Winooski Valley Park District_Woodside Park-VT Birding

Birding at Winooski Valley Park District's Woodside Park (also known as 68 Acres), Essex Jct., Vermont with Maeve (pronounced Mav like Maverick) Kim as our guide.

The bird lookout tree. They are looking out for mates, not humans. 

We seemingly heard a hundred birds to everyone we sighted, from the outset.

                  Hairy Woodpecker

Pitcher plant?

                Our guide checks the bird guide book to show us the bird in question.

A ripple tree

Trillium's

As the flowers age, they turn pink.

                                                       

 There is a trillion Trillium it seems.

Winooski River

     












     Grandfather Cottonwood, lend us your aged wisdom.

We spoke of Sandpipers and low and behold we spotted one on the river bank.

For me, there are no ugly ducklings in the world of flowers.

Could not decide between growing horizontal and growing vertical. 

Dinosaurs sleeping in the woods.

The hills were alive with the sound of music-bird love songs.  American Redstart.

The joy of birding can be unique to each individual. The level of expertise is not necessarily a gauging factor in how much one can enjoy the simple observation of birds as well as observing their natural habitat. ~Bernie

Select TABLE OF CONTENTS, page down to Backyard Birding section. Select any of 16 photo series of backyard birds.

 Woodside Park - Essex - Winooski Valley Park District, Chittenden, US-VT

May 17, 2015 6:30 AM - 10:15 AM
43 species, some were heard and not seen. 

Canada Goose  10     Four flying and a family of two adults and four goslings (yellow-greenish colored).
Great Blue Heron  1
Green Heron  1
Turkey Vulture  4
Red-tailed Hawk  1     extremely irritated by pestering crows
Spotted Sandpiper  2
Ring-billed Gull  1
Mourning Dove  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  2
Hairy Woodpecker  2     lots of noise as the parents brought food to a hole
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Eastern Wood-Pewee  2
Least Flycatcher  2
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Blue-headed Vireo  1
Warbling Vireo  4
Red-eyed Vireo  2
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  4
Tree Swallow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  6
Tufted Titmouse  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
House Wren  2
Veery  1
Wood Thrush  1
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  6     very cooperative - everyone got good looks through ancient and borrowed binoculars
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  5
American Redstart  6
Yellow Warbler  3
Chestnut-sided Warbler  1
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
Song Sparrow  1
Swamp Sparrow  1
Northern Cardinal  2
Common Grackle  5     This is the fifth year in a row that grackles have nested in an old woodpecker hole in the snag directly in front of the bench at the pond.
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Baltimore Oriole  4
American Goldfinch  2

Excerpt from GMC website: 
5/17/15 Bird walk in Essex
Eight of us showed up before 7AM to look for birds at Woodside Natural Area in Essex Junction – and we were well rewarded. The mile-long loop took us over three hours because of the astonishing abundance of birds: 43 species in all! Highlights included great looks at:
• Spotted Sandpipers along the Winooski
• many Gray Catbirds so involved in their own interpersonal affairs that they completely ignored us
• four fluffy yellow goslings following their parents of a beaver lodge into the water
• a pair of Hairy Woodpeckers feeding their noisy begging young
• brilliant Yellow Warblers
• a gorgeous Chestnut-sided Warbler kindly staying put in a tree right beside the trail.
We also saw many turtles, including at least one that appeared to be a Spiny Soft-shelled Turtle.  Along with wildlife, a big highlight was the energy and enthusiasm of the group – lots of laughter and great conversation! Participants were Fernando Corrada, Corky Magoon, Betty Navin, Josette Noll, Bernie, Dorene Quesnel, and Julie Soquet. The leader was Maeve Kim.

                      Trash collected on a 3-mile ride home.

Bernie publishes short stories and photos reflecting Vermont's values of Green and Clean and Community. He urges us all to pick up litter to protect our water, wildlife, and human health. 

Bernie resides in SB, Vermont. 
#caring, #community, #contribution