The morning of June 17th started out with the best of intentions, but the second
town on my hit list - Weathersfield - threw me a spanner. I selected the
outflow meadow below the Stoughton Pond dam as my birding area; but instead of
spending 20-30 minutes birding there, I was there for 2 hours.
Insectivores were everywhere that morning. Flycatchers, Swallows,
Warblers, Vireos, and even a Hummingbird and a Bluebird came into range of my
binoculars. The nest boxes in the meadow were very busy, and I had many objects
of my avian affection try to drive me off as I walked down the trail.
This particular meadow did not suffer badly from last summer's devastating
floods, but the stream channel below showed signs of a major battle between the
water and the land. Trees downed, a bridge out, and a reconstructed road all
bore witness to nature's destructive power when the sluice is opened
fully.
My checklist:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (male)
Eastern
Bluebird
Eastern Wood Pee-wee
Eastern Phoebe
Least Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cedar Waxwing
Red-eyed
Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Common Raven
American Crow
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Downy Woodpecker
Ovenbird
American Redstart
Pine Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Common
Yellowthroat
Black-throated Green Warbler
Gray Catbird
American
Robin
Veery
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch
town on my hit list - Weathersfield - threw me a spanner. I selected the
outflow meadow below the Stoughton Pond dam as my birding area; but instead of
spending 20-30 minutes birding there, I was there for 2 hours.
Insectivores were everywhere that morning. Flycatchers, Swallows,
Warblers, Vireos, and even a Hummingbird and a Bluebird came into range of my
binoculars. The nest boxes in the meadow were very busy, and I had many objects
of my avian affection try to drive me off as I walked down the trail.
This particular meadow did not suffer badly from last summer's devastating
floods, but the stream channel below showed signs of a major battle between the
water and the land. Trees downed, a bridge out, and a reconstructed road all
bore witness to nature's destructive power when the sluice is opened
fully.
My checklist:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (male)
Eastern
Bluebird
Eastern Wood Pee-wee
Eastern Phoebe
Least Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cedar Waxwing
Red-eyed
Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Common Raven
American Crow
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Downy Woodpecker
Ovenbird
American Redstart
Pine Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Common
Yellowthroat
Black-throated Green Warbler
Gray Catbird
American
Robin
Veery
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Song Sparrow
American Goldfinch