Sunday, October 31, 2010

Back on Track

Howdee all,

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As some of you know the new Birdingblogs.com site was having a few issues.

A few of them were solved recently…and the design is being tweaked.

Come on over and check us out.

There are lots of great bloggers..and then there is little ole me..

Did  you read my post about what I am doing there?????

I have lots to share..

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Cape May Epic Flight..

Howdee all,
capemay (1)
Oh how I wish I was there to experience this..The above photo is one I took a few years back when we attended the Cape May Autumn Weekend.
You must read the articles below!
Simply Amazing!

Read the recent Buzz in Cape May 
David LaPuma aka @Woodcreeper 
also check out 

Friday, October 29, 2010

Come on over and say hello

Howdee all,

My First post is hot of the presses on Birdingblogs.com site. You have to click on the link below to see it, as we are still having issues with the Thesis theme on wordpress.

Birds and Bloggers <my first post.

On the right hand side of the blog Under Whats New you will see other posts.

So go on over and say hello..send me a comment there so that I know you are able to see everything.digiscoping class with clay (6)

See you there!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Birdingblogs.com is haunted but not dead

Howdee all,

Hope that got your attention!  Holloween around the block_010Birdingblogs.com seems to be invisible..or at least most of the posts there.

If you click on Birdingblogs.com you will most likely see only two posts.

Kenn Kaufman's post being the featured one.

There have been a over a week of posts, though none of them show.

We seem to be having a problem with the Thesis theme.

We don’t want you to think we have died over at Birdingblogs.com

We are still there..Holloween around the block_025

So, Until the issue is fixed..you can see us at this URL

http://birdingblogs.com/blog-2

Click on the links to the right where you see

What's New

Let me know if this link works for you and you are able to see all the posts.

Holloween around the block_014

Happy Birding!

Lantern Hill Hike, Ledyard/North Stonington, CT

Howdee all,
Still enjoying the amazing foliage.
Sunday we hiked Lantern Hill with my Sicksta Tammy and her hubby Joe. Lantern Hill is not to far from where we are parked in my parents driveway in Ledyard, Ct.
Lantern Hill_002
Nearby City:
North Stonington/Ledyard
Length:
2.6 total miles
Elevation Gain:
Minimal around 400ft
Trail Type:
Out-and-back
Skill Level:
Moderate, steep climbs and bare rock
Season:
Year-round, weather permitting
  Lantern Hill_006


We started out hike via Wintechog Hill Road. Directions here. I found this online GPS map that is pretty cool. The author started his hike from Foxwoods Casinos Two Trees Inn.

Check out the graph then x out of the black box to see his route.
Lantern Hill

EveryTrail - Find trail maps for California and beyond


The hike started with a gradual uphill climb.

Lantern Hill_007The trail splits….the trail to the left goes directly to the summit, we took the trail to the right that skirts around the summit and then took a trail to the summit.Lantern Hill_011First views of Lantern Hill pond.Lantern Hill_019Beautiful oranges, reds and yellows.
I always think of Trix cereal when I see these colors.Lantern Hill_024Below you see the remains of a Silica Mine.
Lantern Hill_027Lantern Hill gets its name because its white cliffs are said to shine in the sun when seen from the sea (Caulkins p. 97; Crandall pp. 107-108; Detwiller). Some believe that Lantern Hill was also known as "Tar Barrel Hill." In August 1814, during the War of 1812, barrels of tar were set ablaze atop a hill to warn residents of the British approach along the coast. It may be unlikely that Lantern Hill is Tar Barrel Hill, being so far (on the border with Ledyard) from the more populated coast. A more likely candidate for Tar Barrel Hill is Jeremy Hill, about 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometers) to the southeast, on the Stonington/North Stonington border (Haynes and Boylan, p. 51; Heermance, pp. 246-247). The barrels were put in place on May 15 and set on fire on August 9, 1814 (Haynes and Boylan, p. 51). The smoke from the burning tar, not the light from the fire, may have been the warning signal (Grotz p. 32; Haynes and Boylan, p. 51).  via The Story of the Yawgoog Trails
Lantern Hill_031
The hill's quartz was first mined by David D. Mallory in 1870 ("A Growing Industry"; Haynes and Boylan p. 74). With a purity as high as 96.84% silicon dioxide, the mineral had many uses, including glassmaking, filter sand and construction aggregate. Lantern Hill quartz was used as an aggregate in the concrete faces of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston, Massachusetts (Altamura, Tectonics, Wall-Rock Alteration pp. E31, E15). Paul Slade and his Gang reused narrow-gauge rails from the quarry to build a short marine railway where Yawgoog's sailing center is today. The railroad was used to move 28-foot (8.5-meter), surplus navy cutters into and out of Yawgoog Pond from the 1930s onward (Williams and Anthony vol. 2 p. 28). Lantern Hill is spiritually significant to the Pequots (Detwiller; "Bozrah's Healing Waters"); the tribe protected the quarry site by acquiring it from the U.S. Silica Company in 1994. To the south, it can be seen that much of one of the hill's lower summits was removed before mining ended.
via The Story of the Yawgoog Trails
See Foxwoods Casino in the distance?
Lantern Hill_033Here's a better view.Lantern Hill_037Jeff and Joe checking out the scene.Lantern Hill_049Lantern Hill_042
The hill is composed mostly of high-purity milky quartz and it occupies the inactive Lantern Hill Fault, which runs south into the Atlantic Ocean. Analysis of the quartz reveals that it is 238 million years old—the mid-Triassic Period of the Mesozoic Era in geologic time. The formation of the fault and the quartz are associated with the early formation of the Atlantic Ocean (Altamura 1995; Altamura 2003).[5] [6] 
Lantern Hill_055We continued to the summit…east side
Lantern Hill_056Lantern Hill_058Back to the western summit and we start our hike down to Lantern Hill pondLantern Hill_059Lantern Hill_061We leave the Reds..for a forest of Gold.Lantern Hill_063To the pond where we see, Wood, Mallards and Black Ducks.Lantern Hill_064Lantern Hill_075The golden forest was busy with Chickadees, Titmice, Juncos, Downy woodpeckers  and Wood thrush.Lantern Hill_065Wowee colors…Lantern Hill_068The peachy colored leaves in the trees below are Dogwoods.Lantern Hill_071Lantern Hill_072We continued that trail thru the forest of gold and green..Lantern Hill_076Lantern Hill_077We didn’t have a map..so we hoped we were taking the right trail back to the car.Lantern Hill_079Old foundation….wonder who lived here…Lantern Hill_080We made it to the road we came in on..the car was just a hop, skip and a jump away..SmileLantern Hill_082
Happy Hiking!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Oops.. Birdingblogs.com Hiccups

