[CT Birds] Bigelow Hollow, Feeder Pulley System

[Robert J. Bitondi]

Scott, thanks for posting your observations on Union and Ashford.  Actually, seeing Bigelow Hollow for the first time in 1988 was the clincher that helped me make up my mind to move to NE CT.  It's a great place in spring to see migratory warblers (I had my first Blackburnians and waterthrushes there), but it's worth a stop and a hike any time of year.   As far as keeping NE CT a secret, that cow has long since left the barn.  Even some of the so-called conservation leaders around here are land developers.  Anyway, I'm glad you discovered those gems---places like those are something I'll be giving thanks for today..

Donna, I'm interested in your brother's pulley setup for feeders as a potential solution for bear problems.  I have relatives in Simsbury who've pretty much given up on bird feeding because of the bears, and I've wondered whether a pulley setup might keep the feeders out of bears' reach if properly connected between a second story window and a tree.  Does anyone have experience doing this for this purpose?  Is there a way to keep the tree end of the setup safe from bears?

Yard birds yesterday and today:  fox sparrow (2), pine siskin (3), purple finch (1).

Happy Thanksgiving,

Bob Bitondi
Pomfret Center




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Message: 9
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:21:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Scott Baron 

Subject: [CT Birds] Union, Conn.; Nov. 21
To: "Connecticut listserv\) Birds" 
Message-ID: <402444.98164.qm at web50510.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
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Hello, birders.

Last birding stop of a 5 day New England birding trip.
 Stopped in the Union, Connecticut area this morning
before heading to my parents' place for Thanksgiving. 
I've wanted to check out Bigelow Hollow State Park and
other nearby parks for years and I'm glad that I
finally made it.

I walked a few trails and checked out parts of two
lakes at Bigelow Hollow State Park and Nipmuck State
Forest in Union.  I really wanted to find winter
finches as well as experience the area's scenic
beauty.

I heard an unfamiliar call from a flyover that I
believe was from a winter finch.

At least 1 COMMON RAVEN was present in the state park.
 It was perched low and was just off the park entrance
road.  It flew off as I watched it.  It was close
enough so that I could clearly see it's "Roman nose." 
Just up the road, a raven passed my car which I
believe was the same bird.  I also heard a raven call
two more times this morning but all birds were in the
same general area.  So I believe only one or two birds
were involved.

1 imm. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was on Lake Mashapaug.
 The typical woodland birds like CHICKADEES and
TITMICE roamed the woods.

Just inside the state forest boundary flew an OSPREY
carrying a fish.  I could clearly see the fish was
being carried headfirst, which is the norm.  By the
way, I believe this beats my late date for Osprey in
Conn. by a week or two.  I saw an Osprey in the
Ivoryton section of Essex back in 1993.

I next checked out the Yale Forest/Boston Hollow area
of Union and Ashford but it was quiet.
 
What a pretty and still sparsely populated area of the
state that is easily accessible from I-84.  Let's keep
it a secret between us birders.  Shhhh.

Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va.


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Message: 11
Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2007 08:03:38 -0800 (PST)
From: Scott Baron 

Subject: [CT Birds] Fwd: Union, Conn.; Nov. 21
To: "Connecticut listserv\) Birds" 
Message-ID: <60541.58401.qm at web50505.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
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Small correction - the name of the body of water is
more appropriately Mashapaug Pond, not "Lake
Mashapaug"  as I had typed.

Also, a River Otter was casually swimming in Bigelow
Pond.  He would stare at me for a long time before he
would continue on.

Happy Thanksgiving,

SB


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Message: 6
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:13:37 -0500
From: "Sunshine" <sunny19682 at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [CT Birds] bird feeders for elderly
To: <ctbirds at lists.ctbirding.org>
Message-ID: <004701c82c94$25971760$c2f70218 at ARCADIAN>
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This is so true.  Several years back, my brother devised a pulley
 system for
our bird feeders.  It worked so well that he installed a similar one at
 an
elderly housing complex in town.  That bird feeder, along with a bird
 bath
someone else brought, gave the people so much joy.

Donna Lorello
Branford