Day 202: July 20th – Bent of the River

Cool, rainy, and calm

       On a day that has given us the mixed blessing of cooler temperatures with a solid dose of precipitation, Sharon and I figure that spending some time under the cover of the Bird Watchers Porch at Bent of the River Audubon Center of South Britain, Connecticut sounds like a reasonable idea. 

       By the time we reached the “Bent”, the rain had slowed to a drizzle and the birds were attacking the feeders with a vengeance.  As has been the case wherever we’ve gone in the past week or so, the American goldfinches have been plentiful.  The thistle is in bloom and some is starting to go to seed…..a sure sign that the finches are in the area.  As bright as they are, it is amazing how they can sit down in the grasses and not be seen until something sets them off and all of a sudden you have a dozen or so in flight.

  The other major birds to offer up fine images were the male and female Red-breasted grosbeaks.  The male is the more colorful as is so often the case, but in this species, the female is nothing to scoff at either.   Take a look at this fine individual as she visits one of the many feeders at the Bent.
   

      Mourning doves were also on the property, perched atop the sunflower feeder and keeping watch over the reserve. 

       The final “catch” of the day is one more hummer.  Most of my hummingbird photos are caught at the feeder as I suspect most others are as well.  So it is always nice to find one perched in a more natural setting. The porch where we are looking from today is on the second floor of the nature center.  There are a number of trees surrounding the porch in close proximity, so when a bird, like this Ruby-throat, decides to perch in these trees, it is almost at eye-level.

       We’re actually in Connecticut to see our grandchildren, so it is time to head out to their place and share the evening with them.  Tomorrow, we’ll visit friends on the beach at Fairfield and should have some nice opportunities to capture images of some different species.