It's been a weird spring. Migrating ducks seemed to have skipped their usual stopovers in SE VT and just flown right through. Perhaps prompted by the unusually early warm weather they were in a hurry to make it to their breeding grounds in Canada. Migrating at night, they rested maybe for a day and then were gone again. Reports of an Eurasian Green-winged Teal had lured many birders out to a local birding hot spot this morning, but the teals were far from the observation area, partially hidden by banks of grass and weeds and even with a scope the Eurasian GW Teal remained elusive.
Blue-winged Teal pair
Male preening, showing green speculum
Green-winged Teal showing bold white bar down the side of the breast.
Eurasian GW Teals lack such a bar but look similar otherwise.
A Song Sparrow was singing loudly from his perch on a tree.
The Red-winged Blackbirds seemed more interested in food than in territorial display.
Of course no dearth of Canada Geese, both in the water and flying over:
They often become a nuisance in local parks and on golf courses, but with their prim white kerchiefs wrapped around the jaw they are still one of the handsomest birds around.
When I came home a rather imperious looking Common Grackle had taken possession of the crab apple tree and feeder. But he couldn't keep the Goldfinches, White-throated Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Titmice and Chckadees away for long.
A White-throated Sparrow is checking out the scene.
Good Birding!
