There were some pretty views as we savored the last of foliage season. Here is a sampling.

Moon Field is the starting point. The farmer delays early cutting to protect baby Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks. These white bales, a common sight this time of year, are haylage.

After walking three miles on the trails with little bird activity, we were rewarded at the end by the hoot of a Barred Owl and by seeing three Northern Flickers.

And this view.

The post Rambling With Ginger first appeared on Vermont Birder.

Last week, I came upon this Bald Eagle just a few hundred yards from our path to the river. It patiently perched as I photographed from the car. I call it “Our Regal Eagle”.

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The post Some September Photos first appeared on Vermont Birder.

Recently, I’ve been spending time thinking about the birding trips I’ve made over the last 15 years. I am focusing on unique birds or memorable occasions.

Here is one of my favorites, a spectacular site in southern Arizona that is well-known to birders in which I first visited in 2017 with Sally during our first trip West.

Whitewater Draw is  a small piece of preserved land where thousands of Sandhill cranes spend the winter. It is simply spectacular as you can see from these pictures from that trip.

As a pilot, I love to watch their takeoffs and landings.

There are many other species at the refuge but the cranes are the stars.

Whitewater Draw is about two hours from the Tucson airport – get there early for the amazing morning departures. No fee, dogs allowed, great spot.

The post Whitewater Draw first appeared on Vermont Birder.

I hope you have many good outdoor adventures this August.

The post Pushing The Camera first appeared on Vermont Birder.

Our unique little backyard, near downtown,Montpelier, is where we have a ever-changing bird and animal watching site.

The post Morning Parade first appeared on Vermont Birder.

On our first trip west with the van, we had breakfast at Irma’s, a small Mexican restaurant just outside [Pancho Villa State Park] in Columbus, New Mexico.

The food was great and the decorations quite unique. The owner has a penchant for roosters. They are too neat not to share.

There was a rooster in the cooler. Irma said, “He’s being punished.” (She had no other place to display him)

This statute is made in Mexico out of car tire rubber.

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The post Remembering Irma’s first appeared on Vermont Birder.

We traveled four days to arrive at Fontainebleau State Park just north of New Orleans. While it was chilly, we saw a lot of southern birds like this wind-blown Loggerhead Shrike.

At Galveston State Park, there were some nice birds including this Roseate Spoonbill.

Our next stop is one of my favorites – Goose Island State Park where we stayed for over a week. It has wooded sites, great bird walks, and is near many other great birding sites. This Black-capped Titmouse is typical of the 100 species we saw here .

A short drive away is Aransas Pass with its amazing wildlife refuge and a must-visit site, the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center. The center, with long boardwalks over wetlands from the local wastewater facility, is amazing. This Green Heron, used to visitors, was not shy.

On other trips from Goose Island, we saw this Whooping Crane and a mixed pair – a young Crested Carcara and an adult Turkey Vulture.

At month’s end we drove to Falcon State Park where on the first day, we saw a Vermilion Flycatcher.

On a gray day, it’s fun to see the color and uniqueness of these birds. Next post will show more examples. Good birding to you wherever you are.

The post Nine Years Ago- January first appeared on Vermont Birder.

The weather has been cold, windy, and snowy – not the best environment for learning to use a new rig. So, I decided to shoot birds at the feeder through the glass storm door. Here are some of the usual suspects that are going through a lot of bird seed and suet.

And one of our favorite winter birds are the tiny Red-breasted Nuthatches.

Here is our feeder setup after Sunday’s big storm. Stay safe.

Here is our backyard feeder setup after Sunday’s big storm. Stay safe.

The post Kitchen Door Birds first appeared on Vermont Birder.

On this frigid day, I can’t help but wonder where these visitors are spending January. Stay warm.

The post Birds On The River first appeared on Vermont Birder.

Other photos are: Hairy Woodpecker, Black-crowned Night Heron (downtown Montpelier), Swamp Sparrow, Common Loons,  Great Blue Heron, Gray Catbird, Broad-winged Hawk, and Wood Ducks (on the river out back.)

Here’s hoping for a year full of birding delights. Good birding!

The post Some Nice Vermont Birds first appeared on Vermont Birder.