Around the River Bend: Derway Island Nature Trail

On Saturday April 16, 2016, I went to the Derway Island nature reserve in Burlington. I was unfamiliar with this park so this trip was an exploration of a new nature park as well as a birding visit. This was mostly old growth forest that filled in the mouth of the Winooski River that curved into Lake Champlain. It was on the slightly warmer side, around 54 degrees Fahrenheit, and sunny.

At first the park seemed quiet (not including the numerous Ring-Billed Gulls, whom I suppose were really there because of the water treatment plant on the edge of the park) but then I noticed that there was quite a bit of movement in the trees. I watched a Pileated Woodpecker and a Hairy Woodpecker for a long while. Several White-Breasted Nuthatches flicked into my view every now and then and became quite loud over the course of my outing. I headed over to the waters edge, following what I thought was a large bird that had just landed there. I caught a good glimpse of it (and a picture to match) when a motor boat went by and a Double-Creasted Cormorant took off. Another common bird that caught up to me every now and again were American Robins. I also came across a few animals that were not birds (butterflies, moths, toads, frogs, snakes).

On my way out, Black-capped chickadees seemed to just about line the entrance of the park, but I had not taken as much notice of them while in the forest. I was very excited to spot a Brown Creeper, at some distance. My first thought was that this was a nuthatch but it was headed up the tree vertically rather than around it or upside down, which I have come to know as something that the nuthatches do. On my way out I also spotted several other species of birds, like Turkey Vultures that were circling above the water treatment facility. On the drive home, I was also excited to see an Osprey. Once again, a very eventful trip.

Posted on April 22, 2016 04:39 AM by bkelley