[CT Birds] Northern BOWAs

[Mntncougar at aol.com]

Out of range for the list but I'm sure a few will find it  interesting.  I 
have been reading for a couple of weeks in MASSBIRD about  consistent sightings 
of large flocks of Bohemian Waxwings (100-300 reported) in  the Northern Ct 
Valley in Mass.  Since the BOWA is the 1 irruptive that  eluded me this winter I 
decided to give them a shot.    I took  I-91 north to the 
Northfield-Bernardston exit and went  East on US Rt 10.  At the intersection of 10 with Mass 63 I 
took a left  (south) looking for mailbox # 260.  At the turn the # was around 
1200 so I  had a ways to go - estimate 3 miles.  At that # I found a house on 
  the right and an old orchard on the left.  Scanning the tops of the area  
trees I immediately saw several birds high up in 1.  From the road I  couldn't 
make out what they were but they looked good.  Turned left into  the drive by 
the orchard and wasn't there 30 seconds before a pick-up pulled  in I was 
asked to park on the road.  No problem as there is  plenty of parking on the 
north-bound shoulder.  He asked me if I was  looking for "the birds".  Before I 
even got out of the car I noticed that  the ground in the orchard was covered 
with birds, with others coming and  going.  BINGO!  All waxwings and at least 90% 
Bohemian.  The  trees in the area were full of them as well.  Don't really 
know how many  but well over a hundred with no doubt at all.  No one bothered me 
as I  chased them around in the orchard for over an hour trying for a decent  
picture.  Very hard to get, as the orchard has not been pruned  and is  very 
brushy.  All apple trees, and apparently not harvested last year, as  the 
waxwings are feeding on the rotting apples, which literally cover the  ground.  
With a bright sun out the sweet smell of fermenting fruit was in  the air.  I 
had great looks at them and as many as I wanted. I arrived  around 9 am and Left 
around 10:30.  By the time I left there were no birds  in the surrounding 
trees, but they were still in the back of the  orchard.   They have been there 
for at least 2 weeks, and unless they  have a great urge to leave there is 
plenty of food for them.   It's  about a 75 mile drive from Hartford.
South Windsor, Station 43:
Far less birds than last week, no more than 40 visible at 1  time as opposed 
to well over 100 last week.  Ring-necks, Am Widgeons,  Green-winged Teal, 1 
pair that I saw of Blue-winged Teal, Mallards, Blacks, C  Geese, and at least 2 
pairs of Wood Ducks.  I saw 1 male Belted Kingfisher,  1 Norhtern Harrier, and 
several Red-tailed hawks, mostly at long range. At  Vibert Road I saw 1 
female American Kestrel.  There has been a male in the  area for the last few weeks 
so maybe they will get together.  A Pair of  Red-tails is now nesting in the 
old Great Horned Owl nest. I saw a gray-ghost N  Harrier at Vibert Rd also.
Pics of BOWAs below:
_http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/BOWAs4-7-08.jpg_ 
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/BOWAs4-7-08.jpg) 
_http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/BOWA4-7-09-1.jpg_ 
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/BOWA4-7-09-1.jpg) 
_http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/P1020014.jpg_ 
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/P1020014.jpg) 
_http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/P1010979.jpg_ 
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/P1010979.jpg) 
_http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/P1020014.jpg_ 
(http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/mntncougar/P1020014.jpg) 
 
Don Morgan, 
Coventry



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