The dump....

One reason I LOVE birds is that they are everywhere. Whether stupid (in my opinion) Starlings or House sparrows, or just backyarders, or good stuff... anything can be anywhere, anytime.


I have been working a bunch to get stuff done and make as much cash as possible for my American Adventure, which brought me to the dump in Stratford. This dump (refuse/recycling place as the like to call it) is only a couple blocks down from the ever-popular Stratford unit of McKinney Refuge, mostly 'Great Meadows'. All the same habitat is near, but warehouses and whatnot make the 1/2m drive down the road seem less impressive (the winter 'western' Willet didn't think to seem so!!).

The last 2 times I have been to this dump, I had a gorgeous White-crowned sparrow working the large brush pile the town has residents pile into (4/10). This early afternoon, I was waiting in a looooong line to clean out the many (MANY) bags of trash from cleaning an apt and I was lucky to sore another First Of Year bird (FOY) in the form of 3 active Barn Swallows.


I guess the moral of this short story.... KEEP BINOCULARS IN YOUR CAR AT ALL TIMES!!

Enjoy birds, and get out there!! The migrants are slowly dripping in. White-eyed Vireos have been seen in the SW corner, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are around in small numbers, Palms are back, I had an early Baltimore Oriole a few weeks ago, and a Blue-headed Vireo on 4/06.

Vermont has already reported RB Grosbeaks and Wood thrush. Not my real deal here... but it seems once the weather breaks we should have some migrant songbirds. If they are up there... they have to be around here somewhere!!! Luke pulling a YTWA gives a good feeling. =) (Great spot Luke and the group!).

-Brian-