April 27, 2013 - Birding with the Western Connecticut Bird Club

Great-Horned Owl

Osprey

Ten members of the Western Connecticut Bird Club went birding around Southbury.  With April coming to an end, it was hopeful that we would see arriving migrants such as warblers, for example.  However, the places we went to were very quiet and not much action was seen.  Oh well - that's birding.

The highlights of the day had to be a nesting Great Horned Owl, a Winter Wren, a Broad-Winged Hawk for birds and Trout Lily, Trillium, and Ramp for plants.

Woodpecker Holes

Ramps

STOP #1:  River Road
SPECIES: Great Horned Owl chick, Fish crow, and Belted Kingfisher.
DATA:      8:25-8:45 am; 41F; Clear; Calm


STOP #2:  Janie Pierce Park (the Blue Trail)

Trillium

SPECIES: Titmouse (4), Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (2), Belted Kingfisher, Red-Winged Blackbirds,                   Canada Goose (2), Downy Woodpecker, Mute Swan, Black Duck, Wood Duck (4 - 2 pairs), Chickadees, Osprey,

Fern Fiddle-heads

Yellow-Rumped Warbler (2), Robin (2), Red-Shouldered
Hawk (2), White-Breasted Nuthatch.
DATA:       9:00-11:00am; 45-60F; clear; little breeze now and then

Trout Lily

Trillium Closeup

STOP #3:  Platt Farm/Park (up to the pond and back)
SPECIES: Red-Shouldered Hawk, Tree Swallows (4), Cardinal, Winter Wren (heard), Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Phoebe, Canada Goose (2), Broad-Winged Hawk
DATA:       11:19-12:10pm; 67F; clear; breeze now and then

Mute Swan

Tree

Saturday April 20 , 2013 - Where Did The Water Go?

Being Saturday, it is usually the day I take recycles and trash to the Transfer Station here in Woodbury.  Last year (see April 7, 2012 of my Hometown Big Year blog) I found out that in the wetlands behind the Transfer Station was a Great Blue Heron rookery (saw 11 herons on April 7) which can be seen best from the upper level area where leaves and discarded trees are placed.  So, today I decided to take a look.

Knowing that Sandy probably did some damage to the area I wanted to see the extent of any damage.

When I got there, not only was there tree damage but also the water level was down!  Whether the change in water level was due to the possible breaking up of the beaver dam that is there or activity by O & G, I do not know.  However, I will send an email to the Town and see if they know anything.

So, here is a comparison from April 7, 2012 to today, April 20, 2013.

April 20, 2013

April 7, 2013

April 7, 2013

April 20, 2013

April 7, 2013

April 20, 2013

Sunday April 14, 2013

Robins

 Decided to go over to Nonnewaug today to see what I can find now that it's April, spring, and vacation week - and I have not been there in a few weeks.  So off I went with my new app on phone - BirdLog NA, to help record and upload what I see to eBird.

Hard to see Palm Warbler

Female Hooded Merganser

I did not know what to expect being a cloudy breezy day but, again, any day birding is a good day.  I decided to go down to the field by taking the road right down to the field.  Instead of going directly onto the field, I took the path through the trees on the left and as I started to get to the end of that area, I saw a male Palm Warbler!  I then realized I might have the chance of seeing more early arrivals.

Male/Female Wood Duck

Female "Hoodie" Again

 So I started to walk the perimeter of the field along the river to the foot bridge then the perimeter of the field near the garden back to the baseball diamond up the stairs towards the tennis courts over to the garage then finally up near Minortown Road and out.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

Eastern Phoebe

 Species Seen:  2 Canada Geese (overhead); 2 Wood Ducks (male & female); Hooded Merganser (female); 4 Turkey Vultures (overhead); Downy Woodpecker; 3 Northern Flickers; Eastern Phoebe; American Crow; Black-Capped Chickadee; Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (male with that distinct eye ring); Tufted Titmouse; Hermit Thrush; 7 Robins; Palm Warbler; 6 Chipping Sparrows; 1 Savannah Sparrow (green lores on what looks like a song sparrow); 2 Song Sparrows; 2 Slate-Colored Juncos; and Northern Cardinal.

Robins

Chipping Sparrow

Data:  11:10am-1:07pm; 45F; mostly cloudy (95%+) ; breezy

Ruby Crowned Kinglet

Cardinal

Wren Nest in Bluebird Box

Chipping Sparrow

Turkey Vulture