Hodges Village Dam (5/20)

After a nice day of Bird-a-thon birding, we got up early and headed over to the Paige Lane entrance to Hodges Village Dam. It was still very damp and overcast but we made the best of it. The birds were pretty much the same as we had seen on Bird-a-thon. Surprisingly we even found another Wilson's Warbler.

Walking thru the woods we did find some nice flowers. The first was some Fringed Polygala. It wasn't opened yet but was still pretty. We also found a Pink Lady-slipper which hadn't quite turned pink yet. As we admired the flowers, my Mom spotted a Red Eft crawling thru the leaf litter. It was so wet that he had free reign.

Bird-a-thon 2007 (5/18 - 5/19)

Bird-a-thon was a few weeks ago. This is a fundraiser for the Massachusetts Audubon Society and is essentially a birding scavenger hunt. Teams representing the different Audubon sanctuaries go out and try to find as many species as possible. Its a ton of fun and I look forward to the event every year.

I've done Bird-a-thon for 6 or 7 years now. Being at the middle of May, the weather is always a toss up. We've had some really hot days and some cooler ones. We have had more than our fair share of rain. The worst was last year when it rained heavily all day.

This year it was pretty dreary too. We started at 6:00 on Friday night at the Worcester cemeteries. Then headed over to downtown Worcester to see if we cold locate the Peregrin (we didn't but my Mom did spot it from the road on Sunday) followed by a quick trip to Institute Park. We didn't turn up anything rare in this time and it was starting to rain more heavily so we called it a night.

It was still raining when we got up on Saturday morning so we didn't race to get out of the house. We hit a lot of places in Worcester County so I'll try to give the highlights of each stop.

All Faith's Cemetery: We found a Wilson's Warbler hopping around the trees near the entrance to the cemetery. I wish that I could have gotten a better look at it but it was particularly hard to see in the foggy morning light. Plus my glasses are binauculars were constantly wet.

In the Parking Lot for Duck Pools: We actually did really well here. I found one Cormorant on the water. We also had a small flock of Chimney Swifts, a Redstart, and a Warbling Vireo.

Newton Hill: This was my first time at Newton Hill and I can see how it is a great site for birding. But, the conditions were really bad when we arrived so the activity was at a minimum. We did hear a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and a Pine Warbler though. Plus, we had the strangest sighting of the entire day. Foraging on the trail was what we later discovered was a hybrid Lady Amherst Pheasant/Golden Pheasant. These birds are native to Asia so this was animal was obviously an abandoned pet. It was certainly strange.

Sylvester St: Here we had our first raptor of the day: a Red-tailed Hawk. We also had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak and lots of Orioles along the road. In the field we had a good amount of warblers including Black-throated Green and Black-throated Blues.

Asnebumskit Hill: Went up to the hill hoping to find the Ravens but it doesn't look like they were nesting there this year. We did get to see/hear several Black-throated Blue Warblers though.

Worcester Airport: We got lots of good grasslands birds at the airport including Bobolinks, Wild Turkeys, and Savanah Sparrows.

Boynton Park/Cascades: This was probably our best spot of the day. We got tons of warblers there including American Redstart, Magnolia, and Chestnut-sided. Like every year, we were able to call in a male Indigo Bunting. We also heard one of the Pileated Woodpeckers and some Wood Thrushes. We also had at least a couple Scarlet Tanagers.

Wachusett Reservoir: We stopped several different places at the reservoir. The water birds were pretty sparse but we did find 6 Common Loons. In the woods around the reservoir we ticked off Prairie Warbler. Baltimore Orioles were prevalent but we missed the Orchard Orioles. Other new species were Willow Flycatcher and Belted Kingfisher.

Dike: At the dike we had one of the best sightings of the day: a Merlin perched at the top of a tree. Coninuing one we stopped to talk to our teammates, Fran and Joanie, and get a look at the nesting Bald Eagles through their scopes.

UMASS Medical Center: We stopped here in hopes of finding the Great Egret which had taken up temporary residence in the small pond. Instead we found a pair of Least Sandpipers and one Spotted Sandpiper. There were also plenty of Barn Swallows zooming back and forth over the water.

