Willard's Morning Flight - August 15 & 25, 2021
Last autumn I began to explore Hammonasset Beach State Park's Willard's Island as a potential "morning flight" hotspot. Results were encouraging over a handful of attempts. At the very least, the site seemed to be reliable for a modest flight given good migration conditions. Thanks to a busy work/life schedule, my opportunities to hit Willard's for morning flight are few are far between. When you're talking about a six-week peak window, there aren't many chances to begin with. So I jumped on the opportunity to spend the morning of the 15th standing at the north tip of the tiny island, staring southward in hopes of some warblers migrating early in the season. A cold front had cleared the previous evening, which should have triggered movement overnight. As I began the walk out at sunrise, there were a few audible American Redstarts and Yellow Warblers, so at least a few birds were on the move. I arrived at the morning flight site to find clear skies and a