On Eagles Wings

The GMAS field trip to Shelburne Bay and Shelburne Town Beach on Saturday was moderately successful despite a wicked wind from the west. Most spectacular was an aerial display by two adult Bald Eagles at Shelburne Bay. Alternately soaring and descending together, these birds danced in the air for a good 5 minutes before heading for Shelburne Point. Altogether 4 Bald Eagles were spotted at Shelburne Bay. Otherwise, the fare consisted of the ducks, grebes, and gulls that I saw on the previous Friday.

For the past few afternoons I have been walking the Intervale road. I enjoy birding in the Intervale in the winter in contrast to other times of year when there is too much human activity for my taste. In winter it's quieter with only the occasional jogger, dog walker, or crosscountry skier to contend with. And there are birds. Starlings, crows, and gulls to be sure, but also songbirds (cardinals, titmice, nuthatches, and chickadees), woodpeckers, and especially Red-tailed Hawks. A few days ago I went eyeball-to-eyeball with a hawk that was perched in the bushes near the compost piles about 10 feet away from me. Yesterday, I encountered Ann and Fred Curran, who bird the Intervale frequently as well. After admiring the songbirds flitting through the scrubby bushes and trees for a moment, Fred spotted an Intervale specialty, a small flock of American Tree Sparrows. These winter sparrows are often found foraging along the Intervale road or in the barren fields nearby.

The Intervale hosts an impressive variety of birds throughout the year including Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Merlins, Wood Ducks, Common and Hooded Mergansers, Mallards, Great Blue and Black-crowned Night Herons, Pileated Woodpeckers, and, in summer, Indigo Buntings and many species of warblers. Rick Renaud, a notable local birder who works at Gardener's Supply, compiled an informative brochure a few years ago listing the birds of the Intervale. If I recall correctly, Rick identified at least 50 species that are regularly found there during the year. This brochure may still be available in the store. As the "old perfesser" Casey Stengel used to say-you can look it up!