Ducks
Some of the first species to arrive in the Upper Valley in spring are ducks. I photographed them mostly from Hewes Brook and the mouth of Grant Brook in Lyme, Reeds March in Orford, and Mascoma Lake in Enfield.
Here are photos of Ring-necked Ducks from Enfield and Lyme.
The Wood Duck photos shown here were taken in Grant Brook and at Reeds Marsh. The first one was at the far end of the mouth of Grant Brook in the Connecticut River.
A Common Merganser swam by Canada Geese in Lyme.
Backlit by the early morning sun, I photographed beautiful and colorful Buffleheads in Mascoma Lake from the Rail Trail. In the best light (sun and frontlit), these otherwise black-and-white birds can show amazing colors. In these backlit photos just a bare hint of the colors show.
Bald Eagles
I was fortunate to be able to photograph Bald Eagles before leaving for Costa Rica. Here is a collection of them flying.
Osprey
An Osprey danced in the sky over Reeds Marsh before it landed on a snag. Then I moved to a spot on Route 10 nearby and was able to get a few photos as it departed.
Late April Birds
Yellow-rumped Warblers from the Rail Trail at Ice House Road in Lebanon.
From the same area, Common Grackles.
I also photographed Ruby-crowned Kinglets from this productive spot in Lebanon just off Route 4.
Below are five other species I photographed. Species name and locations are in the titles.
In late April, I packed my camera gear for Costa Rica, even locking my carry-on camera case. Then, of course, a hawk landed in my yard. I scrambled to retrieve my camera and got a few photos before it flew. It actually flew closer to me to grab a small snake. Ted Levin tells me it was a red-bellied snake. The beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk eventually flew, carrying the snake.
25th Annual BBB
Soon after retuning from Costa Rica — it was a fabulous trip that I will relate in much later blog posts; I’m only up to Day 5 viewing the photos, tossing junk, identifying the species, and keywording the images — I attended the 25th Annual Birding with Bill in Boltonville. Alice Allen makes this event happen and Bill Shepard leads the walk. Boltonville is part of Wells River, VT.
This event was well attended. Here is a photo of less than half the group with Bill giving an introductory talk.
We hiked slowly along the Cross Vermont Trail.
This is a beautiful spot with varied habitats within a short distance.
We heard many birds, we saw many fewer, and I learned much from Bill, as I do each time I walk with an expert birder. Our first siting was a very distant Eastern Kingbird from the parking area. Later in this post I’ll show a closer view of a kingbird.
There were Common Grackles in the swamp. The male is on the left with a female to his right.
Also in the swamp, I photographed female Red-winged Blackbirds …
… and Tree Swallows.
We found a Spotted Sandpiper near the far extent of the walk.
Bill told us about a new Osprey platform on the median !!! of the interstate just south of the Bradford interchange. I stopped briefly to snap a photo. This platform can best be seen when heading south on I-91.
Rail Trail walk from Mascoma Lakeside Park
Tom Sherry and Gail McPeek lead a walk for about 20 participants in Enfield at one of my favorite spots for birds in spring and sunrises in fall. Before the walk started I photographed Tree Swallows on a mast of a sailboat. The image below is a composite of three shots, but I did not change the direction of flight of any of the birds.
Tom taught us aspects of ornithology as we walked, listen, and looked.
Here are some of the photos I took during the walk with species names as titles.
We walked as far as the bridge over the Mascoma River where Tom went down the bank to check to see if a phoebe was nesting under it.
After the walk concluded, I lingered to do more photography:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Chipping Sparrow
And a Song Sparrow with a beak filled with food. I’m always amazed at how birds can capture multiple insects and even fish in their bills.
More from Enfield, Lebanon, Canaan, and Etna
Rail Trail at Mascoma Lakeside Park
As I mentioned, this is a great spot for birds, especially in spring. My best siting was in mid-May of a Blackpoll Warbler, a species that breeds north of the Upper Valley.
American Redstarts abound in this area. Here is a slide show of eight photos, the last being a female.
Other species from this relatively short section of the Northern Rail Trail:
Warbling Vireo
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Baltimore Oriole
Baltimore Oriole scratching neck
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
White-breasted Nuthatch
Northern Cardinal
Mourning Dove
And a female Hooded Merganser swimming is some amazing reflections.
Johnston Park, Enfield, NH
Proceeding west along the Rail Trail from Lakeside Park we have several other great spots. One is the new and mostly-unused Johnston Park and a small pond nearby. This area is filled with Yellow Warblers and Warbling Vireo, but here I just show two photos: an Eastern Kingbird and a Chestnut-sided Warbler.
Ice House Road, Lebanon, NH
Heading west to Ice House Road, I found a Broad-winged Hawk on a power line. I was able to walk amazingly close for these photos.
And then it flew.
Along the Rail Trail at Ice House Road I found a Purple Finch and a Blackpoll Warbler.
Little Goose Pond, Canaan, NH
I paid a very short visit to Little Goose Pond and found a Wilson’s Warbler. Wilson’s Warblers breed across northern and western North American, particularly in Canada and the western US.
I also photographed a Gray Catbird in the shrubs and Canada Geese on the pond.
Etna, NH
Finally I conclude my travels back home in Etna. An Eastern Bluebird paid a brief visit.
And a pair of American Robins have taken over the platform I built for phoebes who have used it for many years.
We still have phoebes in our yard, but I do not know where they are nesting. Here is one of the phoebes, perhaps looking a bit sad that its spot has been taken by larger birds.
