Locks at the Cheshire Canal
As birders will talk, there has been an influx of migrants in the pst week and I have not taken the time to find the returning birds. My CT list this year is pathetically low, especially considering I started out with 70 species in January. This blog title may be a little misleading though because I have in fact been out. It's just that the majority of my efforts have been restricted to an hour lunchtime walk on the property at work. It seems that the other things in life have been getting in the way. It is still interesting though how even without "birding", I have had some rewarding bird things happen.
Painted Turtles
One bird event was while watching a Downy Woodpecker, from my deck, drumming away on the neighbors tree something large caught my eye. Changing focus, I watched a female Wild Turkey fly up to a tree top a couple yards away. Granted turkey are pretty common in the general area, my neighborhood is devoid of any woods, most lots being less than a 1/4 of an acre. She was clearly lost but after taking a glance around for a few minutes she seemed to have found a new direction and away she went.
I took a walk with some friends on the canal trail in Cheshire. The bird life was pretty ordinary. The Red-winged Blackbirds were singing and Common Grackle were flying overhead. A few Mallards were running around (litterally) and this one pair seemed to have decided the side of the path was a good place to nest. At least that's my assumption because the female refused move whenever anyone even came near them.
Mallard pair
On Easter I went to visit some friends in Orange. Lots of common birds singing and flying around. A great view of a Tufted Titmouse singing from an open perch was a nice compliment to the Sharp-shinned Hawk hunting in the neighbors yard.
Black-capped Chickadee snacking on a seed
Little Art-esque picture
I'll be in northern Vermont in a week for a long weekend. Time to make a list of the birds I want to see!
