dannybouwens's Journal

On my way to the Missisquoi Refuge I stumbled upon a good spot to find water/wetland birds so I decided to stop for a bit.
Location: Black Bridge, St. Albans Town, VT
Time: 6:45 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Weather: Sunny, some clouds but not many, 50 °F, no wind.
Habitat: The location was at a delta of a local stream that runs through St. Albans City. The delta winds through phragmites and cattails. On the water there was duckweed, algae (most likely blue-green algae), and lily pads. At the end of the delta there was a small bridge that was frequently used by cars. The edge of the delta was lined with deciduous trees, but I was unable to identify the trees because I was too far away.
Birds spotted: 15 red-winged blackbirds, 2 Canada geese, 8 common loons, 2 double-crested cormorants, 3 American robins, 1 woodpecker (I didn't see it, only hear the pecking), 1 spotted sandpiper, 3 American crows, 3 dark-eyed juncos, 2 ring-billed gulls, 1 northern waterthrush, 1 northern cardinal, 2 red-tailed hawks, 4 mallards, 1 common yellowthroat, 2 common terns.

After my time at my first spot I continued on to the Missisquoi Refuge.
Location: Missisquoi Refuge, Swanton, VT
Time: 9:35 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Weather: Sunny, hardly any clouds, 60 °F, no wind.
Habitat: The trail followed through two streams until the streams finally converged. There were very little coniferous trees, mainly deciduous and ferns. The main fern present was ostrich fern.
Birds spotted: 1 American goldfinch, 4 red-winged blackbirds, 4 song sparrows, 3 black-capped chickadees, 1 golden-crowned sparrow, 1 white-breasted nuthatch, 1 common yellowthroat, 2 American robins, 2 downy woodpeckers, 1 yellow-bellied sapsucker, 4 eastern phoebes, 2 Baltimore orioles, 2 Canada geese, 2 great blue heron, 1 ring-billed gull, 4 tree swallows.

Location: Franklin County Airport in Swanton, VT
Time: 7:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Weather: Sunny, little to no clouds, 55 °F, no wind.
Habitat: A classic shrubland. There were short trees (roughly 20 feet) that covered the land. The tree species included quaking aspens, American beeches, some pines, and other unidentified trees. Under the trees were saplings and an abundance of thickets.
Birds Spotted: 6 American robins, 12 song sparrows, 4 wild turkeys, 11 gray catbirds, 4 eastern towhees, 1 indigo bunting, 13 yellow warblers, 1 woodpecker (only heard it drumming), 6 black-capped chickadees, 1 American crow, 8 vesper sparrows, and 2 chestnut- sided warblers.

At the Franklin County Airport I was confronted by a worker who expressed is uneasiness with me being there. For this reason I left the location and went to the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge.

Location: Tabor Road, Franklin County, VT
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Weather: Sunny, no clouds, 65 °F, no wind.
Habitat: A narrow trail with two very different sides. The north side of the trail was bordered with thick grass. The grass covered roughly six acres. And on the south side of the trail, there were more hardwood trees, and it was a little more marshy. I say marshy because it had cattails, phragmites, and vernal pools.
Birds Spotted: 12 bobolinks, 14 song sparrows, 7 yellow warblers, 9 gray catbirds, 2 black-capped chickadees, 2 Canada geese, 8 American robins, 5 common yellowthoats, and 11 red-winged blackbirds.

Location: Hard'Ack, St. Albans, VT
Time: 6:45 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Weather: Sunny, little to no clouds, 60-65 °F, very little wind.
Habitat: Hard'Ack is a small mountain, more like a hill, and is covered in deciduous trees. The majority of the trees are ironwoods, American beeches, and oaks, with some pines scattered throughout. To get into the wooded area, I had to walk through a short "shrubland." The shrubland area had staghorn sumac, short (roughly 15 feet) deciduous trees, raspberry bushes, and other unidentified shrubs. Roughly 75% of Hard'Ack's forest edge is surrounded by houses which is likely the reason I saw some suburban birds (i.e. northern cardinal and tufted titmouse).

Birds Spotted:4 American robins, 7 ovenbirds, 6 black-capped chickadees, 4 European starlings, 2 song sparrows, 4 gray catbirds, 6 cedar waxwings, 6 American redstarts, 2 red-breasted nuthatches, 4 yellow warblers, 2 black-throated green warblers, 3 hermit thrushes, 5 red-eyed vireos, 2 rose-breasted grosbeaks, 3 scarlet tanagers, 1 white-breasted nuthatch, 3 white-throated sparrows, 1 wood thrush, 1 northern cardinal, 2 tufted titmouses, 1 American crow, 1 chestnut-sided warbler.

Location: Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, Swanton, VT
Time: 6:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.
Weather: Sunny, hardly any clouds, 65 °F, no wind.
Habitat: To get to the opening of the trail, I had to walk through a grassland (roughly 3 acres). The trail followed through two streams until the streams finally converged. There were very little coniferous trees (most of the coniferous trees were pines). It was mainly deciduous trees and ferns. Some of the deciduous trees I saw were oaks (presumably swamp white oak), silver maples, shagbark hickories, and others. The main fern present in the under-story was ostrich fern. There was also raspberry bushes, poison-ivy, and other unidentified shrubs.
Birds Spotted: 10 American robins, 7 song sparrows, 5 red-winged blackbirds, 1 white-breasted nuthatch, 6 downy woodpeckers, 3 Canada geese, 1 dark-eyed junco, 6 great crested flycatchers, 2 unidentified woodpeckers (I only heard the drumming), 5 eastern phoebes, 1 eastern wood-pewee, 2 great blue herons, 2 broad-winged hawks, 9 tree swallows, 3 northern waterthrushes, 1 mourning dove, 1 Baltimore oriole, 3 scarlet tanagers, 3 American redstarts, 1 blue-headed vireo, 1 blue jay, and 4 gray catbirds.

Location: Mud Creek in Alburgh, VT
Time: 7:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Weather: Sunny, little to no clouds, 70 °F, slight wind blowing west to east.
Habitat: At Mud Creek I followed a gravel/grass trail going west to east. At some parts the trail was gravel, and at others the trail was grass. Bordering the trail on both sides were different hardwood species and shrubs. Some of the hardwoods I could identify were silver maple, oaks, and what I believe were ashes. The trail had wetlands on both sides. The south side of the trail had cattails, phragmites, and lily pads. The south was also were most of the water was. The north side of the trail consisted of phragmites, hardwood snags, and other shrubs I couldn't identify. There were what looked like little vernal pools on the north side, but there was not much water overall on that side.
Birds Spotted: 8 Canada geese, 18 red-winged blackbirds, 5 American robins, 6 song sparrows, 4 common grackles, 1 mourning dove, 3 common yellowthroats, 15 yellow warblers, 2 blue-winged warblers, 3 American goldfinches, 1 northern cardinal, 4 great crested flycatchers, 6 gray catbirds, 1 osprey, 6 tree swallows, 1 Wilson's snipe, 2 downy woodpeckers, 1 hairy woodpecker, 1 great blue heron, 1 eastern wood-pewee, 2 eastern kingbirds, 4 northern waterthrushes, and 3 swamp sparrows.