Cuckoo Birding

 I haven't posted on the blog for a while but I've still been out and about birding over the last couple of weeks randomly visiting places with no real strategy in mind.

 I'm not sure what that Killdeer (above) is eating but it looks as though whatever it has passed the "sell by" date. 

 I made a visit to Devil's Hopyard. A singing Winter Wren, Magnolia Warblers, and Acadian Flycatcher were among the more interesting birds I found at this location.

 I like to get out early as we start to enter warmer weather and have seen deer like this one which was crossing the road at Gillette Castle state park.

 I did a little cabin camping at a privately owned campground. State campgrounds that I usually stay at are opening late this year and some have been closed due to budget cuts. It was a different experience staying at a private campground which had a store, swimming pool, and even had music playing in their bathrooms.

I was happy to get a nice view of this Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Gillette castle park. They seem to be plentiful this spring but are more often heard than seen. I usually have a difficult time even getting a glimpse of one. 

Yellow-billed Cuckoos eat as 100 tent caterpillars at one sitting.You can find more information about these unique and interesting birds on Cornell's All About Birds website.

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.

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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!

Birdwatching At The Nameless Campground

 This was the view from my lakeside tent site in the Berkshires. There are only 12 total sites at this particular state campsite. I chose it because walk-in only camping is available here during the off-season. I prefer walk-in camping when using a tent so that you can time your arrival with a suitable weather forecast.

The park has become much more popular through word of mouth since I last visited it some years ago so I don't want to reveal its location. I'll just say that it rhymes with peartown.

 Some of the other campers wondered how I was able to get the best tent site (11) which is only one of 2 directly on the pond. I went up on a Friday morning while it was still raining to claim the site. I spent the day birdwatching in between the rain drops and set up my tent in the afternoon after the rain had stopped.

 I walked a few miles along the state forest road searching for interesting habitat.

 I found this solitary Hooded Merganser on the water and had to think twice about what it was. I'm not used to seeing juvenile Hooded Mergansers without any of their tell-tale markings. I also found some adult Hooded Mergansers on my way home.

I find that I enjoy birding a lot while I'm on a camping trip. You're already in the nature mindset and have nothing other to worry about  except for eating and making a campfire! 

Note: One of the things I find helpful when going camping in an unfamiliar place is to use e-bird to find places in the area which have had sightings of species that I would like to see under the "explore data" section. I also e-mail local audubon or bird clubs for information.

Cabin Fever Or Cabin Cure?

I recently rented a cabin at Mowhawk Trail Forest. It was the oldest and smallest of the six that were available but it was a bargain at $30 a night. 100 years ago someone living in a tiny cabin like this in an isolated area during the middle of winter might have ended up with a real case of cabin fever. People didn't have all of the modern conveniences like we have now to keep them entertained.

Staying in a place with nothing more than a wood stove and an electrical outlet is what I'd call a cabin cure. I find that it's healthy to take a break from cell phones, computers, watching people text each other, and around the clock negative news.

I spent a lot of time just sitting in front of the wood stove reading books-( the kind with  paper and a hard cover). I found one book called Upstream: A Voyage On The Connecticut River by Ben Bachman. I live near the Connecticut River and do a lot of my birding on land near the river. The author gave historical information and descriptions of his encounters with nature during his canoe trips from Old Saybrook all the way up to the headwaters in Pittsburg New Hampshire. Reading this book in front of wood stove while heavy winds were howling though tall pines outside the cabin seemed to be a perfect setting.

Of course, I didn't stay in the cabin all day. I hiked some of the trails in the area. This is the Cold River which runs through the Mowhawk Forest. There are some trees in the forest that are 500 years old and some of the White pines are over 150 feet tall-(See Wikipedia).

I found an old car along one of the trails. I'm thinking it's too late to call  AAA but a little duct tape and some bondo could do wonders.

I found this sign in the middle of the woods along another one of the trails. It doesn't tell the whole story about Jani Leverett. I did some google research and found that she had a life that was both colorful and tumultuous at times. I read a tribute to he life from her husband that seems too personal to describe here.

I didn't finding many species of birds during my stay. If I had to do a Big January in this area my list would have been very short. I found some Cedar Waxwings, Common Ravens, Golden-crowned Kinglets, White-breasted Nuthatch, and plenty of Black-capped Chickadees.

At first it was Mallards and Snow Buntings that brought my attention to this field but then I spied a fox running toward the woods.

There is something about staying in a rustic cabin during the middle of winter that appeals to me. I was able to find a real appreciation for things that I might normally take for granted like simple meals,  a good book, and a warm fire. Sometimes simple is better.