Howdee all,

big sit birds_023

As most of you know, I will be blogging with a group of amazing Birders/Bloggers at Birdingblogs.com

If you go to the link above you will only see two posts. We have been rolling out posts for a week. They are they not showing up when you click on the Url for Birdingblogs.com We are able to see them if signed in as administrator, otherwise they seem to be invisible.

So, a few of us unfamiliar with the Wordpress platform tried to figure it out..so far no solution. Our fearless leader, who knows Wordpress, is off Birding and has no idea what is happening here. So..in the meantime, I will post updates to Birdingblogs.com here and use Twitter and Facebook to posts the new links.

Please enjoy the following posts

The newest post is by our new ABA President Jeffrey Gordon

Consider the Yellow-rumped

If you click on the link above you will then see links to the other posts to the right under…

 Whats New?

  • Multi-author birding blog launched today

  • Enjoy!

    We welcome suggestions to our issue.

    Tuesday, October 26, 2010

    Have you checked us out?

    Howdee all,

    Have you checked out the new website yet?

    Birdingblogs.com

    The site is barely a week old..still some tweaking to do.

    Lots of Great writers.

    My first post goes out on Friday.

    I will remind you all on Friday so you can go check it out and see what I will be writing about.

     In the meantime….I had a blog post just about finished on our Sunday hike to Lantern Hill.

    My computer went wacky and poof it was gone..all except the photos.

    So, I got mad at my computer and haven't yet gone back to edit the post.

    I might decide to try today..this time I will remember to save a draft or two..I thought it was autosaved..but I guess not.

    ………………………………………….

    Saturday night..Jeff and I burned some of our past. 20 years or so of papers that we had saved..about 130 pounds worth..

    My family helped sort thru the papers and burn them…it was great fun!

    Yippee..Burn baby Burn.

    bonfire papers_001

    Friday, October 22, 2010

    Bittersweet Autumn

    Howdee all,

    Its beautiful this time of year…

    The air turns crisp and the ground crunchy beneath your feet.

    Autumn_034

    The colors on the trees are starting to fall to the ground….Autumn_036I love autumn…yesterday we had a leaf catching contest.

    I caught 16 leaves..I won. Jeff caught two one handed…I use two hands..

    Muther caught one. I don’t think dad tried but he enjoyed watching us twirl around and run after the spinning leaves.Autumn_033Autumn_030

    We enjoy our walks….Autumn_028The birds are still migrating thru the area..Autumn_029We saw flocks of White-throated sparrows and Juncos.At the pond, Upland sandpipers, Green winged teal and Mallards…flocks of Brown headed cowbirds along the edges.Autumn_018Autumn_011Yeah, its that time of year again…moving time..Autumn_004We will start our journey south for the winter in a few weeks..Autumn_007To warmer climes. Autumn_040I look forward to the next phase in our journey.Autumn_039In the meantime, I am loving it here…I am soaking up the color..Autumn_038I am walking on crunchy leaves…and breathing the crisp, cold air.Autumn_037

    It is Bittersweet, this time of year for us…

    Autumn_019We leave our family soon..Autumn_020But look forward to new adventures..Autumn_022