On May 15, 2022, six intrepid members of the bird club went to the West Block of the Naugatuck State Forest for a morning of birding. The day started out with dense fog, but it lifted and there were plenty of birds to hear and see. The highlights were 13 warbler species, including Canada, Hooded, Magnolia and Prairie, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Blue-headed Vireo, and Acadian Flycatcher. We observed a total of 61 species as we hiked 5 miles in four hours through the woods and along the mountain roads. The forest is a wild and beautiful place although to enjoy it fully one must block out the sounds emanating from the rifle range within its haunts. The best part of visiting the forest is seeing the many species that call this forest home and are there in abundance. There are Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Red-eyed Vireos, Wood Thrushes, Eastern Towhees, Baltimore Orioles, Ovenbirds, American Redstarts, Chestnut-sided Warblers, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. The collective chorus makes for a wonderful experience. If you go, be sure to hike down the long and scenic ravine trail. We’ll be going next year, for sure.
Chris Loscalzo