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Feather Questers

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Download our Newsletter!
The FQ Newsletter is one of our newer ventures, and is a great way to find out about upcoming events, see what your peers have been doing, read trip reviews, check out the latest Bird ID Quiz, and more!

  - Vol. 3, Issue 1 (pdf)
  - Vol. 3, Issue 2 (pdf)
    - Vol. 2, Issue 1 (pdf)
    - Vol. 2, Issue 2 (pdf)
    - Vol. 2, Issue 3 (pdf)
    
- Vol. 2, Issue 4 (pdf)
    - Vol. 1, Issue 1 (pdf)
    - Vol. 1, Issue 2 (pdf)
    - Vol. 1, Issue 3 (pdf)
    - Vol. 1, Issue 4 (pdf)

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World Series teamsMay 12, 2012 - The World Series of Birding
Cape May County, NJ

The World Series of Birding takes place in New Jersey each year, and for over a decade, youth teams have participated with NBNC.  In this annual event, which is part competition and part fund raiser, teams scour the Garden State in an attempt to find and identify as many types of birds as possible.  As one generation of World Series alumni are becoming adult conservationists, a new generation is participating for the first time, and both shared the experience together this year.

Our youth team had the joy of discovering Cape May County and exploring the fields, forests, beaver ponds, and beaches full of birds.  From dawn until dusk, they enjoyed countless “life birds” and tallied an impressive 111 species.  Our team of young adult “alumni” spent a full 24-hours scouring Cape May and finding 148 species during the competition.
Additionally, the teams raised thousands of dollars to benefit the NBNC’s Youth Birding Program. 

Whether watching a Ruby-throated Hummingbird sitting on its nest by day, or listening to the echoing calls of Clapper Rails ringing through a saltmarsh at night, the memories from our birding “big day” will last a lifetime.

 

Watching a Townsend's WarblerJanuary 28, 2012 - Superbowl of Birding IX
Essex County, MA

Our forth year competing in the Superbowl of Birding started in the same spot as last year, with the whistle of a Screech Owl at 5:15 am. It ended at the same place as last year, too, with a Short-eared Owl hunting over sand dunes with the setting sun. But that is where the similarities end... 3 feet of snow last year, but bare ground and open water in 2012. And, consequently, a very different suite of birds.

The weather was definately a factor in the birds we saw. Open water provided habitat for waterfowl that typcially fly further south, such as Northern Pintail, Ruddy Duck, and American Coot. Even some insectivores were toughing it out on the coast this winter including a Gray Catbird and a vagrant Townsend's Warbler, seen gleaning insects from atop a tall spruce tree.

Oddly enough, we tallied the same number of species as last year, but since the Superbowl works on a point system (rare birds worth more points) we ended up with our best score so far! The weather was nothing short of perfect, and a good time was had by all. A full species list is shown below:

Plum Island SunsetIn this competition, birds are ranked by difficulty to find
(1 point being easiest and 5 points being hardest). Our complete checklist is below:
1 point (plain text)
2 points (bold)
3 POINTS (BOLD, CAPS)
4 POINTS
(BOLD, CAPS, ITALICS)
5 POINTS (BOLD, CAPS, ITALICS, UNDERLINED)

Canada Goose Northern Gannet SNOWY OWL
Mute Swan Great Cormorant SHORT-EARED OWL
Gadwall TURKEY VULTURE Downy Woodpecker
American Black Duck Bald Eagle Blue Jay
Mallard Northern Harrier American Crow
NORTHERN PINTAIL COOPER'S HAWK Black-capped Chickadee
REDHEAD Red-tailed Hawk Tufted Titmouse
Greater Scaup MERLIN White-breasted Nuthatch
Common Eider PEREGRINE FALCON Carolina Wren
Harlequin Duck AMERICAN COOT American Robin
Surf Scoter SANDERLING GRAY CATBIRD
White-winged Scoter Purple Sandpiper Northern Mockingbird
Black Scoter DUNLIN European Starling
Bufflehead Ring-billed Gull Cedar Waxwing
Common Goldeneye Herring Gull TOWNSEND'S WARBLER
Hooded Merganser Iceland Gull Song Sparrow
Red-breasted Merganser LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL White-throated Sparrow
RUDDY DUCK Great Black-backed Gull Dark-eyed Junco
WILD TURKEY RAZORBILL Northern Cardinal
Common Loon Rock Pigeon House Finch
Horned Grebe Mourning Dove American Goldfinch
Red-necked Grebe Eastern Screech-Owl House Sparrow

