Day 8 - January 8, 2012

Decided to bird at Three Rivers Park today.So I arrived at three Rivers and the first thing I noticed was CORN! Not sure who planted it - maybe it was Frank - and why - feed wildlife, cattle feed, corn maze, LIONS Club's Haunted Hayride? - but it was neat to see it. There was a good amount of corn planted and it made me keep thinking when Shoeless Joe Jackson or James Earl Jones were going to walk out from between the plants!

Anyways, back to birding. I was there from 11:00am to 12:13. Skies were partly cloudy with a mix of cirrus and cumulostratus clouds and it was breezy. Temp was around 48F (according to car thermometer when I finished).

So, I walked on the trails, off trials onto the sand/gravel 'beaches', around the corn, and back on the beaches AND.....

... did not find a single new bird UNTIL I was almost back at my car and at the entrance was a Red-Bellied Woodpecker at 12:13 pm!

As I looked at the woodpecker (I took some pics and will have them up asap), I saw the field across the street, shrubs, and river so I thought - give it a try!

I crossed the street and headed for the start of the shrubs on the right side os the field. As I got closer, I saw birds - cardinals, blue jays - but then saw a brown small bird - SPARROW! Turned out to be White Throated Sparrows. I continued to walk up the right side towards the back of the field and also found a Song Sparrow. That was at 12:19pm and 12:23 pm respectfully.

So I left Three Rivers at 12:45pm and headed home. On the way, I figured to stop at Nonnewaug and see what might be there. I arrived at NHS at 1:00pm, parked the car in the lot and started to walk the property but not by staying on the pavement but instead by getting up close to the shrubs. I did see 6 white throated sparrows feeding on some kind of tree with fruit but have no idea to identity of tree/fruit.

I began to walk back on the driveway at the back of the school as it curves around near the gym wing (I started my walk over by the horses/cows.) As I walked pass the gym area, I decided to investigate the wetland area that is to the left of the road that takes you to the lower field. I would not do this in the summer because of all the rose bushes and other plants with thorns as well as the chance of getting Lyme disease (once was enough for me.)

As I was walking in the wetlands area, I noticed that skunk cabbage was already coming up. I always thought it came up more in February so I was surprised. I also found myself having to jump from one side of stream to the other and dodge rose bushes.

Then it struck me! Since I started my Big year, I have been going here and there looking for birds but also noticing things that I used to teach about or was interested in - clouds, plants, moon phases, etc. I realized that the 'inner child' - 'the explorer' in me is coming out after all these years.

So maybe the phrase 'Big year' means a big year in birding for an individual but I also think it means a big year of discovery for the person doing it - for birding for a big year is an individual activity, giving the person lots of time to think about the past , present, and future and in how many ways will this year be a BIG year!

OOPS! Forgot to put in totals for Big Year:

18) Red Bellied Woodpecker 1
19) White Throated Sparrow 6
20) Song Sparrow 1