnoF9MlW5HYDzwTXlU3UlwgjiiZs48ZENNuHdzOFNUVqPZtryPvroo-q1ncyQL_d0EPT4sQX8ARtI/s400/DSC_2244dcb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539527865278929922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUCJBTh_OyBSilyGbUpm1kdTVdi-0hmSduCzTiszlqD16tqCl5xbFcfieWCgg7nYhz9wWayjXC5i2yo8bBPi1wb1UDI5dCXpitYaHb2aGSTQBuu-JZWBnQCv3_WOYEsCq7POB9c2bhFs/s400/DSC_2233dcb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539527693383111730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQqJFCbBAx3xzp3HQUW9JCQB3pdHleL0bYZ3RAIRa8jUtXgPir-9aJMpSnQ-PbIrUmv0sz8-I8Zkcu1i5C5mvlXaVzAp-djW5guIpQRgvZzFmcdU9LzELLAERPnTY9v1yJesuiopnjrk/s400/DSC_1991dcb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539527558066733954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCdi9lt2f2GV-ZvKWsPyz3aZ6R9qWeheCQmTg9vKXPgpOzFdEWyUbyIAH8-CRgRjV0EkkNvJXeViWc43ilAeCGiOK2GbBSdG5TLnDU0Mc2slqD5fQamRH2a0KrUlwETpeKHxGxONdR_k/s400/DSC_1943dcb.jpg" />Good Birding!<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Peter Manship</div><div> </div><div>All images taken by Peter Manship and © 2010 </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-68952031510650354692010-05-04T03:25:00.000-07:002010-05-04T04:50:26.672-07:00Nesting Swallows, somewhere in Castleton VtThe day had started out rainy but was clearing as we left Rutland to do some birding and scouting for photography locations. Riding along Bill shouts "what the heck is that ? it's black and white and has a blue bill" well that stopped the car pretty quick. A Lesser Scaup in a marsh just off Old Rt 4, a fairly uncommon bird for the location and time of year. Next stop as a "did you see that stop " which was a robinisque Kestrel #$&%(! ?. But did turn up about 70 swallows flying around the barn yard. A closer look revealed Tree, Barn and the surprise of the day Cliff Swallows.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467370814159772114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 392px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYBG-wzqb-Y-cNqwzbE0sYdTXrvM0zJdER-7kxe3RPf0uGpWwhsugw70FWkL6Z2RYARmigeZ3g_GT5qhDWBXZBfTTpz9-XotpKb7TTWjiraWsqqphMWM7D3fvoVasP5RXERlx2QZYZQU/s400/DSC_2901dcb.jpg" border="0" /> We watched for about half hour as the swallows gathered nest building materials. The Cliff Swallows just pickup mud in their beaks and flew off with it. ( image bellow Cliff Swallow with beak full of mud)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467378489262834194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 235px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKWFp52dFKisE1kI9XLugyEtozEhIk6X1xgfNy8Q3OBRHjaBJELJ68uBDyFahyphenhyphenSxkxFSpsgfQBMV353Hf0IAVTKoa7IHCKzXQrKCwjm_lwL7VhWprsDQ5bksrCsLJmtrOweu2lkjJRuA/s400/DSC_2805dcb.jpg" border="0" /> The Barn Swallows however carried hay to the muddy tire tracks in the barn yard most of which had water in them after the rain, where they would wet the hay . ( tree swallow wetting piece of hay for nest. I think they do this to make the hay/grass soft to work with)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467373670648067186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfrip-DTrZTLV5dPQamg6BuZqtlywhSsixaBUOJH-lH-B8xAFPUQDroKagifbHD4RbjWz3bdU3cT8g_l3l5J1XtQ6z4QGe7HrPW-Mvsbfodi3hlJ11J_6ymO81JR8v3nMmJFz0L7lM2U/s400/DSC_2926dcb.jpg" border="0" /> Then they would then added mud to the mixed load of nesting materials and fly off. This scene was repeated over and over again with some copulations throne in for good measure every now and then.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467371215506923490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 289px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW1Coew-OOA_kIlR-HeZDrRWLfwbaLMo-8fBxHj_fOi14SiH2-G021uWPvy5x7VAgB5gq8Q3kLrCHKu8a1Y1f0zzM2u42pA49gBM8OowbfJYvPY_KMskekWtXjVesuyOFOaVyGupNqYak/s400/DSC_2770dcb.jpg" border="0" /> Ahhhh spring!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467369936950233234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 329px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxtmgOv9OtSgH6N3hJurlLfj_e79IKJI3zObU8Ha4z5Yq5OFRatKu4rMFOlZlI8JDm8zhH71nmzpSLmDVxDkyHaqQt2s4tdw1uHOFvwTBIZX7JLeF7XRrJL7QA-qEBl8_ICIOBbc7weo/s400/DSC_2839dcb.jpg" border="0" /><br />List from today: <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div>Lesser Scaup 1 m</div><div><br /></div><div>Canada Goose 6 1 with very new goslings</div><div><br /></div><div>Mallard 7 all males</div><div><br /></div><div>Northern Harrier 1 gray ghost<br />Cowbird 5</div><div><br /></div><div>Kingbird 3</div><div><br /></div><div>House Sparrow many</div><div><br /></div><div>A Goldfinch 4</div><div><br /></div><div>Redwing Black Bird 6</div><div><br /></div><div>Common Grackle dozens</div><div><br /></div><div>TV's 9</div><div><br /></div><div>Broadwing Hawk 1</div><div><br /></div><div>Redtailed Hawk 2 one with pray</div><div><br /></div><div>Kestrel 1</div><div><br /></div><div>Cliff Swallow 10+</div><div><br /></div><div>Barn Swallow 30+</div><div><br /></div><div>Tree Swallow 20+</div><div><br /></div><div>NO Warblers today, that was a surprise. Latter on in the day I took a right off Rt 22a down a dirt road I'd never been on. Found 5 Red Admirals mineraling as I slowly drove along. Also found in same general area Cabbage Whites, Clouded Sulphur, Red Admirals<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467372927017087506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 236px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPbqYUiVmh5PXi-5hTUspgKb62hk6xhXLAquW7t7eQdM21TVyQlTadBd_7zQgS3BRhgF029-6FdRV7ljciwQNefDHx2S4uITnvqUNytuxDUSSxxfbM9F-sBbkDwgoNZ_5Hw_HBI5AwV4/s400/_R7A0014dcb.jpg" border="0" /> and a Canadian Swallowtail plus two West Virginia Whites. There was one that would not hold still long enough to ID. I thought it could have been a Juvenal's Duskywing. We'll see what I find when to go back tomorrow to spend more time looking around. There was also many dragonflies and damselflies moving in the warm afternoon air.</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>Thanks for visiting BFO's</div><div>Peter Manship</div><div> </div><div>All photos and story © 2010 Peter Manship </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-23057336037353682832010-04-11T03:36:00.000-07:002010-07-18T15:38:19.938-07:00Great Egret in Brandon Vt<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7NA0We4mi896682NfDOTPqMJxutlAJP_Lhugzg1W5BAP-ZZxCDtjK8NH6UE13KK51a3OiplfYsD1R3hvrmnEgtZOhsgiYu03ifF_hLKp6boZLAikCggi9Jm0MoigT9QHKJ1xh3tm-LU/s1600/DSC_5044dcb2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458854618952911026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 301px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ7NA0We4mi896682NfDOTPqMJxutlAJP_Lhugzg1W5BAP-ZZxCDtjK8NH6UE13KK51a3OiplfYsD1R3hvrmnEgtZOhsgiYu03ifF_hLKp6boZLAikCggi9Jm0MoigT9QHKJ1xh3tm-LU/s400/DSC_5044dcb2.jpg" border="0" /></a> My computer chimed meaning that a new email had arrived , I didn't check it till about noon and was surprised by what I found, "A call from a friend via a cell phone alerted me to a great egret here in Brandon. Located by the Dean Farm bridge on Union St. Sue Wetmore ". At the same time the phone rang, it was Bill Jalbert. I ask him if he knew where the Dean Farm was in Brandon? Why, because Sue Wetmore reported a Great egret in Brandon. You wanted to go looking for it? Half hour latter I was in Rutland meeting Bill and his son, Bill checked Google maps for the location and we were off. The cloud front was breaking up the sunshine and blue made it a perfect day for a Birding Adventure. As usual with birding adventures when we got there the bird was nowhere to be found. Asking a couple of fishing guy's if they had seen a large white bird that looks like a blue heron only produced more frustration, "ye it was over there about 20 minutes ago" pointing to the field behind them.Bill headed west of the bridge and I went east to double check the wet areas again. I got it was all I heard and then the sound of Bill running to get his camera, I join him running. Here are some image I took.<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br />Image of Great Egret with pray<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458846185348925314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 381px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21CA1w0EfMc6NWqO5qrSM4RRTTQBXXZxaJZzIv6Kw-aJd-l5eyeRycThMaPZpW4dsHLgTp69VSWGi2BXN7Th_bO9CmiboNYsDNbQnHtbX4w9rG9Owtb-5tI9H9OsU1QH-Gnp8ytYqbFk/s400/DSC_4977dcb.jpg" border="0" /> Bill and his son had to leave, I stayed and kept birding the area. here is a list for today:<br /></div><div><div>Great Egret 1</div><div>Wood Duck 4</div><div>Ringbillied Gull 15</div><div>Great Blue Heron 1<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458845593192043666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 274px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhit8dkvWqLvPx8akO235DGERarNLIvPpGvjgzdL8EoeCu0XNleias6Etps6cgIvCm_gjzi4e1CaxpeZjjPKbHCTwZ5UKfU-TQreS6M622FqvGHBW8WXaEJO9vwS2_dvR-oi9oEBWSJ9TY/s400/DSC_5155dcb.jpg" border="0" /></div><div>Mallard 2</div><div>Tree Swallow 9</div><div>Cardinal 1</div><div>Crow 4</div><div>Kestrel 2 one flying by with pray</div><div>Yellow Bellied Sapsucker 2 courting</div><div>Killdeer 3</div><div>Canada Geese 6</div><div>White Breasted Nuthatch 1</div><div>Yellow shafted Flicker 1</div><div>Robin 2</div><div>and 7 Painted Turtles basking in the sun</div><div>About 5;30 I headed west on Rt 73 to see what I could see, the farm at the junction of Rt 73 and 30 is always productive and today was no different. Grackle taking flight</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458849347550529218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 282px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-UI3zc5ujq-3Yt6KQ0h_eeSkOES1SJ-yltsWTkjCb4YAkiNDr1OTH4QmBWNxq8z7JLfxXtNKy10vGSXw3dZT-htgYtopetL1P2KWte24g1E3bINwM9khv-vOvH4nUPZgOfrp_AlzSqA/s400/DSC_5202dcb.jpg" border="0" /> Kestrel 2 <div>Killdeer 3<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458848465112768290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 238px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgLdPH6LLEA8NJpjNP5wqPsLiH1z3dOHMfUNIUTtj3sQM249_vPs2JiuFKUGnCoOTs9V6ArTUYZECUlSzPqqDrQjT9qt92ZAsKxGQatoXynGNRMaBtCH3wdSfLBD4Ic0qWJUA5rJx58s/s400/DSC_5232dcb.jpg" border="0" /></div><div>Sharp-shin 1</div><div>Hundreds of Starlings, Cowbirds, Grackles and Redwinged Black Birds maybe a thousand in all</div>this image is of 268++Cowbirds gritting on the side of the road, spooked by traffic<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458854854443510018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 204px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVo1znnpJkJaXSRhm8gHJrOBJRVbSt1kWTd0ADEFkOWIidFhzfPh-K39bL5O-n3QQnGekJBr7wXWsZSo8a3yodnsJzU_cKygMN0MI93du_eH05RI_aVTxJu58Zn2ND5__eQb6Z7Jv1tkg/s400/DSC_5381dcb268.jpg" border="0" />Morning Dove 7 <div>and this Wood Chuck with a mouth full of fresh salad.</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458845833651038338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 331px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihQTwX41ers0b1GoBeAAryxiIi9Yw77PO8tr6sPgeG_UGvMijzb3yyVjvi93XM6F2nXBkUKmo1jiD9aDwQtPeZenhN6vXtlb68Wk2GCTw06oETT2YZ5oNsJ-fT5nwq1o93bSqb40scwco/s400/DSC_5195dcb.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div>Good Birding</div><div>Pete</div><div></div><div>Story and images © Peter Manship all rights reserved</div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-89865513128747381572010-04-06T04:49:00.000-07:002010-04-06T17:09:56.245-07:00Great day of Birding in VermontTook advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday and went for a long birding ride.<br />Best bird of the day was a late Rough-leg hawk hover hunting in the fields just south of the Richville road on 22a in Shoreham. Later in the day at Basin Harbor ( bay? don't know the correct name) had 34 TV's circling as if looking for their evening roost.<br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457002577888488418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 287px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJ8HlidrHc9c8L_cYwNjD74OexW2TXNq2Uf4H74hKFAUhU6H96AQRj4btaDn9_PmWmRZ-_rHNvnO1BsTJ6uuzD2gHc8UxFh9uYtuWt-SwAmkVeMVP3N58AiU-bm8Tjj33o6itDwsXDA0/s400/_PAM3409dcb.jpg" border="0" /> Turkey Vulture lit by warm afternoon sunlight. We didn't stick around to try and locate the roost, instead raced ahead to try and find a good location for the sunset. (see header) while there watching the TV's 3 Ravens chased a Redtail hawk out of their territory. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457011194554666210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 271px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZrACa66VcRgHJY8hgh3OAdhZGj6x9sos-VZTu84MxSud94d4ut0OhA4dPqC0J305o9R29-FuB7l5E3lsrr7ZDWs-E4Qw8qu2MUPU5fiu818yqHkoXZnjOWqyLbd-doY60E1UEsh_11M/s400/_PAM3464dcb.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457004633907311842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 219px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ZkNgTj8wVwKzzqZm6UzaveY0E0dAT8ykSUu-jJ0oqo-Tj8eTq2bsTRQHuBh69886Zyr7GRflRqtq4jeHut206g-y2P8XTYhvAlYuvZBdNDofxrDg83MYLHGDeu2AKIITa-Y_rvvGoBA/s400/_PAM3472dcb.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457010788642183394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu42_OUNw_aFGQKuv5t8tA9uDjIyCzevMUMLFOLbA-NpSq4XLQLyyo-vTnIEKz7mxXhc-Kzspvco60ic-iog_llfhqy7evY6U5Dq0r_OTt33USJTQqRXtTd80DT_tJdgc15vPZJM_4Lg/s400/_PAM3471dcb.jpg" border="0" />Once the Redtail was safely out of their territory the Ravens broke off the chase. ( note the full crop on this red-tail, white lump at base of neck full of its last meal)</p><p>Anyone know what this plant is? It was growing in light shade , rich woodland soil and about 6"tall with pink and blue flowers coming from same stem.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457000714998579586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 226px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Qoa_qlA6Xr0EoPgH6jktPNIwl8DQwQ_bNMzx71UrD6s_Y7Z6zw1SHpsqMTQYQ1UiIJ4LSZrktZ1LTAezt1YzA7-h5fkpuktionJV4FkeSPb_HR5jci98mXZvuGCn7__YBZTv6fdaw84/s400/_PAM3353dcb.jpg" border="0" />Here is the list of birds and mammals for the day:<br /></p><p>Rough-leg Hawk 1 dark morph<br />Redtailed Hawk 5 one juv RT</p><p>Ospry 12 scattered all over the dead Creek area ,watched pr south of<br />Chimney point bridge nest building and copulating </p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457001678923216418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 314px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbnC02_mZJ-7Dt1Ox80xMz0g5LtNMQMIU9nPzQxNAWXN7U9BGCFbI2VvWNA5lvlNHHneNCKwWhNrnLXeJ2reU3l8rIU_tHqax_nNDTN29Uz2SxR7uLJy_oDssdpYtE_55iA_rq5qw_1s/s400/_PAM3097dcb.jpg" border="0" /> Northern Harrier 1 male(Gray Ghost )<br />TV's 43<br />Kestrel 3<br />Raven 7<br />A. Crow 12<br />Cardinal 5<br />Great Blue Heron 5 1 pr seen flying north over lake Champlain<br />Bufflehead 15 from Ft Cassin rd<br />Bald Eagle 2 -1 adult and this juvenal (below) at Ft Cassin made it through the tree safely<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457001937142759202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnDEf8rkLZWd1zfmf7Rd63HMWARMqM2Paa48eyWHPVP1t7Q4vfgtAD1nS7NtHxxPEqiyeTEasiO8B00fAcmxvGbdoGqLeOfyhPzrlNeZ33vWxMnK4mePQUgdursMINrLP4OJVuWeL18w/s400/_PAM3295dcb.jpg" border="0" /> Tree Swallows<br />Mallards<br />Hooded Mergansers<br />Wood Ducks<br />Canada Geese several nesting<br />Kingfisher<br />Common Mergansers<br />Redwing Black birds saw a large flock (about 150) flying over a field on<br />Lapham Bay road,a beautiful sight when all the birds turned and flashed their red wing patches !