 

Cedar WaxwingDecember 17, 2011 - 51st Plainfield Christmas Bird Count
Montpelier, VT

“Atypical” would be a good word to describe the 51st Plainfield Christmas Bird Count. Warm temperatures leading up to the count and the absence of snow likely played a role in the birds we encountered. While the number of species seen (37) was higher than average, the total number of individuals was rather low. Many of the “common” birds were sparse, and extremely low counts were reported for many species including chickadees, nuthatches, blue jays, and woodpeckers. With an abundance of open ground and hence plenty of foraging area for birds, it is possible that the usual year-round residents were dispersed across a larger area than normal, rather than being concentrated at feeders. Read more.

October 2, 2011 - Geprag Park Beginner Bird Walk
Hinesburg, VT

A group of eager youngsters enjoyed a brief reprieve in the cold, stormy weather to enjoy a bird walk. The morning started with a Merlin swooping and diving through a flock of several hundred starlings. The hunt went on for several minutes before the Merlin flew away with empty talons. The birds had already put on quite a show before we had even left the parking lot!

Interesting birds continued to present themselves as the morning progressed, with migrants such as Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Blackpoll Warblers hopping about. But for beginning birders, just as much excitement was had from the "common" birds. One of the highlights was watching a flock of Cedar Waxwings as they ate Juniper berries just 20 feet from the group.

Summer 2011 - Bird Banding at Summer Camp
Montpelier, VT

NBNC hosted its third year of our Avian Wonders camp for grades 4-7 this year, but kids of all ages got to enjoy some wonders of the bird world this summer. Campers as young as 3 years old observed NBNC staff and volunteers operating a bird banding station on the property. In bird banding, songbirds are captured in mist nets, carefully removed, identified and measured, and "tagged" with a band before being released. Bands look like little metal bracelets the birds wear on their feet to help identify them if they are recaptured in the future.

Nashville WarblerIn addition to providing important scientific data that helps us study our breeding birds, bird banding has offered a unique way for children at NBNC to connect with birds. As the old expression goes, "a bird in the hand" can be a valuable thing, especially when it comes to igniting awe and curiosity in our summer campers. Stay tuned for fall banding opportunities!

May 21, 2011 - The 2nd Annual Youth Bird-a-thon!
Montpelier & Berlin, VT

An early-morning thunderstorm was not what we were hoping for to start our birdathon, but the team of eager young birders endured the pouring rain and eventually the skies cleared up enough for some great birds to be seen. Highlights included excellent views of Chestnut-sided Warblers at NBNC and a Virginia Rail seen at Berlin Pond. With only minor coaching from adult cheperones, the team of avid young birders identified 32 species of birds:

Common Loon Tree Swallow Northern Waterthrush
Canada Goose White-breasted Nuthatch Common Yellowthroat
American Black Duck House Wren Song Sparrow
Mallard Ruby-crowned Kinglet Swamp Sparrow
Virginia Rail American Robin White-throated Sparrow
Ring-billed Gull Gray Catbird Northern Cardinal
Rock Pigeon Yellow Warbler Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Chestnut-sided Warbler Common Grackle
Hairy Woodpecker Yellow-rumped Warbler Baltimore Oriole
Eastern Kingbird Blackpoll Warbler American Goldfinch
American Crow Ovenbird  

 

WSB team picMay 14, 2011 - The World Series of Birding!
Southern New Jersey

The World Series of Birding is always an adventure and this year was no different. With a new team name, "The NBNC Chocolate-headed Cowbirds (with sprinkles)", we scoured the shores, forests, marshes, and meadows for every bird we could possibly find. Read more, see pictures, and view a complete checklist of our 150 species at the NBNC blog.

