Cromwell Meadows: Cromwell, CT (4/22)

After driving back to Cromwell, we decided to take a short afternoon walk at Cromwell Meadows. But, with all the recent rain, the river was abnormally high and the main trail was completely flooded. So, we took a quick walk around the dirt road that runs parallel to the road. First we walked towards the marsh but the water height stopped us after only a few yards. The water was filled with Painted Turtles sunning themselves on all of the debris that had gathered in the shallow water. We found a Mourning Cloak flittering about in the bushes and also spotted an Osprey flying over with the strangest, eel-like fish in its talons.

We started back and headed the other way. Again, we didn't get too far before the road was impassable. As we drove home, I spotted an adult Bald Eagle soaring above a church in the area. This was my third sighting this spring of what I'm guessing was the same bird. We had great looks at it as it circled several times before it straightened out and flew towards the river.

Bent-of-the-River: Southbury, CT (4/22)

My parents came down to visit me in Connecticut this past weekend and we decided to take a trip to Bent-of-the-River on Sunday. We got to the property relatively early and had it pretty much to ourselves. There was still a lot of bird activity but we didn't see anything special. The North Meadow had Bluebirds, Goldfinches, and Red-wing Blackbirds. At the feeders near the barn we found Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, White-throated Sparrows, and Juncos. The river had Mallards, Wood Ducks, a Common Merganser, and a Great Blue Heron. We found wild Turkeys at several stops on our hike.

But overall I was a little disappointed. I was hoping to see some warblers especially since I had so many on Saturday morning. I guess that I'm just rushing the season a bit.

We did have two memorable sightings though. First, we found a Hermit Thrush during our walk thru the woods. And, I brought them to the tree where I had seen the Pileated Woodpeckers working on what I thought was a nest hole. When we got there I could see that the hole had be substantially opened up since my last visit. And, as we watched, the male Pileated flew into view. On his approach, the female poked her head out of the hole. The male landed on the tree and tapped a "secret knock" on the bark. The female flew out of the nest leaving the male perched over the hole. For some reason he just sat there for several minutes. Finally three hikers coming down the road appeared to scare him and he retreated into the hole. But, he was only there for 30 seconds or so before he flew away as well. At this point we were worried that we could be scaring him off the nest so we continued on.

We headed back to the barn via the road. According to the sanctuary's map, this area is noted for its spring flowers. We saw lots of evidence of plants such as Trout Lily and Bloodroot but we could only find four flowers (all Bloodroot). It was surprising to see flowers growing on such a rocky cliff face. Some of the plants seemed to be growing right off the moss covered rock (with very little soil to support them).

The rocks themselves were really cool too. We found several that appeared to have amethyst crystals embedded in them. As the surrounding rock eroded, the amethyst poked out all over.

We continued on and took a side trip to the Cascades. The waterfall was really flowing and we spent some time just sitting on the rocks enjoying the sun. As we left the area, we noticed the trees were in bloom. They looked similar to a magnolia by the petals were pointier. I'm thinking that they may be Star Magnolia but I'm not sure.

We finally made our way back to the parking lot and sat by the river to eat lunch. Several times we heard calls from a Belted Kingfisher ring out but we never located the bird. After lunch, we headed back to the barn. On the way we found a dead Brown Snake in the road. It was strange too since he didn't appear to be crushed. I could only find one small mark on the body. But, I guess when you're that small, a car can literally scare you to death.

After relaxing on the picnic table for a few minutes we decided to take one more look around before heading out. There's a small native garden located between the barn and the river and we were happy to see that some of the flowers had started to bloom there (maybe because its warmer in the sun than it is in the deep woods. We saw some Bloodroot and Round-lobed Hepatica that were in full bloom. As we admired the flowers, a beautiful Eastern Comma flew by and paused for a few seconds in the leaf litter. We also spotted what I'm guessing was a young Garter Snake.

Our last sighting of the trip was another bug... a Six-spotted Tiger Beetle. These guys are an incredible emerald green in the afternoon sun.