Auburn Flood Control: At the flood contol we had one new species: a Blackpoll in the trees. As we drove away we were buzzed by a Sharp-shinned Hawk.

All Faiths Cemetery: Our last minute stop was back at the cemetery hoping that we could find the Green Heron or an Eastern Kingbird. We missed both species but did identify an Eastern Wood Pee Wee and a Wood Duck.

In the end we tallied 81 total species. Not our best day ever but a good total given the habitat and weather. And it was a fantatstic day regardless of what we found. The BMB team as a whole found 121 total species. Again not the best tally ever but it was respectable. If you'd like to make a donation to support the organization, you can still pledge online. Thanks.

Birds: House Finch, House Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Northern Cardinal, American Robin, Common Grackle, Chipping Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Rough-wing Swallow, Northern Flicker, Brown-headed Cowbird, European Starling, American Crow, Baltimore Oriole, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Tree Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Goldfinch, Great Blue Heron, Downy Woodpecker, Common Yellowthroat, Song Sparrow, Mallard, Killdeer, Rock Dove, Gray Catbird, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Black-throated Green Warbler, Tufted Titmouse, Wilson's Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, American Redstart, Warbling Vireo, Chimney Swift, Double-crested Cormorant, Herring Gull, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Indigo Bunting, Ovenbird, Eastern Towhee, Black and White Warbler, Scarlet Tananger, Wood Thrush, Pileated Woodpecker, Magnolia Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Pine Warbler, Bobolink, Savannah Sparrow, Wild Turkey, Eastern Phoebe, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Red-tailed Hawk, House Wren, Blue-wing Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Turkey Vulture, Peregrin Falcon, Common Loon, Willow Flycatcher, Brown Thrasher, Prairie Warbler, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Mockingbird, Field Sparrow, Merlin, Eastern Bluebird, Bald Eagle, Ring-bill Gull, Barn Swallow, Least Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Blackpoll Warbler, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Wood Duck, Eastern Wood Peewee

Greenbriar/Hodges Village Dam/Wells State Park (5/13)

Mom and I spent Mother's Day exploring central MA. We started the morning at Greenbriar Park in Oxford. We chose to walk our normal route: around the pond and then a short distance up the trail towards Hodges Village Dam.

During the hike we had some nice birds. The first one attracted us with its song. We couldn't immediately find it but after some diligence we finally spotted it: a House Wren. Its amazing that a bird so small can make such a loud noise (and that it can intimidate the other birds).

We continued on around the pond. The whole area was packed with Yellow Warblers. We saw and heard them everywhere. There was also a few Common Yellowthroats and a Redstart or two. As we walked through the woods, we found a Black and White Warbler and one Brown Creeper.

We hiked deeper into the woods to the area where we've had Waterthrushes in the past but we didn't hear one on this trip. So, we started back and had one last good bird, a Blue-wing Warbler, as we were about to leave the park. Also, by this time all the Wood Anemone had fully opened making for a great photo.

From there we made a short trip over to the dam. By this time it was late morning and the sun was out. Near the parking lot we heard the song of a Dark-eyed Junco. At their usual spot, we found plenty of Rough-wing Swallows. As my Mom and I looped around in an attempt to find some butterflies, my Dad spotted a pair of Black Swallowtails in the field. Surprisingly, they were very photogenic (usually these swallowtails don't stay still for more than a half second or so). As we were leaving the field, Mom spotted a pair of Brown Thrashers in the bushes. As we crossed the bridge we got a great look at a Great Blue Heron eating a fish. He really had to struggle to swallow it but it was worth it.

After lunch we headed over to Wells State Park hoping that the Rat Snakes would be out. Unfortunately we couldn't locate them in their normal tree. So, we decided to take a hike through the park and down the power lines. The forest flowers were really popping out. I found one I recognized (Starflower) and another that I didn't (Nodding Trillium). We finished the day hiking up the power lines listening to the calls of the Prairie Warbler.

Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary: Portland, CT (5/12)

After a late night at Foxwoods seeing one of my favorite artists, Chantal Kreviazuk, perform I dragged myself out of bed and headed over to Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary. This property is quickly becoming one of my favorite places in Connecticut. And I had another nice visit. I'm just glad that I made it home (more on that later).

