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| Snowy Egret (photo by Chris Fisher) |
| | I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather! As always, I welcome your feedback and suggestions for new content at william...@gordon.edu.
Thanks, Will Bugden |
| | By Chris Wilcox
The Spring migrants have long since passed us, and our backyard birds are hard at work rearing their young. It has been no different for us here at Hartford Audubon Society. During the summer months there has been a flurry of activity behind the scenes to get the club ready for the next year. Since stepping into the role of President in May, I have been continually humbled by the amount of work that our members put in as volunteers to keep this club running.
From planning the next years bird walks and presenters to the monumental task of putting together our handbook and getting it to print, the work doesn’t stop there. Our stewards have been out maintaining the trails and combating invasive species at our sanctuaries, and our Community Outreach team has been attending events to find new members and provide education to the public. All this work is done by a group of about 30-40 of our most dedicated members and the club would not exist without them. Thanks to you all!
On a global scale we continue to lose birds and their habitat at a staggering rate. Hartford Audubon Society is working hard on conservation efforts at our sanctuaries, throughout our local communities, and legislatively statewide. To all our members, I encourage you to step up and take your own initiatives at home and throughout your neighborhoods. Summertime is a great time to plan how your yard plays its part as a small but critical piece of this global issue. From planting natives and removing invasive species to having a conversation with your neighbors about the effects of their pesticide and rodenticide use, large scale change starts with us.
Just a few weeks ago, Alison and I had the opportunity to witness the effects of decades long conservation efforts in Maine and Canada. While on vacation we were able to take trips to Machias Seal Island as well as Eastern Egg Rock to see Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, Common Murres and Artic Terns. Without the Project Puffin conservation efforts throughout the Maine coastline by National Audubon Seabird Institute, this wouldn’t have been possible. The population along the Maine coastline has rebounded from just a single nesting pair in the 1970’s to over 1000 pairs today. Over 50 years of conservation work are proving to pay off.
Not all efforts need to span hundreds of miles of coastline. Conservation can be as small as planting a native flower garden or removing invasive species from our yard. If we all do our part at the local level it will make a difference. |
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| Atlantic Puffin (photo by Chris Wilcox) |
| Annual Meeting & BanquetContest and Award Winners |
| Congratulations to the Winners below!
Big January Winners: i. Most – Jamie Meyers with 103 ii. Teen – Sebastian Lawton (15 years old), 49 species iii. Coolest & The Golden Grebe Award – went to Lisa Lukawicz for sighting a Great Cormorant
The Member of the Year Award – Lisa Lukawicz for outstanding service to the organization |
| Meet Your Officers and Board Members |
| | Chris Wilcox, President: Chris is a long-time resident of Simsbury and like many others he found birding during covid as a way to get outside and relax. He is an avid wildlife photographer and loves to travel with his wife Alison. When he is not hiking with his camera he works for the West Hartford Fire Department. His favorite birds are the Belted Kingfisher and Blackburnian Warbler. |
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| | Audrey Staropoli, Vice President: Audrey is a long-time resident of West Hartford whose obsession with birds was sparked a few years ago when she spotted a Belted Kingfisher for the first time at local park. When she’s not out hiking with her dog or looking for birds, she’s probably inside because it’s raining too hard. Audrey joined the Board in 2024, and is looking forward to getting more of our members involved. |
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| | Lisa Lukawicz, Secretary: Lisa’s dad was responsible for instilling her love of nature, and especially of birds. Growing up in Wolcott, CT, her parents’ house was bordered by farmland and had a tremendous variety of birds. As Lisa approached retirement in 2018, she looked forward to devoting her time to birding. Lisa hopes to instill a love of nature in her three-year-old step-granddaughter, Avery. Avery has her own pair of binoculars and can already distinguish quite a few birds at Lisa’s feeder. |
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| | Donna Summers, Treasurer: Donna is now retired after 36 years as an Assistant Attorney General, serving both TN and CT. She learned to bird with her Mom at a young age and helped with the HAS Spring Census as a teen. Donna became passionate about birding in her late teens and began taking on birding projects in college. She obtained an NSF grant to study the color that would repel waterfowl from oil spills. Since then, she has contributed to a variety of bird-related citizen science projects, like the TN Breeding Bird Atlas, eBird, and HAS counts. She became a life member of HAS in 1990. Soon after retiring, she joined the HAS Board as its Treasurer and became a Certified Advanced Master Gardener. Donna remains an avid birder, passionate about citizen science, while also enjoying her family, gardening, and traveling. |