Birds: Black-capped Chickadee, Killdeer, American Crow, Song Sparrow, American Robin, Red Wing Blackbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, Tree Swallow, Northern Cardinal, Brown-headed Cowbird, Tufted Titmouse, Downey Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, White-throated Sparrow, Wild Turkey, Eastern Phoebe, Mourning Dove, Double-crested Cormorant, Dark-eyed Junco, Blue Jay, Common Merganser, Wood Duck, Pileated Woodpecker, Field Sparrow, Great Blue Heron, Mallard, Northern Flicker, Turkey Vulture, Cooper's Hawk, Hermit Thrush, Belted Kingfisher

Butterflies: Mourning Cloak, Spring Azure, Eastern Comma

Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary: Portland, CT (4/21)

On Saturday I decided to spend the morning exploring this little sanctuary in Portland. The property is owned/managed by the Mattabeseck Audubon Society (a chapter of the National Audubon Society) and abuts the state owned ?????. I had never been to this sanctuary before so it took me some time to find it. I got to South Rd. with relatively little trouble but the sanctuary doesn't have a sign visible from the road or a parking lot so I ended up driving back and forth before parking on the street next to the water.

But when I finally found where the trails were, it was well worth all of the confusion. It was still relatively early in the morning so all the birds were active. A chorus of Red-wing Blackbird calls dominated the cool morning air. That was until I was spotted by a Canada Goose who proceeded to honk out a warning call to his mate who was asleep on top of a beaver dam. I also noticed Mallards and Hooded Mergansers swimming around near the center of the bog.

But the bird of the day was the Palm Warbler. These warblers were everywhere along the banks of the bog. They were singing, foraging for food, and competing in quick dogfights with rivals. I'm guessing that there were at least 10 individuals. And their bright spring plumage was absolutely beautiful in the morning light.

I didn't get too far before I got to a point where the water from the bog was overflowing the trail. I didn't want to stop so soon so I tried to fashion a bridge to get across the deepest parts. When I went to reposition a plank (which was obviously left there to help travelers like me) I was startled to see a Spotted Turtle at my feet. I was so surprised that I just enjoyed watching him swim away and didn't think to take any photos until it was almost too late. I got one really horrible one before he disappeared into the mud.

Excited from this fantastic find, I tightrope walked over the flooded portions of the trail and continued on. The trail kept close to the water but it was pretty dry for the remainder of its length. About halfway around the bog I spotted a Beaver in the water. I attempted to photograph it but it dove before I could squeeze off a shot.

As the trail headed deeper into the woods I came across a pair of Hermit Thrushes. They were hopping about in the leaf litter looking for food. After watching them for a few minutes I finished up the loop back on South Rd. It had warmed up significantly from the cool morning air and there were several turtles basking in the sun. I looked at each one hoping to find another Spotted Turtle but all I found were Painted Turtles.

It was still pretty early so I decided to retrace my steps and try some of the trails that lead away from the water. I'm guessing that these are owned by the state of Connecticut since I saw several markers. But its always good to see conservation areas next to each other. The different organizations can preserve a larger plot when they share the financial load. And it the result is more contiguous habitat for wildlife.

The trails thru the woods were much different than the ones around the bog and I was able to pick out some new species. A Pileated Woodpecker called from deep in the woods and I heard a Pine Warbler singing from high in a tree. The woods also supported a lot of Robins and Titmice.

I made my way up and down the trails until finally finding myself back near where I entered the bog. I retraced my steps over the flooded trail cautiously looking for good places to step. And I'm glad that I was since I almost stepped on a Northern Water Snake who had curled up on his own little piece of dry land. He was really brave (or really cold) and stayed put long enough for me to take a few nice pictures. I couldn't bear to force him into the water so I decided to walk all the way around the bog even though I was only a few yards from my car.