<br />Wild Turkeys many , one group of 27<br />Whitebreasted Nuthatch 6 all on territory calling, very noisy<br />Hairy, Downy and Pileated woodpeckers <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457006679056568962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAAmOcQO1sxOf944HS2LV9g9rtmkcUqpvPCgJCq7h_CQRKvMcwMAywvB0UPcQrzrQtTfwSLU2-NRF92ugF9k3rmqcVh51EveIdk606aUIF5lt6lmoSvzHxL7_ZbGLNf-u8ytk0-HimFM/s400/_PAM2985dcb.jpg" border="0" /></div><div>Robins<br />Grackles<br />Brown-headed Cowbirds<br />Tufted Titmouse 3<br />Tree Swallows many<br />Song Sparrows<br /></div><div>House Sparrows<br />Chipping Sparrow 2<br />Chickadees<br />Blue Jays and Ring billed Gulls </div><div>Mammals:<br /></div><div>Also had a Red Fox walk pasted us just as it was getting dark at Basin Harbor.<br />Found a field with 10 deer in it. Saw 46 plus Painted Turtles at Brilyea excess road to Dead<br />Creek WMA, Addision Vt. Way to many Gartar snakes for my comfort !!! Lots of Muskrats</div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456999267535878322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 257px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZZsMRQ3wELcfpgUvSiGZbGKlV8R2xqazZUGyfR77AlYJaxDb4rmdGFJQ5e036k-M424AER-QHz7o5prAFZxUNIWUttbvn8KUwAzZ10U1UNBAIX4FKi-085dMXEAGHpuaFuj5aXJXpFI/s400/_PAM3268dcb.jpg" border="0" /> and at Ft Cassin had a young muskrat come right up to me crying as if look for its parents .<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456998933742854850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 269px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3k8qrC2hw68e6Qq6rLy5j6VGyfL8DtcS-dLyIBf_MhFIq9sTv7AtMWgj8rMNV40bYEW7xQo-mAIxJHsJ87lXmxf6bAaqJ0jnUkL7xRzISmGOrQfnSA3O74QBfoEYGJhXoVTTm6Td8luI/s400/_PAM3276dcb.jpg" border="0" /> Good Birding<br />Peter Manship </div><div><br /><div>written and photographed by Pete Manship © 2010 all right reserved</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-64065291029235032902010-01-28T07:40:00.001-08:002010-04-06T06:24:30.938-07:00Ft Cassin Bald Eagles, Vergennes Vt<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYfN3n3Nye2oHBdaVyOdG7xPGtKX3nGf6ZkqCOlw-IC-q7zA7GBAuvImRlLCMDblaUcu7CG24JWxwDl4Q-WdiIoXp7G3aIVJDVDmro7wUSDxEx0WmG54nbp8cpaXyW1TlCTida63cWBM/s1600/IMG_6541dcb990.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457014720366864546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 259px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMYfN3n3Nye2oHBdaVyOdG7xPGtKX3nGf6ZkqCOlw-IC-q7zA7GBAuvImRlLCMDblaUcu7CG24JWxwDl4Q-WdiIoXp7G3aIVJDVDmro7wUSDxEx0WmG54nbp8cpaXyW1TlCTida63cWBM/s400/IMG_6541dcb990.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>A friend and I visited <a href="http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/library/Maps/Wildlife%20Management%20Areas/Essex%20District/Lower%20Otter%20Creek%20WMA.pdf">Ft Cassin in Vergennes Vermont</a> yesterday looking for eagles.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431825387551298354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 309px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhofKL2IWWax8lPIpDlSxh6heyrzak-9WYdOZhsmeq0rxAH3f-0ZXWcK3-ClhIOnpjy40ZBsoch81YVJWyRmM4fFEMksThkKkhdhI3c97LxtfTKRaEocsRNGFsZwzssSYHDn_iHatkNEug/s400/IMG_6684dcb.jpg" border="0" /> We found 14 eagles spread all around the area. The most interesting part was finding 5 juveniles and one adult on the ice south of the river outlet fighting over a fish. One juvenile managed to hold off the others with lots of wing flapping displays.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431825569034053602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 362px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9w1OrY0GWCu4uFlUeVo5nv0H6A7J49SJNyHvdyRjLfppyIG3owtllFWLjz-MVZiqpfZ6DY5C2K3B_xOpzUyP4uE2mQsZqiOybIR6Km5suPxc4oHblRsQUSnWlOsf1Di_ynMj9d61-FOE/s400/IMG_6724dcb.jpg" border="0" />But after about ten minutes of defending its fish the larger adult (female probable) moved in and took the prize uncontested.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431825485018903682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 371px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLLeZkv3Amjkdi436LCkbAzM0Xw1P1b6jIQl7yqWVnxNyq71IQK5NVdn4CxJUTsFihGpiIFO5eZNNBB420cYpHWqHEgKmZ2VRApRFssUa1xerl4Wmt_VgSjmagTb5xVlks_qfc6ZVggs/s400/IMG_6697dcb.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431825098284968290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnul84asJXTnT0EYdsayksebeQhDIg5UWwcvRLMoMZqAGhr_5Qy4cg4-ZG9TmxrPH9-Ppv1K6gDDyq3mwf58h30pTAQE_7xJm7VxOLzI2pmmJOBU3N0dOhsDJUoZO6eiWPiDaazPvzuI/s400/IMG_6564dcb.jpg" border="0" /> It was also a good day for hawks, here is the only image I got of the light morph Rough-legged Hawk that I found in a field south of Richville rd and rt 22a Shoreham VT. I think that it is a adult male but would love some input from others about this beautiful Rough-legged Hawk. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431825646393212514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 391px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 379px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWplxfJuGBrFaRrub0Z3nACtvcOFjKZbMypn8clhyphenhyphenS_jn5yRi48C2-LqYSdYrqn-9PZx8AjtpQMdmbfuvRFMK3BlVJpiSkQ4mbfbLuG9C-na-P9Uf5rzqMNB_9_mSwTqoW9ywVQcS0hYU/s400/IMG_6787x.jpg" border="0" /> here is what we found yesterday from ft Cassin Vergennes down Rt 22a to Rt 4 Fair Haven Vermont.<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div>Bald Eagles 14 6 adult 8 juv</div><br /><div>Red-tailed Hawk 13 </div><br /><div>Rough-legged Hawk 4</div><br /><div>Kestrel 3</div><br /><div>Northern Harrier 1</div><br /><div>Pileated Woodpecker 1</div><br /><div>Eastern Bluebird 5</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Good Birding to all!</div><br /><div>Peter Manship</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Story and Images © 2010 Peter Manship LLC</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-37460577879162207742010-01-18T05:03:00.000-08:002010-01-28T08:56:09.896-08:00Winter Hawk and Eagle watch 1-16-10<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAW6kYR9ytiss6lpKQt22xdZJXqMR53o7Ly2qw_lt-plk1IuvFCHlauBU97OleIHPDJwleSdvsSZS2FYbmG48okiwwIJJ2sM-sUXE_6hPwQf14rBJ93E6Hn5ZPRQG4QfI5lFWj_yEP9U/s1600-h/_R7A0180dc2b990.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431835009074725794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 225px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAW6kYR9ytiss6lpKQt22xdZJXqMR53o7Ly2qw_lt-plk1IuvFCHlauBU97OleIHPDJwleSdvsSZS2FYbmG48okiwwIJJ2sM-sUXE_6hPwQf14rBJ93E6Hn5ZPRQG4QfI5lFWj_yEP9U/s400/_R7A0180dc2b990.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This post is a mix of the last two days birding in the Champlain Valley with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Rutland</span> Audubon <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428132472725231650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 247px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NPl3Dfr_fA18nsXRI_foJUbmCsTaGHJaCnsmh-iEpSEn4Wsm5TB9zxpx4Apr4BgnT09j5QAPXshcsqLg1dHX9ihTezo5OdwfSCjrqatyyjJitRatapi2cuWpI9caeuhibigmi5TO4mw/s400/group+990.jpg" border="0" />and yesterday with Bill <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Jalbert</span>. Here is the image of the Eastern Red-tailed Hawk with the eastern Canada type feature - dark throat instead of a white patch or striped.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428114628623798338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 304px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzHxrmCoNU3xr_duEI3QPY_P5WrU7w-eV_UcXBpCNRqevLVP07b9WIETA2pfDjhLv0mv3NTrbJJLV3XElPVY_egUihfsRgq1ff1_qjxrPtgAT6YVPt2m-87cunx1pHb_I6-FNCd4-_bY/s400/IMG_5503dcb.jpg" border="0" />Note the dark throat which is typical of northern Canada <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">RT's</span> - see page 56 , plate RT02 of <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8025.html">Hawks from Every Angle</a> by Jerry <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Liguori</span> for a brief description. BTW a very helpful book to have. Compare with Sibley's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Redtail</span> images.<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Bill captured this beautiful Bluebird image at one of the many stops the group made.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428085913746807810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 273px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vl3idDQzeXTwfBrxZQ-9ZgCYyQq_qyAr6oc6o3HcIE4zbTxp0dall-0zuRXpDhZl3R1Ea3aZWWL_hLf6TREBfccQIwh_BNJLCfDdYEjB-eNmtJ9QaayPEB2lHFNKlyQYzddyB9aQPR8/s400/IMG_9005a.jpg" border="0" /> I got zip for Bluebird photos even though we were standing 2 feet apart. Bluebirds seem to be somewhat of a problem for me; can you say nemesis! At Ft <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Cassin</span> the group located 6 Bald Eagles, 3 adults and 3 juveniles. Two were bathing in the frigid water on the shore, a scope's view away. Eventually one flew in our direction and landed nearby where we were able to get some nice images of it. Here are some images I took of the bathing juvenile eagles; this very wet one is sunning it self dry -<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428112378232613378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 386px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyBC5FlqgWff_FwV_TyrFNSYNWWrHtAE5XKZdvON2eA83It-d3rD47rbaayYTA8uXpjxxAFDmfS8yc7-6XlyySp0R8gLi9nktqMScvFgOgZIPI-fly5qennedUnSobt5UMcOkckyz3PI/s400/_R7A0112dcb2.jpg" border="0" /> drying out his or her feathers, I think that this juvenile eagle could be a 3rd year bird. Can anyone clear that question up.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428112785963759010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 353px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixr4sOWAe50bFu2DL8GtI41yN8_nP7qok2xcokgkMljc7fTS7X8mnvgPixBpM7H3eoNU_H-WRogx6pAiaeQGReEPXw-mv26YUCmm0Yv_0k57zfm4hpMCe1EEEbsMFgv3tGkVVj-cQdOJY/s400/_R7A0174dc2.jpg" border="0" /> finally, taking flight! See header above also.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428134218274748882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 348px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggBez5h83FkRlJNwXl2zKcK6d6y50ez0YAKOICJBj6yz8tej_0dIK7DU1lHT2jYYuk1lSDXKc-SsgYAWg-A0IkNL4TPBwlIKPOwJ4niKD8YzZE2xOkZxJtdNxqwN3W-DDsGJ3w7kX-h_g/s400/_R7A0178dcb2.jpg" border="0" />This is where we got separated from the Audubon group. With a dead radio and not capable of communicating with the Audubon group anymore, we just birded our way south along the lake. One of the highlights was finding a Peregrine Falcon almost where we had found one last winter on Lake Street in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Bridport</span>. The image bellow is a Cooper's Hawk not a peregrine.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428120741381905378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZ7Q3pMzDUV0p8oAJP_v0Sdio0M_t-ecI5eu4ipxbazTuKLHC-qA21GiNx65QOOoO5yfQXHflkP_faUYD-Sxu2-1uBjV_mPpPq9HEw_j8ng-Rj92in2Xhp-W_3rgMuIVYGZhgWYKKX8g/s400/IMG_9271.jpg" border="0" />Sunday would prove to be an amazing birding day. We covered south of Rt 125 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Bridport</span>. This is a beautiful Copper's Hawk image that Bill made.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428120924737876882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 275px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1-j_io63NYTsBtP0zUXoDdaBQN1UvpbiyZUrAuCUsrti-7636cs_YAldIo7FhUWx6fmS-v6iuznAD6-e5QNfKREyTJgAyF2Gc_hwJUEE9agL_oDbCXpQFObX70Zk3B_t793FxwtHjcc/s400/IMG_9327.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><div>We were upwind of this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Ruffy</span> and if flew right at us. What luck! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428125643852141746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA25KO0IS4TCk75JTKe3lbQAGva1F80y0QkSySYgd4B2ILuJeA2aPO7eSJ_PPaPmlBsOVhHBVEi7onMM096xumBJ95dqwOHFeFG50Y8OW5810Eo1G8lcHCwZGF12zZmKPOLUFvHffJ7fY/s400/IMG_9423.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428124858697162978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 183px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_8xhq4VZ-CpucavQ5IkfqSJ0ECIx7aMHmZTR5rRNPvmP_Eyn5xenGwsYqAphxARfJoyEr0SQ_cQfxhpT0dqrNmuQ1LGm2ISCYVvUWDniiqoV01gi-CTn6WKNeo5ecRhQIF8WErhF5l8/s400/IMG_5972dcb.jpg" border="0" /></div><div>Probably the most amazing part of the day was the tally of 17 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Red-tailed</span> Hawks, 1 peregrine, 2 Cooper's Hawks, 2 Rough-legged Hawks and ending the day with a Barred Owl. Bill <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Jalbert's</span> owl image . <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428121084865681602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 324px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglAD-3lCMoqQN6A6GMoMnecOjKLnXJ-uq485UUmM84vt3bZPsHtMRgsRYjzaRGqtl9Fkll_1GY3ulorEeF_m0UZqjO0TYuBiDbPOIDOJCWDjkxOkmDileHO5ME0nbwkL5PCwZZMeuB34I/s400/IMG_9369.jpg" border="0" /><br /> For a list of what we saw Sunday </div></div><div>check here:<a href="http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/VTBD.html#1263819848">Vermont E-bird</a> NOTE This list is not totally correct. The peregrine count is 1 and the Cooper's Hawk count should be 2 and one Sharp shinned Hawk. Thanks Roy.</div><br /><div>If you're wondering why so many are Bill <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Jalbert's</span> images and not mine, my camera was acting up all day long and more importantly, Bill's images are great too! So what's the difference?<br />As for me I can't wait to go looking for more wintering hawks south of Rt 73 next time.</div><br /><div>Good Birding to all,</div><div>Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Manship</span></div><div><br /><div>photos by Bill <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Jalbert</span> where noted all others by Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Manship</span></div><br /><div>© 2010 Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Manship</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">LLC</span> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-30261712231539946882010-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:002010-01-18T09:44:30.610-08:00Sage Thrasher, Salisbury Beach Mass. 1-12-10<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNj3lmCFcFDK3g_uXZgAQGJh5Hh_jmPP9g5TqFunOR-5lCaLf0AMJ32SMiQWKxHHG5Z45V4bt2Ul4D8G_xImUlANJSAOg9PHMzx73-R511i1B1iEiTqy64-jOfxDaSGEj8lN6QeBullm8/s1600-h/IMG_5157dcxb990.