To celebrate the end of a long stretch of over-working at work (likely to be followed by another long stretch of over-working), Andy and I took a "date day" on Tuesday this week and went birding. No kids, no work, no real agenda except to enjoy the day and each other. We decided to head to Berlin Pond in Vermont, a perennial favorite springtime birding spot that is just over an hour drive from our house. It's a 5.6 mile walk around the entirely undeveloped pond (it's Montpelier's municipal water source) and the scenery is gorgeous. Old farmhouses flanked by rolling fields and apple trees bursting with blossoms (and orioles and indigo buntings), lots of rich deciduous woods, and marshes galore to look for things that like to get their feet wet. As usual, we struck out on the Virginia Rail, but no matter. It was a beautiful day and it was all ours.
We had lunch at a Mexican restaurant and then headed back to New London for a bit of dragonhunting in the warm afternoon. The first dragons are out, but only barely... it's a late start to spring this year. We saw 4 different species, but some were so newly hatched that identification was difficult. This is the last year of the NH Dragonfly Survey so we will be trying our best to get our town up over 75 species (we've got about 10 left to go)... it's going to take a few more "date days" I think, or else the kids will have to become a lot more patient!
Chalk Fronted Corporal
Yellow Bellied Sapsucker
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