After completing another lap around the bog I stopped to investigate what appeared to be a gate to another portion of the state park. The road was pretty muddy and I found a couple of beetles floating in one of the larger puddles. Thinking that they were dead or dying, I tried to use a stick to help one of them out of the water. He quickly swam to the bottom of the puddle and hid in the mud. Pretty cool.

While I was watching the beetles, I was buzzed by my first butterfly of the day. After following its flight for a few seconds it landed and I was able to identify it as a Compton Tortoiseshell. It was pretty beat up (most of its aft wing was worn away) but it still flew incredibly well. Soon it was joined by another species, this one a Spring Azure. He sat in the dirt sucking up nutrients long enough for me to get a nice shot or two.

was almost back to my car when I noticed a turtle basking on the muddy banking. It was another Spotted Turtle. Further up I saw two more. But try as I may I couldn't sneak up slow enough to prevent them from escaping into the water. This is truly amazing. I had only seen three or four of these turtles in my life before this time. And I have actively sought them out for several years. So, this was quite an experience. I can't wait to go back.

West Hill Dam: Uxbridge, MA (4/14)

Our final stop of the day was at West Hill Dam in Uxbridge. I was hoping to find some snakes out sunning themselves like I had last year at this time. During that visit we found both a Ribbon Snake and a Black Racer. This year we didn't find any.

But, it was still a nice visit. We started at the lower parking lot and hiked thru the field, over the dam, and then along the dike. From the dike we could see down into the valley and noticed a couple of birds perched on the Bluebird boxes. One was a Bluebird but the other was a Kestrel. The Kestrel eventually flew up into a tall tree and perched there for several minutes (even though he was buffeted by the wind.

We continued on to the dam and were surprised to see that the swallows had already returned. As they zoomed back and forth under the dam we could pick out both Tree and Norther Rough-wing species.

Further along the dam we were able to find one butterfly: a Mourning Cloak. After flying around for a bit it settled down long enough for me to take a few pictures of both the top and underside of it.

Before heading home I stopped to look at the vernal pools on the property. Again, there were Wood Frogs in several of the pools but I didn't spot and eggs. One of the pools deeper in the woods was even still frozen.

Meadow Pond: Northbridge, MA (4/14)

Next was Meadow Pond in Northbridge. There were a few ducks out on the water including several Ring-necks and one Pie-billed Grebe.

Birds: Red-wing Blackbird, Mallard, Canada Goose, Ring-neck Duck, Pie-billed Grebe, Mourning Dove, Killdeer

Dauphainais Park: Grafton (4/14)

After Purgatory, we headed over to Dauphainais Park for a quick look around. There were a few birds still out and about but not too much.

Birds: Dark-eyed Junco, Field Sparrow, Blue Jay, Red-tailed Hawk, American Crow, Turkey Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee, Eastern Phoebe

Herps: Wood Frog

Purgatory Chasm: Sutton, MA (4/14)

On Saturday my parents spent the day exploring several places in the Worcester area. First we visited Purgatory Chasm to check up on the vernal pools. Purgatory is a great place to find Spotted Salamanders migrating to their mating pools on rainy nights in early spring. We checked a few of the pools where we've found eggs before but this year (at least so far) they were empty. Maybe this cold snap that we've been experiencing has delayed the mating season.

There were a good deal of Wood Frogs out though. When we got to the park it was still pretty early and the pools were absolutely quiet. But when it got warm enough, the chorus of croaking frogs really took off.

The other nice sighting of the day was a Pine Warbler, my first warbler of the year.

Birds: American Goldfinch, Pine Warbler, Blue Jay, Eastern Phoebe, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-throated Sparrow, Broad-wing Hawk, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Double-crested Cormorant

I don't have the answer, but something needs to be done...

I went to work yesterday just like every other day. My job involves long periods of designing and drafting parts with CAD software. Every so often I take a break and read the news online. Early in the morning a story popped up about a shooting at Virginia Tech. Its sad for me to have to admit this but I didn't read the original story... probably because these horrible stories happen every day.

