An Appalachian Aviary
A veery along the Appalachian Trail in Kent.
At Kent, CT
A terrific morning birding along the Appalachian Trail with great old friends Steve Kotchko and Judd Everhart. With the Housatonic River to one side and deep forest to the other, this section of trail is a special place to take in the grand spectacle of spring migration.
Steve Kotchko, left, and Judd Everhart, on the Appalachian Trail in Kent, CT., the Housatonic River in the background. Click to enlarge.
On a sunny, comfortable day we logged more than three dozen species in a matter of a few hours, including cerulean warbler, a species that is reliably seen here but otherwise not often spotted.
This is a most pleasant if uncharacteristic section of the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail – mostly flat, following a long stretch of river. Judd, Steve and I keep coming back here each spring – and I’ve probably hiked this section of trail alone or with others easily a dozen other times.
Our species list for the morning: Canada goose, cowbird, barn swallow, robin, great blue heron, redstart, veery, chipping sparrow, mourning dove, phoebe, catbird, Baltimore oriole, chestnut-sided warbler, red-wing blackbird, yellow warbler, wood thrush, kingbird, white-throated sparrow, black-capped chickadee, ovenbird, common yellowthroat, downy woodpecker, black and white warbler, red-bellied woodpecker, rose breasted grosbeak, blue jay, common merganser, grackle, worm-eating warbler, red-tailed hawk, tree swallow, mallard, hooded warbler, towhee, bald eagle, goldfinch, turkey vulture and solitary sandpiper.