Spear Thistle: Beautiful And Useful But Invasive!

During a recent walk I came across this plant that I thought was really eye-catching! I found out that it is called Spear Thistle. It is an attractive nectar source for bees and butterflies. It is a food source for finches and according to what I've read, it can be consumed by humans. Even the stems can be used as a celery substitute if the spikes are removed (don't take my word for this, just what I read).

It is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa but considered an invasive weed in the United States because it outcompetes other native plants. It has a long tap root and a sharp spiny stem making them difficult to eradicate. It's too bad because I thought they would look good in the backyard but the negatives outweigh the positives.

Rare Visit From A Wood Stork In Connecticut!

I was tipped off by a fellow birder last weekend that a juvenile Wood Stork was sighted in Waterford Connecticut. I was unable to make it down there so was hopeful that it would hang around for a while. The following weekend I headed to Harkness Park at 5:30 am hoping to get my first look at one. Sightings in Connecticut have been extremely rare.  

Of the sightings that have been reported in Connecticut, they are usually just briefly stopping in before continuing on their journey. It was reported that this one had an injured leg which may have caused it to stick around longer but it seemed to be doing very well on the morning I saw it. It spent about 30 minutes preening which made it difficult to get a good look at its bill.

After it finished preening, it started to forage with an open bill (something juveniles do). 

There was also an Egret hanging out in the same area as well as this Green Heron.

The last photo gives you a good size comparison between the Green Heron and Wood Stork. It is definitely a good-sized bird!

I'm not a a big bird chaser but this one was a very large bird polite enough to hang around for a week and then stay in one spot so I could snap a couple of photos. There has been plenty times I traveled across the state looking for a sparrow-sized bird and came up empty so this was a welcome surprise!

Pileated Woodpecker And Yellow-breasted Chat

I've continued to make occasional trips out into the woods during heavy foliage, humidity, and bug season. Near some deep woods railroad tracks I found a Pileated Woodpecker. You can tell this is a male by the fully red crown and red malar on the side of the face. It is also probably a juvenile because the eye appears dark as opposed to a yellowish eye in an adult male.

This photo is not as clear but I liked the fact that you can see its tongue poking out.

Just down the road I found that the Yellow-breasted Chat returned to the same place once again and was singing from the top of a tower where the power lines are. 

I don't get out birding as much in the heat of the summer but birds don't mind the heat or bugs at all. It's a positive on their list!

Rattlesnake Brook Preserve

At the far corner of town in the woods beyond Great Hill Pond is a little nature preserve called Rattlesnake Brook Preserve. If you are wondering, the answer is yes. There are rattlesnakes in this Meshomasic forest. Meshomasic is an Algonquin word that is roughly translated to -"land of many snakes". You'd be lucky or unlucky to find one (depending on how you look at it). They aren't particularly aggressive, preferring to camouflage into the background and keep their distance. You wouldn't want to corner one or step on one though!

This has been a one of those overlooked areas. Too far out of the way and having the name Rattlesnake Brook might discourage some people from checking it out. It is a beautiful natural area though. The last day I went it was buzzing with Yellow-throated Vireos, an Acadian Flycatcher, Brown Creepers, tanagers, and thrushes.

There was also several active Great Blue Heron nests. Maybe you have some nature preserves in your area that are overlooked? I'm hoping that by putting these places on the map there will be more to come in the future.

How About A Statewide Shoreline Parking Pass?

There are plenty of birds to see along the shoreline this time of year. Above is a small army of American Oystercatchers. 

 The problem is parking. Birders like to pop in here and there to have a look but there are many great shoreline access spots that have no public parking. There are some town beach parking lots that charge as much as 70 dollars unless you're a town resident. Many times you end up driving around trying to figure out a way to park without the fear of being towed. I wouldn't mind if they charged a flat fee for the year like 50 or 100 dollars so that you would have a pass giving permission to park just about anywhere along the shore.

In the meantime we just have to keep looking for little out of the way areas to park while we keep looking over our shoulder making sure our car is still there. To be fair, there are a few designated shore areas to go to but it's more fun to be an explorer! (Least Tern in above photo). 

Why Are All These Holes In The Sandbank?

Hmm, seems to be some holes in the top of that sandbank.

Upon closer inspection, I would say there are definitely holes in that sandbank but why?

Ahaa! Bank Swallows love a good sandbank to nest in! 8 of them were flying around in constant motion. They go in and out of those nest-holes like rockets so I was lucky to catch this one taking a temporary break! 

I Hit The Jackpot With The White Ibis!

I don't often chase after reported rare bird species. I have limited time and a gas tank that costs too much to feed. I avoid chasing rare little brown birds across the state that I may not be able to find when I get there, might be hard to get a photo of, and aren't overly exciting to look at. These days, I wait until there have been repeated reports of a rare bird that I'd really like to see for the first time. The White Ibis fit that profile. I got tips from a fellow birder friend of mine (thanks Anthony). 

