West Rock Ridge State Park: New Haven, Hamden, and Woodbridge – Cancelled

We focus on just two breeding species for this trip to West Rock Ridge State Park: Peregrine Falcon and Common Raven. A pair of Peregrine Falcons selected West Rock as their home base in 1999, thereby becoming one of the first breeding pairs in Connecticut in the post-DDT era. Since then, seven different females and seven different males (tiercels) have occupied the ridge in a collage of combinations. We observe their cliff site from an appropriate distance with the expectation of seeing flying, perching, preening, feeding, agonistic interactions with the nearby nesting ravens, and incubation of eggs. Common Ravens were confirmed as breeders at West Rock in 2002, and the presumed same pair (at least the male) has nested there annually since then, producing 4 to 5 young in most years. We observe them from unusually close range as they soar, perch, bring in cached food, fight with the peregrines, and attend young in the cliff nest. Bring binoculars, cameras, and two extra layers of clothing (really!). The wind and cold at cliff top often bear no relation to conditions 450 feet below in the West River valley. Meet at the gated entrance to West Rock Ridge State Park on Wintergreen Street, Hamden/New Haven border. We have automobile access to Baldwin Drive along the ridge top.

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