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| | Al Gatti, Past-President: Al spent over 35 years in the healthcare insurance industry, including time as a CFO involved with strategic planning. Al also served for 10years as COO at a Connecticut estates and trusts law firm. His community engagement activities include 8 years on the Board of Connecticut Alzheimer’s Association, with time spent as Chair of the Board and Treasurer. He also volunteered as a crew leader for 10 years with Habitat for Humanity, serving one Saturday every month. |
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| | Martin Kaehrle, Board Member: Martin grew up in West Hartford, before attending Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he is currently a PhD student studying information science. Martin joined HAS in 2020 and volunteers as the club’s archivist. He is also the web administrator for the Connecticut Bird Atlas. In the northeast, two of his favorite birding destinations are Block Island, RI, and Suffolk County, NY. He enjoys getting covered in mud to photograph shorebirds. |
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| | Sydnee Foster, Board Member: Sydnee is an Outreach Wildlife Biologist with the CT DEEP Wildlife Division. She was an Environmental Educator for eight years at two Nature Centers located in Canton, CT and Stamford, CT. In 2022, she received a master's degree from Miami University, focusing on conservation, animal behavior, and environmental education. Sydnee is passionate about wildlife, connecting people to nature, and promoting stewardship of our natural resources. |
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| | Wendy Parsons, Board Member: I joined HAS along with my husband Roy in May of 2015. I am a second-generation bird watcher. My father Ed Emmons was a HAS member for many years. I am the former Steward of the Tobacco Valley Preserve. I co- led the trip to Cape Ann with Fran D’Amico this year. I have two children and four grandchildren. |
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| | Vickie Margiott, Board Member: Vicky Margiott is UCONN graduate who then worked at Hamilton Standard providing Systems Engineering for the Space Suit. She and her husband Paul live in South Windsor and have two married children. Vicky is a grandma as of 2023 and is enjoying every minute of it. Actively seeking out birds began for her in Cape May with Pete Dunne led walks, and expanded in retirement with more trips and adventures. Her favorite bird is an American Avocet. |
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| | Doug Murray, Board Member: Doug grew up in an extended family north of the Adirondacks where the winters are hard. His grandparents, parents and siblings all fed the birds to get them through the winters, and he continues the family tradition. Doug is a retired environmental scientist and loves getting out hiking and canoeing. He is a CTDEEP certified Master Wildlife Conservationist and also volunteers with the environmental committee of the Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy. |
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| Membership Committee Report |
| By Phyllis Winer & Chris Fisher - Membership Committee
Each year, starting at the end of March, your membership committee sets about the significant task of reminding members to renew and updating the records of life members. We begin by sending out an e-mail to members who need to renew. As those renewals come in, we update people’s information. After a week, we send a second e-mail to those remaining and again, update as the renewals come through. We then send an AllHAS e-mail to everyone letting them know we are processing renewals and also encouraging people to give gift memberships. We then send a 3rd e-mail to those who have still not responded. If after 3 e-mails and the AllHAS announcement, people have not renewed or let us know that they aren’t planning to renew, we send a snail mail letter in case people are having problems getting their e-mails. Finally, after waiting a couple of weeks to see who responds, we take those remaining and call them individually, in most cases leaving voice messages. Here are the results from this year. At the end of the membership drive, we have 583 members in 412 households. During the past year we took in 73 new members and had 70 members who either died, moved away, did not renew for personal reasons, or simply never responded to our repeated renewal requests via e-mail, snail mail and telephone. |
| | Lori Benoit Vernon Marcia Formica, Tim Fieweger & James and Owen South Glastonbury Joyce Elizabeth Reynolds & Dennis Mahoney Lebanon Marilyn Zarkos Enfield Molly Selleck, Jordan Prindle, Donna Prindle, Brian Prindle, and Kelly Seifert Hamden Sir Gerard Ramsawak, Oda van der Heijden, and Dominique Ramsawak Hartford Katherine Campolieta Simsbury |
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| Sandra Van Vooren East Hartford Christina Bleyer West Hartford Kathleen and Thomas Manion, Amelie, and Zahara Unionville Steve Templeman Rocky Hill Muhammad Arif Glastonbury Sharon Mann Bloomfield Martin Futoma Newington James Dennis Johnston Farmington Janet Nocek Portland Janna Shearer West Hartford |
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| Snowy Egret (photo by Bill Asteriades) |
| HARTFORD SUMMER BIRD COUNT SUMMARY JUNE 7-8, 2025 |
| The Hartford Summer Bird Count (SBC) was held on June 7th-8th. This marked the fourteenth consecutive weekend that featured some rain. More importantly for our count, the month of May 2025 was the third rainiest May since the start of record keeping, and temperatures struggled to reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, the thermometer reached 70 on only four days the entire month. Such cold, wet weather is known to play havoc with the nesting season, and how many waterfowl nests that were washed out by high water levels cannot be determined. It is known that several participants remarked upon a lack of ducklings, although Canada geese goslings seemed to have weathered (sorry about that) the cool, damp conditions.
