Hiking is for the birds!

[Jason Berard]

Hiking isn't really FOR the birds, but my friend Brent and I were hiking FOR birds last weekend for a program called Mountain Birdwatch, organized by Vermont Center for Ecostudies.

Here's a link to the program: http://www.vtecostudies.org/MBW/index.html

Surveying two routes seemed like a good justification to get some hammock camping in, at least until 4:15 rolled around on Saturday morning, and we had to get up to begin the survey! We surveyed Engine Hill and Isolation, so we were in the area camping from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. We heard all kinds of birds, but only two Bicknell's Thrush, the primary target of the study.

Anyhow, it was gorgeous weather for camping in the Whites!

Here's a bit of a photo essay from our trip.

Brent deep in thought


white bog orchid


Trail closed south of junction!


remnants of Rocky Branch railroad


Brent deep in thought, again ;-)


mountain cranberry


what a spot for dinner!


Lot's of Labrador tea, but where did Mt. Washington go?


fernwhack down from Davis to Rocky Branch! We decided to bushwack back to Rocky Branch to shave off about 4.5 miles from our walk out. It was pretty easy going, mostly!


It looks like Irene rearranged the boulders along this waterfall on a tributary to Rocky Branch quite a bit!


lots of cow parsnip around Rocky Branch shelter #2


our route

 

[Maddy]

What a fun thing to do!

 

[vegematic]

Which two routes did you survey? I surveyed Mt. Success on Friday morning. I heard no Bicknell's Thrushes during my survey but heard some at my campsite the night before, and one in the morning as we were starting down. I guess they were sleeping in that day.

 

[Jason Berard]

We did Engine Hill and Isolation. It was a nice grouping to allow for a weekend of camping. I'm already looking at the site to see what I'll do next year!

 

[Andrew]

We were on Crescent Ridge for the survey on the 16th. Unlike last year, didn't hear any Bicknell's during any of the survey periods. A full account here:
http://wildernesswebb.wordpress.com/2012/06/24/early-birds/

 

[Jason Berard]

Andrew, nice blog entry! I bet MBW would like to share that!