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428137102034242178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 275px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNj3lmCFcFDK3g_uXZgAQGJh5Hh_jmPP9g5TqFunOR-5lCaLf0AMJ32SMiQWKxHHG5Z45V4bt2Ul4D8G_xImUlANJSAOg9PHMzx73-R511i1B1iEiTqy64-jOfxDaSGEj8lN6QeBullm8/s400/IMG_5157dcxb990.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Yesterday I ran down to Salisbury Beach SP in Mass to try and locate the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sage_Thrasher/lifehistory">Sage Thrasher</a> that was reported on Mass-ebird the day before. I left Vermont at O-Dark-Thirty (4:45) so I would be down there early, hoping that when I pulled in some of the NH birders that I bird with would have already found the thrasher. There was 25 or so people walking around looking. It didn't look good. I asked the first person that I came to if they had seen the bird and they said that it was seen earlier but..... I parked the car and joined the search. I soon found one of the NH birders. I asked Jason if I could join him looking for the bird and the whereabouts of other NH birders. He said they are all looking for the Ivory Gull.<br /><br />We looked everywhere and after about thirty minutes I noticed something moving under a bush . I looked through my binoculars. “I've got It!”<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426236780748775394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 332px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wlISJgBwCjI90pVCQ-RT13qahKTjhQvrstMsUHVwpuxMs19ANuZ0RNmxB-bR5w-w5-k0VpV1U2RpSs4FFee9lI0o9l4nDQwqrAX7YTpHWIBUw_QOKyO3vzSgC4bAKZleg2plH0Jnk94/s400/IMG_5140dcxb.jpg" border="0" />Jason signaled the others and "texted" the other NH birders who were combing the seacoast for an Ivory Gull, which was never found. It was amazing! Ten minutes later it was like old home week; people started pouring in to see the Sage Thrasher.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426237011299829586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 295px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZy4Ag_kGBfPffT4x07U7d2TGH0ud-uLsy-BFSVKpE8A5yKzuMNcSyzjn69ZQJjSlwYnSCB_SouQQH45GCTWotYWhGgKeh2ndOdUZRQW3ri6vSuP0BhCquusqNgkAbM0I53erTpb9Jl3U/s400/IMG_5069dcxb.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br />Also at Salisbury were these Horned Larks that were sandbathing. What a sight.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426245647458065938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 384px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQatC736v2m6ZPGshv5bI2KnfHhM1tRDx1_-EPcT7HBepcbURjaJ5mqfwE3zYAszgNmicU9wPnslyztzODf1f9cucbnb2eCTBW6-Iei-phZfWfUQxSolVqd1ULg-f4q4n8ldU-1Oip_s/s400/IMG_5213dcxb.jpg" border="0" /> This Horned Lark made a small bowl in the sand by flipping its wings. You can see sand flying in the next image.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426245939552228514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEMwq_vbgFwhNNCcVbXzVJAQU0gjXL-Tdn_DQx62jlZGW0x08xDDEOYCgTmc39mObL_nAWeF7vYKhM9rE8S0fjmaeShQeLK92GxJfALBUaCUhpcXQerGX9A7SyFMOR5ALvuVTGSvFCB4/s400/IMG_5248dcxb.jpg" border="0" />All in all I had a great time seeing everyone again and spending the rest of the afternoon birding the NH seacoast. Interestingly, they were all looking for high point value birds for the <a href="http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Joppa_Flats/news.php?id=1240&event=no">Superbowl of Birding VII</a>. What I didn’t know was that the group represented two teams; everyone was acting cool asking each other questions about where they were going or where they had been birding and the answers were all bold face lies. They were all sandbagging, telling each other lies to misdirect the other team. It was fun to hear and watch the friendly banter.<br /><br />Here is a list of birds seen by me today:<br /><br />Sage Thrasher 1<br />Merlin 3<br />Kestrel 1<br />Snow Buntings 15<br />Horned Larks 12<br />Tree Sparrow 9<br />Savannah Sparrow 1<br />Glaucous Gull 1<br />Herring Gull many<br />Ringbilled Gull many<br />Greater black-backed Gull 7<br />European Starling 2<br />Common Eider 8<br />Lesser Scaup 5<br />Mallard 2<br /><br />Good Birding<br /><br />Peter<br /><br />Story and images© 2010 Peter Manship Designs LLC</div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-55292476194912439392009-11-07T11:46:00.000-08:002009-11-11T19:17:12.245-08:00River of Black Birds, Portsmouth, N.H. 11-6-095oo,ooo Blackbirds! That is my guess as to how many blackbirds there were and that is really a moot point because the experience of seeing that large a number of birds flying by is somewhat overwhelming. Everywhere you looked, it was blackbirds! This image was facing northwest-ish.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 382px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400988739924158754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRPFoFYmlytoYrNTPHJVmlyzRxEyZ-kRwQA7LhDOBakUa0Lmg7Y7zw7JLRFhzcp4ZVikV0mdSGARu3glrz-UARIQA_1dAUsI2q0vCWFdKcXASKOcnv1-osvgH-0peaVsF-uZdiEcWd4k/s400/_R7A0126sxb.jpg" /> It started out slowly, but that changed very quickly. There were three streams of birds - one north and south of our location and one overhead. That's not to say there weren't others;<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400990964259807954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1CcO02zPg64-VxtBXizjupIn221iJe3z_b0u1eH2rv40fELwqFc27wQDJIeTqIFcylAGIQ82uY2u_EKDxAtSAgzLiZInIG-QJQ3g1Pss1Cy5aRYf261iVccqN-drDXG_3YtvLNKA52HI/s400/_R7A0175sxb.jpg" /> there were. They were scope range at best and more importantly, largely overlooked because of the distance to them. Plus there was an extraordinary number of blackbirds flying by at close range. The stream to the southeast was very large and dense, but you had to look through a scope to see it. Case in point. The image below shows birds passing in front of the moon . Not too far away, but<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400985466565044434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEH6XCvHQoPzRDsjAAAU_5Z2n6CBHl1yoDW6zkICfaJXO5DKBrhiSApAP_nu3VSUCKY7V2Sf46nq4CMCfp87SvBow_wSk4mZoX1d0CDNYRRHbcMatjNuQGhaTqan1OfbxGJauPYbDh_R4/s400/_R7A0031sxb3.jpg" /> in the lower left hand corner is a distant and larger group of blackbirds passing by that went unnoticed by me until I got home and was looking at the images on the computer. Image below is a 200% enlargement of the marked area from the image above.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400985781686897410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Wf4hbxqazCAr_wayU5an-NzHoetHdK-EV_CL4zIclYY8-Ky1fVkwHppmdgPka2q1p57Xd2DgXcTqnLcvSSIRsIxsqR6fdIx7rPdH9_LpgXv3fCpf2QxXY8ZcLpzjXp074Izft8Tsv1A/s400/_R7A0031sxb2.jpg" />This is an example of what it was like. It points out how hard it would be to try and get an accurate count of the total number of blackbirds flying in to the Great Bog roost area in Portsmouth NH.<br /><br />Here is an image of the group watching the blackbirds flying overhead.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400987863685636786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96lbFwVjdwl9gCmO1Y7IqKOsbD_sYepwCtmeSV0vFrHz1cwDuYfwRH78WrTH9vKhGNZ5pott8CS0FeAYyoqL7zJ7kGqA4smnnGcBtuz_iU1tyfwjboeCIeruK2L-Rn6qZDyBF-E2MANs/s400/_R7A0293sxb.jpg" /> The dark pink area on the horizon in the center of the above image looked like this image below through my 400mm lens.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 159px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400986541344794018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVSoZkWelGEYYjKkFUZ9vHUnGFFs3jOCZ_VZO7Ce5QroJxZ2xDDJJLSX-xPCOv2RTC_ZhrC_f2T4rHzV8Wi2-Ucl4lDIFRWxSdjGQcHaBw127KKjZ22jMGDC2uW0cM4lIEeB6_vIB50g/s400/_R7A0299sxb.jpg" />It was a life experience that is very difficult for me to put in words. Even the images don't convey the scope of the event. They do, however, offer fragments of a much larger picture. The image below is looking east and similar views were going on to the south and west when I recorded this image. The roost fly-in lasted about 45 minutes or so and the sound was impressive.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 236px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400993149565994466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaD9cauFWDSthr36MlU2nd9Yib10UPiWqN4ZAd1uNi6R162_wLaUdt8T9nbX2l3SnK-kE79mnxq_9jG6geHcbuKueXQkjb5qkAD42Uekb28ewiGykq9VnTXQzJl1WBo78UoRNwyOCJGD0/s400/_R7A0101sxb.jpg" />What I would say, is that if this happens again next year, a trip down there to experience it first hand would be highly recommended. Who knows, maybe we could carpool next year!<br /><br /><br />I had a great time birding the coast of New Hampshire thanks to Steve and Jane Mirick, Len Medlock, Jason and all the others, and The River of Blackbirds is truly an unforgettable experience!<br /><br /><br />Thelma turned over 200,000! It happened at 4:20am about a mile west of Warner, NH.<br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 342px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401473928888225538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKXbRRTjhAIbONiJYh3ZK-SGvJ5Xy_VjJHlzMoAqexN_Iyw_t77E-uyFKxKQhPvMkXdU9WDNFSb342lTAt6AE_6WMKQMYy5dunGoax4s2kQKLEWmlD_uE3DpDkvfTzsw7GsMT4-b5JXIU/s400/IMG_4395sxb.jpg" />Marv Elliott of the Rutland Audubon had the winning guess of Nov 4th. A special thanks to all 47 people that entered the Thelma Mileage Contest. Marv will be receiving a framed Red-tailed Hawk image from those taken at Mt Philo back in September. Again, thanks for taking the time to enter.</p><p><br /> </p>Peter Manship<br /><br />images and story © 2009 Peter Manship All rights reservedPeter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-56004202169194511002009-11-04T15:14:00.000-08:002009-11-11T19:35:30.161-08:00Birding the New Hampshire Seacoast 11-1-09The alarm went off at 3am! I really didn't want to get up, but I knew I had to get moving. I made it to Rye Harbor, NH by 6:30 and started trying to locate the Common <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Murre</span> which had been reported on the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">NHbird</span> list the day before. With an hour to spare I was hopeful of sighting the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">murre</span>, but it was gone. I had to get going if I was going to meet up with Steve <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mirick</span> and the others by 8am. I was doing fine until I got to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Seabrook</span> Harbor Bridge which was down to one lane for repairs and the light was red. I sat there waiting for the light to change; then a boat passed through the bridge and it was 7:55 when I finally got across. Too late, I thought, so I decided to wait at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Seabrook</span> harbor parking lot. There was a Black-bellied Plover hunting for food. Here's and image of the plover:<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400712554133267314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3ZtWcLA7uArvpHeyNqSOCiIjHKvB7-BEN6QS_UAYM-WAAd0lU86njxl1usdY_U25geDuhzekY94hJacvqd3mIi82o0rzxzLfiEDKOLf9m-7mXOUJzFSQE2KJ-VwFkIj_JtKf-3USr7E/s400/IMG_4730sxb.jpg" />As 8:30 rolled around I noticed that there weren't any birders here. They must be starting somewhere else. No biggie, I'll bird the coast and eventually our paths will cross.<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Here is an image of a White-rumped Sandpiper from Ragged Neck on the NH seacoast.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 265px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400714108391479698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGYr2cwRAay4sY3ORM5uO5_6Zv5Y7_hInFbKlE0bORh90jCK5_afy_2CsJbr4mgnULNF9_Dh3T1ybh5GfW_6FWUB0LI695u9Z3TqS6pxUPDVUwXffdvWr88QTw2rU8z8wCip9oJl6oeY/s400/IMG_4687sxb.jpg" />On the north side of Rye Harbor State Park there were quite a few shorebirds working the wrack line (washed up seaweed, etc.). I settled in photographing the shorebirds when I flushed a sparrow that looked different. Couldn't relocate so I was returning to photograph the shorebirds when it popped up just in front of me. After photographing it I asked Denny Abbott if he knew what it was. Looking at the image "Ipswich" type Savannah Sparrow was his response. A life bird for me! Here are some image of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ipswick</span> sparrow:<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 396px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400666460134167954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYzgKYCso7PLjmufnTKE83bIF76e9qLE3kdb39pX8-Li4BhfqCiYuVjBmE4fHfCM20cAO_-_zz4sQLmeoS3YAXGN3yUCtu2MKnFFjxcdGM-EZtWo_UIlLtFMGaVEBh_xczUnfkbk8F40/s400/IMG_4885sxb.jpg" /> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400666710031324274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVd8qokI4PGSjUZ0CLzU2S8cNtRnX3pB69ML55ZRTElfihn9CXIzRqkfWx9SQSpibQ600HDd-EdBjzxgYWISFGWqbIENztAV7OvZcPEoO4EAb0XfzEfj9_EuhOJ4eyKHeFYKk3hu5yOiw/s400/IMG_5233sxb.jpg" />and some shorebirds - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dunlin</span> preening:</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 371px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400667026140873858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dYFEfxyKiQc5sPrD5uMiqDADaAUBKrsopS91YvlGl12OJ6QpFN4xIN26_XJT26SZ5GD98WQ5ijsw0jOWE0FcuT_dy39EqjUntUru1u76vq6uTIsOYq6R0V6lgFvJYQZpdfOWyXnrfHw/s400/IMG_4604sxb.jpg" />A molting juvenile <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sanderling</span>:<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400713228944002770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5q4BuHmfGQE3-yne3ZWJpW_NwBXvTMgqfvWI_gjEJlqM6ISjFNGc8r21FloHpDnO6A2XUlg3SI0J64nY6jUo5ur361cj6SFEcDl8Hfl8CmUQ9fVJk68vHyg96h9WBP74wrzKU_i48JR0/s400/IMG_4815sxb.jpg" /> juvenile Black-Bellied Plover:<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400712842181734354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj6XwRB1K34uYYSqeMAmC22di-vzpfZ88fleLySGCD7ioqOC0_NMIi_QDOfkihydm0tk0FPzG_mrGkf7Opolhqpg7ep6h0azz2uMGKk4RHXLF_QCpixVCMsaFlAXtbrftQN7YIaQ82LAc/s400/IMG_4819sxb.jpg" />There was a flock of about 70 Snow Buntings feeding in the parking area. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 244px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400713562631379746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGFWF2XNHCXstwi6Jg8hZPwXYknJZDpNVq6TVizsgdDMw4YeF-GTh4PMDbxpZe3Wq5Iebs6IwPlP4M6GU571oYVNwjhv1ZsVyfJ-1RnYDdOaCyQI4err-aoYss5N3BnDcHurLLkSFbxFo/s400/IMG_4457sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 345px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400669552022247250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjooxpPbhtcMb2_Mfkb9F6rLP67YA85MvpuGyanMXIorAU17_IdaGIFJapHjiKHMgzx2ktrWacsTinFARDIUHisuzfhtUH8EB8rFB5mdDjlXX3wFdILQTahURlkhVFxGpakh8ISgWKa9Bs/s400/IMG_4772sxb.jpg" />I left Denny and headed north. I was hopping to find Steve and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Brookline</span> Bird Club. Driving south again having not found them, I noticed a car approaching with a person waving out the window; it was Denny. "What's up?" </div><div>"I found the Common <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Murre</span> right after you left, about 10:30 in the harbor," he said. I raced back to the harbor excited at the prospect of finding this rare bird. As I walked up to the edge of the seawall, there was a woman scanning the harbor. "Did you find the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">murre</span>?" I asked. <div> "Nope, been looking for 10 minutes with no luck."