My cousin, Suzanne, is not a birder, but she is an excellent, amateur photographer. We are killing time during her visit to Vermont and I offer to take her "birding by car". She is skeptical. I think that she has heard this before. But she is game, or perhaps bored, so she grabs her camera and off we go.
My thought is that we will intercept Muddy Brook at various points along its course where there is easy public access. Muddy Brook flows north out of Shelburne Pond, forming the boundary between South Burlington and Williston. During its five mile run to the Winooski River Muddy Brook can be interdicted at several points. First we turn onto River Cove Road in Williston and stop at Muddy Brook Park. No dice. Usually Common Mergansers, Mallards, and American Black Ducks swimming in the Winooski River can be seen from the road, but today the VELCO trucks are in the field noisily installing new power poles. Suzie sighs.
Next we swing by Technology Park in South Burlington. Muddy Brook flows as a nice freestone river along the eastern border of the property. I am told that American Woodcock can be found along the riverbank, but today we see only Red-winged Blackbirds, European Starlings, and American Robins. I insist that Red-tailed Hawks are almost always seen here, but Suzie is not impressed. "We see plenty of them on the Cape.", she skoffs.
We stop by the Muddy Brook Reserve on Van Sicklen Road on the off chance that Suzie will want to do some hiking. But no. It's starting to rain and besides it's buggy and I have forgotten to bring the insect repellant (again). Suzie caustically notices that one of the signs marking the road into the housing development across the street is called Blue Heron Drive, which probably means there isn't a blue heron within five miles of here, she says. She's wrong. I pull out my ace.
Turning left on Hinesburg Road I head for the pull off just south of Cheesefactory Road where Muddy Brook meanders under the road and forms a large cattail marsh. Turning slowly into the lot I hear Suzie gasp. "There's a Great Blue Heron standing right by the beaver dam." she exclaims, fumbling for her camera. I roll down the car window on her side and she gets a great shot. Click. A Green Heron takes off. Click. A Black-crowned Night Heron lurks in the bushes at the water's edge. Click. Tree Swallows swoop down picking off insects. Click. A female Wood Duck corrals her brood of ducklings into the reeds. Click. Click. In the field a pair of Canada Geese stand erect, watching us with suspicion. Click. I feel vindicated, but try to stay humble. As we drive off Suzanne is impressed. "What a great spot", she says, "And what dumb luck that you found it.".
My thought is that we will intercept Muddy Brook at various points along its course where there is easy public access. Muddy Brook flows north out of Shelburne Pond, forming the boundary between South Burlington and Williston. During its five mile run to the Winooski River Muddy Brook can be interdicted at several points. First we turn onto River Cove Road in Williston and stop at Muddy Brook Park. No dice. Usually Common Mergansers, Mallards, and American Black Ducks swimming in the Winooski River can be seen from the road, but today the VELCO trucks are in the field noisily installing new power poles. Suzie sighs.
Next we swing by Technology Park in South Burlington. Muddy Brook flows as a nice freestone river along the eastern border of the property. I am told that American Woodcock can be found along the riverbank, but today we see only Red-winged Blackbirds, European Starlings, and American Robins. I insist that Red-tailed Hawks are almost always seen here, but Suzie is not impressed. "We see plenty of them on the Cape.", she skoffs.
We stop by the Muddy Brook Reserve on Van Sicklen Road on the off chance that Suzie will want to do some hiking. But no. It's starting to rain and besides it's buggy and I have forgotten to bring the insect repellant (again). Suzie caustically notices that one of the signs marking the road into the housing development across the street is called Blue Heron Drive, which probably means there isn't a blue heron within five miles of here, she says. She's wrong. I pull out my ace.
Turning left on Hinesburg Road I head for the pull off just south of Cheesefactory Road where Muddy Brook meanders under the road and forms a large cattail marsh. Turning slowly into the lot I hear Suzie gasp. "There's a Great Blue Heron standing right by the beaver dam." she exclaims, fumbling for her camera. I roll down the car window on her side and she gets a great shot. Click. A Green Heron takes off. Click. A Black-crowned Night Heron lurks in the bushes at the water's edge. Click. Tree Swallows swoop down picking off insects. Click. A female Wood Duck corrals her brood of ducklings into the reeds. Click. Click. In the field a pair of Canada Geese stand erect, watching us with suspicion. Click. I feel vindicated, but try to stay humble. As we drive off Suzanne is impressed. "What a great spot", she says, "And what dumb luck that you found it.".
Photograph courtesy of Suzanne Dupont.
