directions to Babcock

[ctaylor at att.net]

Hi all -

To get to the Babcock Pond WMA, take CT Rt. 16 East from the intersection with Rt. 149 in Westcgester.  At the bottom of the big hill, you will see Babcock Pond on the right.  Take the first road to the right (I think it's Hagen Road), just as you cross the small bridge.  Hagen Rd. is dirt, but is relatively smooth (just minor potholes - no big ruts).  Follow it until it transitions into oiled gravel, and watch for a road to the right.  Turn right, go down the little hill to a DEP barway and a parking area.

Walk past the barway, down the forest road (heading away from Hagen Road).  About 80 yards down the road, it forks, and the P&S Skipper was right there.  After my initial sighting, I couldn't re-find it.  

The Dusted Skippers were in the field on the opposite of the road from the pull-in to the parking area. 

Clay Taylor
Moodus, CT
ctaylor at att.net 


> Hi all -
> 
> The yard was jumping with butterflies this morning - LOTS of;
> Hobomok Skippers
> Peck's Skippers
> Tiger Swallowtails
> Pearl Crescents
> with smaller numbers of 
> Spicebush Swallowtails (2)
> American Lady (1)
> Tawny-edged Skipper (2)
> 
> After making a run to the dump, I continued on to Babcock Pond WMA, to see if 
> there were any Pine Elfins still flying - nope.   There were 
> Juvenal's Duskywing (4)
> Pearl Crescents (100+)
> and my FOTY Dusted Skippers (2) - one was REALLY cooperative
> The odes at Babcock were everywhere - hundreds of them, including an Arrowhead 
> Spiketail wandering around the dry field! ???
> 
> As I returned to the car, I walked past it down the dirt access road into the 
> woods, just to see what was there.  A small, grayish-brown skipper flew down to 
> the side of the road and paused only for a few seconds - 
> PEPPER AND SALT SKIPPER!   My first one for CT!!!   WooHooooo!!!
> It flew up and I lost it - spent 45 minutes looking for it and never saw it 
> again.   I hope one of the dragonflies didn't want some seasoning on its meal 
> (get it - seasoning, Pepper & Salt...).
> 
> I'll e-mail directions to Babcock later tonight - gotta go,
> 
> Clay Taylor
> Moodus, CT
> ctaylor at att.net
> 
> 
>