He let me know about a location site the day before but I was a mile into the woods and too far away at the time, so I headed out at 6am the next day to the town of Clinton to try my luck. As soon as I arrived I hit the jackpot! Believe me, it is a jackpot because it doesn't always work out that way. A lot of times you end up making these trips only to come up empty!There were 7 of them but I could only get 6 into the frame. From what I was told, the birders who went there before me and after me weren't able to find them. That can be very frustrating when you know you barely missed them!

The White Ibis was both a life bird and a county bird for me!

Back To Kruger Preserve For White-eyed Vireo

The White-eyed Vireo is a species that I first saw many years ago near some power lines in my hometown. I was baffled by what it might be. I thought it was some kind of flycatcher based on its appearance and the odd call it made. I've come to find out that it is one of those birds that seems to show up in certain locations each spring. I've been finding them at a place called Kruger Preserve in Haddam neck for the last couple of years.

Here is a clip of one of its calls on a video from Cornell University: White-eyed Vireo call from Cornell

 

From Wilderness Time Travel To Modern Apps

The world is saturated with news and social media coming at you from every direction these days. It's nice to know that if you're willing to take a walk far enough into your local woods, you can get a break from all that. Sometimes I get a feeling of time disorientation when I'm in the depths of a forest. If I crossed through a time portal to the year 1826, would I be able to tell that I left 2026 behind? There are no buildings or man-made objects. There is only wilderness which seems timeless to me. 

Eastern Towhees existed in 1826 so that wouldn't be much help!

Now back to 2026. I started using an app called PlantNet which diverted me from bird watching and sent me down a rabbit hole. I always wanted to learn a little more about flowers and plants that you come across in the woods, but didn't have the patience to flip through a field guide to figure out one plant at a time.

I believe this first plant is called Panax trifolius, commonly called dwarf ginseng. It is native to the northeast. The tubers are edible and it was used for traditional medicine by Native Americans. One of the things that amaze me is the number of plants in the woods and in your backyard that are considered edible. I've taken a chance on a few things that I was positive about but if you make a mistake, you can get very sick or worse!

I've seen these plants many times in the woods. The app identified it as false hellebore. It seems that false hellebore is extremely toxic to humans and cause severe deformities in livestock if it is eaten during early pregnancy. Yikes!  

I have noticed that the app is not foolproof. It relies on the photos you upload and usually sends a response of likely possibilities. Sometimes 90 percent likely and other times 20 percent likely but usually not 100 percent on anything. 

A simple walk in the woods can take you from wilderness, to time travel, to identifying plants with a modern app. A very rewarding journey if you're able to keep your mind in the present!

Save That Ravine For Windy Days

Temperatures are starting to improve but winds ruin that. Birds are more difficult to find on windy days and birding is certainly a less pleasant experience. Rather than skipping out on birding altogether, I try to find a sheltered area. 

There is a small ravine park right down the road from me. The protection from high banks on both sides of the path makes it a great place to visit on windy days. The wind is practically non-existent here!
Instead of running for cover, birds like this beautiful male cardinal were out singing their spring songs.Blue Jays aren't the most popular birds because they come across as brash and rude to some but if you had never seen one before you might be impressed by their tailored suits.I took a closer look at a Dark-eyed Junco which will soon be on their way until next winter. I was able to hear a few new spring arrivals including Pine Warbler, Palm Warblers, and Eastern Towhees but these new arrivals were still a bit shy.

If you want to get out in nature on a windy day, just look for some well protected woods!

American Robins Weren't Always This plentiful

The American Robin is the state bird of Connecticut. Early settlers named it a robin because it had a similar red breast to the robins in Europe but the American Robin is actually a thrush, while the European robins are actually related to flycatchers. It used to be said  they were a sign of spring but they have become increasingly plentiful in the winter over the last 50 years -(They tend to eat berries more during the winter while the ground is  frozen).  

During winter bird counts in the 70's they might have tallied up 1000 total robins in Connecticut but now they are recorded by the tens of thousands. Their numbers were also affected in the past by the use of the insecticide DDT but since it was banned, the population of robins has greatly increased. There are tons of robins now but I'm not complaining (except when they declare war on your car). They are a sharp looking bird!
 

Perch Power & Snowy Egrets Don't Like Snow

I took a short ride along the shore last weekend and spied a white bird perched on top of a post that didn't look like one of the gulls. When you're looking for birds, finding a good perching area is always a good thing. Dead branches, chain-link fences and piers along the water are all spots where you may have luck seeing a nice bird out in the open.

There's a little bit of irony when it comes to naming this bird a Snowy Egret (black bill/yellow feet). You're not likely to see Snowy Egrets around where there's snow unless they get caught unexpectedly in a storm. More mild weather conditions suit them better. Then again there's always the possibility of a rebel in the bunch. The Beautiful Snowy Egrets were nearly extinct because in the 1800's women used the egret's plumes to decorate their hats. Teddy Roosevelt opened the first federal bird reservation at Pelican Island, Florida in 1903 which helped protect them from extinction. Now their populations are doing just fine.

