Vermont Birds Records Committee Species for Which Detailed Reports are 1997 Report Required A documentation report is required for any species not included on the Vermont Daily Field Card or for any he Vermont Bird Records Committee met on species significantly outside the usual dates of occur­ November 1, 1997, for its annual review of rare rence in Vermont. bird reports. The Committee's responsibilities are In addition, RSDs are required in all seasons for: to establish guidelines for the documentation of rare Golden Eagle, Barn Owl, Long-eared Owl, Three-toed birds, and to review reports for inclusion in the state bird Woodpecker, Yellow-breasted Chat, Black-backed list and for use by future researchers. The Committee's Woodpecket· (outside Northeast Kingdom), Sedge recommendations are reported in the publication the Wren, and Orange-crowned Warbler. Records of Vermont Birds (RVB). The Bird Records RNRs are requested for the following species (which Committee consists of the managing editor and seasonal are rare nesters in Vermont) if the species is observed in editors of RVB and the Vermont regional editors for ABA proper breeding habitat during the breeding season Field Notes. (exceptions or special cases follow each species name in The Committee and the editors of RVB express their parentheses): Pied-billed Grebe, Least Bittern (except gratitude to the birders who have documented rare bird for the West Rutland Marsh, Dead Creek Wildlife Man­ sightings with detailed reports. These reports add greatly agement Area, and Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge), to the data and general knowledge of the birds of Great Egret (between 15 May and 15 July), Northern Vermont. To obtain Rare Species Documentation forms Shoveler, American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck, (RSDs), or Rare Species Nesting Report forms (RNRs) Lesser Scaup, Osprey (if nesting evidence is observed, write to the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, 27023 except when seen on a platform), Bald Eagle (if nesting Church Hill Rd., Woodstock, VT 05091. evidence is observed), Northern Harrier (outside the Champlain Valley), Cooper's Hawk (if nesting evidence Below: Ross' Goose (center) among Lesser Snow Geese, is observed), Peregrine Falcon, Spruce Grouse, Sora Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area, Addison, Vermont. 13 October, 1996. Photo by David Hoag. Continued on nextpage (except the Barton River Marshes, West Rutland Marsh, FIRST STATE NESTING RECORD Dead Creek and Missisquoi Marshes), Upland Sand­ piper, Short-eared Owl, Red-headed Woodpecket· (if MERLIN (Falco columbarius] - two adults and four nesting is probable or confirmed), GrayJay (outside the young, campus of Johnson State College, Johnson, Northeast Kingdom), Loggerhead Shrike, Grasshop­ Lamoille Cty., April thru July 1997. John Wrazen, Martha per Sparrow, Orchard Oriole (if nesting evidence is Pitt, Sarah B. Laughlin et al. Photographs. observed), Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill (if confirmed breeding), and Mute Swan. NOTABLE STATE RECORDS, Bird Records Committee Members: SECOND THROUGH TENTH Walter Ellison NORTHERN GANNET (Morus bassanus] - one first George E. (Terry) Hall year, Shelburne Bay, Shelburne, Chittenden Cty., 24 Pam Hunt November 1996. TG. Murin, F.A. Pratt. Ninth state Sarah Laughlin record. Nancy Martin SABINE'S GULL(Xema sabini) - one juvenile, Lake Whitney Nichols Champlain off Milton, Chittenden Cty., 12 September Frank Oatman 1997. FA Pratt, Richard Simon Perkins B. Lavallee. Photographs. Wayne Petersen Sixth state record. Frederick Pratt FORSTER'S TERN Susanne Wetmore (Sternaforsteri) - one