Twenty six early rising birders met at 7 am Saturday morning at the Keeny Road entrance to the Nehantic State Forest, to be greeted by both Turkey and Black Vultures warming their wings in the morning sun. During the next three and a half hours we birded the road, stopping at Falls Brook crossing, Uncas Pond and the Keeny Marsh. We heard or saw fifty six species in the Forest, including nine species of warbler, plus orioles, vireos, thrushes and flycatchers. From there the group moved on to Hartman Park, where the highlight was three Cerulean Warblers seen chasing each other and singing in the tops of several oak trees. The Gungy road power cut yielded the expected Prairie and Blue-winged Warblers plus Indigo Bunting, as well as a surprise pair of Orchard Orioles and Broad-winged Hawks. A total of sixty three species were found on the trip, on a warm spring morning with birdsong heard throughout the trip.
Reported by Paul Wolter