Saturday began overcast with temperatures in the mid-60s, and by 10 am the predicted rains had arrived, and they continued throughout the day. Sunday also began overcast and cooler, and while there was no measurable precipitation, the skies did not begin to clear until later in the day with the mercury reaching into the mid-70s later in the afternoon.
Although skies were gray, and there are always numerous conflicts to mid-June birding, 61 participants fanned out over our 15-mile diameter circle, only two fewer than the previous year. Of greater interest, 47 parties birded for a cumulative 177.5 hours, 5 more parties and 15 more hours than in 2024. Total species tallied was 109, three fewer than last year, and a reasonable total considering the weather. Eight species seen in 2024 were absent this year. These Gadwall, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Solitary Sandpiper, Great Horned Owl, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, and Black-throated Green Warbler. Several of these are not to be expected on our Hartford Count, while others, like the owl, were likely victims of inclement weather for night birding. Five species that did not appear last year found their way onto this year’s Count. These included a pair of Green-winged Teal at Station 43, South Windsor, three Herring Gulls making their way down the Connecticut River in Glastonbury, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and a Least Flycatcher, both in Glastonbury, and a surprising total of nine Brown Thrashers from three areas, including birds with young in Manchester and Bloomfield! Other rarities included a Least Sandpiper in Manchester, and an American Woodcock in Bloomfield. Several warblers of note included Worm-eating in Bloomfield, Black-and-white in Farmington/Avon and Chestnut-sided in both Farmington/Avon and Manchester. Manchester also tallied a pair of White-throated Sparrows, a species that apparently no longer nests in Connecticut.
In terms of numbers, American Robin again led the way with 1143 individuals. This total, some 250 fewer than in 2024, would likely have been higher if not for the rains of Saturday! Rounding out the top five were European Starling (1065), House Sparrow (834), Red-winged Blackbird (797) and Gray Catbird (460). The catbird beat out Common Grackle (459) by one bird! Although several areas commented on a paucity of ducklings, waterfowl numbers were higher for Canada Goose, Wood Duck and Mallard this year. Other water birds including Double-crested Cormorant and Green Heron also showed increased numbers. All raptors with the exception of Cooper’s Hawk and Bald Eagle showed a decrease, in part, no doubt because overcast, rainy weather is not conducive to soaring. Higher numbers were tallied for all woodpeckers (except Northern Flicker), the three recorded vireo species, all the flycatchers, Blue Jay and Common Raven. Swallows were down in number with the exception of the Purple Martin colony in Glastonbury that showed a small increase from 8 to 10 birds. Cliff Swallow colonies continue at West Hartford Reservoir #6 and at CIGNA in Bloomfield. A steep decline for Bank Swallows could be attributed to fewer sandbanks and sand piles in which this species builds its nests. Chickadees and titmice increased in number, while White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina and Northern (note the new name) House Wren decreased. Orioles, particularly Orchard Oriole, increased over 2024, while Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle both declined. Finally, House Sparrow showed a significant increase of 18%. This was due to one area making a concerted effort to count the house sparrows in their town.
This is the Hartford Summer Bird Count’s 35th year, and whereas we might not garner the species totals found on those counts that take place along Connecticut’s coast, there are plenty of birds to be found in our part of Connecticut.
The Summer Bird Count is an important survey, providing information on the status of breeding bird populations. Thank you to the area captains and all participants who donated their time to participate in the Count this year. Results of ours and the other seven Connecticut SBCs will be published in an upcoming edition of The Connecticut Warbler, the quarterly journal of the Connecticut Ornithological Association. A full accounting of the species found on the Hartford Count is available by e-mailing me at jayb...@aol.com
I hope that many of you will be able to participate in our 2025 Christmas Bird Count, the longest running of all “citizen science” surveys. The Christmas Count will take place on Sunday, December 14, 2025. Save the date!
