2011 Burlington Christmas Bird Count

The results of the 64th annual Burlington CBC are in. Under the auspices of our capable organizer, Shirley Johnson, and compiler, Eric Lazarus, 57 participants ventured forth on December 18, 2011, for a day of birding in relatively warm, windless, snowless conditions. We identified 71 species, just short of the 2005 record of 73. Remarkably, 2191 American Robins were counted as well as 4598 European Starlings, 2805 American Crows, and 25 Common Ravens, all new records for the count. Woodpeckers generally were well represented in this year's count with a new record set of 63 Hairy Woodpeckers. Other new records for the count included 8 Carolina Wrens and 4 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Lake Champlain was ice-free this year resulting in good numbers of ducks and geese. New records for Common Loon (12) and Gadwall (4) were established. Other notable record-tying sightings were 2 Hermit Thrushes, 2 Peregrine Falcons, and single sightings of a Chipping Sparrow and a late-departing Baltimore Oriole. A Long-eared Owl was heard, but not seen in the South Burlington sector and a Great-horned Owl was seen in South Burlington during count week.

One significant change in the landscape in one sector within our circle produced a remarkable, but not unexpected change in the bird count. The removal of the compost piles from Burlington's Intervale resulted in a sharp reduction in the counts of gulls, starlings, crows, and Red-tailed Hawks from this sector. We will miss the reports of rare gulls that regularly turned up in the Intervale.

Overall the Burlington CBC was an unqualified success. Our thanks to the organizers of this annual event and to all 59 participants who contributed to its success.

Restoring Endangered Species: Lessons From Puffins and Terns

Humans have devastated seabird colonies in many parts of the world by excessive hunting for food and feathers and introducing mammals such as cats and rats to othrwise secure nesting sites.

Worldwide, 23% of all seabird species are now globally threatened as marine pollution, coastal development, and rising sea levels due to climate change take their toll. Although seabird nesting islands seem safe due to their remoteness, they are intimately connected to human activities. For example, Maine's seabird nesting islands are affected by large populations of Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls that benefit from garbage and fishing waste hundreds of miles away. As populations of these scavengers increase, they deter smaller migratory seabirds such as puffins and terns from nesting on many of their historic nesting sites. Ironically, Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons, the products of other successful wildlife restoration programs, now threaten rare Maine seabirds such as Great Cormorants and Roseate Terns.

On Friday evening, November 11, Dr. Stephen Kress, the Director of the National Audubon Society's Seabird Restoration Program and the founder of Project Puffin in 1973, reviewed the techniques that he and others have developed on Maine's coastal islands that have lead to the restoration of puffins and terns on their historic nesting sites. Techniques developed in Maine have been adopted worldwide. For example, in Vermont, social attraction and the use of tern decoys, techniques developed in Maine, have been critical to the success of Audubon Vermont's Common Tern Restoration Project on Lake Champlain.

Dr. Kress entertained a large audience at the Billings Center on the UVM campus, describing the evolution of Project Puffin and the many obstacles he encountered in the process of re-introducing puffins to Maine. Despite the success of the program on East Egg Island and Seal Island, Dr. Kress emphasized that many challenges to the puffin population persist and that without human intervention these colonies would in all likelihood fail. The audience applauded his commitment to the seabird restoration program and responded enthusiastically to his plea for continued support of Project Puffin.

A Bird in the Hand

One of Vermont's iconic summer birds is the elusive Bicknell's Thrush. A resident of the spruce-fir forests found on the mountaintops of the northeastern United States and Canada, Bicknell's Thrush is a species of conservation concern as climate change slowly strangles its breeding habitat. On June 22 and 23 members of the GMAS and invited guests journeyed to the top of Mount Mansfield to meet one of the world's experts on Bicknell's Thrush, Chris Rimmer, founder and Director of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies. For nearly 20 years Chris and his coworkers have studied Bicknell's Thrush on its breeding ground at the top of Mount Mansfield and other Vermont mountains and on its wintering range in Hispaniola. No one is better equipped to educate us about Bicknell's Thrush than Chris Rimmer.

Even in late June the weather at the top of Mount Mansfield is unpredictable and often forbidding. Perhaps, then, it should not have been surprising to encounter dense fog, driving rain, and gusty winds when we arrived at the parking lot at the end of the Toll Road the first evening. No "dusk chorus" for us. Still, Chris was undeterred as he calmly described his research and the history and biology of Bicknell's Thrush in the montane forest. One has to admire this tough liittle bird that survives, indeed thrives, under such adverse weather conditions.

The next morning was better-a literal window of opportunity as the harsh weather temporarily subsided. At 5 A.M. we gathered in the parking lot again to learn more about Bicknell's Thrush. Chris reached into his magic bird bag and retrieved a first year, banded thrush that he had captured in a mist net earlier that morning. Patiently, Chris pointed out that these tiny thrushes travel thousands of miles in migration between Vermont and Hispaniola. One 11 year old bird that he captured on several occasions had traveled an estimated 49,000 miles in his lifetime. Incredible. After recording basic anatomical measurements from this bird (weight, length, wing length, etc.) and allowing a few minutes for photographs, Chris handed the thrush to Jo Wright. After a moment to gain his (and her) composure, the thrush zipped off into the tangle of spruce and fir trees nearby.

A few minutes later Chris released another captive bird from a mist net, a handsome, male Blackpoll Warbler. Chris went through his data gathering routine again, then handed the bird to Jo's husband Chip. The warbler seemed to be quite content resting in Chip's open palm for a few minutes, but finally was induced to return to the forest.

It was a privilege to experience the unique montane habitat at the top of Mount Mansfield, even, or perhaps especially in such inclement weather. Bicknell''s Thrush, Blackpoll Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Swainson's Thrush, and Winter Wren live and breed in these mountains. We were fortunate to spend a few hours walking the narrow trails and inspecting the mist nets to learn more about these special birds and the efforts of investigators like Chris Rimmer to conserve them. 

Thanks to Shirley Zundell for her photo of Chris Rimmer holding a Bicknell's Thrush.