The last thing you expect to experience while birding in Vermont is an earthquake. These are uncommon occurrances, and most of the ones that do occur are too small to be felt. Generally a magnitude >3 will be noticed by people.
My birding trek in Dorset had already been a joy because I'd stumbled upon a beautiful hilltop meadow that was rich with butterflies and a very scenic skyline. While moving into this meadow to get a full view of the mountains from Dorset down to Equinox, I startled a group of fledgling Ruffed Grouse... still gawkish in their first feathers, but able to fly short distances.
Fully enjoying the warmth of the sun, and the scenery around me, I was totally shocked to feel a b-b-b-boom rumbling in me and all around me. I instinctively bent my knees slightly, to absorb the shock. My brain flashed excitedly "Earthquake?!?" But then an instant later, I realized where I was... "No! Blasting in the Dorset Mountain Quarry!" Dorset Mountain is (supposedly) the largest underground marble quarry in the world, and they use controlled explosions to release the blocks of white marble from the mountain. That's what I was feeling... a new block of marble being released.
My birding trek in Dorset had already been a joy because I'd stumbled upon a beautiful hilltop meadow that was rich with butterflies and a very scenic skyline. While moving into this meadow to get a full view of the mountains from Dorset down to Equinox, I startled a group of fledgling Ruffed Grouse... still gawkish in their first feathers, but able to fly short distances.
Fully enjoying the warmth of the sun, and the scenery around me, I was totally shocked to feel a b-b-b-boom rumbling in me and all around me. I instinctively bent my knees slightly, to absorb the shock. My brain flashed excitedly "Earthquake?!?" But then an instant later, I realized where I was... "No! Blasting in the Dorset Mountain Quarry!" Dorset Mountain is (supposedly) the largest underground marble quarry in the world, and they use controlled explosions to release the blocks of white marble from the mountain. That's what I was feeling... a new block of marble being released.
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