I got to the property around 7:30. It was a beautiful spring morning and the bog was filled with singing birds. They were mostly Grackles, Orioles, and Red-wing Blackbirds but it was still an interesting chorus. I started the loop around the bog admiring the woods in the morning light. As I walked around the first turn I noticed a Beaver munching on a newly felled tree. He stayed put for a few minutes which gave me enough time to take a few photos. Unfortunately the density of the bushes made focusing difficult and I didn't get any really good shots.

After the Beaver swam away I continued on to the portion of the trail where the water has overflowed its banks. I was hoping to find some Spotted Turtles but instead found a few Water Snakes sunning themselves on the beaver dam. Seeing me, they quickly dove into the water to escape.

Instead of getting my feet wet, I doubled back and headed up the hill into Meshamasic State Forest. I've been to the area a few times now so I decided to explore it a bit deeper. The journey started out great. From the trail I heard what I'm sure was a Worm-eating Warbler. I did some bushwhacking to try to find the bird. But, its call makes it maddeningly difficult to locate. I tried several positions (including on top of a large boulder) but never spotted it. I did find a Scarlet tanager though.

I continued on down the trail taking different forks as I hiked. Eventually the trail exited the woods near the Portland Reservoir. The area was a large field with two white tanks. A dirt road led from the tanks, over a bridge, to a residential neighborhood. As I walked to the bridge I heard several songs. There were plenty of Chipping Sparrows and Phoebes but the most persistent call was from a male Blue-wing Warbler. I chased him long enough to get at least one nice picture.

I headed up towards the reservoir but unfortunately it had restricted access. From the road I did see some Rough-wing Swallows swooping up and down over the water. I headed down the road a bit to see if there was anything to be found. I'm glad I did too since the call of a Red-eyed Vireo drew my attention to one particular tree. As I was looking for the vireo, I spotted a Magnolia Warbler working the branches for food. Before finally turning back I took a quick detour into the woods for a look at the stream that drained from the reservoir.

I headed back to the tanks and then decided to explore one more trail before heading back. I heard several more Scarlet Tanangers and other woodland birds. When I came to an area with lots of pine bark littering the ground, I couldn't help but turn a few pieces over. The second piece was hiding a Garter Snake. I took some close-up shots of this beautiful creature before replacing the bark and leaving him in peace.

This is where it started to get a little dicey. I took a trail that I thought was the way out but after a half a mile or so I realized that it was the wrong path. I backtracked to the tank area and found another trail. This one looked much more familiar. But, I still made some wrong turns before finally making it back to the bog.

As I hiked thru the mid-mourning the butterflies really started to emerge. I spotted several Juvenal's Duskywings and one Spring Azure. One the ride home I saw a pair of Tiger Swallowtails, some Cabbage Whites, and one Lady species.

Birds: Veery, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-wing Blackbird, American Robin, American Crow, Baltimore Oriole, Northern Flicker, Canada Goose, Gray Catbird, Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Common Grackle, Downy Woodpecker, Ovenbird, Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown-headed Cowbird, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Tufted Titmouse, Scarlet Tanager, Worm-eating Warbler, Wood Thrush, Chipping Sparrow, Blue-wing Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Eastern Phoebe, Rough-wing Swallow, Song Sparrow, Red-eyed Vireo, Magnolia Warbler, Great Blue Heron, Hairy Woodpecker, Eastern Kingbird

Cromwell, CT (5/11)

In my back yard on Friday the 12th I heard a Black-throated Green Warbler and a Winter Wren.

Cromwell Meadows: Cromwell, CT (5/10)

On Thursday the 10th I decided to play hokey from work and head over to Cromwell Meadows for a early morning walk. It was muggy and overcast which made finding the birds really difficult. Plus, the meadows is actually a swamp so there were mosquitoes everywhere. But, it was still better than being at work.

I wish that I could say that my initiative was rewarded with a big list but sadly that wasn't the case. I did have a couple nice birds though. Right at the entrance to the property I found a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. About halfway in I heard a Northern Parula. I could see the bird high in the trees but I never got a good look at it due to the conditions. The best that I could do is identify it by its call.