May 10, 2011 - Nighthawk Nestpatch Instillation Complete
Montpelier & Duxbury, VT

The North Branch Nature Center’s Youth Birding Program has partnered with middle school students in central Vermont to revitalize the nesting habitat of the Common Nighthawk. Once a common sight to people in Vermont cities, nighthawks used to swoop and dive across the sky at dusk, collecting insects as they went. Their preference to nest in large, open spaces may once have precluded Vermont from possible breeding locations, but since at least the late 1800’s Common Nighthawks have made use of gravel rooftops to raise their young.

Unfortunately, the Common Nighthawk is in steep decline throughout its breeding range and has not been seen breeding in Montpelier in recent years. One cause of their decline is loss of habitat: both natural and artificial. Conversion of gravel rooftops to other substrates is believed to be one cause for their disappearance from urban areas. In 2007, New Hampshire Audubon began a research initiative to install gravel “nest patches” on rooftops in order to create the Nighthawk’s preferred gravel nesting sites. Students from U-32 Middle/High School (Montpelier) and Crossett Brook Middle School (Waterbury), in partnership with North Branch Nature Center, are replicating the efforts of NH Audubon by installing Vermont’s first nest patches. The patches were installed today (Crossett Brook) and last Thursday (U-32) and monitoring of the patches will begin later this month.

May 7, 2011 - Wells River Beginners Bird Walk
Wells River , VT

For our third year of spring bird walks on the Blue Mountain Union School trails, this was the first time we were able to walk under sunny skies! Not only was the weather good, but so were the birds, with over forty species seen. Warblers were plentiful, with nine species seen (including Magnolia, Yellow-rumped, Nashville, and others). Canada Geese stuck close by their nests on the beaver pond. Swallows and swifts flew overhead. But perhaps the biggest surprise was a Merlin that was seen several times throughout the walk, calling constantly as if it was establishing a nesting territory. This birding hotspot never disapoints! Our full checklist is shown below:

Canada Goose  Hermit Thrush 
Wood Duck  American Robin 
Mallard  Gray Catbird 
Red-tailed Hawk  Nashville Warbler 
Merlin  Northern Parula 
Wilson's Snipe  Yellow Warbler 
Mourning Dove  Magnolia Warbler 
Chimney Swift  Yellow-rumped Warbler 
Belted Kingfisher  Black-throated Green Warbler 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  Black-and-white Warbler 
Hairy Woodpecker  Ovenbird 
Least Flycatcher  Common Yellowthroat 
Blue Jay  Song Sparrow 
American Crow  Swamp Sparrow 
Tree Swallow  White-throated Sparrow 
Black-capped Chickadee  Rose-breasted Grosbeak 
Tufted Titmouse  Red-winged Blackbird 
Red-breasted Nuthatch  Common Grackle 
White-breasted Nuthatch  Baltimore Oriole 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  American Goldfinch

 

May 1, 2011 - Geprags Park Beginners Bird Walk
Hinesburg, VT

Birdwatchers wait all year for May, and a group of young birders started the month off with a trip to Geprag Park.  Cosponsored by NBNC and Green Mountain Audubon Society, participants hiked the trails under sunny skies, turning up many noteworthy birds.  Before we even left the parking lot, the noisy song of an Eastern Meadowlark rang throughout the field.  As soon as we entered the forest, we were greeted by Black-and-white Warblers foraging, Nashville Warblers singing, and a pair of chickadees excavating a nest cavity!  The forest floor was painted green and white by the Dutchman’s Breeches that carpeted it.  As we proceeded, a Red-bellied Woodpecker let out a call, the first time one has been heard in this park.  Just as we reached the end of the trail and got ready to turn back, we heard the “bee-buzzz” of the Blue-winged Warbler.