</div><div>" I was just told that the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">murre</span> is here." We doubled our effort. Not much luck, I decided to move down the road and we agreed to get the other if we found it. Well, she pulled in to where I was all excited. " I got it! " was all she said. </div><div>Back at Rye Harbor S.P. looking through my scope at this wonderful rare bird, when I hear, "You're too good to bird with me anymore!" </div><div>I turned and it was Steve <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mirick</span> and company. "Got the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">murre</span>" was all I said. Steve promptly got the group and everyone was able to get great looks at the Common <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Murre</span>, a life bird for most, me included. Here is an image I got from a mile away. Well almost.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400682531783863634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzeorpKcllGeYc2WzZnxRQ2OZ5R2j3k4s6jr35UKKxqkE3JvhqIlN9EwitKbi6ZIs_fYdQlH2UTy-JsXUlksFk7CTAf9SSfR-0kFWuObmGpXv2PybOb4XDzNJCkaVFbFMLJrxIpXXXkdc/s400/IMG_5055sxb.jpg" />Here is a link to images of the M<a href="http://www.pbase.com/lmedlock/comu"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">urre</span> taken by Len <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Medlock</span></a>. These are amazing images at point blank range from a boat that Len and Jason ( both of whom are great photographers) asked for to get a ride out to the bird. Enjoy!<br /></div><div><div>How about this? Len <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Medlock</span> doing the newest birding craze, "Tailgate birding." Here we see Len scanning off shore for rarities. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 326px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400729761510250626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQX-yGVF7isNwCxyy1baCRw09BjWmX_Ak2V_86AQpMRxt9USNzPkWa7MoK6ZOQt-KnZjSCJICNbkFWhFgZR1b8KvfpruJYnEYeQ-BsrehLIKY7Z3MeAhJob4zMocgFpPLkEPPdsBNnWQ/s400/_R7A0011sxb.jpg" /> As the day was coming to an end, I asked Steve if we could head over to see "The River of Blackbirds." I<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">mage</span> below left to right - me with Steve <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mirick</span> and Len <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">Medlock</span><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 292px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400731319075617138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05fG2vf-d0UGBfigx1oD8PEyV_VB4PMeUBJWSWfhEpW2WJLc1UE50n5kHxT56AWaRZqKpj9h11FMGK9rPF-hNqtjuLW0GoipEfQzxY80EJ0qUqGzn7hyphenhyphenbeAl6jVp0inw5unhViJnkkio/s400/_R7A0015sxb.jpg" /></div><div> </div><div>Here is what Steve <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mirick</span> reported to NH Birds list about the river of blackbirds;<br /></div><div><div>"<em>200,000. For those who stuck around to the bitter end, we finished the day at the Great Bog blackbird roost and witnessed "The River" of blackbirds from the parking lot of the Target Store along Rt. 33 at the Greenland/Portsmouth town line. Today it started later than yesterday....at about 4:15 PM (EST) and continued non-stop until very late when it finished somewhat abruptly almost exactly at 5:00 PM. About 25 minutes after sunset! I really don't know how many birds there are in "The River", but today's flight was significantly longer than last night's and lasted about 40-45 minutes. Based on input from others, I decided to up last nights estimate of 100,000 to 200,000 birds tonight. There may have been more than that and Len seemed to think closer to 400,000 birds.....who knows?</em> " </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 390px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400670800743504770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsccg5rdPfy144K_oJQ_R6KjtmiX7luOP5ymjaitVySxB1hyphenhyphenki7q68Ew0zjhMf59WcaviiDVij2OMj2ROlXkF81pz4NYSf-axwqHbMxp5FFHqQ_NZthaXAFRfm92gZjUXMVzDJRVNLAU/s400/_R7A0115sxbtif.jpg" />More info and images from the "River of Blackbirds" in a separate post. Plus Thelma turned 200,000 contest results in next post. </div><div><br /></div><div>My list for the day,Total species seen 55, Life birds in caps:</div><div><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">Semipalmated</span> Plover, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sanderling</span> , White-rumped Sandpiper, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dunlin</span>, Black-bellied Plover, Bonaparte's Gull,"IPSWICH" SAVANNAH SPARROW, COMMON <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error">MURRE</span>, Common Eider, Surf <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">Scoter</span>, White-winged <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_28" class="blsp-spelling-error">Scoter</span>, Common Merganser, Long-tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_29" class="blsp-spelling-error">throated</span> Loon, Common Loon,Horned Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, NORTHERN GANNET, GREAT CORMORANT, Double-crested Cormorant, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Wood Duck, , American Black Duck, Mallard, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, COMMON TERN, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Horned Lark, Snow Bunting, Pipit, Black-capped Chickadee, Golden-crowned <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_30" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kinglet</span>, Ruby-crowned <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_31" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kinglet</span>, American Robin, European Starling, Cedar Waxwing, American Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, House Sparrow, Common Grackles and other blackbirds - 250,000 to 500,000 </div><div>Will post more about this later this week.</div><div><br /></div><div>Good Birding</div><div>Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_32" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></div><div><br /></div><div>© 2009 Peter A <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_33" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span> All right reserved</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-76892920818946006182009-11-03T13:20:00.000-08:002009-11-11T19:36:46.214-08:00Yellow Warbler in NovemberHere are two images of what I think is a female Yellow Warbler (see the PS below). I saw it at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Brilyea</span> Access road yesterday afternoon. I was about 300 feet in from RT 17 looking for ducks when I saw a yellow flash. I was only able to get these two images before the bird took off.<br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399992372630247362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07pyawitso31mGTT4ITHwMisM_yQk4YDKcmT0YI837XibU-QzIYzpDrkRM1RgziIc16dRb4fIyjnyfk72zPmt05j5m7gqhh6b7o3QDMeZOpz7JW4Ip7HUuOt608g3W5WA7un-rLwcNxU/s400/IMG_5761sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399992505145100802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1ry6OHFa52vJ8y6FWf3aVtjPHfSJGC9OGjnz1Q8VESLbYx3YeqAj8vvpdvQTMHSnQWETcZrQrsgv_3En9zfufDqHiOmFV3-yOpnG7nkfZkATYCtw4BLe2Gu6RyxO3mHh6pn3JcZrCoY/s400/IMG_5762sxb.jpg" />I welcome any input about the birds ID.</p><p>P.S. As it turns out this warbler is a male Yellow Warbler thanks to Walter Ellison for the ID help. <a href="http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/VTBD.html#1257290022">click here to read Walter's email <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">describing</span> this bird</a> on Vtbird.</p><p>Good Birding </p><p>Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></p>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-72365358676401485182009-10-28T09:31:00.000-07:002009-11-04T15:10:26.516-08:00Snow Geese at Dead Creek or Thelma turns 200,000<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcONGwsdiJfhodlTJj0Rq_EXE27yKhZ4F_rjQ-zUU4vLyJNrax7gZh7PnIZTG4tr3n31pJ7I-zQsWjDmuPZSpa6KTdOkumtOxUOwadeRBvguCNPPPlxB0_LsiTH9sDtgW3TXK67h9wvI/s1600-h/_R7A0098sxb990.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400389709295840274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 189px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcONGwsdiJfhodlTJj0Rq_EXE27yKhZ4F_rjQ-zUU4vLyJNrax7gZh7PnIZTG4tr3n31pJ7I-zQsWjDmuPZSpa6KTdOkumtOxUOwadeRBvguCNPPPlxB0_LsiTH9sDtgW3TXK67h9wvI/s400/_R7A0098sxb990.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Monday - the sun came out! Amazingly, this October has been quite rainy and between work and rain (two words that can produce funny emotional responses), I took the day off and went birding. Dead Creek was my destination where I wanted to end the day with the Snow Geese flying in against the setting sun. Hopefully! Wandering the back roads between Route 7 and Lake Champlain is one of my favorite ways to spend a sunny day birding. At McQuen Slang I found Rusty Blackbirds in the Maple-leaf Viburnum along with many robins. The big surprise was the 45 plus juvenile Cedar Waxwings hawking bugs from the tree tops. Next stop was Whitney Creek to try and locate the Orange-crowned Warbler that was reported on <a href="http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/VTBD.html">VTbird</a>. There were White-throated Sparrows , Savannah Sparrows <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397701556244577938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 353px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-msyONGS1K02-lXJynGTbfEF5QzdC0TZVtDc6MbJ0DZssOZWwUAFioy56eF8s7TS9W9Wwmr0UjQBqByvSAAuGHuVf591wCCwlxQ7RvNbxHiCdfE4IEdaKgX0R48ippGTbcOfoH915Oc/s400/IMG_9635sxb.jpg" border="0" />and more Cedar Waxwings, but no Orange-crowned Warbler. Butterflies were out sunbathing, taking advantage of the warm sunshine. A half dozen Clouded Sulphurs were showing their wear and tear this late into the season.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397695273269814178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 329px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbuNrpk5oxuFIG80knEUxvxcUVRSDZfxyAoonI8-TM44ho2I3BfdqE_p-d5I9CihyjAgQDOuk6BxwVqeAX4QzJ0yRUMNgVbfbMNHrrLOb0VWhoSAWjqe9bMW4WXae7YW2H7Y2yTjuzuU/s400/IMG_1194sxb.jpg" border="0" /> An Eastern Comma Butterfly (winter form) was also enjoying the sun before hibernating in the leaf liter for the winter. They are one of the first butterflies to fly in the spring, often seen late April and early May. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397690560467012402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPu-EHK0KWYkbYtYSZA6xHsFb5r0Uq14Zm7cux61PrG2NgODIc9b_HeW6oPGyMxU2Ujq-mJdSRKiDyFbELqkZ5mf-eNaJdzwQNUJR6Un1EH5AatJpr39_aUcjMzVXk0Sd1HFtgXJeB0U/s400/IMG_1268sxb.jpg" border="0" />Farrell Access road to Dead Creek was very slow; however, there was a lone female Hooded Merganser feeding at the pool in the bend in the road. When I finally arrived at Brilyea Access with winds out of the northwest, it was also quiet. Highlights there were two Pie-billed Grebes, Green Winged Teal, American Black Ducks, Mallards and a feeding Great Blue Heron. I had just enough time to take this image.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397696093273339794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wuyfTez12uXTqKzg2KVn8yqrPVUh-MUVkOOsY_FL86e1xJxDzPBmeVaA3rZuJ80DlZIE9RB77UYYRqHbvo7w-YeguOSYFTLbUn6pDibYFu5UUs0M4fBCZcwUP-NDl1vo0_pLwMMZ7vA/s400/IMG_1331sxb.jpg" border="0" />There was one of those large farm “honey bucket” spreaders bearing down on my position; it was time to move. At the goose viewing area there was Lady Bugs all over the place,<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397697675147304530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 322px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNsSpXIxkF3lT2Hp67-AQou1xNjbXbjB8olF0QbscDbno5IXjE27L6CJo68U4x26M4D9_mtomxXMzeQF4rqaJC2jbWFP-wWlOv4pM3n5Xe7ThHeKns7CMjQSvoTP-ivB1Ll6uwxH1QwE/s400/_R7A0136sxb.jpg" border="0" /> and the Moon. What can I say! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397705493166013170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 343px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGLm5mEPoks42GNSU-Cgnfk6EfoHWU87BthoYNowXAYPlfpkz1VmnEKdixq2eRcIsCl3EIFrBtH-TUIQfpDff0FxxCGE105INH7G8qJExjFivmCh-NrnwtDifZD80m2j783-DNEmlhtM/s400/IMG_1496sxb.jpg" border="0" />The Snow Geese might be down in numbers, but it is still a thrill to see them fly. Here is a link to a report in the <a href="http://www.addisonindependent.com/200910snow-geese-population-addison-refuge-plummets">Addision County Independent</a> about the decline in the numbers of Snow Geese at the Dead Creek WMA facility. With the geese well back from the viewing area, I used my 400mm lens to close the distance some. A low flying Northern Harrier spooked the geese and I was able to make this image. I thought that there were about 2500 Snow Geese in the area for the afternoon.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397705258468095170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid64YXcf6yV1ZnhGMtvVhx2mFRO6KXYEyHMGhS3YfErI0M_L5x2vk0lwwT_s6CqXeMVr6l3T2ncnZbwezlEKRUjdTASxNmnQuggE6eha19cyLSYMiuQ7irG9QQD3ijiXihW0VCYXHHFAo/s400/IMG_1468sxb.jpg" border="0" /> They only flew one more time towards the end of the day as the light was fading and most of the geese were in the southeast field anyhow; not a good place for sunset images. I looked back one more time just as I was leaving. Wow! I jumped out of Thelma, the jeep, (the official vehicle for all BFO adventures) and was able to record the header image. On the road as I approached the top of the hill on Route 17 and 22a, I saw the sunset reflected in the rear windows of the Addison town office building.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397701261392953026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTTpNFBFvzZ5izHJnW0x-WgNbhvwINZvWRadhUHJ2VfKoxQO4uugYtlRK-NB6Da6Yr_a_pash9X7C2v2D78X18p54sloSofjyV3ZNqK9tiydrgk69u_-VcO1z95aocpShlPOb7LUD30I/s400/_R7A0107sxb.jpg" border="0" /> A different way of showing it was a nice sunset.<br /><br />On the way home Thelma, the Jeep, turned over to 199,000 thousand miles -<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397701917051126370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 362px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0AZDyW8pscjbcLl_mFHhjeB3Mpoq1r8syFAo-_JQoS7BaTdnIlLB2mQq9qHzX-XcYkN-JFs2OAG2Lz9_NwR3hZudO_MbgNxn8aR4r9GxtnZSPaIQnOKcdtXfhFJUEkEM_JGzASOZ2Tks/s400/_R7A0066sxb.jpg" border="0" /> which leads me to this. Guess the date that Thelma the Jeep goes over 200,000 and win a beautiful framed BFO's bird image for your effort. Person or persons closest to the date and time wins. All you have to do is email me with your Date and Time guess. Here’s a clue. I’m sure that this will happen in the next two to three weeks at the latest.