The DC Women's Hiking Group will meet Tues., Dec. 8th and Thurs., Dec. 10th at Topstone Park in Redding, CT.

Take Topstone Rd. off of Rt. 7.
Follow road over RR tracks until it becomes a dirt road.
Shortly after, a parking area will be on the right side of the road.

Meet at 8:30am.

Any questions, please contact Mendy at mmpolchinski@gmail.com or 203-241-1770.

October Birding Blog - Garden of Ideas

How is it that sometimes the best birding occurs right in the parking lot!  A very small bird called a kinglet was seen high in a tree, nervously gleaning insects as we gathered in the parking lot to begin at the Garden of Ideas.  A walk around the marsh area resulted in some Warbler sightings, and although we didn’t get close enough to more specifically identify them, their yellow coloration and shape put us in the right family.  A couple of flocks of red-winged blackbirds flew low over the marsh, and high in the sky was a turkey Vulture with its characteristic V-shaped silhouette and long fingered wingtips.  A white throated sparrow sat in a low bush within easy viewing range, and its very distinctive black and white striped head and bright white throat patch made it easy to identify.  We saw and heard the usual assortvment of blue jays, American crows, goldfinches and downy woodpeckers as we walked around the grounds.  The eastern phoebe was also spotted, a brown and white flycatcher that sits upright on a branch and wags its tail in a distinctive manner.  Best of all was a red- shouldered hawk (pictured) that sat regally at the top of a dead tree surveying the marshlands.  These medium sized hawks have reddish under parts and a banded tail, and are often found near swamps, as they will hunt for frogs and snakes as well as mice.  Next month we will see fewer migrants heading south, and more of the birds that stay for the winter. Photo:  www.allaboutbirds.org/Red-shoulderedHawk_JonCorcoran_MD_2011-1059

The DC Women's Hiking Group will hike Tues., Nov. 10th and Thurs., Nov. 12th at
Saugatuck Falls Natural Area in Redding, CT.
The entrance is located between
mail box # 65 and 73 on Diamond Hill Road in Redding. Follow
straight in until you see the large sign (entrance marker) on your left.
Parking is at the end of the road.
Meet at 8:30am.

The DC Women's Hiking Group will hike Thursday, Nov. 5th at Aldrich Park in Ridgefield.
From Rt. 35 take Farmingville Rd.
Follow until you reach New Rd.  Turn left onto New Rd.
Parking area will be on the left.
Meet at 8:30am.
Contact info or questions:  Mendy Polchinski at mmpolchinski@gmail.com or 203-241-1770 cell.

The DC Women's Hiking Group will hike this week, Tuesday, Oct. 27th and Thursday, Oct. 29th at Tarrywile Park in Danbury.

From I-84 take the airport exit.
At end of ramp turn right.
Follow through traffic lights and at stop sign turn onto Southern Blvd. ( It will be a sharp right turn).
Follow small brown signs for Tarrywile Park.
The park will be on the right, across from Immaculate H.S.
Meet in lower parking lot at 8:30am.

The DC Women's Hiking Group will meet Tues., Oct. 20th and Thurs., Oct. 22nd at Lake Windwing.

Take Rt. 35 to the traffic light at Limestone Rd.
Turn left on to Limestone Rd.
Follow Limestone, it will turn into Bennetts Farm Rd.
Follow Bennetts Farm Rd. and turn right on to South Shore Dr.
Ridgebury Elementary School will be on the left right before the turn to South Shore Dr.
Turn left into baseball field and parking area.
Meet at 8:30am.

The DC Women's Hiking Group will try a new location called Farrington Woods in Danbury, CT on Tuesday, October 13th and Thursday, October 15th.

Take Ridgebury Rd. turns into Saw Mill Rd. 
Past light to go on 84.
At next light take left onto Mill Plain Rd
Take 1st right almost immediately after.
There is a small sign.
Follow road to parking area.
Meet at 8:30am.