Vermont Rare Bird Reports 2021

Celestron Nature DX 8x42 binoculars and Bushnell Spacemaster 15-45 x 60mm spotting scope.

Frequently observed this species during summer and fall of 2020 and 2021 on this pond.

Sodom Pond. A 27.9-acre pond (as per VT DEC "Lakes Greater than 10 Acres" list). Includes portions of open water, potions supporting emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation, as well as small "islands" (shallow areas supporting aquatic plants that appear as small raised areas of the pond when the aquatic vegetation dies back in the fall), and immediately adjacent wetland habitats (occurring primarily on the western side of the pond).
Sodom Pond Road runs along the eastern shore and the northern end of the pond. There are no houses or other significant structures of human-origin located immediately on the shore of the pond. Houses and other structures that do occur within proximity to the pond are located along the upper portions of the north end of the pond, are separated from the pond by Sodom Pond Road and forested, wetland, and field habitats, and occur no closer than ~ 150-ft to the pond. The majority of the pond lies within the town East Montpelier, but the extreme norther end of the pond lies within the town of Calais.
This pond is the result of a beaver dam at its southern terminus. The stream that appears to be the primary source of surface water to the pond drains Adamant Pond, located to the north, and flows through the village of Adamant (located northwest of the northern terminus of the pond), before entering the north end of the pond.

Two adults were observed in proximity to the nest site and also at the the nest, performing nest maintenance and incubating.

Distinctive black stripe running perpendicular to the long axis of the relatively short, compact, gray-colored mandibles used to identify the adult of this species on the nest and to rule out other similar waterfowl that might occur (e.g. female hooded mergansers).

On July 10, 2021, an adult grebe was observed at the south end of Sodom Pond. Prior to this date, the song of this species was heard regularly during visits to the pond, originating primarily from the upper, northwest portion of the pond. On July 12th, a nest was located with two adults in attendance and incubating (refer to image included with this report).
The nest, located in a cove occupying the extreme northwest portion of the pond, was placed away from surrounding emergent vegetation and out amongst the dense floating-leaved aquatic vegetation that predominates in the cove. Chicks (total of 3) were first observed on August 7th. Based on observations of the behavior of the adults at the nest leading up to August 7th, this date would be within a few days of the chicks hatching.
While two adults had been observed on the pond prior to August 7th, on this date and on subsequent visits to the pond, during the remainder of the breeding season and throughout the fall, only one adult was observed on Sodom Pond at any time. This included the period immediately following hatching, when only one adult was observed feeding and brooding the three hatched chicks, which were still wholly dependent on the adult for food.
Of note, on both August 8th and 9th, a third adult pied-billed grebe was observed on nearby Adamant Pond, in addition to the pair of pied-billed grebes that nested on Adamant pond in 2021. While the nesting pair of grebes on Adamant Pond could be observed in the northern portions of the pond feeding and brooding the 5 chicks they had produced, this 3rd adult was observed feeding, foraging, and resting on the southern portion of the pond. This third adult grebe was not observed on Adamant pond on subsequent visits, after August 9th.
Observations were made of an adult and juvenile pied-billed grebes on Sodom Pond into the fall. Of note are the following observations made during October and November: On October 10th an adult and a juvenile were observed, with the adult providing food for the juvenile. On November 6th an adult and a juvenile were observed. On November 10th one pied-billed grebe (age undetermined) was observed on the pond. A visit on November 12th and subsequent visits revealed no pied-billed grebes present on the pond.