I went about the day's business which took me away from my desk for most of the afternoon. When I got back to my desk I was confronted by a headline which told of multiple deaths at the college. It truly sickened me to watch as the death count grew with every hour.

The eerie thing for me was that the CD which I had been listening to that morning was Kasey Chambers' "Barricades and Brick Walls". I bought this disc specifically for its hidden track which I heard for the first time as a cover by Lori McKenna. It always gives me chills when I hear it.

Ignorance
Don't wanna read the paper
I don't like bad news
Last night a man got shot
Outside the house of blues
I'd like to ignore it
I'd like to just pretend
That the reason for it
Is something I can comprehend

I don't listen to the radio
Last time it made me cry
Two boys went crazy
Fifteen kids died
And I don't know their families
I don't ask 'em how they're going
They're on the other side of the world
But it's way too close to home

I've got something to say
And I thought it might be worth a mention
If you're not pissed off at the world
Then you're just not paying attention
And you can turn off the TV
And go about your day
But just 'cos you don't see it
It don't mean its gone away hey

We don't talk to our neighbours
They've got funny coloured skin
We see 'em out on the sidewalk
But we don't invite 'em in
We only eat when we're hungry
And we throw the rest away
While babies in Cambodia
Are starving everyday

We risk our lives
We hit our wives
We act like everything is funny
We hide our pain
While we go insane
We sell our souls for money
We curse our mums
We build our bombs
We make our children cry
We watch the band
While Vietnam
Just watch their children die

Well, I'm officially PISSED OFF. These kids are gone forever, their lives cut short for absolutely no reason. This just isn't acceptable and we as a society need to do something about it. I don't know what that something is, but I'm going to try my best to figure it out. Maybe its time to "overreact" since it doesn't look like the status quo is working. We need to confront young people who show the warning signs of violent behavior. We need to making harder for people to obtain automatic weapons. But, above all we need to start holding people responsible.

I used to know how to change the world/I lie awake at night and envy that girl
-Sarah Bettens "Scream"

But, above all I want to offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of those killed or injured in this tragic event. I hope that the fact that the entire nation grieves with you tempers your sorrow.

Turtle Creek Preserve: Essex, CT (4/7)

In the afternoon Shannon and I took a trip to Essex. After walking around downtown for a bit we headed over to Turtle Creek Preserve. This Nature Conservancy property was small but nice. By this time it was the late afternoon so there weren't too many birds still out and about. We did hear several Golden-crowned Kinglets though.

Cromwell Meadows (4/7)

Motivated by my great trip on Friday, I got up early again on Saturday and headed over to Cromwell Meadows for a morning hike. Since this wildlife management area is only about a mile from my house, I was able to get there early in the morning. And it was well worth the loss of sleep since when I got to the parking lot all the birds were still singing. They were all our common residents and early migrants: Northern Cardinals, Red-wing Blackbirds, American Robins, Goldfinches, etc. I started down the main trail before taking a quick side trip to see the Connecticut River. As I got close to the bank of the river, I was startled when a large bird dropped out of a nearby tree and flew away. It was an adult Bald Eagle! I don't think that I've ever been that close to an Eagle. I just wish that I was looking up and I might have seen it before it flew away. (I wonder if this was the same bird that I saw back in March.)

Back on the main trail, I continued on. A few hundred yards up the trail I startled a pair of White-tailed Deer who quickly disappeared into the woods. I followed them down a side trail towards the river and found some waterfowl in a cove. I saw Double-crested Cormorants, Wood Ducks, Mallards, and a small flock of what I think were Green-winged Teal.

From the riverbank I could also see an Osprey platform that someone had erected on the other side of the river. And there was actually an Osprey on the platform who appeared to me to be building a nest. I saw this bird, or possibly its mate, several more times during my hike. It flew back and forth over the trail and I even found it perched in a tree towards the end of the trail.

When I did reach the marshy area at the end of the trail, there wasn't too much activity. I did find a few Brown-headed Cowbirds which were out in the sun. It was too good an opportunity so I took a few practice photos before retracing my steps back to the parking lot.