Birds: Gray Catbird, American Robin, Red-wing Blackbird, Yellow Warbler, Downey Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Blue Jay, White-throated Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal, Wood Duck, Canada Goose, Common Yellowthroat, Belted Kingfisher, Tufted Titmouse, Great Blue Heron, Chipping Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Warbling Vireo, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-capped Chickadee, Mallard, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Northern Parula

Oxbow NWR and Bolton Flats (5/6)

My parents and I got up early on Sunday and headed over to Oxbow NWR. It was a cool morning so the the bird activity was low and we got off to a slow start. We did hear and see a Black and White Warbler in the trees around the parking lot. As we started down the main dirt road I heard a Common Yellowthroat calling from the marsh area. A bit further up a singing sparrow drew our attention. We tried unsuccessfully to identify it before it flew off into the woods. We continued on to the beaver pond where I heard my first Ovenbird of the year. We also had a few Eastern Towhees in the bushes plus at least one Pine Warbler which called from the trees. We rounded the bend heading down towards the pond I was hoping that we might find some Blanding's Turtles backing in the sun. But, even though it was a beautiful day, it must have just been too cool for them. The view of the pond wasn't to be missed though. The trees were all in process of sprouting leaves and the deep blue sky reflected off the perfectly calm water.

After enjoying the view for a couple of minutes, we decided to continue on. Before leaving, I did notice a small yellow flower that I didn't recognize. I took some pictures for identification purposes and later determined that they were Small-flowered Crowfoot.

A bit up the trail I spotted an immense Garter Snake sunning itself in the bushes. I've found that Garter Snakes really have a good deal of variation in their colors and this one had a pinkish stripe running down its back. He wasn't exactly frightened of us (or maybe he was just really sluggish) so we admired him for a few minutes before proceeding. We actually had several snakes during our hike. They were most likely all garters but I didn't get a look at every one. Some Painted Turtles were also out enjoying the sun.

As we walked past the pond and into the more forested area our sightings really started to pick up. This is strange since the early morning is usually the best time for birding. My guess is that they were waiting for the temperature to rise.

We started hearing more song from the woods. The first warbler species in this stretch was a pair of Palm Warblers. Then, as we got to the area where the trail bends 90 degrees to head back to the parking lot, we hit the jackpot. For some reason there were dozens of birds in this area. Most were Yellow-rumped Warblers but we did find several Black-throated Green Warblers and one Black-throated Blue Warbler. Also, at the top of one tree my Mom spotted a Blue-headed Vireo. We stayed in this area for a good amount of time and got great looks at all of these birds.

When we started back we had heard more good bird. I originally thought that it was the squeaky call of a Goldfinch but when we finally located the bird it ended up being a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. We saw several more of these birds on the return trip.

Just as we were getting back to the main road, we found the mystery sparrow that we couldn't identify earlier. After several minutes of observation and looking thru the guidebook, we finally were satisfied that it was a Lincoln's Sparrow... a life bird for me.

After finishing up at Oxbow, we headed over to Bolton Flats for a short walk after lunch. Our best birds there were a small flock of Lesser Yellowlegs, a Spotted Sandpiper, and a few Savannah Sparrow. In total we "netted" 52 species. Not bad.

Oxbow: Black and White Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Robin, European Starling, Mourning Dove, American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Creeper, Song Sparrow, Downy Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Belted Kingfisher, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal, Chimney Swift, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Titmouse, Pine Warbler, Ovenbird, Tree Swallow, Palm Warbler, Common Grackle, Yellow Warbler, Wood Duck, White-throated Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Northern Flicker, Blue-headed Vireo, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Towhee, Hermit Thrush, Lincoln's Sparrow

At Bolton Flats we added the following species: American Crow, English Sparrow, Spotted Sandpiper, Eastern Kingbird, Gray Catbird, Red-tailed Hawk, Double-crested Cormorant, Eastern Bluebird, Savannah Sparrow, Northern Harrier, Lesser Yellowlegs

Wachusett Reservoir (5/5)

We spent the afternoon at Wachusett Reservoir. Our highlights there included 2 Prairie Warblers, 4 Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and several Flickers (a few of which were nesting in a hole in one of the telephone poles).

