ok, SOME play...

We've already cashed in one "comp day" this week - Andy and I spent all of Monday on a birding 'date day', just the two of us. First we went to Herrick's Cove in Rockingham, VT (southwestern VT, on the Connecticut River) and birded the shoreline for warblers and vireos and orioles. There wasn't too much action, but it was just amazing to be able to concentrate on any one bird for more than a minute without a toddler tugging at your sleeve or threatening to jump into the river to 'play'.

Herrick's Cove

Gray Catbird

Curious Chippy

Common Yellowthroat

We stopped and had lunch at a little cafe in Brattleboro, and then went to a spot right near downtown Brattleboro (Retreat Meadows) to see a Bar-Headed Goose that has been hanging out there with a bunch of Canada Geese. We did find it, but it wasn't very close so no decent photo. It's most likely an exotic escapee from someone's waterfowl collection, or from an animal sanctuary or petting zoo of some sort, but still a very cool looking bird.

Brattleboro, VT

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We ended our day at Pisgah State Park, New Hamshire's largest at 13,000 acres. It's huge and undeveloped, with lots of trails and woods roads to explore. I think it covers 4 towns or something, so there was no way we could investigate everything in one afternoon. We chose a 3 mile hike to Lily Pond in Chesterfield, NH, and heard and saw many of the warblers that had eluded us in the morning hours. The blackflies were borderline intolerable though, so we couldn't stay in one place for too long. I think we'll be back someday though.

Pisgah State Park woodsroad


Me at Lily Pond

Pisgah view