First Ten Pre-dawn Bird Walk

I was feeling a little restless pre-dawn energy at 5:30 this morning. I was anxious to do some birding today but seeing that it was still dark and in the 20's temperature-wise, so I decided to take a brisk walk around the block to start the day.

Just as I was getting started, I heard turkeys gobbling off in the distance so I decided to keep track of the birds I heard along the way. The turkey was the first bird of the day, along with a rooster but I'm only counting the wild ones. The next birds that I heard were robins, and they were singing all over the place. 

(photos are older ones as it was too dark to take them, except for the first one which came at 6:30am).

Number 3 was the cardinal. You can hear their whistle from a mile away.

In 4th position was the more subtle whistle of the Tufted Titmouse.

Here is the complete list of pre-dawn birds in order:

1) Wild Turkey

2)Northern Cardinal

3)Tufted Titmouse

4)Song Sparrow

5)Mouring Dove

6)American Crow

7)Carolina Wren

8)Blue Jay

9) Red-winged Blackbird

10)American Goldfinch

Winter's Gone- It's A Sin To Kill A Mockingbird

 

I am glad that winter is over and spring has officially started. These icy trees are a reminder of the challenging winter we had. Much better to keep it as a memory and move on to nicer weather.

Just a couple of weeks after the photo of trees decorated with ice, nature started to feel green again. Just around the time I saw this mockingbird, I heard the news that Rober Duvall had passed away at the age of 95. 

When I saw this mockingbird it reminded me that Robert Duvall made his film debut playing Boo Radley in the movie to Kill a Mockingbird which was based on the Harper Lee novel. I remember Atticus Finch telling the little girl Scout that it was a sin to kill a mockingbird because all they do is sing. 

It must have been a good movie because I only saw it once when I was a kid and that line has been stuck in my head ever since!

Cabin Fever Has Finally Broken

After being hit with 2 feet of snow, the temperatures are finally warming. Everything is melting at a nice pace. There is something about a big snowstorm that brings a sense of community and requires everyone to switch into survival mode. It is something that you can't control. You can only control your response to the situation. In some ways it gives you a sense of focus and takes away the tangle in your mind that is created by too many choices. You just have to get it done and figure out what to eat. There is something about getting back to the basics of survival that settles the soul.

I'm not yet motivated to hit the woods but decided to break the cabin fever by taking a walk along the cleared walkways in the Wesleyan area.

I passed by the tiny Ravine Park, a walk along the trail there will come on another day.

I welcome sign of spring was a glimpse at a male Red-winged Blackbird that even bellowed out a couple of rounds of its spring croak call. Spring is so close now. I can feel it in my bones.

Merlin On Ice As Temp Exceed 20 Degrees

After getting a foot of snow we had 2 weeks of single digit temperatures, some mornings dipping below zero. I had no ambition to go birding in that weather or to even spend time outdoors. Finally, we started to get temperatures in the 20's and 30's. I can live with that, especially if it is sunny with no wind.  

I finally made my way out on such a morning. I took a ride along river road but the Connecticut River was still frozen over. 

I spent most of my time scanning the area by car and would get out if anything caught my eye. I saw about a dozen of the usual suspects including a distant Bald Eagle but the Merlin was the bird of the day. I saw it perched on top of a dead tree on my way down river. They are a medium sized falcon that is slightly larger/beefier than a Kestrel and smaller than a Peregrine. They are fierce intelligent hunters that often fly low and fast when catching prey. This one here looks like it might have a little blood on its hands.On my way back, I saw this one on the ice in the same general area. I'm not sure if it was the same bird because it has a different appearance from this angle but that could be a matter of the lighting and angle from which it is seen. I only see them sporadically so I'm no expert on them. It was good to get out again though. I can't wait to see 50 degrees. It will feel like summer after the winter we've had!

Staredown In A Pricker Bush.

I spent a little time walking along a river trail in Cromwell that leads to an area called Dead Man's Swamp. I wonder how it got it's name?

Right from the beginning I noticed a Red-shoulder watching me like a hawk. There was a large amount of bluebirds in the area but it was Blue Jays scolding another hawk that got my attention.

The Blue Jays seemed to be in an uproar over this Sharp-shinned Hawk. When I found the Hawk it was in a tangled bush in an awkward face down position staring right at a Blue Jay in the same bush. I'm guessing this is a male hawk which is similar in size to a Blue Jay. The staredown lasted for at least a minute as both birds were frozen in position. I started to wonder if the hawk was somehow tangled up with the Blue Jay looking to take advantage of the situation but eventually, the hawk flew off.

Winter Oriole & Fighting Procrastination

I went back to Hammonasset looking for a warbler I never ended up finding but this oriole was still there! It might as well hang out here until spring at this point!

Closer to home I found a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker during a walk down a neighborhood street.

I look forward to picking up the birding pace once I'm able to shrink my high priority to do list. Did you ever notice that thinking about things you should be doing can be worse than actually doing them? 

Whenever I start procrastinating, I have a flashback of a poem I read when I was a kid titled "When Thomas Takes His Pen"