Vermont White-crowned Sparrows In The Rain

I spent a couple of days camping at Gifford Woods State Park in Killington Vermont. I stopped at the Vermont Country Store on the way up. They offered lots of locally made food samples. They were free but everything tasted so good that I ended up buying some to take with me. 

Right across from the campground is Kent Pond. I didn't see many birds when I did an initial survey of the pond. There were Osprey, Common Mergansers, and Mallards on the water and a few Song Sparrows near the shore. I was hoping to see something out of the ordinary because Kent Pond has a reputation of being a good birding spot.

I hiked from the campground to a trail that took me to the top of an overlook. I think it was called Deer Mountain overlook.

The best way to get a view of Vermon't foliage seems to be when you're driving on long stretches of road. Connecticut has great foliage too but the routes to view them aren't nearly as long.

 

 I passed miles of mountains painted with colorful foliage, lots of antique shops, country stores, and farms along the way. I saw dozens of country inns on my way up. They must hold the record in that category.

I was disappointed when I heard a forecast of rain for the entire day but it was only a light rain so I decided to hit the trails to look for birds anyway. I finally caught up with the Pileated Woodpecker that had been taunting me with its call. This one looks to be a male with an all red crest and a bit of a red moustache. We're fortunate that these great woodpeckers are doing so well.

 

Other birds of interest during my walk were large numbers of Golden-crowned Kinglets, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. I also found a couple of Ring-necked Ducks and a Common Loon on the pond.

 

The trail led to a road on the opposite side of Kent Pond. The woods along the edge of this road were loaded with sparrows including White-throated, Juncos, Song, Swamp, White-crowned and I also found 1 Lincoln's Sparrow.

Surprisingly, there were about as many White-crowned Sparrows as there were White-throated Sparrows. I saw as many as 6 at a time.

I tried to take photos in between rain squalls. Everything came out grainy or blurry but I managed to keep a few in focus. Several were picking through pebbles on the side of the road. 

 It's funny how things work out sometimes. I spent two rain-free days hiking through the woods for hours hoping to see lots of birds without much luck. Then I go for a short walk in the rain with no expectations and hit the birding jackpot. You just never know.

Wilgus State Park Cabin Rentals In Vermont

Over the past couple of years I've enjoyed renting cabins from state campgrounds in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Recently, my wife and I spent rented a cabin at Wilgus State Park in Vermont. The cabin was constructed from trees that was cut from the surrounding area. The inside has a table, chairs, bunk beds, futon couch, 2 electrical outlets, and an overhead fan/light. They're nothing fancy but perfect for a short stay. There are showers and bathrooms near by on the campground property. Vermont has 10 parks that offer cabin rentals for $48 a night. There are also 6 Vermont Parks that offer cottage rentals. The cottages have multiple rooms, showers, stove and refrigerator for about $70-$80 a night.

We spent a lot of time sitting on the porch watching the antics of the red squirrel. Sometimes they would run right across the porch just inches from our feet. They're pretty bold for an animal that's only half the size of a gray squirrel.

Their  tails look like some sort of plant I might find in a field on a Fall day. It looks like a cross between a cat-tail and a pussy willow.

The chipmunks kept us company too until the red squirrels chased them off.

The campground is located right along the Connecticut River. It has a hiking trail and their are canoe/and kayak rentals available. This stretch of river is good for bass fishing but there are some trout and walleye as well.  

I didn't put a lot of effort into pursuing birds but we were able to observe a few interesting species right from the porch. Cedar Waxwings, Black-throated green Warbler, Northern Parula and American Redstarts were all observed as they landed in the sumac plants.The temperature in Connecticut was in the mid 90's but it seemed much cooler where we were. The evergreens provided shade and there was a light breeze coming off the river. Of course, you don't exactly work up a sweat when you're sitting on a porch watching squirrels.

note:.The cabin we had (eagle) was in close view of the next cabin over but had a decent river view. The Osprey cabin had the most privacy so that is the one that I would rent if I were to go back to this campground.

Fall Camping At Pawtuckaway & BWBT&C

I spent a couple of days camping at Pawtuckaway State Park in New Hampshire. I stayed at one of the five cabins available in the campground. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice they were. I decided to read the book: "The Big Year" while camping and later saw the movie. They were quite different from each other but I enjoyed them both. The book gave more character background background than the movie did. The movie wasn't perfect but it was great that they even put a movie out with the main subject matter revolving around birding. If every birder sees the movie at least three times then maybe Hollywood will put out another movie about birding!

     They are very simple inside with 2 sets of bunk beds, 1 couch and 1 table. It also had electric lighting and an electrical outlet. Nothing fancy,  but perfect for camping. Both Vermont and New Hampshire have a number of state parks that offer cabin rentals that range between $46 for a single room cabin to $80 a night for larger cottages. This includes Brighton State Park which is in an area where boreal species can be found.

