Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2020

Paul Wieczoreck is the only other observer. He PHOTOGRAPHED the bird and attached the photo to his Vermont eBird Checklist for that day (November 17, 2018). I don’t have that information. Hopefully he will also provide a “write-up” for this Species.

Overcast; Light Drizzle; 38 degrees; snow cover 6-7 inches;
Sun attempted to come out around 11:15 AM. It peeked through for a very short time. Bird “lit up” by the Sun for a few minutes as it “foraged” along the hillside.

Zeiss 8x42 Binoculars

Extremely familiar with this Species.

Forest hillside overlooking stream backwater area. Snow cover 6-7 inches. Extensive groundcover.

This bird was “feverishly” hunting for “midges” in the groundcover along the hillside. It was very successful doing this. The “midges” appeared to be clinging to the underside of the leaves. Several fell off in the snow. These were easy to find. Paul photographed one of them. The bird was alone along the hillside. It payed not attention to us as we followed it around trying to get PHOTOS and VIDEO of it. Paul was able to get some PHOTOS of the bird. One of them is attached to his Vermont eBird Checklist.

NO VOCALIZATIONS from this bird.

I was birding along the 9th Hole of the Disk Golf Course at Charlotte Town Beach when I saw a very small warbler “flitting” around along the ground on the hillside. I followed the bird North along the forest floor into the parking area for Charlotte Town Beach. It then turned back and headed back towards me and the hillside along the 9th Hole. It stopped right next to where I was standing and sat on a branch for a few seconds. That was at 10:09 AM. The bird was no more than 8 feet from me. I didn’t even need my binoculars to identify it. It was a Male North Parula in very fine plumage. All field marks were showing: Small size, Yellow throat and breast, Chestnut breast band, Green patch on back, broken “white” eye-ring, and “white” wing-bars. The bird continued on back to the area that I had first seen it in. I lost sight of it at 10:15 AM. Paul Wieczoreck arrived on the scene shortly after that and I went down to the beach area tell him about the bird. Together we returned to the 9th Hole area and began to search for it. Paul relocated the bird along the hillside at 11:09 AM. It was “foraging” on something in the groundcover. Paul discovered that there were “midges” under the leaves in the groundcover and that the bird was most-likely after those. We continued to follow the bird around trying to get PHOTOS and VIDEO using our phones. Paul was able to get several pictures of the bird and even the “midges”. The bird was in constant observation from 11:09 AM to 11:35 AM. It was extremely active and seemed to be very resourceful finding the “midges”. At 11:35 AM it flew down into the area below the hillside and out of view.

Small and “chunky” like a kinglet

Dull blue-gray crown with a “yellow” throat. Nape also Dull blue-gray leading into the “green” patch on the back. Did not get a good look at the eye.

Bill was small, thin, and sharply pointed.
Feet were difficult to see as the bird kept landing in the snow.

Green patch on back was very clear

Blue-gray back and rump

Blue-gray pattern with 2 “white” wing-bars

Breast was “yellow” with a thin “black” line and “chestnut” band separating it from the throat. None of these features were “bold”. The flanks and under tail coverts appeared “white”.

Short tail with no markings

The only species that needed to be eliminated by me when making this identification was “Tropical” Parula. This warbler Species is an easy one to deal with if you get a good look at it. I saw it up close (8 feet).

Adult bird - Male by plumage

Paul’s PHOTO attached to his Vermont eBird checklist gives you a good look at this particular bird.