<br /><br />Use this address to enter : petermanshipdesigns AT gmail dot com<br /><br />Good Luck!!!<br /><br />Peter Manship<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div></div><br /><div>©2009 Peter Manship all rights reserved</div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-46961512176209500992009-10-19T03:50:00.000-07:002009-10-28T10:46:53.471-07:00Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow at Pomainville WMA, Pittsford, VT<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6D0LUc2Tp6EMLy86vFBaui2QvfV34AvPPaIavDWa7UeixZc84ZFyboasnTwCVzfgjWNFV890g0aKb-q9b8yWkkPDPsRaojAF5LnjmsoabrDbtozYJQ5Qw0lGMgue5QPnx0F46reENsY/s1600-h/Beautiful+Flying+Objects,+Nelson"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397708724988639890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 211px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6D0LUc2Tp6EMLy86vFBaui2QvfV34AvPPaIavDWa7UeixZc84ZFyboasnTwCVzfgjWNFV890g0aKb-q9b8yWkkPDPsRaojAF5LnjmsoabrDbtozYJQ5Qw0lGMgue5QPnx0F46reENsY/s400/Beautiful+Flying+Objects,+Nelson%27s+Sharp-tailed+Sparrow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Pomainville WMA: 7:15 am and from Route 7. I could see a few birders already out there looking. Looking for the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Le_Contes_Sparrow/lifehistory">LeConte’s Sparrow</a> and the <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Nelsons_Sharp-tailed_Sparrow/id#">Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow</a> that were found on Saturday 10-17-09 by Ted Marin, Allan Strong and Craig Provost and who managed to get the word out quickly.<br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div>(birders checking the grassland area at Pomainville WMA for the sparrows)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394297254971497634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 221px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmS8qrxHrX2XSB3yBZtgzeeUu8Eh5KZupBvcgT5xDMmqrDAttT_Qa4c8WAxX4_M95oHFyZT0TqpDlKWw99SmXGHO3FBdpHYwbHIPdDcLUpCPBMOx8Fy8GzDvzceTiqLYkb3bUvp3V95VI/s400/IMG_9389sxb.jpg" border="0" />It was a brisk walk out to the general area of the reported sightings. Everything was covered with frost. A bite nippy but beautiful; the excitement of maybe finding two life birds was enough to keep me warm. I joined Greg Askew, Michael Lester and three other birders whom I don’t know (sorry, I should have asked your names). They were looking along the fence row and having no luck. I asked Greg if he had direction to the location. He said, "no, but I can get them"—and pulled out his cell phone and pulled up VTBird. Ah “Birding in the digital age” we heard down the road (mowed path) around the northeast corner of the enpoundment area (pond). Greg was waist deep in the tall grass. I was 20 feet to his left. Next I hear Greg say, NELSON”S SHARP-TAIL! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394294617724315122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 315px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiolN6aiQkhJbiZj-ln4EsG9LrFRn99slKRxml_OphqaeuLhQDTGsJOHz1iAWlXkWCzQho-TUclJXobexpYOeoFsNgBXWx20Kiq0t5RhQRh89ppwP1ATaMfDEm8EbQP17PkHfVGK1fWLG4/s400/IMG_9291sxb2.jpg" border="0" />I looked but couldn't find it. I moved in closer to Greg and ask, where? As he pointed out the bird's location, I could feel ice cold water leaking into my boots. I looked down to find that we were standing in over a foot of very cold water. Retreating quickly I pick up the bird just as it moved off. We quickly relocated it and Greg phones the others to inform them that we have found the Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394294956191542354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 287px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbJrs7uc4-Y5naAGY-KRATClwG6fRbbmXwy11qiiDnWqjNMPAufOLigGi29eLwqD64KCngV3bmpj11IF649aBWYy074v3kKv2ze4vD8qsHzJPUkTrMy-1iGoH7hJRHLqtiCJNG3SwB5E/s400/IMG_9305sxb.jpg" border="0" />Jim Mead joined group as the bird moved around the northeast end of the floodplain wetland affording everyone several chances for great looks. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394294760122702178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAl6IPYcvXqnigaqGXk_tKawUJ-KX680mbikqYnTXCdEnMLy82Y7Od0kcKVlM4b9iFnOGkLFiz2T7iZKYNYMQNtEoM4Za9BF5L6eQajYlYoiBTNUecl0cUBEfHrQEzIRXjLNqYZU2rLE/s400/IMG_9268sxbjpg.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div>Inspired by the Nelson’s find everyone spread out to see if we could find the LeConte’s Sparrow, but it was not to be today for us. There is so much good habitat for the LeConte's to hide in, that it would have taken all day for us to check it all. I think that the bird could and probably is still there, but now moved to a safer more private/peaceful area which could be just around the backside of the pond away from all the attention.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394295079369124162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 381px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSZcfx7TbCznuDSUiXZp1zfuTZrV-WP46S9gkm5_vyHLEpIJMWPct2pSIADHKB9dE9du46vnlUMoJAheo8kpERd_3zu26T_4VurKr5wmabXrYRzkZa52MUkGAX-BUZm_nkK6BQmmpBwo/s400/IMG_9306sxb.jpg" border="0" /> Good luck if you go looking for the LeConte’s Sparrow or Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow at <a href="http://www.ducks.org/Vermont/VTContent/482/Pomainville.html">Pomainville WMA Pittsford VT</a>!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Good Birding to all!</div><br /><div>Peter</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Photos and story © 2009 Peter Manship All right Reserved</div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-72195050517932055722009-09-19T17:27:00.000-07:002009-09-26T17:25:40.658-07:00The Local Red-tailed Hawks of Mount Philo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QNH1_pdaDIkhey4yjxmZl23pn1NUw31xrBU0WMqljSFXgtPZYcO6Movl_gFkI7hGG6zqEn7nJ7dJnCdS2tWEn9MVafc7ncQ0aG-eUVNsLZej87bGM62QkAvQVM99VB5-z2lEvZIp7Ws/s1600-h/IMG_4308sxb.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383542422093418434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QNH1_pdaDIkhey4yjxmZl23pn1NUw31xrBU0WMqljSFXgtPZYcO6Movl_gFkI7hGG6zqEn7nJ7dJnCdS2tWEn9MVafc7ncQ0aG-eUVNsLZej87bGM62QkAvQVM99VB5-z2lEvZIp7Ws/s400/IMG_4308sxb.jpg" /></a> The flow of migrating hawks was slowing down after a day of record numbers. The local Red-tailed Hawks were returning to the skies around Mt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span>. An eagle was gliding by minding its own business heading south when one of the local Red-tails decided to escort it out of its territory.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383531436201277186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07rQlgeXjvpNHk4KDH990wSdmrOhdv-i5iXL6tQxbLOB82Jliev-GkHGUGlk0O3CG3VX4kcru21uVsVgMUwZwtft_YVhyVUXMQ3cXzfbpBzqLCimwb92htiSsEUvWhB4kdMnYsOpAVd4/s400/IMG_3996sxb.jpg" /> Things were getting back to normal. I noticed the juvenile Red-tails playfully chasing each other around after what must have seemed like a never ending parade of hawks flying in their home airspace. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 389px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383532091587130722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBh2vBcecSnhbAN5kBTNOqBcirBjJOd2NM5oVpSE368_s8Lbc12l1A7T7XWu_rmWcH_SGVfudKDGdg6odhkbHByeiOPxRN2y4jdKhldH0fMDL5bpei9P96IO_Vyw5E0OSBD74jAXfG9po/s400/IMG_4239sxb.jpg" />One of the reasons for going to Mt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span> was that I wanted to photograph the local Red-tailed Hawks so that I might be able to tell a juvenile from adult and, for that matter, to be able to differentiate male and female in the adults. Check out this female below; she must have just finished gorging herself. Look at the size of the crop ( just passed the dark brown head feathers -large white bulge). Must have been a big lunch!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383532413486640322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HlwbbnbbS8OHYYUsKDSDVS_io5NelOkOiKvjAOht0MvBsACR28a5UMVrl9E9JTT1tlGqgO_hbpJoLByqyq7RMxmrqXjY9W0PkLaKGIpFnGM_mm_4H9tknZamXjk8S3-2u3A22LWU6p0/s400/IMG_4058sxb.jpg" />I was clicking off some images when I noticed the two juveniles turning and diving in a very steep dive down below the tree tops then zooming back up playing tag. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383534273406837538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUsr7C2ebOAy-YGLIWvFVnUomxa3OmzYsdzF9NGFWXUqqoc89962zdBHs_iRR5Tf_nuv-pNnxEvfQaCvK8JWj9wteFrU39hH1e5rYc6CMZZ9Sl0SMlgQhBbtDA0Wq6UkrNSNgwNIJ3o4/s400/IMG_4221sxb.jpg" />I tried to follow them as they continued to to play and just kept firing off images as fast as the camera would go. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 310px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383539859035554690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXWuafC_KUuoq5LOK0XVbY2QiAjhb5uWzG8mOTl4SH2jN93ASCaTRM38JXtKVoC2PryZ3zS6FQDHNPQwp6gUiAvbS2X_rKQyj75FR6VwEIrmHQFAiYCBBqbliyzZ_VMK68zZLFR0MCSc/s400/IMG_4223sxb2.jpg" />I saw one roll up on its side to deflect the charge of the other and wondered if I could capture that. I continued to follow them hoping one of them would roll on its side again. All of a sudden one rolled up. Then the other went into a steep dive and it was over. They were out of sight. It was over before I knew it! I watched them fly around chasing each other but that was it. They didn't roll on their sides again. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 276px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383544023499067714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_wa7kgwCFO2x4zifXyvEz9U9Sb5hXMiOAYQIzsTMGQ-YvcBDsBiYz_wTAoMwDVJvI6LSV6REUXzb1SxE_w3Ru6nE3kp8BhqNVmYjlplv2iUXK06ccvt4xxqRLI2KrWXyx5HWQRlp-TY/s400/IMG_4124sxb.jpg" />All the way home I wondered if I had gotten them on their sides. Well, when I first looked at the images on the computer, I just couldn't believe what I had on the screen in front of me! Both of the juvenile Red-tails were flying upside down! I was amazed! <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>This image was captured just before they were upside down. You can see the lead bird setting up for this.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383540118191862770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAORjKVtd9mN9Qtcg4DYHsf7_gValYyqX035LGEEp50qgUKYGREKk5seWPNkdU5KtO-tqYaN2jq3JusIFLu1xGsnSxLOZTUngu1x6xrkxONfcKOpY12O-6UYgKWtQpaqcGbzgh0OmY0Io/s400/IMG_4224sxb.jpg" /></div><div>These images ( numbers 4226 through 4229 ) have been cropped so you can better see what the Red-tailed Hawks were doing. The images show the sequence as it happened.</div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 332px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383540542303412274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinImC1qg9YTStjnkpLnUDffKrIakle9BwmUAEQVUQN1xqkj0f1NmdN_b9OeOXych1noy68MSGDxbDK6kReNFeoUnRrM-c80TuHR5OvQDZGAG-DCKpvyvyxryQmozR2HEqkJy2gRdre1Bs/s400/IMG_4226sxb2.jpg" /> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 276px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383540913514370274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUZE4POEo_ewgmZ91Q4mdwDj4LiiYNR4x-mvsK_cNgi_KM9DfmJNzrLLxfDQPrUPs4lDdD-FWeaxOVw29pQO-sa7r8xMmLni_rG3xDTA4LIft9J9zQMymWenzbIxhqRV_57QpreMl8EY/s400/IMG_4227sxb2.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383541232772747842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbb19S1q7ZEfIVpZLrAoANCieIUD_MpOQyRoyfYX67tNCmAKqd1Ly1HkrrhNTNu2OelTrcd9Ib3NE9sN3Z-7kGQK5CtAka0fn7pNC1mMc_zg4jbK-X0Ep252_NT1zx6_8heVoCmajbQYQ/s400/IMG_4228sxb.jpg" /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 316px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383541652166574434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3INpp517g0anygwneWo-laNtzYuCZqUY5f1Jay20asXykw06jxLwEtggBoKtMtNmA6JPnP2GV2jxjRLVe3PlqGE83rxrCqDcTZOOHL3lo8ISZT_1OTD_lFn7uLOc832hNahXM1SosXF4/s400/IMG_4229sxb2.jpg" />I never saw this while I was shooting the camera, in part because of the mirror. It flips up to record the image and temporally blocks what you can see in the view finder. The camera can record 6 1/2 frames a second and I only got four images- that's how fast it happened. The images didn't come out clear and sharp, but are good enough to show them upside down going into a dive. I hope to return this coming week to watch and photograph the local <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Red-tails</span> flying around Mt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span> .<br /><br /><div>Please email me off list if you can shed some light on this flight behavior. </div><div></div><div>Thanks!</div><div>Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></div><div></div><div>images and story © 2009 Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span> all rights reserved</div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-1618564559567571722009-09-17T14:18:00.000-07:002009-09-26T17:24:59.708-07:00An Amazing Day Hawk Watching on Mt Philo pt-1<em>Prologue to Part 1, I had planned on going to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mountain hawk watch with Don Clark and company, but because it was almost raining in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ludlow</span>, I decided not to go. I needed a tire which I had ordered and was supposed to pick up on Thursday, but I thought maybe it's in so I called to see. It was. I went to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Rutland</span> under the threat of rain and got my tire replaced. As I was leaving the tire place, I looked north to see if any cars were coming and noticed that there was some blue sky and sunshine. Looking south down Rt 7 was dark and stormy looking so I went north just to see if anything was going on at Mount <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span>, not expecting much with the wind out of the east. If there wasn't, I'd go birding at Dead Creek. That was the plan anyhow.</em> <em>Part 2 will deal with images of the Local Red-tailed Hawks</em><br /><em></em><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>As I walked up to the lookout Jim Osbourn said, "You just missed a great bald Eagle show! Came in right over our heads." He was surrounded by kids from a Burlington school who were having a great time looking for hawks asking a million questions which Ted <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Murin</span>, Jim Osborn , Mike Lester or I would try to answer. Just then the hawks were starting to come over in bigger numbers making things quite interesting. Little did we know what was yet to come. At first the kettles started forming in the northeast, <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382601408743022546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFkHZDbVRe5IXHKhOfQqFgJv3kYwRx6ayzWGWBPMG4kWpHkIns2Op7jveb76BsEFaxj45Hgy5cvsx1HJQdqMd1iEB9Ik_zoWAMKARcRlNV0B4F2BxMsNsEYxnDqgrTldx9RGqSq10evY/s400/IMG_3110sxb.jpg" />then quickly spread in every direction. The count when something like,2-1-15-1-18-37-144 - and so it would go for the rest of the day. It didn't matter what direction you looked in. Some would just pop up from the tree line getting a bump up from Mt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span>, rising right over our heads, while others were picked up as pepper size dots way off in the distance. </p><br /><em>This image has 39 broad-wings in it............ some of the kettles were closer and some pretty far out there - pepper sized specks.