I have been going to see the birds at Hunters Gardens for about 20 years, It was great for warblers,and many others during migration,with older hard wood forest, great under-story and spring-fed ponds. There were a group of local fishermen and hunters who used to meet at Hunters Gardens and have an out-door fire and cook out with eels, lobsters,crabs and fish (and liquid libations). This started years ago,and there is a stone monument where they traditionally gathered, but now there are not many members left,and to the best of my knowledge,( with the road barriers), they are discontinuing this tradition. Today there were no signs of any recent cook out ( burnt logs, rubbish, food) at the usual place. A couple of years ago, some one killed a girl back on the dirt roads back in these woods, so Suffolk County decided to barricade the entrances to the old dirt roads to prevent visitors (Birders?) driving cars on dirt roads that ran through the woods. Roads were originally made to cut lumber (and go hunting). I understand that now hunters can still get car access during the hunting season, they take down the barriers and let any cars drive in with a hunting license (But not birders during migration?) It is a long walk into Hunters Gardens without car access, but based on Eric Salzman's birding report of May 16, I went there today in the afternoon.It is quite a walk,next time I think I will take a bike. Contrary to his report there were very few birds on the way in and at Hunters Gardens, certainly no "fall out". There were no warblers flitting from tree top to tree top, not much other birds either. It was very quiet,I could hear very few birds. At the water holes. there was nothing to hear or see. I counted the usual towhees, cat birds, only a couple of ovenbirds (heard not seen),baltimore oriole,cardinal,chipping sparrow,chickadees,titmice,robins,pine warbler, yellow warbler, blue jay,red-bellied woodpecker, flicker,and a veery. (this was my best bird) Just to let you know in case you are thinking of making the trip. Andy Murphy --
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