Jay Kaplan, Compiler Hartford Summer Bird Count |
| HARTFORD AUDUBON SOCIETY FIELD NOTES March - May |
| by Jamie Meyers
March was atypical in that the mean average temperature was nearly 5 degrees higher than normal. Despite the month being notably wetter than usual, there was no measurable snow at all. A couple inches of snow on April 12 were not so welcome but the local fallouts caused by active weather patterns in early April were. Despite fluctuating conditions then, April was fairly average statistically. May is often the wettest month we have, but it was over the top in 2025, featuring 8.23 inches of rain, well over twice the norm.
Whatever was in the air during the spring, there was a plethora of excellent sightings throughout the period. A few holdovers from winter lingered into March, including a pair of Barrow’s Goldeneyes from the Barnes Boat Launch area in Enfield (JM). The Great Cormorant from Hartford Reservoir 6 continued through March 7 (m.ob.). What was probably the same bird was on Woodridge Lake in West Hartford on March 18 (BM). A Pink-footed Goose continued at Reservoir 6 through at least March 2 (BL / DLo). Maybe the same goose was present at Meadowood in Simsbury from March 11 – 14 (CH et al.). A Rough-legged Hawk was noted at Vibert Road in South Windsor on March 1 (BM). Redheads are not often found in our area but were about in larger than usual numbers. As many as 13 individuals were at Barnes Boat Launch from March 1 – 3 (RS et al.). 4 Redheads were in the area of Keeney Cove on the East Hartford / Glastonbury line from March 2 – 7 (BB / LB et al.). Waterfowl were moving along the river in a big way on March 3rd, with a crazy 237 Ring-necked Ducks, 63 Northern Pintails and 94 Green-winged Teal reported among other large numbers from Glastonbury Meadows (AD). A Brant was a welcome find at Fisher Meadow Park in Avon from March 10 – 16 (BM et al.). Maybe the same bird made a stop at Meadowood on March 19 (CH et al.). In a decent spring for Horned Grebes, 3 birds at Fisher Meadows on March 16 was a good portent for the season (BM et. al).
Changeable weather in early April resulted in some notable phenomena. An estimated 50 Bonaparte’s Gulls were at Nepaug Reservoir on April 6 (JK et al.), a couple days after an earlier front dropped 26 Bonaparte’s Gulls there on April 3 (JM et et al.). Nepaug held a robust 11 Red-necked Grebes on that same day. 4 Red-necked Grebes were at Batterson Pond in Farmington (CH) and 2 were at Shuttle Meadow Reservoir in Southington, also on April 3 (BG). A fantastic 15 Horned Grebes graced Batterson on the fabulous 3rd (CH et al.). Similar numbers of these species were noted through western Massachusetts and eastern New York as well. A Black Scoter was at Fisher Meadows on the 3rd (PCi et al.) The fallout of April 6 produced a group of 26 Bonaparte’s Gulls at Batterson (PCi) and 6 Long-tailed Ducks at Nepaug (JK) as well. The hits kept coming! A female Long-tailed Duck was a nice local find at Fisher Meadows from April 7 – 8 (MM et al.). 2 Black-crowned Night-Herons in seldom seen adult plumage, looked cold at Nod Brook WMA along the Simsbury / Avon line from April 8 – 9 (AW et al.). Long-tailed Ducks, always uncommon in our area, were further represented by a pair at Fisher Meadows on April 22 (BM et al.) and 4 birds at Nepaug the following day (JK / JM). Another was at Nepaug on May 2 (JM / JK). An American Bittern was a fair long stayer but sporadically seen at Fisher Meadows from April 13 through May 13 (ASt et al.). Another American Bittern was typically furtive in its time at Station 43 I South Windsor from April 27 – May 4 (PCi et al.). A Red-breasted Merganser was at Batterson on April 13 – 14 (PCi et al.). The period’s only Upland Sandpiper was from Glastonbury Meadows on April 29 (AD).
