[CT Birds] Shelton

[Dennis Varza]

Hi Folks

I hadt this urge to do some inland birding so i did my "Shelton  
Loop". It is a route I developed to survey inland areas. it Includes  
Trap Fall Reservoir, Means Brook Reservoir, Lower White Hills, Indian  
Well St. Park, and along the river to Stratford.

Between 1999 and 2005 I covered the route 5 times in January.  I had  
62 Species total.

Today I had 40 species.  18 Species were seen all 6 times. 8 more  
species were seen at least 5 times.

Trends:
Mute Swan Declined from 20 to 2 over the years.
Most of the Herring Gulls were looking for food at the base of the  
Derby Dam while the Ring-billed Gulls were sitting on the lake behind  
the day. 1/33 were immatures.

Dennis Varza
Fairfield

Northern Pintail	6	Seen twice including Today
Black Vulture	1	Seen twice including Today
Sharp-shinned Hawk	1	New to Route
Fish Crow   	1	New to Route
Common Raven	1	New to Route
Hermit Thrush	1	Seen twice including Today
Brown-headed Cowbird	4	New to Route

Other Species seen only once in the past
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Cooper's Hawk
Red-Shoulder Hawk
Wild Turkey
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Gray Catbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Rusty Blackbird