Every once in a great while, scheduling flexibility and bird activity 
align... and today was one of those days.

Spencer and I started by Ledyard bridge at 0620, then checked above 
Wilder Dam. He got to school on time and I was working by 0830. So far, 
so good. Then... a text message to Spencer about a Lesser Yellowlegs at 
Ledyard initiated a "lunchtime outing" back to the river, revealing that 
today was a birding-at-all-costs kind of day.

How good was Ledyard at noon? All 5 swallow species were feeding (est. 
160 birds), and occasionally resting together in a dead tree with 
beautiful flat lighting... perfect for size and color comparison; one 
single-scope view revealed 2 Lesser and 1 Greater Yellowlegs feeding 
with 2 Solitary Sandpipers... another great size and behavior comparison 
opportunity; and in the background, a cormorant struggled to swallow a 
fish (bass or perch?) that was longer than its neck and twice the diameter.

We finally got to the eating part of our lunch break at about 4:30 pm, 
after several more stops. It was difficult to think about food, or time, 
while (for example) watching a Black Tern feeding amidst an est. 800 
swallows at Dewey's Pond. Our extended lunch won't be without 
consequences... but what a day!

Doug & Spencer Hardy, Norwich

High counts (only) listed below:
Canada Goose    72
Wood Duck    10
American Black Duck    5
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid)    1
Mallard    10
Blue-winged Teal    1  *unusual sighting here, first for the year
Green-winged Teal    7
Ring-necked Duck    7   *getting late for this species
Long-tailed Duck    6   *including 1 male in full breeding plumage
Bufflehead    3
Common Merganser    4
Red-breasted Merganser    2
Common Loon    2
Double-crested Cormorant    21   *abundant this week
Semipalmated Plover    1
Killdeer    1
Spotted Sandpiper    11   *at one location!
Solitary Sandpiper    9   *also at one location
Greater Yellowlegs    2
Lesser Yellowlegs    3   *not common; can be difficult to distinguish 
from greater w/o good light
Least Sandpiper    5
Bonaparte's Gull    2   *great to see here, any season
Ring-billed Gull    47
Black Tern    1   *first Windsor County sighting for Spencer
Rock Pigeon    4
Mourning Dove    2
Chimney Swift    5   *first of the year for us
Ruby-throated Hummingbird    1
Belted Kingfisher    1
Hairy Woodpecker    2
Blue Jay    2
American Crow    2   *no doubt undercounted
Northern Rough-winged Swallow    2
Tree Swallow    700
Bank Swallow    20
Barn Swallow    50
Cliff Swallow    20   *great to see at 4 locations
Black-capped Chickadee    1   *no doubt undercounted
White-breasted Nuthatch    1
American Robin    1   *no doubt undercounted
Gray Catbird    4
Brown Thrasher    2
European Starling    2
Yellow Warbler    2
Yellow-rumped Warbler    5
Black-throated Green Warbler    1
Pine Warbler    1
Black-and-white Warbler    1
Louisiana Waterthrush    1
Common Yellowthroat    2
Song Sparrow    4
White-throated Sparrow    50   *at our house; highest number ever seen 
together here
White-crowned Sparrow    3   *at our house; first of the year for us
Dark-eyed Junco    1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak    1
Red-winged Blackbird    7
Common Grackle    10
Brown-headed Cowbird    4
Baltimore Oriole    1
Purple Finch    2
American Goldfinch    4

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