Editorial Staff adult, Winooski River Steve Faccio delta, Colchester, Julie Nicholson Chittenden Cty., 1 Bryan Pfeiffer November 1996. T.G. Judith Peterson Murin, F.A. Pratt, Eleanor Christopher Rimmer B. Pratt. Fifth state record. FORSTER'S TERN FIRST STATE (S.forsteri) - one adult, Shelburne Bay, RECORDS Shelburne, Chittenden CASSIN'SVIREO (Vireo Cty., 8 April 1997. cassinii) - one, Red Susanne S. Wetmore, Rocks Park, South Edna Jones, m.ob. Sixth Burlington, Chittenden state record. Cty., 21 May 1997. Scott NORTHERN HAWK OWL W. Morrical, Frederick A. [Surnia ulula) - one, Pratt, Theodore G. Murin. West St., Cornwall, PAINTED BUNTING Addison Cty., 21 Novem­ (Passerina ciris) - one ber 1996 into March 1997. adult male, Shelburne, Alan Pistorius, Ben Chittenden Cty., 6 May Pistorius, m.ob. 1997. Susan R. Klein. Seventh report to RYE. Photographs. A previous Photograph. report from Danby, NORTHERN HAWK OWL Rutland Cty., 11 & 13 May (S. ulula) - one, Green 1993 hy Karl and Winifred Droge had been accepted as Mt. Club, Waterbury, Washington Cty., early November hypothetical. 1996 thru February 1997. Ted Allen, m.ob. Eighth report to RVB. Photograph. NORTHERN HAWK OWL (S. ulula) - one, Brandon Above: Northern Hawk Owl snoozing in Cornwall, Training School, Brandon, Rutland Cty., 28 November Vermont. 29 March, 1997. Photo by Steve Faccio. 1996. S.S. Wetmore. Ninth report to RYE. NORTHERN HAWK OWL (S. ulula) - one, East St. at Cross St., Bridport, Addison Cty., 5 December 1996 thru ACCEPTED As HYPOTHETICAL February 1997. Judith A. Peterson, m.ob. Tenth report THAYER'S GULL (Larus thayeri) - one immature, to RYE. Burlington Harbor, Burlington, Chittenden Cty., 3 & 5 December 1996. D.]. Hoag. Third hypothetical state RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD [Selaspborus rufus) - one record. male, West Arlington, Bennington Cty., 10 July 1997. Cornelia S. Chapin, Charles T. Chapin. Fifth state record. SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER [Tyrannus forficatus] - one adult, Bethel, Windsor Cty., 26 May RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (S. rufus) - one male, 1997. Cecil B. Hoisington, Barbara 1. Hoisington. Grand Isle, Grand Isle Cty., 1 August 1997 and 21-30 First hypothetical state record. August 1997. David]. Hoag, Joyce Scholtz et al. Sixth state record. LOGGERHEAD OTHER SHRIKE (Lanius REPORTS Iudouicianus] ­ one adult, OF RARE Hawkins Rd., Ferrisburgh, SPECIES Addison Cty., 3­ ROSS' GOOSE 6 April 1997. (Chen rossii) ­ Steven G. one adult, Grand Parren, T.G. Isle, Grand Isle Murin, S.W. Cty., 1 April 1997. Morrical et al. D.J. Hoag. First record since ROSS' GOOSE 1987. (c. rossii) - one YELLOW­ adult white THROATED morph, Dead WARBLER Creek WMA, (Dendroica Addison, Addison dominica) - Cty., 6 October one male, Danby 1997. T.G. Pond, Danby, Rutland Cty., 25 May 1997. Nancy A. Murin. Brown. Ninth state record. ROSS' GOOSE (c. rossii) - one adult white morph, WORM-EATING WARBLER (Helmitberos Dead Creek WMA, Addison, Addison Cty., 8 & 14 uermioorus] - one adult, north of Brattleboro, October 1997. D.]. Hoag. Windham Cty., 8 May 1997. P.D. Hunt. Sixth report ROSS' GOOSE (c. rossii) - one adult white morph, to RVB. Dead Creek WMA, Gage Rd. Addison, Addison Cty., CLAY-COLORED SPARROW [Spiaella pallida) - one, 9 October 1997. Julia Nicholson, Elizabeth F.Gilbert. Smith Haven, South Londonderry, Windham Cty., 6 EURASIAN WIGEON (Anas penelope) - one male, April 1997. William]. Norse. Seventh state record. Swanton, Franklin Cty., 30 March 1997. T.G. Murin. HENSLOW'S SPARROW (Ammodramus henslowii) HARLEQUIN DUCK (Histrtonicus bistrionicus] - one - one, Smith Haven, South Londonderry, Windham Cty., male in alternate plumage and one female, Charlotte 18 August 1996. W.]