e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - October 2019 FALL RAPTOR MIGRATION WATCHING Hi Everyone, Have you ever witnessed a “kettle”? The term “kettle” is used by birders to describe a group of birds wheeling and circling in the air. It is most commonly used for hawks and falcons, yet some uses it for any birds of prey group. It is believed to have originated from descriptions of flocks looking like liquid or soup boiling in a cauldron, pot, or kettle due to the bowl-like shape of thermal currents that the birds use for soaring. The birds' pattern of flight is also like the steam rising from a teakettle. During September and October, you could witness an awe-inspiring “kettle” in the sky made up of dozens to thousands of broad- winged hawks and other birds of prey using thermals to migrate south. Thermals are created when the sun heats the Earth's surface. The warm air rises carrying the raptors with it. Hawks can ascend quickly to thousands of feet within the thermals, and then glide in the direction of their destination. Radar studies suggest that many raptors migrate at altitudes of 700 to 3,000 feet while soaring in thermals. During fall migration, volunteer hawk watchers count and observe thousands of raptors as they head south for the winter. The data is compiled and recorded to help advance scientific study and research. The Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) houses all the information which is grouped by state, province, or country. The locations within Connecticut can be found at this link: https://www.hmana.org/hawk-watch-sites/. Go through the list to click on our state or any other location in North America. The information is listed by date and type of raptor. The variety of birds seen include vultures, eagles, kestrels, osprey, falcons, and hawks. I checked some of the popular Connecticut locations for their counts and found these 2019 fall counts as of September 26th: Lighthouse Point in New Haven had 1,596 birds of prey; Quaker Ridge in Greenwich had 6,233 birds of prey, and Chestnut Hill in Litchfield had 1,872 birds of prey. Some days are better than others for observing. A few of the best days included 3,270 broad- winged hawks seen at Quaker Ridge on September 17th and 935 broad-winged hawks seen at Chestnut Hill on September 16th. The season is only half completed so there is still time for you to get out and observe. Lighthouse Point Park on the New Haven Harbor is one of the premier locations in southern New England for observing migrating raptors as well as a wide variety of songbirds. The watch starts daily at 7 a.m. and continues each day as long as the hawks keep flying. Stop by anytime. Meet at the Hawk Watch parking lot, Lighthouse Point Park, 2 Lighthouse Road, New Haven. For more info, contact Steve Mayo, 203-393-0694 or [email protected]. Also, you can check out the HMANA website link https://www.hmana.org/new-to-hawkwatching/ to learn more about how to identify the birds you are watching. Look forward to seeing you out and about! Miss Judy Page 1 of 15 e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - October 2019 SCROLL DOWN THROUGH THE NEWSLETTER TO FIND THESE SECTIONS: • WINDING TRAILS NATURE EVENTS • HIGHLIGHTS THIS MONTH • COMING NEXT MONTH • NATURE’S PORCH OPEN HOURS & EVENTS • FISHING IN CONNECTICUT • NIGHT SKY WATCHING • OTHER NATURE EVENTS IN CONNECTICUT WINDING TRAILS NATURE EVENTS Registration is required 3 days prior to the event. If not enough people signup, the program is canceled. DATE/TIME EVENT • Saturday & Sunday, October 5th & 6th NATURE’S OPEN HOUSE 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Fee-based Program for Public & Winding Trails Members Open to the Public & Winding Trails’ Members Click on this link to register: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=947 • Saturday, October 12th NATURE FAMILY W/ YOUNG CHILDREN WALK – WILD TURKEYS 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Fee-based Program for Public / Free Program for Members Open to the Public & Winding Trails’ Members Click on this link to register: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=978 • Saturday, October 12th NATURE AFTERNOON FAMILY WALK – WHERE IS THAT TURKEY? 