By the time May rolled along, many active birders already had a good list going. More goodies would follow, starting with a pair of Glossy Ibises at Station 43 from May 2 – 5 (RS et. al.). A Dunlin was at nearby Vibert Road on May 5 – 6 JK et al.). Least Bittern is rarely found away from its riverside nesting haunts, so a bird present in the Simsbury Meadows on May 6 was quite notable (CH). Glastonbury Meadows held a number of uncommon species during the HAS spring census period. 6 Snowy Egrets there on May 7 was a high number for our area. 3 Short-billed Dowitchers were present 3 days later. A couple Black-bellied Plovers, one in stunning breeding plumage, found respite there on May 14 – 15 (all BA / AD). 3 Black-bellied Plovers were at Glastonbury Meadows on May 21 (AD), and another Snowy Egret was there on May 17 (BA). A good number of less common passerines rested locally near the end of the period. A Mourning Warbler found at Roaring Brook Nature Center was typically furtive yet easier than usual to find from May 18 – 20 (JM et al.). Another was at Fisher Meadows from May 25 – 26 (JM et al.) More Yellow-bellied Flycatchers than usual were around in the area, including one or more at Roaring Brook from May 20 – 26 (JM et al.). A Gray-cheeked Thrush was heard only at Fisher Meadow on May 16 (ASa). The following day, a Kentucky Warbler was heard singing in thick woods at Nepaug but refused to show himself (JM). A good period ended with a White-eyed Vireo looking to set up shop in the seldom visited Windsor WMA from May 28 onward (BG et al.).
Observers/reporters: Bill Asteraides (BA), Bob Bengston (BB), Laura Bengston (LB), Debbie Bishop, Paul Cianfaglione (PCi), Andrew Dasinger (AD), Bill Generous (BG), Sue Gowan, Connor Hogan (CH), Jay Kaplan (JK), Brian Lombardo (BL), Debbie Lombardo (DL), Barry Marsh (BM), Michele McDermott (MM), Jamie Meyers (JM), Russ Smiley (RS), Alex Sauerbrunn (ASa), Audrey Staropoli (ASt), Alison Wilcox (AW)
Please send reports to Jamie Meyers, 4 Sexton Hollow Road, Canton, CT 06019 or e mail them to me at sunnyct...@gmail.com. While I review some statewide rare bird reports to augment these notes, the best way to ensure your sightings are recorded and attributed correctly are to send them directly to me. I do not comb through eBird! |
| | Swallow Soundtrack By Abby Wolcott
I am feeling melancholy as I pack boxes getting ready to move from our farm house where we have lived for over 40 years. The silence permeating the house and my lack of motivation drew me to fill it as I thought about movie soundtracks and how they inspired action on the big screen. And maybe there could be a trickle-down effect. As I wrapped vases in newspaper, I recalled the sound track to ‘Jaws’ which scared us all stiff and would creep into our psyches whenever we dipped a toe into Long Island Sound and the ‘Star Wars’ soundtrack which was the backdrop to a big outer space adventure and the battle between good and evil. It seemed logical that it would be in my head on many of my hikes and runs. But my favorite is the soundtrack to ‘Out of Africa’ and its emotional tugging at the heartstrings of relationships and the passage of time.
I realize the sound track to four decades on our little farm has been one orchestrated by our barn swallows. We could count on them to arrive some dreary day in late April, and their calls stopped us in our tracks. The males arrived first and scoped out our barn, and soon their mates would join them, and the barn would be filled with a cacophony of their banter which definitely raised our spirits. Before long, they had found the perfect spot to build their nest above a stall door and added more mud and straw, wedding cake style, to make their home just right. Eggs would be laid, and before we knew it, the chicks would be peeking their tiny heads up to be fed. The swallow parents looked splendid against the grass as they worked around the clock to feed their brood. And all along they kept up the most cheerful banter, ever vigilant. It would not be long until one brood fledged and another one was on its way. As time marched on, more broods would take flight and join the adults in their perpetual activity. Occasionally, they would stop on the roof for some commentary and a chance for us to look into their eyes before they got back to work. They were rarely silent It was such a gift.
And all this happened each summer as life went on. The swallows lilting songs and cackles helped us to keep our wits about us as we brought babies home from the hospital. Our kids learned how to ride bikes and fell off their ponies all under the surveillance of the swallows. Prom pictures were taken in front of the barn while the swallows flew in and out, chiming in. And when the kids finally flew the coop, they circled back each summer to see what the barn swallows were up to. So those movie soundtracks may help me pack a few boxes more quickly, but it is the bird song out our door that has crept into my psyche and is on repeat in my head. I would have it no other way. I listen to each pair of swallows as they narrate our days. I watch each flight with a heavy but grateful heart. I am hopeful that the next owner will pick up where we left off and love them as much as we do. And as EB White put it so well “a barn without swallows is a tomb”. No one wants that. |
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Allyn Cox Reservation, Essex, MA (photo by Gabrielle Bugden)
Deepest Summer
Possessing boundless and stifling tropical tenacity, August rules with a slumbery and self-satisfied grip. A season of glutinous greenery, of tangled brush, choking vines and smothering leafy shade, it blusters with thunder and lulls us with hazy skies and cloying humidity that sets the skin aglow. Hypnotically clicking crickets and dank, swampy fragrances of soil and foliage leaves us drunken in a private vegetable lethargy.