</em><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382772800865423778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJzDBMDwqdr-J5sO28H-jWwYFIasj6Z9oJACLnWULGx-bdmTW8GTn8pY9e7mU-R0goXtht44uw71uUx27jQwmEXD1q1fbHQA9_6JFhyYx67ofhyPh8KCptF4Ve_OIa-RwpN8Y891MjZI/s400/IMG_3222sxb.jpg" />There was a kettle out near the edge of Lake Champlain that was almost 300 strong. It looked like 300 dots flying all <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">helter</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">skelter</span> and counting it would be fairly difficult. Thanks to Ted's perseverance, we figured 226 Broad-wings in it and 360 birds total. The Burlington kids left and were replaced by a group of environmental studies students from St Micheal's College. They arrived just as Ted finished counting a kettle of 140 Broad-wing Hawks. Everyone was fielding questions and showing them where to look. Plenty of eye-birds. One young man said he'd never seen an eagle and just then Jim yells out 'Bald Eagle!' <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 273px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382601662342756290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJ75_EzIe4xb90_6G7h8Y63UVS09WnUyYy2wMeqzgFV-o81T214i1judiP0Fkr4ZuFnPoIOuPCWAOsB5scGDfKAGBgY4Shyphenhypheng_KFWpW3kKFPNS6AR66MdfCdq4bYN3v8O9OhtnFQy-_Og/s400/IMG_3921sxb.jpg" />Mike Lester had to leave to go to a class and boy he didn't want to go but he did. Scott <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Schwenk</span> showed up just in time to take his place keeping things running smoothly. There were quite a few people that had come up to look for hawks migrating and still others that had no idea about the hawk migration just wanting to get out in the sun and fresh air. I think that everyone there got inspired by what was happening. They could sense that we were having a special day and joined in looking and calling out when they had found some birds. As it turned out this help was great because we couldn't watch everywhere and they caught a few hawks that were trying to sneak by low while we were looking elsewhere. Someone asked Ted how many he thought we'd seen so far - "over 2000" was all I heard. I did some quick addition that confirmed that its was way past 2000. That news only lasted a few second because more Broad-wings were passing by and even though the pace was very fast, Jim Osbourn very matter of fact said to one of the St Micheal's kids, "That's a Petrol Falcon. You can tell them from a Gas Hawk by how high <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">they're</span> flying. Gas Hawks fly low and Petrol Falcons fly..." Well you get the idea. </p><p><em>Image of a Gas Hawk</em> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382601515036933874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_pqSpXIkQbedka-suATrvH-FmTiiJOg1Qki0SGK_z1XiM6wckADEw3LsyuJjtHxoyXCalJsub6U9vKrsoOPZ93lpMN6CYa_yYNNfyrWi4BMdayM9AJx-_LLQsT3ZDgb_W3u5ofO_oJOQ/s400/IMG_3546sxb.jpg" />Everyone was having fun and enjoying the hawk watch. As the day progressed it seemed as though no matter where you looked there were Broad-wings with an ever increasing number of Bald Eagles thrown in just for good measure. The kid from St Micheal's that wanted to see an eagle, not only got his first eagle but 20 more that made his day on Mt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span> one he'll never forget.<br /><br /><br /><em>American Kestrel - I believe it's a juvenile but could be wrong. Anyone that knows better, please drop me an email so I can correct if need be.</em><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 310px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382772479090489266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOMRz7Csp8ta_bVpJ7NBTdUIAZVCqy8EMEt3X8qFUpo6bLZkWfzIW9sD8MO4uvANZ0KbUJlIz9WZY7aRPRZ4acgg7hQjk9U50ow8ycIAQuld-lt2Rb_23D0MF3TBBaL0k_mjaZ2o4qAWI/s400/IMG_4029-juvenile+Kestrel.jpg" />I also heard one of the kids saying to her friend that she loved this class because it's so interesting and fun. Isn't this great! By 4:45 pm the sun was getting low, the hawks were running out of lift, the crowd of people gone except for a couple from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Rutland</span> whose names I don't remember (sorry). As the air cooled down so did the numbers of hawks. Time to add up the day's numbers. </p><p><em>Jim and Ted</em> <em>doing the numbers</em> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 282px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382772221594097666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1kKPK56h7Lz5KD2pDOcZBf_ONmS1vn-VO50xafUrGt1tOkwaWSZDlqujV7WJl5VuwyUkP-e_vZz429KXmHqhT2wvapumLMCa-woOaItud2tGOYEQ-JzQkKLUQLE1qTJO-hZPIpcbR2w/s400/_R7A0020sxb.jpg" />Ted was having trouble seeing straight after looking through binoculars all day so Jim "The Human Calculator" stepped in to help with the total. Even he was having trouble keeping all the numbers straight, but before long they announced that we had counted 2,758 Broad-wings and 97 other hawks for a total of 2855 hawks counted, migrating over Mt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span> this day.<br /><br /><em>Northern Harrier</em><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382772669453524418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eEEAqm2hbqNB7qg-xRslVweIB55gDfCCZjMr7lupuH05drRja7V7WEq5PBDCAVP8Auvc8XxNjH6cmLu2BZrhcH_7jcXuIZKZzLRjE7SfHmSe2cwF_oL4y426ytI5JQecOqsE8oGqA3A/s400/IMG_3839sxb-50%25.jpg" /><br /><br />Everyone was walking back to their car with the satisfaction of knowing that we had one amazing hawk count up here on Mount <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span>, Ted <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Murin</span> thought it was third highest but wasn't sure. It really didn't matter it was a big day that no one there will forget.<br /><br />When I got home my son Montana asked what I'd been doing, I just showed him the page in my count book and he said holy cow is that all from today, you must have had an amazing day how many did you see? 2855.<br /><br />As for me it was a personal high, one that I will never forget. A special thanks to Jim Osbourn, Ted <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Murin</span>, Mike Lester, Scott <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Schwenk</span> for there part in making this one very special Birding in Vermont day for me!<br /><br /><br />Good Birding to all!<br /><br />Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span><br /><br />Story and Photos © 2009 Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span> All Rights Reserved</p>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-74184426443986679772009-09-13T14:10:00.000-07:002009-09-26T17:23:49.716-07:00Putney Mountain Hawk Watch report 9-13-09<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381278440432383330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7E9lnEZELZ3akfowJ5hAbLuwOMsBfhnx88MbWaMFfeV_GjRWmYctoZwwjisqlwPkUZrd6xaEPpubqQ5NZqO8Iy9QjjLnMSStGXF9jpwXsSJ0JoSvnSn-H5o3-7bTnqwsQCJgxVaIfiEM/s400/IMG_2727sxb+Sharpshin+Hawk.jpg" />Down in southern Vt the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mountain Hawk Watch Group has worked hard to keep records of the hawks passing by and establish <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mountain as one of the better places to view the hawk migration. It is something very unique here in Vermont. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy a day of hawk watching.<br /><br /><em>Cooper's Hawk top image. Some of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mt Hawk Watch Group below.</em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 285px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381109822088929522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTYzZLCike1vtsSTUeBuYGcOEp5UHW5oGL_FAPVAdEoEN8pZBoPZ9nWq1jRneF3nQF3zkXlSx9YtPjOvWt7UjEKIM5xROS77DTlcNGIsKg1N7n5yx_s_BKk_VmAR_lq7jGP-esptIqkI/s400/_R7A0023sxb+990.jpg" />The mountain top event is well known to the area people and at one point there were about 25 people watching/counting hawks, families with children, 3 or 4 people walking their dogs and still others that just came up to get out in the sunshine. The top of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mt is also a popular place to hike. A couple from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Saratoga</span> N.Y. asked me what are we doing.<br /><br /><em>Broad-winged Hawk right</em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381278920886120946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoR8jvP6NflQjvwBkjwsihIv5dQI-6VC1DygLbVc6083UjWagGA6UuTtlltniR7eNbbKXBHVGod0ygph8eSVNBvsTju5V63paHLlZV-9qXzCPHmxH5QlkLKlyUlOt6wwnEeZAhy32owfM/s400/IMG_2572sxb.jpg" />"Hawk watching," I answered. With that someone yells out "two in the wispy white clouds" and I looked up pointing to the two hawks going by overhead for the couple to see. They stuck around for a while as the pace of hawk sightings increased. Everyone was very busy looking, counting, double checking and confirming <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">ID's</span> and keeping track of the day's sighting.<br /><br />(pictured below Sharp-shinned upper and Cooper's lower)<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 398px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381279072011271714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eNBnaMV97dF1DYPgA0fZ-_u5CRMPoR07BOz755Oz9Jw2k-0p-cWDkJDnVroSngcA6QXXHASPpbpvFYNL9obKfE2DaUwBl2KPLuES6La4imqt6NDjr1qSQLPRjfLBBD4cYlEamFDPrEE/s400/IMG_2702sxb.jpg" /> "I have a kettle of 18 over here," someone yells and instantly everyone focuses on that, counting hawks and confirming <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">ID's</span>. Kettles are quite a sight to be hold. They are a group of hawks all rising up on a warm air thermal. When they reach the end of the warm air(the top), they glide off heading south in search of the next thermal to get a lift from. Hawks also ride on wind currents when it favors their movement south.<br /><br /><em>A Broad-winged Hawk from the side<br /></em><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 301px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381278576509635266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9S0mfMsiAuzBBkcW-lfS2OofTsdixeM3lgHNUnEofDkZZf4TBY9e6Pg87Hex-yRqiKqRjD1TTQwT3aI4Ah1BLm_GkGx8Nu6AO8ix_5aJgD0doYaZ7A69tT3O64pA71AVGd73mxKNOjXQ/s400/IMG_2863sxb+990.jpg" />The excitement of watching hawks glide by is not for everyone, but those of you interested in finding out more can go to this link for a brief <a href="http://www.putneyvt.org/hawks/">history of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mt hawk watch</a> and for info about the daily count totals and direction to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mountain <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> VT. <a href="http://hawkcount.org/month_summary.php?rsite=506">Click here</a> then click on the site profile for directions. </p><p><em>Another Cooper's Hawk below</em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381279991130288226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzK8KmKpe48OwVjhJT3PkZw1sOQ9_JUSTDWohw8klMNh43PBEbWeCWCD53uNzf6bfoE4avizHVCsyH2yeQOrD-w7JHWUl35_JTzhUMFzLtXcUAVM7zU-YP2ItGdOTV_k6vlAJ_Zm7tySY/s400/IMG_2730sxb.jpg" />For me this is all new and very exciting, getting a chance to see so many hawks heading south on their annual migration. And, yes, some are what they call <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">eye birds</span>. They are birds so close that you don't need binoculars to view them. Who doesn't love that? </p><p><em>Broad-wing view</em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381278744708209682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrkZ5AGYkXUOO9ylTltzjk1b-9Lsw3BUZefZCG0USuK_DjAIP_yb3UHTWKkt02Bv1Lsudo9pHLHcpfHrnymuPy-Po_ug1TVA9Q5tP0JqQjRdAnrMm9IHXozTmNAybXq0lfOUVXh15GYw/s400/IMG_2561sxb.jpg" />On this day the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mountain Hawk Watch group counted a total of 689 hawks spread over 8 different species and entered this count into the permanent record for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mt Hawk Watch for future scientific comparison. </p><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div>I would like to thank Don Clark for showing me how to get to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Putney</span> Mountain and introducing me to hawk watching there. I'm already planning a return trip! </div><br /><div>Enjoy!</div><br /><br /><div>Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></div><br /><div>Images and story © 2009 Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-22487658719699801592009-09-11T16:38:00.000-07:002009-09-26T17:36:38.421-07:00Mt Philo Hawk Watch PhotosI was looking at the images from my visit to Mt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span> on my computer. When I saw this image, I was hooked. I knew I had to have more. I had never seen a hawk viewed from above. It was just beautiful to me. ( picture below)<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 230px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380371837066354210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAcluxjnBOnecZzW4FuUnRpbiLi3o3fZD5U3a2CK8KZlBZlEvGU4HE9NmNigr5Iz2SZAVOgYU3xImVmDoo_uOG_ap6nPxYKhKqoWJyZ7NOmNk-5uv6uCw580GdvBdBq4JX7jmptYj8fk/s400/IMG_1663sxb.jpg" /><em></em>This bird flew out of sight very quickly and I was left wondering what it was. My hawk ID abilities are all based on looking up or out at the bird as it flies overhead. Checking in <a href="http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8025.html">Hawks from Every Angle by Jerry <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Liguori</span></a> on page 57, there, in the lower left hand corner, was the answer - an image of a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, my favorite raptor. Now, there is no way that I wasn't going back to Mt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span> to do some more hawk watching. <div><div><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380377724755442450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuLDINP6MsBdtp6wM4W8uy0CovpnwZRAMm0C0yDvHAVcSxG39-u4w5la6MyJ71T0S_fWC9QjIZZkCta3zjunFRWZjeltRGrDN3vGF9J9WPzafwG2z-2hY8kTKxO6RJiVRMWYbvD8CBXM/s400/IMG_1977sxb.jpg" />With my friend Harry, binoculars, all the camera gear and sandwiches from the <a href="http://www.7nvt.com/7n/listing.htm?establishment_id=313">3 Squares Cafe </a>in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Vergennes</span> VT, we set out for Mt <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Philo</span> to do some hawk watching and hopefully capture some good images of the hawks while we were at it.