Birding and Wildlife at Shore Acres

BIRDING EXTRAVAGANZA A SUCCESS!

WITH CHIP DARMSTADT

Thanks to all that attended the first Birding Extravaganza at Shore Acres this past June 1^st. It was a great success! We were blessed by not only fabulous weather, but by the birds as well. To name a few showings, we had Baltimore Orioles, a Bald Eagle, Ospreys, Great Blue Herons and King Birds, just to name a few. And let’s not forget about the spectacular Great Blue Heron Rookery. We hope to hold another birding event with Chip Darmstadt during the Fall migration in late-September or early-October as well. Check back here to view the eBird Checklist along with more pictures within the next couple of weeks.

Great Blue Heron Rookery with wings wide - Photo by Tina Valentinetti — Great Blue Heron Rookery with wings wide – Photo by Tina Valentinetti

Great Blue Heron Rookery - Photo by Tina Valentinetti — Great Blue Heron Rookery with wings wide – Photo by Tina Valentinetti

Shore Acres sits on nearly 46-acres and 1,800 feet of shoreline along Lake Champlain. The property is comprised of multiple ecosystems, such as wetlands, grassland, and shoreline which attracts a wide variety of wildlife, especially birds.

Wildlife residents of Shore Acres include foxes, red squirrels, and other mammals, but the most famous residents are of the avian sort: Purple Martins. Our Purple Martins are numerous and keep the staff and guests entertained with their incredible aerial acrobatics. Other common avian residents include American Robins, Northern Cardinals, Grey Catbirds, White-breasted Nuthatches, Red-winged Blackbirds, Cooper’s Hawks, the ever common House Sparrow, and the not so common Snowy Owl.

Shoreline Birds Are Abundant

Along our vast shoreline, waterfowl and shoreline birds are abundant: Great Blue Herons patiently hunt for meals, along with Common Mergansers, Common Loons, Herring Gulls, Caspian Terns, Belted Kingfishers, Canada Geese, Bald Eagles, Ospreys, and many more. In fact, on the other side of Route 2 from the Shore Acres’ property, an Osprey family returns each year to raise a brood and occasionally hunt the waters along our property. A pair of binoculars are not always needed to view them as they like to perch on the electric pole at our Route 2 entrance.

So bring your binoculars and cameras and spend time exploring the Shore Acres property to view the wildlife that the property has to offer. And while you are at it, spend a weekend at our Inn to tour local areas known for their birding and wildlife, such as North Hero’s Pelot’s Natural Area and the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge.