Birding USA V

Two other sites close to Westport were visited, the first was Sherwood State Park just along the coast from our local beach. It was a lovely sunny morning that promised good birding and we were not disappointed.

Canada Geese with goslings at Sherwood State Park

The first new bird was Willow Flycatcher, as always with this family, identified by call, a sort of "Fitz-biu".

Willow Flycatcher

We also added a wader species in the form of a summer plumaged Willet sitting on a branch.

Willet

On the wader theme, a small group of Calidris waders flew in to the mud bank and Elis snuck up on them getting these shots to help identify them as Least Sandpipers by the leg colour.

Least Sandpipers

A Great Blue Heron flew by but was ignored by the nesting Ospreys.

Great Blue Heron

As we were leaving we came across another wader in the form of the smart Killdeer, one of the birds Elis had most wanted to see and photograph and of course another one that helps us on our way with our Wader Quest.

Killdeer

After this we drove to Fairfield where we visited the Connecticut Audubon centre on Burr Street. The centre itself was closed, but the trails were open. They meander through some excellent second groth woodland. The whole area had been cleared for farming at the end of the 18th century, but it has been allowed to regrow and the result is magnificent.

Chipmunk

We added some good birds here including Ovenbird and a very obliging Veery who sang just feet from the path.

Ovenbird

Veery

Another bird that we added was like an old friend, Elis recognised its song immediately, "Chivi Vireo!" she said, and indeed its song was almost identical, but for inveterate splitters this Red-eyed Vireo is a new species for Elis (and as I keep her list up to date, my rules apply!).

Red-eyed Vireo