Along roadsides, tired grasses grow raggedy, and the heavy evening air is occasionally enlivened with the whir of a few sentinel geese winging south. Oak leaf edges curl brown. Maples flash seductive patches of color. Fern clusters are bronzed as if bitten by frost, and the luxuriant fabric of summer begins to fade and fray, slowly releasing its grasp and slipping away unnoticed.
-David K. Leff
Source: The Price of Water
The Crest's Poetry Corner will feature bird and nature- related work by Connecticut poets. To submit your own poetry or suggest a local poet, email Gabrielle Bugden at gvo...@gmail.com. |
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| Black-Bellied Plover (photo by Bill Asteriades) |
| Auerfarm State Park May 7, 2025 Trip Leaders: Al Gatti & Jack Halibozek
Twelve birders arrived at Auerfarm at 7 a.m. It was foggy and visibility was not great but we carried on with our task at hand – birding and exploring Auerfarm. The sun never came out but we had a good time.
We first walked to the top of Auerfarm State Park where there is an old fruit tree meadow with a grassy hilltop and a beautiful view of the Metacomet Ridge looking west. We then walked on main road of the farm through the grassland areas, the farm buildings area and around the large blueberry patch.
Overall the group identified 41 bird species with two highlights – seeing 22 Double-crested Cormorants flying and a newly arrived ruby-throated hummingbird in the blueberry patch.Species Identified – Mourning dove, chimney swift, ruby-throated hummingbird, double-created cormorant, turkey vulture, cooper’s hawk, red-tailed hawk, red-bellied woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, northern flicker, eastern kingbird, warbling vireo, blue jay, American crow, common raven, tufted titmouse, tree swallow, barn swallow, white-breasted nuthatch, northern house wren, carolina wren, european starling, gray catbird, northern mockingbird, eastern bluebird, wood thrush, american robin, house sparrow, house finch, American goldfinch, chipping sparrow, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow, Baltimore oriole, red-winged blackbird, common yellowthroat, northern parula, black throated green warbler, northern cardinal, indigo bunting. |
| Penwood State Park May 10 Trip Leader: Paul Cianfaglione
On Saturday, May 10th nine bird watchers gathered at Penwood State Park in Bloomfield for a three-hour walk, in search of warblers, thrushes and vireos. Prior to the trip, Hartford County was experiencing a string of cool, rainy days. The weather conditions for our walk saw no rain, but it was still cloudy, dreary and a tad bit cool with temperatures around 50 degrees.
As birders greeted each other at the start of the walk, a number of species were noted around the entrance pond including Warbling and Yellow-throated Vireos, Baltimore Oriole, Pine Warbler and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Our only Eastern Wood-Pewee was also heard in the same general area. The Wood-Pewee was a first-of-the-year species for many of us.
The newly paved entrance road into the park made walking more enjoyable, but it was also a good place to spot hungry thrushes looking for an easy meal. It wasn’t long before we discovered several Wood Thrush and Veery feeding in clear view. Unfortunately, the rainy conditions during the past couple days may have delayed the arrival of the much-anticipated Swainson’s Thrush into the forest.
Our journey into the heart of Penwood’s beautiful woodlands was quite spectacular, but it also presented us with the daunting task of finding tiny warblers high among its sprawling canopy. Birders patience, and sore necks were finally rewarded with views of Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue and Black-throated Green Warblers, Black-and-white Warbler and American Redstart. A singing Tennessee Warbler was also an exciting find.
Even more exciting were the sights and sounds of a territorial Worm-eating Warbler, a target bird for the trip. Nearby, a Least Flycatcher sang its emphatic, dry “CHEbek”!
Other familiar birds that were recorded during our walk down to the park’s picnic area included Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Scarlet Tanager and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
The park-like setting, and its fringes at the far end of the path offered different species not found in any other parts of Penwood. Here we added Tree Swallow, Eastern Towhee, White-throated Sparrow, Indigo Bunting and Northern Flicker. A few lucky birders in our group had brief looks at a singing Cape May Warbler feeding high within a large oak tree. A Barred Owl calling in the near distance was a nice way to end our visit to this beautiful Connecticut State Park!
