Camping, Birding & Rambling Around Kent CT

I spent a few days camping out in Macedonia State Forest in Kent Connecticut. I added the canopy as extra protection because there was some rain in the forecast but overall I had good weather.  Kent and the surrounding Litchfield area has a lot of scenic beauty so I can understand why many celebrities have built there homes in this part of the state. Fortunately, camping is still a relative bargain and doesn't require a movie star income.

One of the most well known natural features in Kent is the Kent Falls. They extend even further down but I couldn't get it all in one frame.

You don't want to mess with the cats in this town.

 I found an abandoned car while walking along the trails at the Sharon Audubon Center. I like looking at abandoned cars in the woods because they seem to tell a story that leaves it to your imagination to fill in the blank pages.

 Sharon Audubon Center has one of the few blinds in the state which I've come across which are actually somewhat useful in the way it was set up.

I had a nice view of some Wood Ducks that were passing through...

 ..and also saw a Palm Warbler bouncing around the bushes outside of the blind.

In the distance I kept on hearing a strange call and couldn't figure out what it was. I thought it might be a bird of interest that I needed to track down.

click center to play

I had forgotten that there was an aviary at the center. This frisky Raven captured my attention with his loud vocalizations which could be heard from the other side of the pond!

Birding Along The Trail of Forgotten Cars

As I was driving along route 17 in Portland a dirt pull-off caught my attention. I pulled my truck in and noticed an unmarked dirt trail going down a steep hill. 

 I was walking down the hill, curious as to where it might lead, when I came across an old car full of bullet holes. I like finding old cars in the woods. They're like a historic sculpture with a story to tell. What happened on the very day that this car ended up in the woods? Who was driving it and what were those people like? It all makes for an interesting mystery to me.

I see these old vehicles as self-contained time capsules from a different era. 

There was a day when these cars were brand new off the lot. They probably spent some time at the local drive-in theater or other hangout spots. It looks like they're lined up for the parade.

When I reached the bottom of the hill I found a couple of nice surprises. This was my first Blue-winged Warbler of the year "Bee-buzzzz". 

I also found the first Brown Thrasher I had seen in Portland for a few years. It seems it is going to be a good year for Brown Thrashers . A couple of days later I found 2 more at Haddam Meadows including the one in the photo which popped out onto the road for a few seconds before going back into hiding.

Do you recognize the year, make, or model of any of the cars in the photos?