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