Fork-Tailed Flycatcher

FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER IN FERRISBURGH, VT

Found on 6/10/00 by Bea Guyett & Jeanne Wisner;

Still present as of at least 7/24/00, when it was seen at about 8:30 PM.

3 photos by Ted Murin, 6/12/00

1 photo (very nice) by Dick Lavallee, 6/14/00

Link to the website of Yves Leduc, which contains more photos of the bird.

(also shows a crude range map for the species).

DIRECTIONS:

Access to the FTFL in Ferrisburgh may be changed slightly due to road

construction on Little Chicago Rd., which on 6/19/00 led to temporary

closure of Little Chicago Rd. between Rte. 7 and

Hawkins Rd. The best alt. route would appear to be going approx. one mile

south of Little Chicago Rd. on Rte. 7 and turning west at the top of the

hill then north on Botsford Rd. Bear left at a fork in the road, then

Botsford becomes Hawkins Rd. as it crosses Little Chicago Rd. From there

directions are the same as before.

From I-89 in Burlington, VT take I-189 and then U.S. 7 south

following signs towards Vergennes, VT. Ferrisburgh is the small town just

north of Vergennes. From Rte. 7 turn west on Little Chicago Rd., which is

the intersection just south of the Ferrisburgh Post Office and the

Ferrisburgh Central School. After about 0.5 miles, turn right on Hawkins

Rd. Follow Hawkins Rd. for 1.55 miles (precisely, by my car's odometer),

to where a poor dirt pasture road (paralleled by an old wire fence) intersects

from the right side of Hawkins Rd. Park carefully along the side of Hawkins

Road. The "south slang" of Little Otter Creek is close to the road here. The

Fork-tailed Flycatcher seems to favor the semi-wet area between this section

of Hawkins Rd. and the water, to the north east of the "poor dirt pasture road".

It also likes the small trees on the far side of the water, near a blue

Canada Goose nesting box. In the latter location, the bird is still an easy

binocular or scope object viewed from the poor dirt pasture road. This

is a birdy area with American Bittern and Osprey nesting nearby. At

least one imm. Bald Eagle has been seen in this area repeatedly.

Good birding,

Scott Morrical

South Burlington, VT