Our trip produced a total of 62 bird species. |
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| Common Yellowthroat (photo by Chris Fisher) |
| Machimoodus State Park May 11 Trip Leader: Robert Mirer
Bright, clear, mild day.
9 birders attended, including a few who had amazing hearing, and knew what they were hearing.
We met our target for the trip. I guaranteed American Robins, and we got 1 or 2 (or 3 or 4).
We also had 54 other species, including an immature Bald Eagle flying low at treetop level, 4 Orchard Orioles, 11 species of warblers (including Blackpoll and Wilson’s), and both Cuckoos. We’ll probably do this area again next May, so come on out and enjoy a day in the country. Excellent variety of habitats provide a good variety of birds. |
| Fischer Meadows May 17 Trip Leader: Brian Toal
Eight people joined us for this spring walk around Fisher Meadows park in Avon Connecticut on May 17.
It was a cloudy foggy morning and the weather leading up to the day had generally not been great so our expectations for true migrants was low.
Therefore, we focused on the songs of many resident birds. We were not disappointed in finding many of the residence species, including Baltimore Orioles, Rose breasted Grosbeaks, Great Crested Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Orchard Orioles, and a good supply of Yellow Warblers. A double crested cormorant was seen fishing in the pond. We were lucky enough to find at least two Wilsons Warblers through their song and got decent looks at both of them. We also found a Magnolia Warbler via its song and then got some tantalizing views through the pine tree. There was at least one Canada Warbler heard briefly, but not everybody got on the bird or got looks.
We had a total of 40 species for the day.
Thanks to Barry Marsh keeping a list of what we saw and heard. |
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| American Bittern (photo by Chris Fisher) |
| Station 43 June 1 Trip Leader: Paul Cianfaglione
On Sunday, June 1st, five bird watchers gathered at Station 43 in South Windsor for a three-hour walk featuring wetland bird species. The temperatures were unusually cool for this time of year (48 degrees), which certainly helped hold off the onslaught of mosquitos that were predicted to show up after two days of prior rain.
We began our trip near the parking area where a Red-tailed Hawk was discovered sitting in a well exposed nest. Above us, were the sights and sounds of over twenty Cedar Waxwing actively consuming the nectar from flowers on an old Tulip Tree.
After a brief greeting and introduction, the group headed off slowly down Newberry Road, birding and botanizing along the way. The loud vocalizations of Carolina Wrens, Common Yellowthroats and Yellow Warblers drowned out most of the surrounding birdsong, but we did luck out by hearing not one, but two Least Flycatchers along the trail. While observing the flycatchers, our attention was diverted to a Red-bellied Woodpecker, who was delivering a bill-full of insects to a nest hole!
The search for wetland bird species began with our arrival to the Station 43 Sanctuary itself. Here we spotted a few Wood Duck and a fly over Great Blue Heron. Marsh Wrens and Swamp Sparrows were heard singing in the distant reeds. Also heard were the distinctive calls of both Willow and Alder Flycatchers. The ubiquitous Red-winged Blackbird was seen throughout, with a striking all-black body and orange-red and yellow shoulder patch.
In the past, our search for the elusive Least Bittern could sometimes take a bit of patience and perseverance. But today our group was fortunate enough to quickly locate a bittern in flight, traveling from one side of the marsh to the other. It flew a second time a few moments later to the delight of all! With our target bird secured, birdwatchers collectively decided to head over to nearby Vibert Road for some additional birding. Here we discovered that some of the farmland had recently flooded, which led to the appearance of a few late migrant shorebird species. We tallied five Greater and one Lesser Yellowlegs, as well as eight Semipalmated Sandpiper voraciously feeding on invertebrates as they refueled for their journey north. The standing water also produced a bumper crop of mosquitos, which also attracted numerous hungry Bank Swallows and Chimney Swifts.
