Rutland County Audubon will hold its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Proctor Free Library in Proctor, Vermont at 6 p.m. We will begin with a potluck dinner, followed by the meeting, which includes the installation of officers.
All members and friends are invited to attend this, the 50th anniversary of RCAS. Dessert, beverages and utensils will be provided.
Please join us!
by Roy Pilcher
On Monday, May 29, I had the opportunity of walking part of the Whipple Hollow Trail for the first time starting at the trail head. My walking difficulty only allowed me to reach the edge of the McCullough meadow after about 35 minutes. But what a wonderful experience!
The chorus of Northern Waterthrush, some counter singing only to be interrupted by the cry of a Great Crested Flycatcher was music to my ears! I did manage to identify twelve bird species all by ear. Ears and eyes are holding up better than my legs after 94 years of sustained activity!
Northern Waterthrush
The boardwalk is a masterpiece. I enjoyed the access to the flowering plants that included Marsh Marigold, Heartleaf Foamflower, Golden Alexander and Miterwort.
Twoleaf Miterwort, Mitella dipyllaI observed a Mourning Cloak, the only butterfly. However, the wetland beyond and the meadow should prove excellent butterfly habitat, especially for Mulberry Wing Skipper and Baltimore Checkerspot, especially during this second butterfly atlas.
Twoleaf Miterwort, Mitella dipylla
Congratulations to you and the board for your efforts in providing access to this magnificent wildlife habitat. I cannot imagine any serious birder or naturalist in Vermont not having West Rutland on his/her bucket list between the Marble Street, Whipple Hollow and the power line habitats.
Note from RCAS: Click here to see all the birds we have seen along the Whipple Hollow Trail.
A frosty May morning turned into a perfect day at West Rutland Marsh.
With starting temperatures in the 30s, May’s walk certainly didn’t start out feeling much like spring, but sunny skies and warming turned it into a perfect day at West Rutland Marsh.
Despite not hearing a Virginia Rail or an American Bittern (one person heard a bittern before the official start of the walk), ten participants managed to tally 82 species. This doesn’t include the Blue-winged/Golden-winged Warbler, which we could only identify by sound (neither of these species are reliable voice alone as they can frequently sound like each other and there are many hybrids) along with a falcon, not identified to species.
The morning started off with Marsh Wrens and Swamps Sparrows singing all around the boardwalk. The Alder Flycatchers returned within the past few days and today was the first time hearing Willow Flycatchers for many of us this season.
A Spotted Sandpiper was standing on the railing of the boardwalk and soon after that a Green Heron flew over, landing and disappearing nearby.
This may be shaping up to be a good year for cuckoos. Four Black-billed Cuckoos were heard and we saw plenty of tent caterpillars for them to eat.
Raptors included a Broad-winged Hawk, a Red-tailed Hawk and a falcon we could identify, a Merlin.
May is warbler month! We tallied 16 species including Tennessee and Bay-breasted. We were fairly sure we heard the Bay-breasted Warbler high in the trees along the Whipple Hollow Trail (it was identified by the Merlin ID app as well). Finally, perseverance paid off and some of us saw enough of the bird to confirm its presence visually. Northern Waterthrushes were singing enthusiastically especially along the Whipple Hollow Trail.
Our next marsh walk is scheduled for Saturday, June 20, at 7 a.m., meeting at the Marble Street boardwalk.
A complete list of today’s birds can be found here.
Let's face it, winter in Vermont can sometimes be a little hard to endure. At least I used to think that before I discovered the fun of feeding birds. While not the frenzy of color brought by a spring warbler migration, or the ensemble of song on a June morning, the birds that stay with us all winter give more than their share of energy and exuberance when we need it the most.
On some days there may be fewer species than we have fingers on one hand to count (that's okay, you'll probably want to keep them inside your mitten anyway) but instead of counting species, I turn to watching individuals and getting to know "some of the locals". "Hey there's that cardinal with the two wives again," or "that blue jay with the rusty-gate call is back on the suet feeder" are some of the comments that might be heard around our kitchen table on a winter morning.
Whats on the Menu?
What food for birds you want to offer depends on how much money you want to spend and what types of birds you want to attract. Here are some of the more popular types of winter bird food:
Sunflower - Considered the #1 choice to feed and attract the greatest variety of birds to your feeders. Sunflower seeds come as black oil, striped, hulled or chips. Black oil sunflower seeds give birds the energy they need to live. The thin shell makes it an easy bird seed to open, even for the smaller birds such as chickadees and tufted titmice. The large striped seeds are popular with larger birds such as cardinals and blue jays. Personally, I make a mix of about 1/3 Striped to 2/3 Black Oil and fill all of my feeders with that. The only exception is feeders that are placed in a garden. Because sunflower hulls contain a chemical that kills plants, I prefer to use the shelled sunflower seed for these feeders. Be sure to periodically rake up the shelled seeds that land at the base of any feeder -- not just to stop the spread of disease to the birds, but also to keep from killing the grass!
Thistle or Nyger - Is very expensive and requires a special feeder -- but if you are partial to birds like Goldfinches and Pine Siskins, this is the way to attract them.
Peanuts - Blue jays, cardinals and nuthatches are some of the birds that enjoy peanuts.
Suet - This high-energy food is a big draw for birds that mostly eat insects. Suet is a fatty substance that is favored by downy and hairy woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches and blue jays. Putting this out all winter can be expensive, but it's really appreciated on those sub-zero January days!
Corn - This inexpensive feed is an excellent source of energy for birds during very cold weather and attracts most birds. The drawback is that it can attract less desirable birds such as house sparrows,and starlings.
Millet - Also a relatively inexpensive grain, millet attracts many species, including cardinals, mourning doves, juncos, house sparrows and brown-headed cowbirds.
Rutland County Audubon's annual bird seed sale is a great opportunity to stock up on bird feed for the winter ahead. The real advantage of buying seed from us, however, is that its a chance to get free advice on what types of bird food work best in our area. We're also happy to give advice on our favorite bird feeders and almost anything else related to birds in Rutland County! And you'll be doing your part by supporting RCAS. If you're not a member, we would love to have you join!
Related Links:
Project Feederwatch
A Banquet for Birds
Birdfeeding 101
Goldfinches are great to watch at the feeder... especially when that first hint of bright yellow shows up in their plumage in mid-February. Photo by David Jenne.
A quick read of all the programs and field trips sponsored by Rutland County Audubon on our Events page will reveal that they are all free and open to the public.
However, Rutland County Audubon’s education outreach into the community, in particular the schools, is a serious financial commitment. For example, Audubon Adventures, a program designed to engage our elementary school students, has been very well received and at $45 a classroom it is an investment that we continue to make each year. Thus, once a year we provide you and your friends with the opportunity to support Audubon’s educational and outreach programs through the Annual Bird seed Sale.
We aren't likely to see a winter with as many Pine Siskins as we did last year, but we can always hope! Photo by David Jenne
If you are a member of Rutland County Audubon and reading this post, firstly, thank you for your support, if you are not, please consider becoming a member. As a volunteer organization we appreciate not only your commitment to the mission of the organization but also to its financial viability.
In partnership and cooperation with Garland’s Agway in Rutland and Brandon Blue Seal Feeds, we offer members and the general public an opportunity to support financially Rutland County Audubon through the upcoming Annual Bird Seed Sales and Bottle Drive.
As a reader of this web site and as a member and/or friend of Audubon, and as one who enjoys feeding and watching birds, you are encouraged to support Rutland County Audubon, either in Rutland or Brandon by purchasing your winter’s supply of bird seed at the following locations:
Rutland, Garland’s Agway - Saturday, November 7 between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Brandon, Blue Seal Feeds - Saturday, November 14 between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
We would love to meet you and talk about birds and winter bird feeding. Our members will be present to introduce themselves and -- if you are new to bird feeding -– introduce you to the birds you will meet over the course of the coming winter!