By 0730 on Tuesday we were approaching Addison, Vermont, trying to remember where we needed to turn off the highway. Luckily my GPS came back online in time. It’s the sort of road that doesn’t advertise itself, so without a GPS warning, you can easily miss it.
Across Lake Champlain, some of the Adirondacks were still snow-capped.
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Let me say, before we go further, that we did not see snow geese, at least not in any noticeable number. We believe there were a few among the other birds we saw. But we have learned not to expect those elusive geese and the day was far from disappointing.
As I cranked down the window, birdsong filled the air.
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Although it was quite cold, there was not a breath of wind and after the bitter Winter we just had, this felt almost warm. The rising Sun soon burned off the frost and took away the lingering chill.
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The road was in remarkably good condition considering the state of most these days. Main Street in Cambridge is filled with potholes, as always following Winter. We came upon workmen the other day, lackadaisically dumping splats of asphalt in the worst of the craters, one man spooning the mixture, here a splat, there a splat, while two others stood observing.
Next time we went to the village, the road was as bad as ever. If they can’t do the job properly, why do it? Presumably the town has insufficient funds, despite our ever-increasing taxes.
One should not find fault with what one knows nothing of and I am no road worker, however I fail to see how having two thirds of your workforce standing around can possibly be efficient.
Perhaps we only ever pass these work parties when they are on coffee breaks.
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The Gage Road observation deck is built on the foundation of a previous structure the nature of which is unclear. As we arrived, a pair of eagles flew over but they were gone before I could get a closer shot.
Many small birds were flitting about in the reeds but the predominant call was that of red-wings which seem to be numerous everywhere we go this year.
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This poor lad was singing his heart out.
No response singing in that direction, so he turned around:
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In a bush nearby, I could swear I heard the girls muttering:
“You’re a fool alright!”
Boy birds have a tough life. So much work to impress the girls and all they do is criticise.
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The red-wings sang all around us, but we could also hear the sound of many geese nearby.
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We drove around to get a bit closer, stopping to observe a couple of Canada geese in a frozen pond. Grant wondered if they were frozen in.
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But they soon paddled on.
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And with some difficulty, struggled up onto the ice.
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Canada geese were flying in from all around and gathering into a large flock.
Just in front and to the left of the tree you can see a snow goose.
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And at the top of this tree, what is likely an eagle.
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The honking of wild geese coming into land may be one of my favourite sounds.
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Suddenly they were startled and the entire flock shot into the air.
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Which is where I will leave you today.
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Thank you so much, Carolyn, for the sound of honking geese, your musing on where the taxes are going, as there are still so many potholes, and of course, the hard work of the male birds desperate to find a bride.
Joanna
I learned something today looking up the red wing and comparing it to all the other blackbirds (we are beset with grackles and crows). I have never seen nor heard of the yellow headed blackbird. Had I seen one I would have chalked it up to the oriole family. Four and twenty blackbirds come in all sorts besides the obnoxious ones.
Lovely scenery (and birds) that was well-worth the car journey.
Best wishes, Pete.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a translation of what they are telling each other!
Haha 😁, I enjoyed the conversation the red-wing had with the girls! He’s so handsome and I can hardly believe that none of the girls flew closer! Wow, and so many geese – I’ve never seen so many together (thank you for sharing a video of them – all that honking)!!