. Norse. Second record since 1977. Town Beach, Charlotte, Chittenden Cty., 15 December BLUE GROSBEAK [Guiraca caerulea) - one male, 1996. T.G. Murin. West Arlington, Bennington Cty., 29 June 1997. C.S. GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila cbrysaetos) - one immature, Chapin, CT. Chapin. Eighth state record. Mt. Philo, Charlotte, Chittenden Cty., 22 April 1997. T.G. 'J Murin. GOLDEN EAGLE (A. cbrysaetos) - one immature, Appalachian Trail, Bridgewater, Windsor Cty., 27 Septem­ Above: Medin Fledglings, Johnson, VT 14 July, 1997 ber 1997. Jim Tietz, Tim Redman. Photo byJohn 1Vrazen Continued on nextpage GOLDENEAGLE (A. cbrysaetos) - one subadult, ~ESTING Rupert Mt., Rupert, Bennington Cty, 19 October 1997, RARE SPECIES E,F. Gilbert. PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podtceps) - one adult with three young, West Rutland Marsh, West GYRFALCON (Falco rusticolus) - one dark morph, Rutland, Rutland Cty., 9 June 1997. S.S, Wetmore, Dead Creek WMA, Addison, Addison Cty., 16 November David Jenne, Bryan Pfeiffer, Roy Pilcher. 1996, S.W, Morrical, Jim Osborne et al. SPRUCE GROUSE(Dendragapus canadensis) - one GYRFALCON (F. rusticolus) - one gray morph, Dead adult female and one chick, Yellow Bogs, Lewis, Essex Creek WMA, Addison, Addison Cty, 29 November 1996. Cty., 17 July 1997. Alexander Weinhagen, Steve Faccio, Paul Fusco, Photographs. GYRFALCON (F. rusticolus) - one gray morph, Button Bay State Park, Ferrisburgh, Addison Cty., 11 December OUT-Of-SEASON REPORTS 1996, S,S, Wetmore, ].A. Peterson, NORTHERN FLICKER [Colaptes auratus] - one, GYRFALCON (F. rusticolus) - one immature gray Charlotte, Chittenden Cty., 13 February 1997. D.], morph, Dead Creek WMA, Addison, Addison Cty. 28 Hoag. December 1996. S.W. Morrical, Beatrice Guyett et al. BLUE-HEADED VIREO (Vireo solitarius] - one, GYRFALCON (F. rusticolus) - one adult gray morph, North Westminster, Windham Cty., 21 December 1996. Dead Creek WMA, Addison, Addison Cty, 28 December Dan Crook, Jean Sangdahl. 1996. S.W, Morrical, B.Guyett et al. YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Dendroica BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Rissa tridactyla) ­ coronata) - one, East St. Bridport, Addison Cty., 9 one, near Savage Island, Grand Isle, Grand Isle Cty., 15 March 1997. F.A. Pratt, E,B. Pratt. September 1996. R.B. Lavallee, Elizabeth Alton, RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEE(Pipilo Raymond Barnes. erytbropbthalmus] - one male, Bridgewater Corners, LONG-EARED OWL(Asio otus) - one found dead at Rt. Windsor Cty., 27 December 1996, Christopher C. 17 north of Snake Mt. Addison, Addison Cty., 17 April Rimmer, Kevin Taft. 1997, S.G. Parren. Photograph. CHIPPING SPARROW (Spizella passerina) - one WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus) - one, South adult, winter plumage, Brattleboro, Windham Cty., 21 Londonderry, Windham Cty., 10 September 1997, W.]. December 1996, Whitney Nichols, Norse. SAVANNAH SPARROW (Passerculus SEDGEWREN (Cistotborus platensis) - one, Sudbury, sandwichensis) - four, Hawkins Rd. Ferrisburgh, Rutland Cry, 26 May 1997. S.S. Wetmore, Mary Lou Addison Cty, 11 January 1997, ].A, Peterson, S.S, Webster, Betty Barbarise. Wetmore. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER [Vermiuora celata) ­ SAVANNAH SPARROW (P. sandwichensis) - three, one, Red Rocks Park, South Burlington, Chittenden Cty., Nortontown Rd., Addison, Addison Cty., 2 February 17 May 1997, S.W. Morrical. 1997. ].A. Peterson, S.S. Wetmore et al. DICKCISSEL (Spiza americana) - one adult female, Addison, Addison Cry, 27 September 1997. F.A. Pratt.