Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2021

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Windy, sunny, and warm

Swarovski, 8.5 X42 and Kowa scope set at 20 power

I had been observing a variety of behaviors of this species at this location since late June: male singing, pair engaged in copulation, pair carrying food to nest, removing fecal sacs, and likely behavior to encourage fledglings to leave nest (perched near nest for long periods of time and calling with food in beak vs. flying directly to nest).

Large mowed and unmowed open fields. Bobolinks, Meadowlarks, Red-winged Blackbirds, killdeer, Wilson's Snipe, Eastern Kingbird, Swallows are some of the other species observed nesting here.

First observed the Dickcissel perched on utility line, then it flew down and perched on tall vegetation. It remained there for at least 10 minutes, calling and looking around.

Only call notes heard, best described as soft, quick "chwip." It called constantly, looking around, for the entire 10 minutes I observed.

I had been walking Lagoon Road for two hours, in hopes of seeing evidence of a fledged Dickcissel. I returned to my car and was considering leaving when I noticed an Eastern Kingbird perched on the utility line. Further down the line, I noticed a different species perched and identified it as a Dickcissel before it flew across the road and perched on the top of tall vegetation. I was able to document it with photos and videos. I watched it for over ten minutes while it remained perched. It called incessantly, looking around in all directions. It swayed with the plant in the wind without losing its balance (unlike how a recently fledged bird that may toddle while perching on a windy day).

Noticeably smaller than Eastern Kingbird it was perched beside when first observed on the utility line. Similar in size and shape to HOSP.

Light gray cap with some natal down still present; cheek and nape mostly gray with some brown at base of bill, malar area, and back of head. Long white/yellow supercillium and broken eyering. Light chin bordered with some dark feathering on throat.

Light gray chunky/conical bill. Feet and legs were light pinkish/yellow.

Upper back appeared gray with some brown streaking.

Lower back and rump was mostly gray with some brown.

Wings were unremarkable, gray and brown with no rufous showing. The wing covert feathers growing in uniformly stood out when I was observing with binoculars and then scope.

Small amount of black seen on upper breast, bordering white chin. Breast had minimal, light yellow wash with some fine, dark streaking. Flanks were light gray. Belly and under tail coverts were white.

Gray brown tail of medium length.

I ruled out adult Dickcissel by the few feathers of natal down on its head which is visible in videos. A molting adult would not have natal down. Also, the wing coverts show pin feathers growing in uniformly, and not staggered as would be the case with a molting adult. This bird looked very "fresh" overall.

I have also recorded an ethnogram over two days I observed the adult Dickcissels tending their young at this location on July 11 & 13. On July 11, observed for 75 minutes, the adults made 5 visits directly to the nest area. Then on July 13, observed for 72
minutes, the adults were seen perching and calling to young vs. flying directly to the nest, indicate the nestlings were close to fledging. At one point, the male remained perched on vegetation with food in his bill for 15 minutes, calling regularly. 4 visits were to the nesting area. (I could not convert my document to a format to include this ethnogram).