The buds have started to open, and little baby leaves have sprouted from the Red Maples along the trail.  The grass will soon be tall and the forest canopy thick and the birds much harder to see.  We’re looking forward to the upcoming Youth Birding trips and hope you’ll join us before the black flies come out!

March 20, 2011 - Winter Ducks
Champlain Valley, VT

Spring has officially begun and there were plenty of signs of spring during the NBNC annual duck outing on Lake Champlain. Several stops along the lake revealed a menagerie of waterfowl viewed under the warming sun. We observed 13 species of ducks including those that winter in Vermont and those that are just migrating through. Of particular interest were several Barrow's Goldeneyes (pictured on the right) viewed at the former site of the Lake Champlain Bridge.

While ducks were our main target on this outing, the migration of geese was breathetaking with thousands flying north throughout the day including a flock of approximately 1200 Snow Geese sitting on the ice of the still partially-frozen Lake Champlain. In just a half-hour of lake-watching, we counted at least 5,000 Canada Geese traversing the landscape. A complete list of waterfowl species seen is shown below:

Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ring-necked Duck
Greater/Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser

 

February 20, 2011 - Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)
Central Vermont

Feather Questers were excited to participate in this continent-wide citizen science project documenting winter regulars and rarities in and around the North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier. Staying true to the event's name, we looked into many backyards to view birds, seeing Cooper's Hawk and Pine Siskin amongst the birds on Elm Street in Montpelier. The real Northern Hawk Owltreat was getting to document some rare birds that have been loitering around Central Vermont for over a month.

The first rare bird we chased after was the Northern Hawk Owl, seen regularly near the Berlin/Moretown line off River Rd. When Hawk Owls appear in Vermont (only some winters), they can become very devoted to a single area, often perching in the same tree day after day. Since they are diurnal (awake during the day) they are often seen searching for food from the most prominent perch they can find (treetops, powerlines, fence posts, etc.) This particular Hawk Owl was first discovered just before New Year's Day and has since been seen by dozens of happy birders. Thanks to Feather Questers, we were able to document the bird for the GBBC.

Varied ThrushThe other rare bird seen during the GBBC was a Varied Thrush (last reported in Vermont in 2004) that has been present in the Bolton backyard of Don & June Kenney since mid-December. When Varied Thrushes do appear in Vermont, they will often find a small territory near a bird feeder and defend it vigorously, chasing off other birds. We viewed "VT" (as the Kenneys call him) from their bedroom as it ate June's homemade suet from their backyard feeders.

Although rare birds like these are exciting to document, especially as part of a nationwide project, it are the mundane sightings that make the GBBC so interesting. Over 40 Vermont cities and towns were represented in this year's GBBC and over 80 species tallied. For more info about the Great Backyard Bird Count, visit www.birdsource.org/gbbc

 

King EiderJanuary 29, 2011 - Superbowl of Birding VIII
Essex County, MA

For twelve consecutive hours, the North Branch Noddies scoured the coast in search of all the birds that they could find in the Superbowl of Birding. This was our third year taking part in the competition and we tallied an impressive 66 species, more than we ever have before!

Fair weather and calm wind were a welcomed change from last year, and we were easily able to find Eastern Screech-Owl in two locations before dawn. At first light, we headed to Andrew's Point where birds were very active off the coast. Under good lighting and at close distances, we had great views of Red-throated Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Harlequin Ducks, and a group of a dozen Razorbill among others.

Before noon we had already found amazing birds such as the Barrow's Goldeneye at Loblolly Cove, the King Eider (pictured above) at Bass Rocks, and the Common Murre at Eastern Point. Every stop we made throughout the day seemed to add new species to our list. As the sun was setting, with less than 10 minutes left in the competition, a Short-eared Owl flew silently across the sky at Plum Island as our final bird.