</div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 313px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380376938532346306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5SEO3NYC7qP731HoQDamaBbtweB2vyRsP39r6lWvqC1Gho4emIsJx_H93bXkCuhtYKstW9uAz-7HZCxU5IHkFZxvH-QL3RYrrl0NrP_vIMs06gXPCtnAiBBHZcXLqYLuPsxgi-bEPEw/s400/IMG_2081sxb.jpg" /> Well, two juveniles and one adult Red-tail put on quite a show. The adult (female) was flying very low overhead, looking around, hunting while the two juveniles played tag off in the distance. These images show the female Red-tailed Hawk as she circled around hunting just off the ridge viewing area. Enjoy!!!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380376336582629826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5eB7lRpNmg-hhQ4q8Ej8qTfZmH5TrzC2YE6AcLlFHvbQ_CivysNWEEfwMiQfSLUKheBhf0uHOs6nCQhsBNaVdorUpiz4WVdOUdGQdYUF8QHvjogNZQQHIxM5rHTIqtKQKj3edVoMb_A/s400/IMG_1957sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380376592318751394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOTdpzDJI_EUig7MojVYke12qXEs1OyPGpFGmszFyTegvPCxT0j38QY3bm0hSw0myhQJrwx4dxKD0gjzZI6jvAirkGLmPeBUaZO9jfx8Bx8bVDWIYrSwscSSnQ2kpg4NwSCjgBfDfEjqs/s400/IMG_1884sxb.jpg" /><a href="http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/VTBD.html#1252704287">to see a list of the hawks we saw today click this link to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">VTbird</span></a></div><div></div><div>P.S. I received this from a non-birding friend :</div><div></div><div><em>Hi Peter-<br />Fantastic photos of Red-tailed Hawks! In looking at the link to all you saw that day, I have no clue as to what "TVs heading south" means. I'm sure television sets don't fly! *smile*<br />Lorraine</em> </div><div></div><div>Well, I remember how I laughed the first time I read, 'TVs flying south" on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">VTbird</span>. I was a beginner then and I eventually found out that it meant Turkey Vultures. But I thought that it was such a funny statement - "TVs flying south", that I made a mental note back then for future use. So as I filed the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">VTbird</span> report, I added it just for a good laugh. Truth is, I don't think TVs are even counted .</div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380377318905367938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM86xANz-wieZk7WLhchRx19Nh0EAIc1iw-GbjU-rpoWPf5ls3qvpOP1hkxqaEKzuq1YPTGLRWI4wawB3zBij3yzoZnDb9tM2xqbbiyqYWHz2m3qhYeslzpsWdeg6xaYmtGTLjyFWM8K0/s400/IMG_1976sxb.jpg" /> <div>Good Birding!</div><div></div><div>Peter<br /></div></div><div><div>images and story © 2009 Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-75115773283266719522009-09-05T05:23:00.000-07:002009-11-17T18:57:00.210-08:00Infrared Images of the Scarborough Marsh<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8iSv0Ar93PbEnHAzc5AEwoyNEzk_TE8GM51imuWonv59QpBXaud87z3U8tc2x8NIBruj1lkdFPd8_Ztbthy2rAE2P6Ni-aHyW8693uqeOQOJ6jD3B9M1guQ30BW4SQaXYqPwlW526Ek/s1600-h/DSCN3656sxb.jpg"></a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 369px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377969408481603234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkVKp-grTFBZz_RmPg_Dgs4mINVKI1SnAA3uU68Y9r1I6-udl4P90CMnr413hxu3ticmJOAxPHnJDHdQSHTFUAIr9XNMfNHZj14ARr7z_A1HFynHZmNAqGRPwH_Y9anRy-cZoXSbB8sI/s400/DSCN3626sxb.jpg" />The images that follow were made with a converted Nikon 5400 digital camera to black and white infrared. The conversion was done by <a href="http://www.lifepixel.com/">Life Pixel</a> and I would highly recommend them. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377968568557103954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmOsC5WyL27KVP_H4swtrVuiZ5WVPkQfG1QcevfP46enFvxZSEzQ8bXIdgh3QpXe5WLxH0e1WmfklpDefyQDIiQinbPdBpmYulbu5mvL2qNBJqkC40AeFz7H23ybtf8QikmRDTxq89j4/s400/DSCN3621sxb+2+copy.jpg" />The Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center was where we set out from. It is located on Pine Road, Scarborough , Maine. (207 883-5100). This is a central location in the marsh. From there you can either go out to the ocean or head up river to explore for hours of great paddling/birding/or just plan relaxing out in the sun.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 310px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377969698118683474" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07e3_4XljqxufAzZCeJC85YLOcEF2_DITMoLqRpQn7h4bx3BX6MYovIXVaQK-TfCR9Cfiwgz1CjvJEh_hzP6lUhLvd_7f_8cvDtwkCEcUodlvDtauIwpvrvqVozM3FSosUWPgcx00hL4/s400/DSCN3654sxb.jpg" /> These infrared images just begin to give you an idea of what the marsh is like, but I like them because of their graphic look which I find very pleasing in an Ansel Adams kind of way. (When I'm working with the infrared Nikon 5400, I ask myself , "What would Ansel do?" ) . I look for strong compositional images which is a lot easier to say then to do, I have to admit. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377968947916322594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoz3RScVJBJSpqWI0gY-86Qm0lBD9_Rqgpg7f18ZUxnaPsUKoZWt9_vj7THapsV4nE22KWIUOosvleOkrqI6jqIdBX9CFmMWLAia-MjFp8NcfCmM4nhWV8f_XIIBQWnBSNYV10FQ12YQ/s400/DSCN3631sxb.jpg" />At the end of this day I set my Nikon 5400 on the hood of the jeep, got distracted and got in the jeep and drove away. I looked in the rear view mirror and watched the camera explode as it hit the road at 50mph! I was able to save the CF card and the images you see here were on it.<br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377968772413516178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0yQmFbZc4TJIBcYfMmHfHlobpriIlvbIbmxN3nukTbI4baYjIu3S6nwDr9EDatYwucV2Iae74qs8JynI8BEqildJCX2LX_VdyFsv_Pmndzc3NaFNsloQCaAseZe-XYFEeg74aYP1Vsc/s400/DSCN3658sxb.jpg" /></p><p>Hope you enjoy these images of the Scarborough Marsh.</p><p>Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></span></p><p>Story and images © 2009 Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></span></p>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-53873239295405798042009-09-03T16:26:00.000-07:002009-11-17T18:38:36.826-08:00Kayaking the Springweather Reservoir<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aRFJ17kbRkoQcx2fsOIbxG9qAF4N0GWXcflVHdurCv-iq8bZOW1KnMpiV1AbhkWsxilMQv6mcY_uPpN4cy_7ndEW2EnYX8eLbLR0AG1S_KhE7-8YwZeYsa4yt6XiyuiaGN2sseajXm8/s1600-h/IMG_9437.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 195px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377973645668731490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aRFJ17kbRkoQcx2fsOIbxG9qAF4N0GWXcflVHdurCv-iq8bZOW1KnMpiV1AbhkWsxilMQv6mcY_uPpN4cy_7ndEW2EnYX8eLbLR0AG1S_KhE7-8YwZeYsa4yt6XiyuiaGN2sseajXm8/s400/IMG_9437.JPG" /></a><br /><div>September 2<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd. </span> Fall was in the air this morning but as the day progressed it turned into a classic mid 70's September day. We were greeted by 15 + Clouded Sulphur butterflies flying about the boat launch area . As it turned out d<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">eciding</span> to kayak the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Springweather</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Resevior</span> in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Weatherfield.</span> VT turned out to be a great choice of how to spend this beautiful day. We kayaked up the Black River from the boat launch to just before where the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stoughton</span> Pond run-off joins the Black River. It was hard work-period! We did, however, get to see a Green Heron feeding along the river's edge and every time we got close, it would fly ahead always staying in front of us. Then out of nowhere a juvenile Cooper's Hawk hit the Green Heron mid flight and the two of them ended up in the water. Lots of noise. The hawk let <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">go and</span> winged its way back to a dry perch as did the heron. Lost sight of the Coopers and the Green Heron was now in hiding so we drifted down river back to the main body of water. The lake behind the dam has many places to explore and look at the wildlife that calls <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Springweather</span> Reservoir home. The view of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ascutney</span> mountain from out on the water is a Vermont classic and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Springweather</span> has a half dozen different places to enjoy the great views while paddling around .<br /><div><br /><div><div><div>Here's a photo from my friend's camera of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ascutney</span> Mt from up in the Black River area.</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377404631504136770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdK2pU40r1J6BM-C3Hsk66bEtUumffOYdr7MH-2gFNYqrbKH6py-TGlbgwD_rxHeXzXPcpFEUI5qwUG0xd0tlCLRPYHnu-HD0CGDkxJmo7qbZHHJSZS9WnDG_81pc4yIXMmSmtbF0B02Q/s400/IMG_0128.JPG" /><br /><br /><div>The birding is impressive whether you're kayaking or just walking one of the many trails that surround <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Springweather. H</span>ere's a <a href="http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/nsl/nslbdlist.html">list of birds seen there </a>over the years and it's not up-to-date.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 383px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377604236360136130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6t8xDQKU_Snbt1YIbvViiA6twRwxsdUQoE5ieI2tO0O2xAoqio4kQH7zn7enAQuxJAplSFU_dHbZ3lUO9SaFZdZ6q55dyv70laqs5PLi6Tqi_psO0gB9kT1zFkiLOLcrmeuLPjQxY8pw/s400/Snowy+Egret+4x4b.jpg" /> This day we saw a pair of Snowy Egret , two Greater <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yellowlegs</span>,</div><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377411134243743570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCgJorOLQAUXR1yQznbpWraFW_vEgLPkadZvBMH69SYv8wrNcJjRKPmzvB93sCdTDGzZYlSjBkECB6Et_QLXZPU3TuQwSWhGEkirqY4SPMdh5VMJtEsSD3yhXRwXMENj52XTR2Yi2dmk/s400/IMG_9348sxb.jpg" />a Spotted Sandpiper and the Green Heron. </div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377603987354749330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55DUnNNaJQ5Gd1hpHpeT7hKncM4Z2fnIKGeWTss2j5PvaNarN9vl9guYYznANdOIscPIH4X8IkTWqbG4dpWF4AFqug0gDLsLcpJcNtCkQVSWc6CbWeuYrLAiUksZ5IVUQlca1Cw-Dco8/s400/IMG_6974sxb.jpg" />There are always Great Blue Herons, Bald Eagles and a <a href="http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/nsl/nslmamlist.html">whole host of other critters</a> that live around water that you may see.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 295px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377412666363762114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYInRiG6dtXNLpX-WQvvuTGon5pgyUd9V7wm6Kr9MMiAuekXz5zePBy1VZmqJXrl4XunzUQrKFsiLNirIIfhUdTOofJgBicem09lpxQJqGyIkDmXu8X3pwBsc1oQOkxqIUpurDfqO8gTc/s400/IMG_9282sxb.jpg" /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Springweather</span> Reservoir can be tough to paddle if the water is low, but that's not a problem so far this year. If you're up for a day of adventure you just might find it at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Springweather</span> Reservoir, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Weatherfield</span> Vt.<br /><br /><div>Enjoy!</div><br /><div>Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></div><div><span style="color:#ffff00;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#ffff00;">© 2009 Peter Manship</span></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-41881247703635596942009-07-22T04:17:00.000-07:002009-11-17T18:43:32.158-08:00Barn Swallow feeding youngI was looking for butterflies at the Calvin <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Coolidge</span> homestead natural area on the east side of Route 100A where there are walking trails around this beautiful area. It’s also very 'birdie'. The weather was closing in, dark clouds, wind and not much moving . I decided to leave before the rain when I heard a loud bird noise. Looking around I found two Barn Swallow juveniles perched on a snag shaking and calling for more food. A parent showed up and fed the one squawking the most. This was done quickly and on the wing, taking only a few seconds.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361254759416329122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sfm_MAqP7ZXt7ehI0mhYL5vNzGir_UyLgOSTqFWpfb4yqYRWEtNH-e-sQhDkQoCZxAAlps75MExexTKkItjhyFeSL9SkjKAJTXztEpS_-96yHrxTn_cRFSwEra7GItfLT1laIOE7xoM/s400/IMG_0899sxb.jpg" /> I was able to observe this on the wing feeding one more time before the rains started and I had to leave. These images show a very interesting behavior taking place in the air. These last four images are a four image burst which gives you some idea how fast this food transfer was. I was surprised by the speed.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361255102237061874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJy0VKGeOuSqwz9CUW_T2gUmSevlvML0ayrkhzBIPPwLQjJ1-EXcb2T5B7ZhFP41gmlVN119Es0Xx0JZUWJ0wRmGC3pC_MoQ7EclYFJJ2swiLsckbze9bie35VXxLqfjHhHIjfwKK8IE/s400/IMG_0928sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361255299571142834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80RBI4wR_LpcSjVo6cN-dvCVdLL5TfnFE-upkS-WW7duaehMmOql4D7c6tTb1VeR0VPKwHuUqnUUPwKY1GKkbHBpx5hufu15H_TocWFLlXOAg0EKVkFv1tKc4VhwvLbOJtb7AuY2rkjo/s400/IMG_0929sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361255434212452962" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVCRWrnbZuM8tQZG5B85CP4gfkHt8_UPn2bOxlI6Wk6kcydTT3TeNoZRPggty2rlgPIYL0L4dveXLKRBqsKYCRBuXOa5Z7iQCoGnXPooKW4oOtwl9EY6erCxo-Mtx5O59OjaD-09KIIc/s400/IMG_0930sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361255558479988354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77g-APUsD6MnbwcqTDJKgssJ1oP3jQySiR00VG9b_H7JII3HCNIS-e23IPW-y9ZrtRbnieFeNrQUw8T1nNkmL6XkEPeQsgRyqaRJSzzhyphenhyphenRTq7ZQNyTLmIrR8ppIisFnLTAXIgxAghA7g/s400/IMG_0931sxb.jpg" /><br /><br /><p>All the images were cropped 100% or more because I was using my butterfly camera set-up with a short close-up lens. </p><br /><p>Enjoy<br />Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></p>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-62477394567343993092009-07-11T02:39:00.000-07:002009-11-17T18:48:17.228-08:00Henslow's Sparrow in Montague, MA: July 8th 2009<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho67o9nMcJsuZ3VVfCc8iex6_veWOeMNNWD7KctwwgDi7eetWLB_q_witzJjSxWQiFwpA5PJ4d41eOHBrcWAfoxDjSEMZZW0VzddZE3V-DRFGi46wicDlWytJoO5tCDBOAXGJAklO_s7Y/s1600-h/IMG_9375sx990.