4/19, Hancock Brook Lake (Army Corp. of Engineers) Plymouth-
(9:30-2:00p)
I walked about a mile down the blue trail, taking a bunch of detours, and having the best success at a big stand of really big pines...which is where I turned around.
When I first parked (at the first gate) and got out there were two steady streams of Broad-winged Hawks, 11 and then 13. I saw what Greg saw as well... lots of raptors. There were a lot of migrants around too.
Hancock Brook Lake, Plymouth, CT (9:30-2:00p)-
(4) Pine Siskins
(24) Broad-winged Hawks
(1) Osprey
(2) Sharp-shinned Hawks (adult, juv.)
(1) adult Cooper's Hawk (another on Rt-8, near exit 13)
(1) adult Red-shoulderd Hawk
(2) YB Sapsuckers
(1) Pileated Woodpecker
(2) Pine Warblers
(1) Yellow Warbler (first of the year for me)
(1) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (first of the ever for me!)
(2) Yellow-rumped Warblers
(5) Palm Warblers
(6) RC Kinglets
(2) GC Kinglets
(4) Rusty Blackbirds
(50+) Tree Swallows
(75+) NRW Swallows
(2) Hermit Thrush
(1) Fox Sparrow
(4) Chipping Sparrows (2 right at beginning of road off Rt-6)
(2) Swamp Sparrows
(3) Bufflehead
(4) Black Ducks
(1) male Wood Duck (2nd pond on road coming in)
Others were a lot of Goldfinches, a handful of Phoebes, and Red-tails and Turkey Vultures everywhere. I didn't pluck out any Black Vultures of those seen while not driving, but a good estimate is over 25 Turkey Vultures and about 10 Red-tails. Including a massive tornado of 30+ birds over Rt-8 after going under I-84.
There were dozens of Spring Azures, a pile of 4 Mourning Cloaks, and either a Comma or Tortoiseshell...too quick to tell. Adult newts, more than a dozen Painted Turtles, day peeping peepers and a whole lot of baby blue speckled egg masses.
It was a great day...lots of birds, lots of singing birds, lots of photo posing birds, amazing weather, first of the year birds, first for the state list birds (Broad-wings), and a lifer.
-Brian Webster-
Stratford, CT
Windows Live™: Life without walls.
http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_allup_1b_explore_042009
4/19, Hancock Brook Lake (Army Corp. of Engineers) Plymouth-
(9:30-2:00p)
I walked about a mile down the blue trail, taking a bunch of detours, and having the best success at a big stand of really big pines...which is where I turned around.
When I first parked (at the first gate) and got out there were two steady streams of Broad-winged Hawks, 11 and then 13. I saw what Greg saw as well... lots of raptors. There were a lot of migrants around too.
Hancock Brook Lake, Plymouth, CT (9:30-2:00p)-
(4) Pine Siskins
(24) Broad-winged Hawks
(1) Osprey
(2) Sharp-shinned Hawks (adult, juv.)
(1) adult Cooper's Hawk (another on Rt-8, near exit 13)
(1) adult Red-shoulderd Hawk
(2) YB Sapsuckers
(1) Pileated Woodpecker
(2) Pine Warblers
(1) Yellow Warbler (first of the year for me)
(1) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (first of the ever for me!)
(2) Yellow-rumped Warblers
(5) Palm Warblers
(6) RC Kinglets
(2) GC Kinglets
(4) Rusty Blackbirds
(50+) Tree Swallows
(75+) NRW Swallows
(2) Hermit Thrush
(1) Fox Sparrow
(4) Chipping Sparrows (2 right at beginning of road off Rt-6)
(2) Swamp Sparrows
(3) Bufflehead
(4) Black Ducks
(1) male Wood Duck (2nd pond on road coming in)
Others were a lot of Goldfinches, a handful of Phoebes, and Red-tails and Turkey Vultures everywhere. I didn't pluck out any Black Vultures of those seen while not driving, but a good estimate is over 25 Turkey Vultures and about 10 Red-tails. Including a massive tornado of 30+ birds over Rt-8 after going under I-84.
There were dozens of Spring Azures, a pile of 4 Mourning Cloaks, and either a Comma or Tortoiseshell...too quick to tell. Adult newts, more than a dozen Painted Turtles, day peeping peepers and a whole lot of baby blue speckled egg masses.
It was a great day...lots of birds, lots of singing birds, lots of photo posing birds, amazing weather, first of the year birds, first for the state list birds (Broad-wings), and a lifer.
-Brian Webster-
Stratford, CT
_________________________________________________________________
Windows Live™: Life without walls.
http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_allup_1b_explore_042009
