VT - CBC surprise, a Townsend's Solitaire!

 Townsend's Solitaire - Westminster West, Windham Co., VT. December 19th, 2016.

Evening Grosbeaks provided the primary motivation for a short roadside stop in the quiet rural surroundings of Westminster West. The birds were right on the main road through the village and most easily viewed on foot, a smart move indeed because the same stop produced a Townsend's Solitaire which would have almost certainly been missed had we stayed the vehicle.

Townsend's Solitaire - Westminster West, Windham Co., VT. December 19th, 2016.

Townsend's Solitaire is a state rarity in Vermont with about five or so records to date, and certainly a super surprise for today's CBC team of Laura Gaudette, Suzanne Heller, JoAnne Russo and myself. Ironically, the bird occurred in a brand new sector of the Saxton's River CBC, a sector that looks set to be an established route in the future. 

VT - Townsend's Solitaire in Dummerston - 12/01/15

 Townsend's Solitaire - private residence, Dummesrton, VT. December 2nd, 2015. Present for its second day when this image was taken in dull, misty conditions. 
Fourth state record if accepted by the VBRC. Images shared with permission.

Every once in a while the Connecticut River Valley throws up a bird observation that really captures my imagination. This morning I received word of a Townsend's Solitaire that visited a private yard in Dummerston yesterday afternoon (12/01/15). That's not too far, as the solitaire might fly, from my home in Northfield, MA. Moreover, it's been a species that I've often thought of finding in Gill/Turner's Falls at the right time of year. Well, this is certainly the right time of year and it's discovery has me excited and motivated to go out and check some fruiting Eastern Red Cedars (Juniperus virginiana), the preferred food plant of this bird in Dummerston. Indeed, as Brian Kane mentioned today, all four East Coast Townsend's Solitaire's that he's seen over the years have been closely associated with Eastern Red Cedar.

Townsend's Solitaires are exceedingly rare in deepest interior New England and I've yet to find one in the Pioneer Valley despite having it on my radar every fall. Kudos to the finder for this discovery and for providing unambiguous documentation. With perhaps fewer than five documented records for Vermont this is a rare bird indeed - what a great find!

Townsend's Solitaire - private residence, Dummerston, Windham Co., VT. December 1st, 2015. 
Images shared with permission. Potentially the 4th state record if accepted by the VBRC. 

Townsend's Solitaire - private residence, Dummesrton, VT. December 2nd, 2015.