The Dead Creek WMA in Addison is one of Vermont's premier birding spots throughout the year. Raptors such as Northern Harriers, Osprey, Bald Eagles, and American Kestrels are abundant. Waterfowl, including Mallards, Wood Ducks, and Canada Geese nest there. Songbirds from warblers to sparrows are everywhere. And rarities are common, if that makes any sense. So it should not be surprising that I visit Dead Creek fairly often or that the Green Mountain Audubon Society, of which I am currently the President, schedules field trips to Dead Creek on a regular basis.So it was that members of the GMAS visited Dead Creek during the last week in August, searching for shorebirds. The area accessed by the so-called Brilyea trails often serves as a magnet for shorebirds in migration, but only if the water levels are low, exposing the mud flats. No luck this year. This summer has been especially rainy and water levels at Dead Creek are high. One Spotted Sandpiper, a Wilson's Snipe, and a handful of Killdeer was the best we could manage. Still, we got great looks at two immature Bald Eagles, a small flock of Horned Larks, and a number of songbirds, including Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Kingbirds, Eastern Phoebes, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. Herons are always abundant at Dead Creek in late summer and early fall and this year was no exception. Great Blue Herons predominate, but Black-crowned Night Herons and Green Herons are regulars, too. This year a reclusive American Bittern erupted right at our feet as we approached the watery expanse beyond the meadow on the west Brilyea trail.
Of course the big attraction at Dead Creek is the Snow Geese that stop over for a month in the fall. Thousands of Snow Geese fill the fields and skies at Dead Creek then. That migration comes later, though. Needless to say we have scheduled another field trip in early November to take in the show. Pictures to follow.