When I got back to my car I still had some time so I decided to walk a little ways down the road which is located just after the underpass. There were lots of sparrows in the bushes on either side of the road but I couldn't single any out for an identification. The road ran by a marshy area which looked like it would be a great place to find rails. It then curls back and dead ends at the the river. As I made my way there, I noticed a Red-tailed Hawk near the top of a tree. When I got too close, he flew off over the river.

Birds: Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Red Wing Blackbird, American Robin, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Bald Eagle, Double-crested Cormorant, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Wood Duck, Eastern Phoebe, American Goldfinch, Tufted Titmouse, Song Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Canada Goose, Osprey, American Crow, Black Duck, Great Blue Heron, Green-wing Teal, Brown-headed Cowbird, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-tailed Hawk, White-throated Sparrow

Bent-of-the-River: Southbury, CT (4/6)

My company is one of the odd ones that gives its employees Good Friday off so I decided to spend the day at one of my favorite places in Connecticut: Bent-of-the-River in Southbury. The property is owned and managed by the National Audubon Society. What makes it special, in my opinion, is the variety of habitat. In addition to the river area, the property also has several large meadows, deep woods, rocky mountains, and even swampy areas. This really promotes wildlife diversity.

I've only been to the Bent once before but I had a very memorable visit. The property was filled with all sorts of animals: birds, snakes, butterflies, spiders, etc. I had lots of great finds but two stick out in my recollection. First were the large numbers of Indigo Buntings. They were everywhere in the lower fields. I'd never seen so many in one place. The other standout sighting was a single Worm-eating Warbler, the first one that I'd ever seen.

With good memories from this last visit, I decided that the Bent would be the perfect place for an early spring hike. I got there early at around 7:30. I immediately spotted some Eastern Bluebirds in the field and Juncos and Goldfinches patronizing a large feeder next to the information booth. I walked along the trail that runs parallel to the river and saw a pair of Common Mergansers in the water. When the saw me they left the shelter of the cove and allowed the force of the river to bring them downstream.

I continued up the path and was surprised to see two Turkeys picking through the leaf litter looking for something to eat. They didn't seem startled so I watched them until they both flew off. The early morning sunlight poked through the trees and it added a touch of gold to the landscape. I used the opportunity to take some photos of the ice covered leaves and a small stream that runs by the farmhouse.

The trail exited the woods in the field just below the farmhouse. There are multiple feeders in this area and they had attracted the normal mix of birds: Titmice, Blue Jays, Chickadees, and Mourning Doves. White-throated and Song Sparrows called from the bushes. I followed their song thru the lower fields and up the hill. At the upper fields I found lots of Eastern Phoebes and Robins. It was still very cold and I was surprised to see thick icicles all along one of the small streams that flowed thru the field. On the outskirts of the field I spotted a small flock of Cedar Waxwings. One individual left the flock and watched inquisitively from his perch as I took some photos.

At this point I decided to start up the Zig-Zag Trail which runs up the hill. As I got deeper in the woods, the birdsong tailed off but I did hear lots of Golden-crowned Kinglets. Almost everywhere that I went on the property I could hear Kinglets. I wish that I had started counting them from the start of my hike but I estimate that I heard/saw at least 50 birds.

I continued up the Collier Trail where I heard the distinctive call of a Pileated Woodpecker. I followed the calls to the intersection with Pootatuck Rd and there on a large tree I spotted the bird. Pileated Woodpeckers are almost always referred to as "shy" birds but in at least one other occasion I have had the pleasure of long looks at them. This was one of those occasions.

The woodpecker was a male and he was hard at work carving up the tree. I'm guessing that he was making what may be a nest hole. As he worked, large pieces of excavated wood fell to the ground. I did my best to silently observe the bird while at the same time take some pictures. Unfortunately the bird was working on the west side of the tree and most of it was in the shadows. After about 15 minutes a second Pileated (this one a female) flew into view and landed on the same tree. This spooked the male which flew up to a higher branch.

