Supplement to Vermont Natural History

c s Ver s supplement to Vermont Natural History Common Flicker studies Record of Vermont Birds with bander Bruce Hamblett. CONTRIBUTORS May Adams Sally Drew D. Hatch Don Miller K. Shepard Neale Biddle Eleanor Ellis Bob Jervis Louise Mullen Anne Spencer Hope Blucher George Ellison Gladys Kidder Julie Nicholson Eleanor Swaim Alexandra Brown Walter Ellison Walter Kidder William Norse Marian Vince Archer Brown Richard Farrar David Laughlin Frank Oatman WalterWestcott FaithCarter Tom Foster Sherry Mahady Peggy Patten John Wiggin Elizabeth Clapp Grant Frazer Joe Massey E. Pease Tom Will Mary Clapp Marcia Garner Loy McLaughlin Bruce Peterson Jon Wood Don Clark Beau Gatch Larry Metcalf Mary Russell Cathy Yandell 'I'homas Dibble Bunny Gatch Marian Metcalf George Schott Frank Sherlock 29 ermo "Records of Vermont Birds" is a new section of The conference Vel'mont Natural History. It will cover the records of to discover a sh bird life submitted to the Vermont Institute of Natural when bird-ban Science - research, movement of birds throughout around the state. S e the state, sighting and nesting records, and the like. were: the history and "Records of Vermont Birds" - this is the first issue Falcon' he state; the came about for two reasons. It is primarily the result wide b' anding net of the many Vermont birdwatchers who have watched Game epartment work wi and kept records throughout the state and over the and Dr. Peter Paul Kellogg years. But the recent State Conference on Vermont techniques of making and us Birds at Plymouth, in June, focused the need for an the field. overall collection center for observations taken all All at the conference over the state. In this way, the conference provided a initiated t continue t chance for birders to meet, and even to recognize how the Ins has been large their numbers had grown. People recognized vations, and those that their efforts weren't isolated and that their sight spring migration a ings were in accord with the data collected by others. compilation. Frequent at the conference were comments like, "Why didn't someone tell me that my nesting pair of mockingbirds would be a state record?" or, "Do you WHERE DO WE B mean you've found Golden-crowned Kinglets nesting Ourideaisthatrepo regularly in the southern half of Vermont?" and, "I've contributors (from fe been keeping records for twenty years and waiting for "li ") will be the bac the day when somebody would be interested in them! " trib s, then, are t Jim Stewart, Assistant State Ornithologist, probably reporting forms can be summed up more than his own feelings when he said Office in Woodstock, V that it was a "special occasion" - the "first statewide SIGHTINGS form, 3 x 5 inc gathering of the clan." early and late migrants, unusual 30 Where more information is being gathered, as in The discussion here of spring migration of birds into continual records of nesting birds, feeding station and through Vermont is organized at first by families observation over the winter, behavioral accounts, and then by species. At least minimal mention is made etc., the larger SPECIES ACCOUNT form is used of every species known to occur in the State on any one to a species. Finally, the FIELD TRIP REPORT thing but an accidental basis. The compilation can be form is submitted for records of birds seen on special only as strong as the records submitted by contrib excursions. On occasion, special Field Days are spon utors; it's obvious, for instance, that we need much sored by the Institute to encourage simultaneous wider coverage from areas on the edge of Lake Cham observations in various parts of the state. plain. Initials in parentheses refer to contributors. Adding greatly to the picture of bird distribution and movement in Vermont is the data compiled by Insti As records accumulate each year we'll try to get a tute-coordinated banding stations, the nation's largest much better feeling for differences between geo inland bird-banding program. This data is especially graphical divisions of the State. As of this year we will helpful in determining peaks of species abundance be testing the following hypothesis: during migration. In addition to the compilation of seasonal records, It appears that the early spring migrants such feature articles will focus on special studies of in as some of the sparrows, blackbirds and terest. A number of people have already submitted thrushes may move up either the Connecticut material for these special articles. Anyone else have River Valley or the Hudson River and Lake some things you're working on? Champlain Valley as snow cover begins to decrease. This, of course, makes their arrival A FRAMEWORH, in parts of Vermont more variable through the