Sunday, April 28, 2019

Hidden Birds In A Hidden Frontier

 In the southeastern corner of Middletown Connecticut lies an area of land called Maromas. A long time ago it was a fishing/farming village. Today with the exception of Pratt and Whitney, it is sparsely inhabited. It is sometimes referred to as Middletown's last frontier. There are plenty of streams, forest, marsh , and reservoirs in the area making it a good birding destination. 

I heard my first of year  Louisiana Waterthrush singing at this stream but never got a look at him.
 It was a cloudy day and although there were dozens of Yellow-rumped Warblers only 1 landed near me when I had the camera handy.
Within the hidden village of Maromas there are also hidden birds. If you look closely you can see a little tail sticking out of what looks like a clump of tree bark but is actually a nest.
The tail belongs to this bird, the tiny Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.
 As you walk up an old stretch of railroad tracks you are surrounded by marshland on both sides. I scared up many Wood Ducks along the away and saw some Great Blue Herons but not much else was visible.

Even the Mute Swans were hiding which doesn't happen too often.

I love areas that are overlooked and underbirded. Maromas is one of those special places and I plan to return there several times this year.

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