Memorial Day weekend began with rain. When the rain finally broke Saturday morning, I hit the road and explored some new towns. I was thrilled to finally hit the 100 town threshold with Pomfret, the evening before, and was hoping that the day would bring some good birding and scenic views. Athens did not disappoint.
Athens is a small, quaint town down by Chester and Springfield, and looks like a smaller version of Woodstock or Dorset... an interesting mix of affluence and rural poverty. On the south side of town there is a nice network of hiking trails, and my survey was going to be focused on the Sleepy Valley Trail and the farm at its trailhead. Sleepy Valley Trail is relatively new and under-developed; it made the hike more adventuresome through the woods, climbing up onto the Chester Dome. As the trail climbed out of the valley bottom, the trail wove its way back and forth thru a rocky ledge area; all of the ledges were covered with moss and ferns, and the air was cool and moist. When I reached the level top of the dome, a mile from the trailhead, the vegetation changed to hemlock with little undergrowth. There was a distinct difference in the birds up here, and the clear understory made it easy to move about in pursuit of the Blackburnian and Black-throated Blue Warblers I could hear nearby. I could not see either bird, but I soon found that the trail markings had disappeared! I had photographed the trail map while I was at the trailhead parking lot, so I knew generally where I was heading, but not being able to find the markings was a bit alarming. During my efforts to re-locate the trail, I tripped over a branch and slightly twisted my ankle. It was time to abort the climb and head back.
I could see the familiar terrain of the rocky ledge area in the distance, so I bushwacked my way to the head of the ledge, and soon I could see the white markings of the trail. I carefully threaded my way down the ledge, making sure to place my weakened left foot squarely on the ground before shifting my weight. The air became warm and heavy as I descended -- even though the elevation difference was only a couple hundred feet, the air in the upper elevations was fresh and cool and breezier.
Upon my return to the trailhead, I re-assessed where I had been and completed my notes. My ears perked up when I heard the distinctive "pe-BEEP" of a Killdeer coming from the meadow of the farm, across the road. Not only was there a Killdeer down between the rows of leeks and other onions, there were male Bob-o-links flying up and singing their bubbly, metallic songs. Rounding out the valley birds were Tree and Barn Swallows, and even a Raven. And then, best of all, I began to hear the winnowing sound of a Snipe, off in the distance, flying invisible spirals over the meadow. What a great mix of Spring and Summer birds!
My checklist from the lower elevations:
Wilson's Snipe
Killdeer
Common Raven
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
American Robin
Veery
Bob-o-link
Rock Pigeon
My checklist from the upper elevations:
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Ovenbird
Northern Parula
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Baltimore Oriole
Gray Catbird
And Red Efts... there were 5 Red Efts and 1 Red-backed Salamander seen along the
Athens is a small, quaint town down by Chester and Springfield, and looks like a smaller version of Woodstock or Dorset... an interesting mix of affluence and rural poverty. On the south side of town there is a nice network of hiking trails, and my survey was going to be focused on the Sleepy Valley Trail and the farm at its trailhead. Sleepy Valley Trail is relatively new and under-developed; it made the hike more adventuresome through the woods, climbing up onto the Chester Dome. As the trail climbed out of the valley bottom, the trail wove its way back and forth thru a rocky ledge area; all of the ledges were covered with moss and ferns, and the air was cool and moist. When I reached the level top of the dome, a mile from the trailhead, the vegetation changed to hemlock with little undergrowth. There was a distinct difference in the birds up here, and the clear understory made it easy to move about in pursuit of the Blackburnian and Black-throated Blue Warblers I could hear nearby. I could not see either bird, but I soon found that the trail markings had disappeared! I had photographed the trail map while I was at the trailhead parking lot, so I knew generally where I was heading, but not being able to find the markings was a bit alarming. During my efforts to re-locate the trail, I tripped over a branch and slightly twisted my ankle. It was time to abort the climb and head back.
I could see the familiar terrain of the rocky ledge area in the distance, so I bushwacked my way to the head of the ledge, and soon I could see the white markings of the trail. I carefully threaded my way down the ledge, making sure to place my weakened left foot squarely on the ground before shifting my weight. The air became warm and heavy as I descended -- even though the elevation difference was only a couple hundred feet, the air in the upper elevations was fresh and cool and breezier.
Upon my return to the trailhead, I re-assessed where I had been and completed my notes. My ears perked up when I heard the distinctive "pe-BEEP" of a Killdeer coming from the meadow of the farm, across the road. Not only was there a Killdeer down between the rows of leeks and other onions, there were male Bob-o-links flying up and singing their bubbly, metallic songs. Rounding out the valley birds were Tree and Barn Swallows, and even a Raven. And then, best of all, I began to hear the winnowing sound of a Snipe, off in the distance, flying invisible spirals over the meadow. What a great mix of Spring and Summer birds!
My checklist from the lower elevations:
Wilson's Snipe
Killdeer
Common Raven
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
American Robin
Veery
Bob-o-link
Rock Pigeon
My checklist from the upper elevations:
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Ovenbird
Northern Parula
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Baltimore Oriole
Gray Catbird
And Red Efts... there were 5 Red Efts and 1 Red-backed Salamander seen along the
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