We also took a trip to see the Bald Eagles and were lucky enough to see the two birds switch positions on the nest. While we were there we spotted two butterflies: a Mourning Cloak and a Pine Elfin.

The wildflowers weren't all out yet but I did find a couple. There was lots of Mayflower out at the reservoir and this plant was widespread along the road. It may have the coolest flower name ever... Spurge. Sounds deadly.

All Faiths Cemetery: Worcester, MA (5/5)

On Saturday morning my Dad and I spent some time birding at All Faiths Cemetery. We started at the main entrance where there was actually a good deal of activity. I saw a few Black and White Warblers picking thru the tree bark for insects. All around them were Yellow-rumped Warblers. I wish that I had counted them from the beginning but I would guess that there were at least 50 in the small cemetery. A bit further up we found one or two Palm Warblers but unfortunately that was it for the warblers.

We did have a few other welcome migrants though. I found one Green Heron in a tree across the river from the cemetery and we saw one Killdeer looking for a place to nest. We even found a pair of Warbling Vireos in the trees closest to the landfill.

But the strangest sight of the day was a Canada Goose flying low to the water with a Mute Swan literally biting its tail in flight. It was like a slow motion dogfight.

Birds: Black and White Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Green Heron, American Robin, Chipping Sparrow, Mallard, Common Grackle, European Starling, Blue Jay, American Goldfinch, Northern Flicker, Northern Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, Mute Swan, Red-winged Blackbird, Canada Goose, Eastern Kingbird, Killdeer, Tufted Titmouse, Warbling Vireo, Song Sparrow, Northern Mockingbird

Connecticut Audubon Society at Glastonbury (4/29)

After driving home from Portland, Shannon and I stopped at the town park in Glastonbury. We walked the trails and I noticed that the forest floor was covered with Trout Lily. Shannon found some a couple of buds but they weren't open yet. This week the trails should be carpeted with yellow flowers.

As we approached the frog pond we could hear the trilling of hundreds of American Toads. We spotted one near the shore and sat and watched him for a while. It was amazing to see how much his throat sack inflated as he called. We walked around the pond and heard a Bullfrog or two calling as well. At one corner of the pond we several pairs of toads in amplexus. In the water near them were strings of eggs. The fresh strands looked like small black pearls. But, they were quickly covered with silt making them look like extremely long worms. I'm guessing that the water is going to be thick with tadpoles before too long.

As we turned to leave we heard a Belted Kingfisher call as he flew over the water. I wonder if he would eat the toad tadpoles.

Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary: Portland, CT (4/29)

When I got back to Connecticut, Shannon and I took a trip over to Helen Carlson for the afternoon. I was hoping that we'd find the Spotted Turtles that I had discovered the week before. But, even though it seemed like it was good basking weather, we only found Painted Turtles.

As for other Herps, we did spot two Northern Water Snakes. The first was coiled up in a bush getting some sun. The second was swimming in the bog looking for something to hunt. I'm guessing that he was after some of the frogs in the shallow water. They were abundant and called incessantly. I identified at least one as a Green Frog but there may have been other species as well.

We walked down the trail where I'd found the Spotted Turtles and stopped where the trail was flooded. Looking for a way to cross, I saw a pair of eggs in the water. I'm guessing that they were Wood Duck eggs since I've seen these a couple of times while working on the nesting boxes at Broad Meadow Brook. Also, there was a nesting box in the area that the eggs could have fallen out of. It was sad to see, but hopefully the female Wood Duck will lay some more eggs before the end of the season.

Hindered by the water, we turned around and made a partial loop thru the sanctuary. We encountered many of the same birds as I found the week before. The standouts were a couple Palm Warblers, a Yellow-rumped Warbler, and an immature Cooper's Hawk. We spooked the hawk from his perch on one side of the bog and watched him fly across the water. Later we got a better look at the same bird closer to the road.

As for butterflies, we had a couple of Spring Azures and a Mourning Cloak. Unfortunately not many flowers were in bloom.