In the area from Springfield to Montpelier and west years. Due to a generally milder climate, to Rutland, the status of each species on a week-by arrival of a given species in the Champlain week basis has been worked out (Birds of East Valley of northwestern Vermont may be earlier Central Vermont by Richard B. Farrar, Jr.) and pub by about two weeks than in the upper reaches of lished by the Institute. We recommend you acquire a the Connecticut River Valley. In the eastern copy of this book. The unique graphs should serve as a half of the State, movement of these birds up starting point against which to measure your own the tributaries of the Connecticut may result in records no matter where you are in Vermont. In fact, a delay between the first sightings near the ae records of past years which some of you have Connecticut River and general arrival in areas could be sent in and used as a revision of these graphs near the Green Mountains. Waterfowl may for your area. follow similar trends which depend on the One big danger we can foresee from the experience availability of open water. with the graphs of Birds of East-Central Vermont is that observers will only report sightings which look Further, our hypothesis suggests that the later unusual. We can't emphasize too strongly that all migrants of May and June generally disregard records are important. Even if you see common birds the distinctions of upland versus river valleys, and live in the middle of the area covered by these arriving in the State and advancing northward graphs, and your sighting is at a "normal" time of on a broad front. A rough estimate at this point year, it may be important for corroboration - so send would allow about one week for these species to it in. reach the border of Canada after their first The "authors" of the Spring Movement of Birds look appearance in Vermont forward to having others join them for the next issue and thus become regular contributors. Reports are It'll be interesting to test this hypothesis through due on the forms available from the Institute as examination of each year's records, comparing one follows: ~lllLJYlig~atio~~~1:_~une 15th, Nesting species against another even within families. The ,§~asol1lJLAugust 15th, Fall Migrationby'November compilation itself will include mention of questions "-andWTnter'Season by AprTCf51K'Note~well-that that look interesting for further study. Hopefully, reports onspring migrationmay'm'volve sightings as individual observers will begin to look for answers early as February, for nesting as early as March, and within their records and to make further observations for autumn movements as early as July. with these questions in mind. 31 LOONS - The first report of the Bomboseen near Hubbardton, May 12 Only one male red-breasted merganser common loon was from mid-state at (WE, GE), the other near Winhall, was seen on April 25 at Wilder (WE, Norwich where three passed overhead, April 25 (WN). GE) and there were no records 0 d heading north, on April 29 (WE, GE). walls, northern shovelers, red By May 15 (FO) and May 16 (LM, AB) IBISES - The glossy ibis was unre canvasbacks, greater scaup, two records of single birds were made corded this spring. goldeneye, old squ ruddy du in the vicinity of Plainfield in northern any of the scoter s ies. The Vermont. Another bird was seen near SWANS, GEESE, DUCKS - Whistling noted a pair of pintails and two Norwich (WE, GE) on May 19, the last swans went unrecorded, as did brant ican wigeon pairs near Springfield on record of the spring. There were no and blue geese. On April 1 there were April 7, but that was the only ord of reports of red-throated loons. flocks of snow geese over Plymouth those species. Lesser sca ere Lake (oS, WJ) and Winhall (WN), with reported only from Wilder on GREBES - Generally rare red-necked a large flock of 400-plus reported over and Lake lain Apri grebes turned up in a group of four on Springfield April 4 (DC, JC). Canada GEl. The on ords 0 the Connecticut River at Wilder on May geese were regularly seen in southern teal were eight near Spr 5 (WE, GE) with another individual on and central Vermont from March 12 to (DC, JC) and a pair Lake Morey about twenty miles north April 16,with the largest flock reported near Quechee on Ap on the same day (WE, GE). A single only 82 birds near Addison on April 14 horned grebe was present on the (WE, GE). A late group of 30migrants Connecticut River at Wilder April 10, a was noted on the White River, June 12 slightly earlier date than usual there (GEl. (WE, GE). A sighting of one pied-billed grebe at the same time and place was Common goldeneye, ring-necked ducks even earlier' for that species (WE, GE).

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