  I spent most of my time exploring the trails within the parks 5,500 acres. There were many small ponds and marshes within the park which afforded nice views of the foliage.

This is a picture of Burnham Marsh which was designated as a wildlife viewing area. If only the wildlife would pay attention to the signs. I did have a stunning view of a female Belted Kingfisher perched in a dead tree. As I was viewing the bird, two onlookers stopped by to have a look at the bird through the scope. They were impressed, saying the kingfisher looked like an exotic woodpecker to them.

    I underestimated the length of the trails I went hiking on and neglected to pack proper supplies (as usual). I can imagine the headlines-"Body of a man discovered in the woods with an empty can of orange-dry soda and an apple core by his side."  "Friends and family said that he died doing what he loved to do." No thanks, I'd rather live. I caught a glimpse of what looked like a coyote sneaking into the woods about 5 miles in. It seems that the beavers were setting up booby-traps by chewing through 95% of a tree and leaving it standing.

There is something special about the fall season. Summer is the season that I feel confined or almost imprisoned by the weather at times. Once the cool fall air hits I feel free again. There's nothing like the stunning colors of New England color and the smell of birding. The flames in this fire have a shape that reminds me of the Tasmanian Devil cartoon character. Can you see it?

On the way home from the trip I stopped at a Massachusetts Audubon. These turkeys must be smarter than the average turkeys.With Thanksgiving soon to arrive, what better place for turkeys to hang out than the protected land of an Audubon Center?

  I was glad to make it back in time to join Birders who Blog Chirp and Tweet outing. We had a great time meeting up with each other as usual. (photo of Savannah Sparrow)

  We probably did more chatting and eating than we did birding but that's what makes these events fun. We did see a nice array of sparrows including White-crowned (above) and Vesper. One of the highlights of the day was when Kathie found a Dickcissel! It was the first time I've had a view of one. I also learned of a new Internet Radio birding website: birdcallsradio (thanks Mardi). The archives include interviews of Luke Tiller who led our trip, and Mark Obmascik , author of the book "The Big Year".

 It was kind of funny that I went camping for 3 days and couldn't come up with any photos of birds then I went to an event with 16 birders and didn't get any people photos. I believe we saw this Peregrine Falcon at our last stop which was Sherwood Island.

All in all it was a good day of birding and a great time getting together with my fellow bird bloggers!

Canada Geese Put A Halt To My Camping Plans

 I recently decided to camp overnight at Hammonasset Beach State Park. Normally I would prefer a campground in a tranquil, wooded setting but I thought I would give hammo a try since the birding is always good there. My plan was to get an early start so that I could do some birding before the weekend beach crowd arrived.

I arrived at my site (1) on Beach Road and the first thing I noticed was a flock of Canada Geese hanging out right about where I would be pitching my tent. I took a few photos of them but then realized that they had thoroughly blanketed the area with goose droppings. There may be some that might consider this an opportunity to add an organic touch to their camping but the idea of kneeling down to set up my tent on a pile of goose droppings wasn't appealing to me, especially on a 97 degree day. I asked the park office if I could borrow a rake. They said maintenance would come down to clean it up but by this time it was already getting late.

I spent a little time wandering around the grounds looking for birds. I saw Osprey, Red-winged Blackbirds, terns, and a Barn Swallow which was temporarily trapped in the men's room. I was confused when I saw the Yellow Warbler (above). I know that a yellow Warbler is basically the only warbler that's all yellow but I've never noticed one with an eye ring. Maybe it had something to do with the angle of the lighting.

It was 9:00 pm and the maintenance crew hadn't made it out yet. I watched the sun sink below the horizon and then decided to pack up and head for home.

  I returned the following morning in time to see a rabbit enjoying his breakfast. I was reading that these rabbits thump their hind feet on the ground to communicate with each other and can let out a blood-curdling scream when attacked by predators.

I don't get a chance to see many gulls other than Herring Gulls, Greater black-backed Gulls, and Ring-billed gulls. It was a treat for me to see a Laughing Gull for a change.Some other birds I saw around the park included Glossy Ibis and Little Blue Heron.

There was also this flycatcher singing away near the Willard Island parking area. I believe it was a Willow Flycatcher based on it's call. I made a nice video of it but unfortunately, I haven't been able to upload videos from my camera lately.

  During my travels along the shore I  picked up this antique washbowl and pitcher. It was so nice that I almost kept it for myself but I decided that in the long run, taking a shower is probably a more efficient way to stay clean. Instead,  I brought it to a local antique shop where they promptly set it up for display.

 Although my camping plans didn't work out the way I had intended,  spending time at Hammonasset was still worthwhile. I plan to make more visits to shoreline areas before the summer is over, but I think I'll save the camping for fall.