Field Trip – West Rock Ridge State Park, New Haven/Hamden/Woodbridge/Bethany – Steve Broker

Less well known as a hotspot for spring migrants and nesting species than is East Rock, West Rock is, in fact, one of the premier places in Connecticut to observe and study birds at this time of year. Lacking the closely associated lake, river, slope, and ridge top environs seen at East Rock, West Rock is far more spread out: seven miles of uninterrupted ridge top, west-facing, and east-facing slopes; Wintergreen Brook and Lake Wintergreen in New Haven/Hamden; the West River and three impounded lakes (Watrous, Dawson, Konold’s Pond) in Woodbridge/Bethany. New Haven Summer Bird Count results for West Rock and Konold’s Pond are most impressive for an expanding Great Blue Heron rookery and for nesting cuckoos, Peregrine Falcon, flycatchers, vireos, Common Raven, thrushes, wood warblers, tanagers, Indigo Bunting, and orioles. In 2016, West Rock was recognized as an Important Bird Area in Connecticut. Meet at 7:00 am sharp. Once we enter the park, the gate is locked to late-comers. We car pool north to ridge top for spectacular views of the West River Valley and Konold’s Pond, followed by our survey of the 4.5 miles further north for migrants and species establishing nesting territories. Meet at the entrance gate to the park on Wintergreen Road opposite the West Rock Nature Center and just south of the Route 15 West Rock Tunnels (east side).

Leader: Steve Broker 203-272-5192 (home), 203-747-6843 (cell), or LS.Broker@cox.net