There I was able to get some better photos as he made his way onto a sunny branch. It hopped up the branch looking for something to eat. Then, out of nowhere a Gray Squirrel jumped out of a nearby hole and made a mad rush toward the much larger woodpecker. The startled bird flew away and the squirrel retreated back into her nest.

With the Pileated Woodpeckers gone, I started off again. I walked down the road a bit before taking a side trip on the Weasel Swamp Trail. I have to admit that I was really drawn in by the name. After a short walk, I found the swamp.... but no weasels. I hiked over to Tulip Tree Trail before making my way towards Eagle Overlook. On the way, I spotted another Pileated Woodpecker. I'm not sure if this was one of the original pair but it was still great to see.

As I got closer to the overlook the landscape got rockier and rockier. This would have been the perfect place to find a snake had it been a bit warmer. Finally I got to the top and spent a few minutes enjoying the view before retracing my steps back to the road.

When I got back to the road, I couldn't resist one more look at the Pileated pair. As I hiked up the road, I heard a rustling in the forest floor. I looked over and found two large sparrows. Seeing me, they both flew away but one lighted on a nearby branch. After only a few seconds, I identified it as a Fox Sparrow. This was a great find, especially since this was a life bird for me.

I trudged on up the road until I got to the intersection where I had seen the woodpeckers and I was totally shocked to see the male was on the same tree again. By this time it was the early afternoon and the light was not great. I still tried taking some photos just for practice. Unfortunately I got a bit too close and he flew off into the woods. Soon after, I heard two woodpecker calls from the same general direction that the male flew off to and I just had to investigate. Both woodpeckers were at the base of a large tree and it appeared to me that the male was feeding this mate. It was really cool to see. I looked up the behavior and it matches pretty closely the published information on courtship of these birds.

Incredibly happy to have witnessed this behavior I made my way back towards the parking lot. But, I couldn't resist one last side trip to see the Cascade. This was a good sized waterfall and it was really flowing. It was a great ending to the morning.

Birds: Eastern Bluebird, Tufted Titmouse, Downy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, Red Wing Blackbird, Common Merganser, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Song Sparrow, Wild Turkey, Black-capped Chickadee, Mourning Dove, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Tree Sparrow, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Crow, Eastern Phoebe, Cedar Waxwing, American Robin, Pileated Woodpecker, Turkey Vulture, Fox Sparrow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker

Pussywillows

After the photo show opening was complete I decided to take a quick walk along Trioano Brookside trail. There wasn't much to report but I did have one interesting find. The pussywillows that I had photographed the week before had completely changed. Instead of the furry gray form that I'm used to, they were yellow. I took a picture or two and then did some research the next day. Apparently the pussywillow is actually the reproduction center for the plant. The "male" pussywillows mature and then release pollen to fertilize the "female" plants. I never knew that but its pretty cool.

BMB Photo Contest Results

I attended the opening of the 2nd annual Broad Meadow Brook Photo Contest on April 1st. The event was pretty well publicized and there were lots of people in attendance. Actually I was proud to be part of the show's promotion. First, my Harris' Checkerspot photo from last year was on the cover of the brochure that listed the rules of the contest. Also, my pink flower photo was used on the postcard invitation (even though it credited my sister instead). The Worcester Telegram and Gazette even reprinted this photo on the front page of the "Extra" section.

Like last year there were so many great photos in the show. Each one was interesting and I really enjoyed trying to figure out where they were each taken.

But the best news was that I actually took home prizes in two categories. Snapping Turtle took first place in the Wildlife category and Wood Lily took second place in the Seasons category. If you live in the area you should really try to get over to BMB to see the show. It runs thru most of the summer.

