Pioneer Birding: VT - Putney morning

Thursday, October 20, 2016

VT - Putney morning

View from Putney Mountain, VT looking WNW.

Sensing the need for change, I headed north toward Putney Mountain Hawk-watch in southern Vermont, my third such visit this fall. It was a glorious morning, but from a birding perspective, not quite as cool and blustery as I'd hoped, nor as cool as the weather forecast might have suggested. Even so, it was a thoroughly enjoyable visit and I was more than happy to share the morning with regulars JoAnne Russo, Laura Gaudette and Don Clark.

View from Putney Mountain, VT looking East.

View from Putney Mountain, VT looking North-east.

Raptors were few, very few in fact but a steady trickle of Sharp-shinned Hawks passed through in ones and twos, actually the only common raptor species for the morning. Otherwise, there was a smattering of Turkey Vultures and singles of Cooper's Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Bald Eagle and my personal favorite, a Northern Goshawk (distant adult soaring with a Sharp-shinned Hawk).

Sharp-shinned Hawk (adult male) - Putney Mountain, Windham Co., VT. October 20th, 2016.

By comparison, passerine action was quite lively as small groups of American Robins and Purple Finches passed south through much of the morning, and there was even a small flock of Horned Larks that tried to settle on the mountain before moving on. Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were also present, as well as several Yellow-rumped Warblers and a good looking yellow (eastern) Palm Warbler.