| Common Name | Dark eyed junco (cismontanus) |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Junco hyemalis cismontanus |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 12/30/2025 |
| Media | |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Mark Brown |
| Mailing Address | PO Box 62 111 Marshfield Road East Calais, VT 05650 United States Map It |
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| Date Completed | 12/30/2025 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 44.362 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | -72.431 |
| Place Name | My house |
| Township | Calais |
| County | Washington |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 03:08 PM |
| Length of Time Observed | 60 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 10 |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 4 |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | Ice came in and coated branches last night. A noticeable increase in birds at my feeders. 9 goldfinch today, normally 0-3. 6 juncos including one with this coloring. Normally 1-2. |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Naked eye and standard binoculars |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | I often see juncos. I saw something to this variation around my woodpile back in April and then again in August. I've included the April photos (grass) with today's photos (snow) |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Front yard, approximately 900 ft above sea level. Forest edge just uphill from the village. Approximately 100 acres of forest begins just uphill of my yard. |
| Behaviors Observed | Eating seeds in the snow and on my porch |
| Description of Vocalizations | Standard junco trill |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | The bird was with five other juncos eating seeds that fell when I refilled my feeders |
| Relative Size & Shape | Same as other juncos |
| Head | Dark head |
| Feet & Bill | I'm colorblind. Pink bill? |
| Upper Back | Lighter than head |
| Lower Back & Rump | Similar in color to the upper back |
| Wings | Similar in color to the upper back |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | Light/cream colored |
| Tail | Dark. Did not see it in flight to know for sure whether it had white edges. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Slate colored subspecies |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Written from Memory |
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