Question For VFTT Bird Experts

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DayTrip

DayTrip

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Saturday I took the Skook and GRT up to Lafayette. On the way back in one of the cols between Lafayette and North Lafayette there was a good sized group (maybe 10-12) of swallow like birds that I have never seen before. They had a very distinct chirp relative to most birds I have heard and were chirping quite a bit as I approached. They had a swallow type body/wing configuration but were colored very differently from the swallows you would see in Southern New England. Darker tans and what appeared to be white or light stripes and a light tan underbody. Before I could get my camera lined up to get a picture they flew off into the scrub.

I know that's kind of a weak description but does anyone have any thoughts on what type of bird I might have seen? Was a very pretty bird and unlike anything I have seen before. Would like to identify what it was.
 
Far from a bird expert but I'll lobb one up...

Sounds like it could be the White-Throated Sparrow? Fairly common above treeline. Love their long, slow song, "Poor old Sam Peabody Peabody Peabody...."
 
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TDawg said:
Far from a bird expert but I'll lobb one up...

Sounds like it could be the White-Throated Sparrow? Fairly common above treeline. Love their long, slow song, "Poor old Sam Peabody Peabody Peabody...."
Click to expand...

Definitely wasn't this type. I do see those often though so now I know what those are at least.
 
srhigham said:
Cliff Swallow? (versus more common Barn Swallow). Or Chimney Swift?
Click to expand...

Was not either of these. Cliff swallow was more in the ball park but coloring and tail feather shape is not right. Looking at the Audubon Guide online it was colored very much like the Northern Rough Winged Swallow, although lighter in color. But according to the description this would be a pretty odd spot to find them and the tail and body shape is not right.
 
Were these birds bigger than chickadees? Maybe you saw a flock of cedar waxwings ( https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cedar_Waxwing/id ?) The colors on cedar waxwings may not be easy to spot but if you heard them chirp than maybe this will be helpful. I guess with colder weather here the choices narrow down but I am not an expert in any shape or form to tell what other species could be around this time of the year. You may want to ask your question on Facebook page of Cornell Labs of Ornithology, as it is watched by a large number of bird watchers.
 
Another bird entirely: A few weeks ago I was coming down the Piper Trail off Chocorua when I heard something sort of like a muffled bell. "bong, bong, bong". "What the hey", says I. Then again, from a different direction. And yet again from another direction. Each time from up above me but shielded by the treetops from view. Then a very brief glimpse of medium size bird, possibly with a bit of white on it. Any ideas? Or was I just hallucinating?
 
Waxwings have very distinctive eyewear, like the lone ranger, and a tuft which may not always be so conspicuous and most swallows have a very visible forked tail. What distinguished it as a swallow? The forked tail? Were they flocking around certain trees for seeds or fruit? The cliff swallow has no forked tail but is otherwise swallow-like with interesting colors and hang out in colonies. The chirping might have been bird twitter for someone coming down the trail.

I'm no bird expert either, but I enjoy trying to identify new sightings and carry Sibley, eastern and western editions!, in my car. Yeah, the geograpical crossover happens sometimes and my wife has been particularly adept at finding examples out of their expected range.
 
Stan said:
Waxwings have very distinctive eyewear, like the lone ranger, and a tuft which may not always be so conspicuous and most swallows have a very visible forked tail. What distinguished it as a swallow? The forked tail? Were they flocking around certain trees for seeds or fruit? The cliff swallow has no forked tail but is otherwise swallow-like with interesting colors and hang out in colonies. The chirping might have been bird twitter for someone coming down the trail.

I'm no bird expert either, but I enjoy trying to identify new sightings and carry Sibley, eastern and western editions!, in my car. Yeah, the geograpical crossover happens sometimes and my wife has been particularly adept at finding examples out of their expected range.
Click to expand...

Definitely a forked tail. Body shape was just about exactly like the "standard" swallows you see around ponds in Southern New England. But the coloring was totally different. The birds were in one of the little dips between the rock outcrops leaving Lafayette. About 5200'. Just some grasses and gravel, the usual alpine vegetation. A few tiny puddles they may have been drinking out of. I did a little research in the Audubon site someone had previously linked to and could either find the right shape or the right coloring but not both. I assumed it was some sort of swallow. Is there another species of bird that has a swallow body type (the split tail)?
 
Check out either Snow Bunting or American Pipit....I saw a flock of snow buntings on Jefferson snowfields Saturday...one can get pretty close to the flocks of both...the pipit seems to be more vocal...hope this helps...just to add I have seen many more flocks of snow buntings this year in the north country, maybe due to the colder weather than the last year, at least...
 
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A couple of birds no one expects to see at altitude in the Great North Woods are actually better known as shore birds. They do, however breed and come from the High Arctic Tundra. New England is the farthest south they ever get, and yes, they are seen in the mountains.

Least Sanderlings and Sandpipers.
 
Lefty E said:
Check out either Snow Bunting or American Pipit....I saw a flock of snow buntings on Jefferson snowfields Saturday...one can get pretty close to the flocks of both...the pipit seems to be more vocal...hope this helps...just to add I have seen many more flocks of snow buntings this year in the north country, maybe due to the colder weather than the last year, at least...
Click to expand...

I think they were American Pipits. Someone from Cornell's Facebook page did respond to me and after the disclaimer that without a photo it was near impossible she suggested American Pipit. The photos on Audubon site look pretty close to what I saw. It doesn't appear to have a split tail but some of the in flight photos I saw showed the tail feathers fanned out so maybe I was just tricked by my viewing angle or the lighting on the feathers into thinking it was a forked tail. The song files they had on site also seemed close. I'll have to assume that is what they were. Not a slam dunk ID but it is close. Very pretty birds. Hopefully I'll spot them again someday and get an actual photo.
 
Caps Ridge to Jefferson 11-19-16 012.jpg though only one bird I think was a snow bunting, after snapping this pic about another 10-20 flew from scrub that was nearby...
 
dug said:
Just a reminder African Swallows are non-migratory.
Click to expand...

Smarty Pants. When there are African Swallows flocking in NH, in the third weekend of November I expect you to make your case to Sibley or Audubon.
 
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