Dauphainais Park: Grafton (4/1)

It was a nice sunny morning on Sunday so I headed over to Dauphainais Park hoping that everything would be coaxed out of hibernation by the warm temperatures. It was late when I got to the property but there were still a good number of birds out and about. The most activity was at the area where the brook flows under the main road. A pair of Eastern Phoebes flew back and forth hawking for insects and a few Juncos sung from the top of the evergreen trees. I even got fooled by a Blue Jay who performed a spot on imitation of a Red-tailed Hawk.

Hoping to see something different, I headed off the main road into the woods. I immediately scared up what I believe were two Ruffed Grouse (they flew too quickly for a positive ID). Deep in the woods, there was multiple signs of White-tailed Deer. I even found what I think are signs of their browse. There was also a wealth of Pileated Woodpecker holes. I listened carefully hoping to hear one but lucked out.

After stumbling around in the woods for a while I made my way back to the road. Just as a broke thru the trees, I scared up an Eastern Comma: my first butterfly of 2007. A few feet down the road I found a Mourning Cloak also sunning itself along the road.

I hiked further into the park making my way slowly to the vernal pools. The first one that I checked out was absolutely beautiful but strangely barren. I usually find at least a few eggs at this pool but this year there was nothing. It did have a number of birds though, including an Eastern Bluebird.

Disappointed, I continued to the next site. This is basically a large depression (caused by dirt bikes?) that fills up in the spring. At this one, I could at least hear the Wood Frogs quacking. But, as hard as I tried I couldn't find one. I'm guessing that they preferred this pool because it was sunnier and had vegetation to hide in.

As I made my way around the pool, I spotted a burrow opening high on the bank. It was really large but I wasn't able to determine what animal made its home there.

On my way out, I heard more quacking from the woods and couldn't resist taking a quick look. Again, the Wood Frogs hid effectively when they heard me approach. But, I did see some skunk cabbage that was just starting to sprout.

On my way out of the woods I found another Mourning Cloak. I watched as he "patrolled" the path and was surprised to see him joined by two more Cloaks who engaged in a short dogfight before flying off. My final sighting of the morning looked like a butterfly to me. It was bright orange with a pale gray forewing. It was sucking nutrients out of the mud but took off whenever I tried to get close enough to take a good picture. From the picture I did get, I was able to determine that it was an Infant Moth.

CT Audubon Society Center at Glastonbury (3/31)

Later in the day Shannon and I took a drive over to the CT Audubon Society Center at Glastonbury. I hadn't been to this property in a few years but it was good to hike it again.

We were welcomed to the center by a Downy Woodpecker at the bird feeders. After he flew off, we went on a short hike thru the property. Near the area which is used for horse jumping, I noticed that the ground was alive with insects. Several hundred Ground Bees were emerging from their underground homes. They left these little mounds everywhere.

We continued on to the small pond near the center of the property. I was hoping to find the Musk Turtle that I'd seen years before but we lucked out. There were hundreds of tadpoles in the water though. I'm guessing that they were mostly Bullfrog tadpoles since a few were quite large (Bullfrog tadpoles take multiple years to reach full adulthood).

We tried to continue on but the main bridge was cordoned off. There was signs of beaver activity in the area so I'm guessing that's what caused the closure.

Valley Falls Park: Bolton, CT (3/31)

On Saturday my friend Shannon took me for a hike at a place I'd never been to before: Valley Falls Park. The property was actually really nice. It consists of a medium sized pond at the bottom of a good sized hill. Water from the pond poured over what looked like an old house foundation. It was very picturesque.

As I started up the hill I was greeted by several Eastern Phoebes calling loudly from branches over the water. The hike was slight strenuous but nothing terrible. As the trail got closer to the top of the hill it was almost completely surrounded by what I believe were Mountain Laurel bushes. But, these bushes were taller than I've seen before. They had twisting trunks which only branched out to leaves above my head. Regardless if these are Mountain Laurel or another member of the Rhododendron family, they must make the hill look spectacular when they are all in bloom.

At the top of the hill I sat for a while and enjoyed the view. I was distracted by a small flock of Chickadees working over the pine needle bunches looking for something good to eat. Then it was time for a return trip to the base of the hill.