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 223px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361261191723471570" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho67o9nMcJsuZ3VVfCc8iex6_veWOeMNNWD7KctwwgDi7eetWLB_q_witzJjSxWQiFwpA5PJ4d41eOHBrcWAfoxDjSEMZZW0VzddZE3V-DRFGi46wicDlWytJoO5tCDBOAXGJAklO_s7Y/s400/IMG_9375sx990.jpg" /></a><br /><div>A small group of Vermont birders went to Meadow Road, Montague, Mass on July 8<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> to look for the reported <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henslow's</span> Sparrow. Looking out over the 20 plus acre field one could see that it was going to be a classic case of the "<em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henslow</span> in the hayfield</em> " problem. But for Sue <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wetmore</span>, Phillip <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ballou</span> and Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span> it didn't take long,<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 160px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357168749540779858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4T8odxZsHzjQfsFsuUB_kwlqp4PYKu0f-LgvauY6p9u09-bDiUS8tt2DCb5aArm3FRSzE3k7WjpqzxYO-IEZNYzu4LxTez5dgtKabBliD6LuHBKyIdiJlohTLCxiol1XL8PJLGk9kLUs/s400/Field+at+Meadow+Road.jpg" /> After a short time searching the field for the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henslow</span>, the bird started to sing in the distance and it wasn't long before Sue and Phillip (pictured above) had the bird in their scopes.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357173585032303202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUWDCrCB906GVZH68SrGKqdwZ5-Km82EXYBA9RCiOhoYV4E8p3TGpQEjF78xsUsX9Gcn58-kTIa8ppRPbbbpBPNBf_F-LNjwn1iwh_NwX5fiXhrq3M9T_H5GOKmEx-p_7KlFaxPYvpY0/s400/IMG_9347sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357173813497287058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJ_s_V03WFYDsGccpqdh2-33EFmnrz2cxGMSDU8GM9YIWl8z-uN76cprX6sSekV-nzydJsdhBY-MnieTusOIywfPoOYquQt3SlYiDeroz5x57shsJcDkK-XvWsQwxhJpA8tPIwWJJIBM/s400/IMG_9401sxb.jpg" /> Twice the bird retreated back into the field, but would reappear again. As luck would have it, the last time we saw the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henslow's</span> Sparrow was 15 to 20 feet away from us by the road for some great looks. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357174438906515826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzXCL-u85UKhcz4Mq_HMBSjZB5g0bQ_Mr2GiZ7jremgXOLJQsvjdtX7stjqwFaMVlIQybhPfEDARtG6_wK5IYJEnDiMsUi0ChyD50fMm7yxTQJerzztsGjHzNRJrO2A86IqOvbNDb5tU/s400/IMG_9759sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357174195660756130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gI70wwtHFM5dIUkvUMd5xUZHkcSPP8MwspkRRUth-SjNurtLNUoPtqatFIhuQmnQrOoe7DmX9iXSQz4mG_f4Ir3klEzLso_C48mB8K_BXCcVz7kUvdnbEOkz5gjPGRhpM0i8H8CYscQ/s400/IMG_9489sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357174050983068674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheD-3i6CG7_dj3ktd1pCO8kHMFyAFMj2wK7ym9hYZs6s-Tdt_h3IdvgU-hUkVQzDavMUT0uyhtgTB-eLdKWFIqANQ5MF0QopxmtsTQDesDnanNnUQzB0A2So2f8X4JEm6sUFewyOO1vE/s400/IMG_9483sxb.jpg" /> This last image shows the small pointed tail and the beautiful coloring of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Henslow's</span> Sparrow.<br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357174590175792658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6pWZ4AuAZEhqT40bsdBXLaRcf6_6ySraWQWyd-8We9CuAOs40tokqDOQh4IymFx2jb97W_21ildUhyhpvMrGbz9HaczfIfLP-67MpChx4cSsVzlyZ2ItFGclpWrUO_sMRDHCBScuum5s/s400/IMG_9768sxb.jpg" /></div><br /><div><br />When the bird left for the back of the field we birded the area and came up 34 species of bird.On the way out at the intersection of Meadow rd and Greenfield rd we saw a deer with what looked like a brand new fawn which promptly run in to the tall grass and disappeared from sight. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>All in all a very rewarding day of birding on Meadow Rd in Montague, MA.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Good Birding</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span><br /><br />Images and story © 2009 Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">LLC</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-28053538973749727642009-05-10T13:36:00.000-07:002009-11-17T18:52:31.248-08:00Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Arlington, VT<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 379px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334305269013773618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD49-ktvfbEo6CGH0FRaPAleDxbFyT_agpjyA7kQADvDCe1bCWTAio6kkmddP0Hol0fRT4xxO7hqMfBmncFW2-Y2h66Lloh1sYNKDaDINx3LiY81WcpprJOb3cCdDItXyJBYpIpt40ojE/s400/IMG_7470sxb2.jpg" />After Barbara Powers' and Roy <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pilcher's</span> posts on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">VTbird</span>, I thought that I would take a shot at trying to finding the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. I left early this morning and got there about 6:45 am and Nancy A. Brown and Brendan Collins were already there looking for the bird. They said that they hadn't seen it so I headed south along Miller's Pond looking with no luck. As I returned and parked the car, Nancy was waving to me. My heart raced; they had found the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher! I was able to grab a few photos before the bird started to work its way south. Everyone moved down Old Depot Rd as the bird did. I must say that it was quite a sight seeing that long tail waving in the wind (no photos) and like Branden said, it was last seen heading north out of sight. Hopefully, the bird will be relocated so others may see it too!<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div>Here are some photos from today :<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 330px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334305599935204306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3JgX37CcPQZ-GZRjQoy6XvxLNNX9UAmhbY4c3hgbvH-J2hHnO5cWPWeQfapZ-vRvwBFuytAA-L5gCMAkFPO6KWOt3b886kGYO4YhPnTx5_Z2kmNYmWJALA26go1mbU2D1HT0TU8eGvQ/s400/IMG_7483sxb.jpg" /> I would like to thank Barbara Powers who found the bird yesterday and got the word out quickly to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">VTbird</span> so that Vermont birders could try for this very special visitor to Vermont.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 279px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334305794665877778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCZm4BlSZVhO1IDzH8C4RxQQpAiDTtlAhd2C9Weta5N-i9zKb3qEQmWgsd9mRQ0BMlvCxTG-pYzwDke2Y5hIk05quk_VOJTANDkf_bsfqmNyUIL4JWm1jhoOnEy-lqdT0raHdBIoKAGs/s400/IMG_7493sxb.jpg" /></div><div>This last image is just to show the salmon pink color under the wings. </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 273px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334305915154262050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfalKMBZ9cFGFJlyWE2_Vjd5Oc-A2Kpegof3YLBKgX-rFlSFACJ-Jixd41rEo2lw5IFV5ocjiYbPkS9DHg9SeWRu3sjZhp6zm17iXHkr6XGSLw3xhQm86jCHpn8agAsC7wOQLVVY2TCM/s400/IMG_7495sxb.jpg" />Good Birding<br /><div>Peter</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>All rights reserved © 2009 Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-21715826681222732902009-05-05T14:13:00.000-07:002009-11-17T18:56:23.426-08:00Dead Creek Today 5-5-09I went birding at Dead Creek hopping to find the Upland Sandpiper that was listed on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">VTbird</span> this morning. I found several first season/year birds today, but no Upland Sandpiper. No new warblers today but nice looks at the ones I did find - Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler and the surprise of the day, an American Pipit.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332458566859222690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIH0zE5324EcekMoujmwTEupJdvo1iP7mdVNlspwrWirdr7ijBv7rNGo6Q24_oYy0W9aqq3u6qss_Qhr96vvJX2cQdmSxc-kLJlMXwNORcLFeNP_dJhx0bYA_yHgUN3aR8-jiGNwtcqPA/s400/IMG_1374sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332458436055477218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwqYSldb7SanGzTRUCtni4JxwYR4SCDkmFH9ydG3SBFTAEm_Ip9vuE2MeFFmYLw_aqAIshxr_bcPuOPPcKN9USFrftwMMAMXzFaqynKzAKYmKsXZ9irHUVO2oBAj2d1DHW1Di5eTrmhKs/s400/IMG_1367sxb.jpg" /> Great views of a Savannah Sparrow. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332458990121072978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj902riihhJstWTflS_Z5q2VRIkTz6j-0SiXqlG8aBGbuQrM3DSh7VZc4MzCs1ko3hIyCfaI43t7fVIE2EQhWCl5qPRDGlWXUMQOiK6YuE5L2FKssCQNhkyxMvfZ4kLfCcV1v1aQgE78iw/s400/IMG_1439sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332458741142024130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom8Glq_GylqfbbXOwHUNf4EpJIupxRGsCS-yjb2hF6VKOCf_36Ja0lK7AUqdPxyrs-mqub-pckc1Pn4jvc18zYXml-Xc8XJzhY6Dym2OSt57huOoaNZgDX3C28Chy1r68Z45c57DJ1cc/s400/IMG_1405sxb.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332458865911008530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20gEGhT8J3SsDQXaQ0yq7WKOPnQXlmT6QmqemM73Yc4WBNTAbJorErqYRTYpsg9AWzy-6CQVvUK_soGEeDJ-OxwTRSn98joIPxdBDuMg15rSYB_LmpzfRZ1xs-TbJYI5JCgBNqrk-yik/s400/IMG_1413sxb.jpg" />Saw two sandpipers fly out over the water that got away too quickly to ID. Later I spotted a Solitary Sandpiper working the water's edge. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332459190281579730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0WDdUOeVvXmez-GMbc_6fbACiVniipKg-8Z3jTas8WAuqEbWBy1MrsjrrMWsX4gQK19tHDuzPR_AjcPFCXqcEhhV4jdZnLUNle6PValtCXv2QwDcacO9nxIYH7zqYpIKXL4ZSaK5bYY/s400/IMG_1275sxb.jpg" /> Then I heard what sounded like two birds fighting. When I located the birds, I couldn't believe my eyes! In a thicket was a bird holding onto a House Sparrow by the back of the head! The helpless bird just hung there <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">phishing</span></em>. This ended when a truck passed and the birds flushed. I did get these two images, but have no idea what the top bird was.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332462409128183218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDtWH-oNjr2fGLaWUl3j_D4JVswzRCrJRr5wg71xx4xIE0qpYAkQU6fneW77kJ0iXzxGsoKxpTtGqbRMSe6fC59x-0d3AbcWnkCl_oV9yGhGdooMNza_HeyX-97XLsb_fpDeFZQkYVWao/s400/IMG_1126sxb.jpg" /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332462684961678594" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVI4VZuW-ZBFTUfQtAcQ4BMFRBqkKZ1UTAx2Or4M0WtM7OeTV0a1qcgv4MXNY-i8golUrZaKXACt4x-mrdYuqGvcKOTOCXHPTHtKSx8WjknEBXiQwBzfaM7gT6MEo-8FpycvaTWyQ50FA/s400/IMG_1123sxb.jpg" />My birding trip ended as the rain started, so I headed home happy with two new birds for my VT year list which now stands at 142 without an Upland Sandpiper. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Oh well,</span> next time!</p><br /><p>Pete</p><br /><p>All rights reserved © Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Manship</span> 2009</p>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3928997280341795995.post-51892144454766228132009-04-30T04:55:00.000-07:002009-04-30T05:45:36.048-07:00Green-Morph Pine Siskin Lake Pauline VtI first noticed that one of the siskins had more yellow/green color on the back of it's head that went all the way down to it's tail back in late Dec when the siskins first showed up. Then in early January reports started to show up all over E-bird about green morph siskins. I wanted to photograph it but it was never around when I was in the house or it came when I was working, this when on all winter, I figured it was long gone. Then about 7:oc last night I saw the bird and was able to grab a few images, not as vivid color as on a gray winters day but you can see the yellow cast on the back. But as you can see the color is somewhat muted because the bird was preening and all fluffed up, it spooked before I could get any images of the bird showing the color better. Owell.....better than nothing.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330458640406046882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj33Xu-JH0PqCOpIw7cQQSziapssT9BGKK4iHWXvrxRDgNAnVTdOGOO9BrHGAlfS7AVJEmRXw8-BYbK8p-53lXcyULjm6WV7ILOpzB_xhEGYgzrKA9bpU3U64_SG8XTLis1LtcV9gvQGnY/s400/IMG_9983sxb.jpg" border="0" />Sibley's refers to it as a Yellow Adult, it's also referred to as a Green-Morph Pine Siskin. Don and Lillian Stokes had this info about Green-Morph Pine Siskins :<br /><a href="http://stokesbirdingblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/green-morph-pine-siskin.html">http://stokesbirdingblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/green-morph-pine-siskin.html</a><br />In any case after looking at the images of the so-called Green-Morph siskin on the Internet I think the bird that has been coming here all winter fits into that group just fine as an example of a very average green-morph Pine Siskin.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330458451061974978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 268px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUoTVzobgYERz_H59t968FbtEj29Cq_fvZSegrykbDg8jZINurnwLI7a0H6cVU9z0M5gRzUF7oke2sUGVT46-BNR1DRx-UdM3yD-GgnQ7JN0yWs-K0OXg55tWZfaf9609o6xna_zhMl_g/s400/IMG_9974sxb.jpg" border="0" /><br />These last two images come from Pat Folsom,(thanks Pat) who email me after last nights post to VT bird, wondering if my green siskin looks anything like the one she photographed back in March in her yard. These are great images Pat and show a very good example of how strong the color can be in some birds and really show how much the green morph can very from bird to bird.<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330459168218700130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 268px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPYvtbG1bzdKAVkQfmm3Vc-Eec3dio7yIPxmBGy4asi2dn1nbjz473gl3YvuuMTsATxJEtPy1X3CoC2tQBbzPF2mvM1g9x4r_RrQ02w8eIUb-ME_daHgAiIouGbQVn6bILs7530xAAw0/s400/IMG_8511.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330459454593631922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 268px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslNHFnFct-lK2BkbLNqOwkhxFE8F-IvNS5Qui9_qRvtXPjlTEdPjwP9TOCP_uVwQibwJrzL2ZFDWP0VX1sxA7bgQLsnxYd68DKVbURXmjrC4cDeeoZtmBdCih98QmSj1WOK77tFD9r04/s400/IMG_8529.JPG" border="0" /><br />I googled “green-morph pine siskin” and found more helpful information on the <a href="http://wildbirdsunlimited.typepad.com/the_zen_birdfeeder/2009/04/green-morph-pine-siskin-is-it-or-isnt-it.html">Zen Birdfeeder</a><br />, she had some good links to photos and other reports of the green morph siskin. If you are still curious check <a href="http://www.borealbirds.org/blog/?p=131">Boreal Birds</a> I found this blog to be very informative and well written.<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><div>Anyhow one of the great things about birding is I'm always learning something new and I love that, each day birding has its own little surprise whether in your yard or out running the roads, it's birding at its best for me!</div><br /><br /><div>Peter</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Thanks to Pat Folsom for the use of her images</div><br /><div>All rights reserved © 2009 Peter Manship</div><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Peter Manshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01229545442916242105noreply@blogger.com0