Twenty-five NHBC members and guests braved the sprinkles of an approaching rainstorm while exploring the fields and the trap-rock ridge in Hansen Park. The town of North Haven has allowed successional trees and shrubs to overcrowd several of the former farm fields that made productive birding sites in the past. As a result, many of the colorful species that used the tree/scrub edges are no longer present and unless the situation changes this may have been our club’s last visit here for a while. A little sad.
Nevertheless, our nearly three-hour walk encountered some of our old favorites, including Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Blue-winged Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Northern Yellow Warbler, and male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. Seven Great-crested Flycatchers kept us happily looking and listening. Perhaps the highlight for most of us was a Great-horned Owl that flew up and perched on our approach and remained in sight long enough for everyone to get good looks at it. Although we thought we were shut out on the always present Indigo Buntings, a singing male turned up on the edge of a tree line just as the rain started to get serious and we headed quickly back to the parking lot. A pretty good ending to our last visit for a while. Thirty-four species in all.
Craig Repasz and DeWitt Allen