North Branch NoddiesAfter a fantastic day of birding, the Noddies were happy to learn that they won the Seeker's Award, which is given to the team that finds the most birds off of a special checklist of 30 species. The only species off the list that we didn't see were Northern Gannet, Iceland Gull, and Snowy Owl (which surprisingly wasn't found by any team).

In this competition, birds are ranked by difficulty to find (1 point being easiest and 5 points being hardest). Our complete checklist is below:
* on the Seeker's Checklist
1 point (plain text)
2 points (bold)
3 POINTS (BOLD, CAPS)
4 POINTS
(BOLD, CAPS, ITALICS)
5 POINTS (BOLD, CAPS, ITALICS, UNDERLINED)

Canada Goose Horned Grebe* Downy Woodpecker*
BRANT Red-necked Grebe* Blue Jay
Mute Swan Great Cormorant* American Crow
Gadwall* TURKEY VULTURE Horned Lark*
American Black Duck Bald Eagle* Black-capped Chickadee
Mallard Northern Harrier* Tufted Titmouse
Greater Scaup COOPER'S HAWK White-breasted Nuthatch*
KING EIDER Red-tailed Hawk* Carolina Wren*
Common Eider ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK American Robin
Harlequin Duck* PEREGRINE FALCON Northern Mockingbird*
Surf Scoter* Purple Sandpiper* European Starling
White-winged Scoter* Ring-billed Gull Cedar Waxwing*
Black Scoter* Herring Gull American Tree Sparrow*
Long-tailed Duck* Great Black-backed Gull SAVANNAH SPARROW
Bufflehead COMMON MURRE Song Sparrow
Common Goldeneye* RAZORBILL White-throated Sparrow*
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE Black Guillemot* Dark-eyed Junco
Hooded Merganser Rock Pigeon SNOW BUNTING
Common Merganser* Mourning Dove Northern Cardinal
Red-breasted Merganser* Eastern Screech-Owl House Finch
Red-throated Loon* SHORT-EARED OWL American Goldfinch*
Common Loon RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER House Sparrow

 

 

Common NighthawkNovember, 2010 - Project Nighthawk VT Launched
Central Vermont

This fall we officially launched Project Nighthawk VT by introducing middle school students from U-32 and Crossett Brook to this project which involves revitalizing Common Nighthawk nesting habitat. Their habit of nesting on flat, gravel rooftops since at least the late 1800’s made Common Nighthawks well known and easily accessible to people in cities.  Although once present in central Vermont, Common Nighthawks are in steep decline throughout their breeding range and have not been seen breeding in Montpelier in recent years.  One cause of their decline is loss of habitat: both natural and artificial.  Conversion of gravel rooftops to other substrates is believed to be one cause for their disappearance from urban areas.  In 2007, New Hampshire Audubon began a research initiative to install gravel “nest patches” on rooftops in order to create the Nighthawk’s preferred gravel nesting sites. 

October 9, 2010 - Saw-whet Banding at Snake Mountain
Addison, VT

removing a Saw-whet from the netsTo describe Saturday's banding night as a success would be an understatement. Clear skies, low wind, and lack of moon along with a Saw-whet Owl being releasedfavorable breeding season and an optimal mid-October date made for a productive night of banding in which we caught 20 owls!

Between 8:30 and 11pm, the times when capture rates are highest, we'd find up to five owls in the nets at once! Participants had ample opportunities to observe the owls close up and even to help record dataand release them.

September 17 & 18, 2010 - Cornell Lab of Ornithology Event
Blue-winged TealBurlington & Addison, VT

With the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in town this weekend, birders young and old converged for a fun weekend of birding. The event kicked off on Friday night with a presentation by Dr. Charles Walcott on the insights of 20+ years studying loons with the Cornell Lab. On Saturday, groups of birders fanned out accross Dead Creek. The youth/beginners group had a nice tally including several species not seen by any other group. A complete list is shown below:

Canada Goose Hairy Woodpecker European Starling
Mallard Eastern Wood-Pewee Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blue-winged Teal** Eastern Phoebe Blackpoll Warbler
Green-winged Teal Blue Jay American Redstart*
Great Blue Heron American Crow Common Yellowthroat
Turkey Vulture Tree Swallow Savannah Sparrow*
Bald Eagle Black-capped Chickadee Song Sparrow
Northern Harrier Tufted Titmouse Swamp Sparrow*
Sharp-shinned Hawk White-breasted Nuthatch Red-winged Blackbird*
Greater Yellowlegs* Marsh Wren* American Goldfinch
Ring-billed Gull American Robin     *not seen by other groups
Barred Owl Gray Catbird     **pictured above

 

September 5, 2010 - Beginners Bird Walk - Geprag Park
Hinesburg, VT

In partnership with Green Mountain Audubon Society, a group of five kids plus parents and trip leaders trekked around Geprag Park, a Champlain Valley birding hotspot. Cold, windy weather kept the birds quiet, but we still got a nice show from the birds we did see, including a group of 4 American Kestrels and 7 Eastern Bluebirds! A complete trip list is shown below:

Turkey Vulture

Eastern Phoebe Gray Catbird
Red-tailed Hawk Red-eyed Vireo European Starling
American Kestrel Blue Jay Cedar Waxwing
Rock Pigeon American Crow Black-and-white Warbler
Downy Woodpecker Black-capped Chickadee Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker Tufted Titmouse American Goldfinch
Pileated Woodpecker Eastern Bluebird  

 

Avian Wonders 2010July 12 - 16 - Avian Wonders Summer Day Camp
Montpelier, VT

For the second year, NBNC and Feather Questers hosted this popular camp for kids entering grades 4-7. Participants visited the primier birding locales in Central Vermont and saw 59 species including American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, 11 species of warblers, Evening Grosbeak and many more.  For a full trip report, see the latest Feather Questers Newsletter.

May 2, 2010 - Boreals at Moose Bog
North Ferdinand, VT

Spruce GrouseIn this remote area of the Northeast Kingdom, participants got a chance to experience a hike in the boreal forests more typical of Canada than the US. Along with the unique forest came a unique set of birds whose ranges barely penetrate into New England.

The highlights of the trip were most certainly the two male Spruce Grouse that we observed at close range. One individual (pictured on the right) strutted right past us within a few feet! Our other highlight Black-backed Woodpeckerwas a pair of Black-backed Woodpeckers excavating a nest cavity (pictured on left). The birds were spotted by one of our youth participants as we were in the cars getting ready to leave!

Alas, the Gray Jays eluded us, and just the sounds of Boreal Chickadees were heard. But this will give us just one more reason to return to this quintessential Vermont birding locale.

 

 

 

Previous Year's News

Upcoming Events

All programs are free to members, but please register at least one week in advance. You can RSVP by emailing Larry or Chip or by calling 802-229-6206.

Bird Banding Demonstration
Sunday, September 23, 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Fee: Donations welcome
This summer, NBNC began banding birds to help learn more about their abundance and distribution. Visit the banding station as we catch, band, record data on, and release both resident and migrant birds. Drop by anytime!

Dead Creek Wildlife Day
Saturday, October 6, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Please join our friends from Otter Creek Audubon Society for a celebratory day including bird banding, nature walks, animal demonstrations and more.  We will also observe the Snow Goose Spectacle, with geese gathering by the thousands!

Saw-whet Owl Banding at Snake Mtn.
Saturday, October 6, dusk - late
For years, Rodney Olsen has been banding the soda-can sized Northern Saw-whet Owls at Snake Mountain in Addison as part of a long-term study. We invite you to join this opportunity to view these common yet seldom-seen birds. Carpooling details available upon registration.

Berlin Pond Waterfowl Walk
Sunday, November 4, 7:30-10 a.m.
Fee: $5 members, $15 nonmembers, free for kids
Fall migration isn’t over yet! We’ll look for lingering loons, waterfowl and more on Berlin Pond. We may find American Coot, scoters or some other surprise at this birding hotspot.


 

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