Submitted by Gabrielle Bugden
Six birders gathered for this new trip offering at Raymond Brook Preserve in Hebron. In addition to four HAS members, we were joined by two representatives from Hebron Pollinator Pathways. Soaking in sunshine and the cool autumn air, we garnered 17 species in the parking lot in the first 15 minutes.
Starting down the trail, we made a brief stop at the new bird and pollinator garden that has been planted thanks to a HAS grant. Our Pollinator Pathway friends spoke about the variety of native plants including expansion and maintenance plans for the future, and the ongoing work to reduce the invasive plants growing nearby.
From there we trekked through marshy, wooded/ brushy, and field habitats, tallying 28 species, and covering about 2.5 miles in just over 2 hours.
Highlights included Black and White Warbler, Palm Warbler, 2 Red Shouldered Hawks, many Eastern Phoebes and Eastern Bluebirds, and a nearly- constant presence of Blue Jays, Carolina Wrens, and Gray Catbirds.