Our trip tallied a total of 47 bird species. |
| Bobolink Walk at Bloomfield Reservoir #3 June 7 Trip Leaders: Chris Fisher & Jim Watso
19 optimistic Hartford Audubon members met at Reservoir #3 in Bloomfield about 8am. I say optimistic because the weather forecast was threatening rain, but then early Saturday, the forecast moved the rain back to about 10am – so we hoped it would hold off. Reservoir #3 has about a ¾ mile long road out through a field which has had nesting Bobolinks the past several years. We were not disappointed. Everyone got really good looks at Bobolinks, both male and female, perched and flying. We also saw 33 other species of birds including a couple of nesting Great Blue Herons and surprisingly, and Orchard Oriole was heard. Some of us also had a good look near the end of the walk at a Willow Flycatcher which we’d been hearing. As promised, the first drops of rain started to fall at 10am! |
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| Bobolink (photo by Bill Asteriades) |
| | On July 12-13, many HAS members attended the second iteration of the Connecticut Bobolink and Wildlife Festival. Saturday morning kicked off with a bird walk at Frederick White Farm in Durham. Participants divided into small groups and scouted the grounds for Bobolink and other grassland birds. Pictured below, left to right, are Will & Gabrielle Bugden, Steve Saunders, and Christine Connolly.
Special thanks to Annyta Vizard, for spearheading this free festival for the second year in a row. Thanks also to the HAS volunteers who oversaw our booth in the exhibit area, the HAS mini grant program for its financial contribution, and the countless other individuals and organizations that made this educational and enjoyable event possible. |
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| Photo courtesy Christine Connolly |
| | Greenstone Hollow
Greenstone continues to be a premier birding site for members of Hartford Audubon and the general public as well. During this past year mowing by Sammy Samuels of the main “Old Farm Road” plus entrances using his own mower (Sammy lives in the neighborhood and is also a HAS member) as well as by HAS members Doug Beach and Chris Fisher using the clubs DR mower to mow the rest of the trails took place on a regular basis throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall. Paul Margiott continues to maintain the Butterfly Garden. We had at least four work parties in the Spring, Summer and Fall maintaining and extending mulch on the trails. The Wood Thrush Trail on the south side of Ridge Blvd was completely re-mulched as it was the first trail we ever did. The Kinglet Woods Trail was also remulched. The Old Apple Tree Trail on the north side of the bridge now has mulch all the way to the South Meadow Overlook.
Following a meeting with Al Gatti, Larry Lunden, Cathy Cosgrove and Chris Fisher (See Al report e-mail 11/16/24) to walk all of Greenstone and discuss invasive species, Al had a work party in mid-December to tackle a few of the easier to work on invasives, but all agreed that completely getting rid of all of them is probably not a realistic goal.
The dam continues to hold up reasonably well.
We are hoping that this Spring and Summer HAS will budget for several new benches to be placed at various overlooks around the property. Having benches where people can sit and rest during a walk as well as sit quietly and watch the birds adds greatly to the usefulness of Greenstone as a nature preserve. |
| Lewis Farm
As many of you know, it was a very dry fall. Because of extreme drought conditions, the two vernal pools dried up completely. There was a noticeable decline in spring amphibian "peeper" calls this spring. But as of the last check, I am happy to report that they are now filled to the brim. Let’s hope that next spring will be ushered in by the usual amphibian serenade.
A beaver decided to dam the brook just above the bridge. Unfortunately, it was necessary to dismantle the dam, to prevent flooding and the subsequent lack of access to the back half of the sanctuary. It took some perseverance, but the beaver was persuaded to move on. One of the dedication benches located alongside the brook remains missing. The remaining bench was moved to higher ground. Perhaps in late fall someone who has access to a drone might be able to locate the missing bench from above. The trails are for the most part passable. Adjoining neighbors who walk the trails on a regular basis, are good about reporting downed trees blocking a trail now and again.
The parking area remains an issue. Several vehicles had to be towed out over the winter, and recently due to the wet weather. There has been some discussion about putting down stones, but there is really no solid base to prevent the stone from just sinking into the layers of wood chips. The previous entrance this spring was blocked, and visitors can enter the parking area about 20 feet away. The grade in that location is not as steep, making it easier to exit the parking area. It is possible to park parallel to and off of the street but be alert to passing traffic.
Some dog owners continue to ignore sanctuary rules (clearly posted) and allow their dogs to run off leash.
Thinking ahead, the trails may need some maintenance where cutting back overgrown vegetation is needed. The parking area could be improved by removing a few trees located about 5 feet off the street. This would provide safer parking along the street. |
| | The events list is being compiled and will be available soon on the website and in the new Members Handbook. |
| Keep an eye on the HAS calendar for more upcoming events by clicking the button below! |
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| Osprey (photo by Will Bugden) |
| | SUBMIT YOUR TRIP REPORTS Field trip leaders: please email your reports to Sandi Jones at fro...@gmail.com THANK YOU FOR YOUR NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS! Please send newsletter submissions for the Fall issue by October 4 E‐mail them to Will Bugden at william...@gordon.edu |
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