All Faiths Cemetery, Worcester (4/29)

Before leaving Massachusetts on Sunday I took a quick morning walk around All Faiths Cemetery. It was still pretty early in the migration cycle so there wasn't too much new coming though. But, I did have around 20 Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Birds: Mourning Dove, American Robin, Common Grackle, European Starling, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Wood Duck, Canada Goose, Downey Woodpecker, Mallard, American Goldfinch, Blue Jay, Mute Swan, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Mockingbird

Wood Turtle

After the Earth Day cleanup on Saturday I went over to a location in Central Massachusetts that I had heard has a population of Wood Turtles. I can't disclose the location since I'd be worried that a collector would go to the site. Anyhow, I'd been to this site 8-10 times since I heard the report of the turtle. As hard as I tried, I never found the animal. But I kept trying since I'd never seen a Wood Turtle before.

And my persistence was finally rewarded. I walked down the main road to the sandy bottom stream (which is a favorite habitat of these turtles) and started to scan the area with my binoculars. But, there was no sign of the turtle. Disappointed, I decided to try looking around some more. When I turned to leave I looked down and there was a turtle right at my feet (literally 5-10 feet away). Trying not to overstress it, I kept my distance and watched it for some time. After it got used to me, I sat down in the grass and took tons of photos. After a while it got sick of me and started to slowly walk away. At this point I didn't want to bother it any more so I left it to its travels.

Amazingly, my fantastic day was not over. I continued on to a small pond in the area and noticed a pair of Brown Thrashers. They disappeared into the brush around the pond and I followed. When I got to the banks of the pond I spooked a large bird. Its size, color, and posture gave it away. It was an American Bittern. I took three or four photos before it decided that it was no longer camouflaged and flew into the trees on the opposite bank.

So, I did something good for the earth and I was rewarded with some great animals. Instant karma.

Broad Meadow Brook MAS: Worcester, MA (4/28)

I got up early on Saturday morning hoping to do some birding at BMB before the annual Earth Day cleanup. For some reason, this time I parked at the Granite St. entrance and hiked into the sanctuary from there. As I hiked parallel to the power lines I could hear the Eastern Towhees calling, my first of the year. As I came to the intersection on the trail and the power line road I spotted a nice flock of Field Sparrows feeding on the ground. They were joined by a few Goldfinches who perched on the dead stems of last years meadow plants. Several of these stems had small patches of intricate spider webs that were coated with water droplets from the last night's rain.

My plan was to make the normal circuit: the power lines, down to the stretch and back again. But, I took a side trip down to Green Heron Pond in hopes that I might find some rails. There is also a new beaver lodge there and I was hoping that it was still early enough to catch its owner out and about. And it turns out my luck was good since as I came down the hill I noticed a Beaver sitting on the lodge eating. I took a few shots and then tried to creep closer. The Beaver heard me and took to the water. But instead of slipping into the lodge, he took the offensive. He slapped the water with his tail causing a loud smack and a huge splash. As I stood and watched, he circled the small pond several times doing the tail smack every 15-30 seconds or so. I got a few nice photos and then "retreated".

I resumed my hike down to the stretch stopping only temporarily to take some documentation photos of the power lines for my collection. Looking through these photos, its really interesting to see how the meadow has changed over just one year. There appears to be many more woody plants now. I wonder how long it will take them to overrun the area again?

When I finally got down to the stretch I was a bit disappointed by the lack of any really interesting birds. I did find one Spotted Sandpiper but the majority of the singing was the common birds (Song Sparrow, Red Wing Blackbird, Robin). I didn't find any warblers during the entire trip.

But that isn't to say that I didn't find anything to photograph. On the way back I found this neon orange fungus that I later identified as Yellow Brain-fungus. And, back near the power lines, I ventured off the trail to get some shots of one of the streams that feed the brook.

Birds: Eastern Towhee, Eastern Phoebe, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, American Robin, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Goldfinch, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Mockingbird, Blue Jay, Field Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Red Wing Blackbird, Northern Flicker, Wild Turkey, Mallard, Tufted Titmouse, Song Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Grackle, Mourning Dove, Spotted Sandpiper