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Fee-based Program for Public / Free Program for Members Open to the Public & Winding Trails’ Members Click on this link to register: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=979 • Saturday, October 12th EXPLORE THE NIGHT – WILD TURKEYS IN CT 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Fee-based Program Open to the Public & Winding Trails’ Members Click on this link to register: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=980 • Thursdays, October 17th, 24th, 31st & November 7th WALK, TALK, & GAWK ADULT WALKS 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Fee-based Program for Public / Free Program for Members Open to the Public & Winding Trails’ Members Click on this link to register: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=989 Page 2 of 15 e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - October 2019 HIGHLIGHTS THIS MONTH • SATURDAY & SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5th & 6th NATURE’S OPEN HOUSE Nature’s Porch at Winding Trails, 50 Winding Trails Drive, Farmington Sponsored by the Alexander P. Franklin Foundation Nature's Open House is a walking tour of 80+ fairy and gnome dwellings set along a three-quarter-mile stroll through our wooded trails. After being inspired by the tour, you are ready to build your own fairy house in the permanent Winding Trails Fairy House Village. Using only natural material, you are free to create a place that is interesting, fun, cozy, inviting, and uniquely yours. Tickets are $5.00 per person. Please note: Tickets purchased the day of the event will cost $8. Register at this link: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=947 • SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12th NATURE FAMILY W/ YOUNG CHILDREN WALK – WILD TURKEYS Nature’s Porch at Winding Trails, 50 Winding Trails Drive, Farmington Join Miss Judy, Winding Trails' naturalist, for a morning family nature walk. This walk is geared toward families with young children six years and younger. In October, we will learn about the wild turkey that we see in our yards and local fields. So, we can explore rain or shine, wear good walking shoes and outdoor clothes that are appropriate for the weather and can get wet or dirty. Register at this link: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=978 • SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12th NATURE AFTERNOON FAMILY WALK – WHERE IS THAT TURKEY? Nature’s Porch at Winding Trails, 50 Winding Trails Drive, Farmington Join Miss Judy, Winding Trails' naturalist, for an afternoon family nature walk. This walk is geared toward families with children that enjoy exploring all around the property. This month, we’ll be exploring the property to discover more about the wild turkey and the places they live. So, we can explore rain or shine, wear good walking shoes and outdoor clothes that are appropriate for the weather and can get dirty or wet. Register at this link: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=979 • SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12th EXPLORE THE NIGHT – WILD TURKEYS IN CT Nature’s Porch at Winding Trails, 50 Winding Trails Drive, Farmington Get outside on Saturday nights with Miss Judy for an educational walk and hands-on activities with your family and friends. Based on this month’s theme, we’ll be learning about how the wild turkeys of Connecticut recovered from being extirpated and live among us. After the walk, return to make a fire, roast a few marshmallows or cook over the fire and enjoy some lively conversation. Come prepared for the weather and walking through the forest with clothes that can get a bit dirty. Register at this link: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=980 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17th, 24th, & 31st, & NOVEMBER 7th WALK, TALK, & GAWK ADULT WALKS Nature’s Porch at Winding Trails, 50 Winding Trails Drive, Farmington Come join Miss Judy, Winding Trails’ naturalist, for a casual exploration as we walk along some of our many trails. We’ll talk about what we see or some nature topics in the news. Sometimes we’ll stop to gawk at an interesting find alongside the trail. A different route and topic is planned for each day. Always dress for the weather and wear a good pair of walking shoes. Register at this link: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=989 Page 3 of 15 e-Nature Newsletter from Winding Trails - October 2019 COMING NEXT MONTH • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7th WALK, TALK, & GAWK ADULT WALKS Nature’s Porch at Winding Trails, 50 Winding Trails Drive, Farmington Come join Miss Judy, Winding Trails’ naturalist, for a casual exploration as we walk along some of our many trails. We’ll talk about what we see or some nature topics in the news. Sometimes we’ll stop to gawk at an interesting find alongside the trail. A different route and topic is planned for each day. Always dress for the weather and wear a good pair of walking shoes. Register at this link: https://www.windingtrails.org/register/?id=989 • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9th NATURE FAMILY W/ YOUNG CHILDREN WALK – WINTER PLANS Nature’s Porch at Winding Trails, 50 Winding Trails Drive, Farmington Join Miss Judy, Winding Trails' naturalist, for a morning family nature walk. This walk is geared toward families with young children six years and younger. In November, find out what plans animals and plants are making to make it through the winter. So, we can explore rain or shine, wear good walking shoes and outdoor clothes that are appropriate for the weather and can get wet or dirty.