Underwater Piano Lessons In Salem CT?

I visited Walden Preserve in Salem, Connecticut this morning. I was welcomed by an Eastern Bluebird set atop the entrance sign as I pulled into the parking area. It was a cool morning with a few raindrops mixed in between an occasional glimpse of sun.

I followed the trails across the meadow and through the woods. I found this car while walking along the green trail. I wonder what year and model it is ? It looks like an old timer.

As I approached this beaver pond, I heard oo-eek oo-eek as two Wood Ducks took flight. I could hear a Louisiana Waterthrush singing near the Eight Mile River. The trails in the preserve are well maintained but you have to keep track of the colored markers so that you don't wander onto private property. One of the no trespassing signs specifically warned that the land was used privately for hunting and trapping.The Tree Swallows were taking turns with the bluebirds to sit on top of the nestboxes. Eastern Towhees and Field Sparrows were singing all throughout the morning from strategic locations.

I recently read a book titled Legendary Connecticut: Traditional Tales from the Nutmeg-State by David E. Phillips which included one particular story that took place just down the road from where I was birding.

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From what I understand, the following story is true. Imagine trying to explain something like this to your homeowner's insurance agent!

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There was a man who owned a house on Gardner Lake in Salem. He tried to move his house from one side of the frozen lake to the other in the winter of 1899-1900. The house ended up breaking through the ice and floating around the lake for a couple of years before finally sinking to the bottom. The house had a piano in one of the rooms and over the years fishermen claim to have heard the sound of piano playing coming from beneath the surface of the lake.

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I love reading stories that that involve the past history of places I am familiar with. You can read the story in its entirety : here . I'm curious as to whether some of the events I've witnessed or people that I know of will end up in a book of folklore some time in the future?

The Birds Were hard To Come By

I decided to combine a little exercise with my birding Saturday. I hiked up Mount Higby in Middletown. This area is part of a long volcanic ridge. I've never seen any bird reports come from Mount Higby. My hope was that I might see a few birds on the way up, and perhaps some migrating hawks on the way back(they like to use the updraft from these ridges). The hike and view were very nice, despite the extreme humidity. There was a strong breeze, so that helped cool things off a bit.

Surprisingly, I only saw 3 birds on the way up! American Crow, Mourning Dove, and a Wild Turkey. I did hear a few birds including: Black-capped Chickadee, Cedar Waxwings, Blue Jays, and American Robins. I did take note of the fact that there wasn't any sign of water up there. No brooks,no puddles, not even ant spit.
I could have hiked all the way over to West Peak, but I forgot to bring water with me. Besides, I didn't want to take a chance of running in to the Black Dog. There is a legend about a strange black dog that has been seen roaming the area by hikers. It supposedly makes no sound when it barks. I'm always curious as to how a legend originates. Are there any well-known legends where you live?

I decided to head back but did manage to see one more bird on my way out. It was a Red-breasted Nuthatch. It seems like I always see that one last bird on my way out from a hike.

Sunday, I decided to start the morning at Rocky Hill Meadows.there have been good numbers of Baird's Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, and American Golden Plovers spotted in this area. I really like to check these fields out after it has rained. Unfortunately, it has not rained for some time. These shorebirds are considered to be "good birds" to see at an inland location. I could tell from the comments in reports, that the area was starting to get mobbed by birders. For this reason, I decided that I would be the first one there and the first one out. I quickly came upon two American Golden Plovers. To be honest, I wasn't sure what they were at first. I forgot my field guide, and have seen only one Golden Plover which happened to be in breeding plumage at the time. I identified it later using the photo. . This one has quite a prominent eye stripe. It's amazing how different shorebirds can look in different stages of plumage. Several cars started showing up, so I decided to head out and explore other areas. I took a ride to an area that is owned by the State of Connecticut. There are a few fields and wooded areas surrounding some mental health facilities. I caught a glimpse of these turkeys as I was driving along. I then traveled to a field on the corner of Silver Mine Road and Farm Road.It was there, that I saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk, 5 Black Vultures, and a Brown Thrasher.
I pulled my truck over to get a photo of these Double-crested Cormorants that were in a dirty little city pond along route 17. Maybe it just looks dirtier than it is. I enjoyed seeing signs of life here.
I continued to look for potential birding spots along the way.- I checked out a few cemeteries in the area to see how much land and how many trees they had. It seems that every fall, someone finds interesting birds such as a Lark Sparrow at some cemetery in Connecticut. I'd like to find one on my own some time! I ended the day getting a close view of this Red-tailed Hawk. Almost made for a good picture if I could have just seen more of it's face. I never committed to birding at one spot this weekend. I felt as though I was digging for change underneath couch cushions. Next week, I'm picking one nice spot that has water. I'm going to do a few hours of birding in that one area.
What was your favorite bird sighting this weekend?