Ospreys and Eagles …Oh My!

Posted on April 20, 2013April 20, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Time to head to the docks or should I say a dock. I’m heading out on an Eagle/Osprey cruise. I last went on one of these trips on a cold day in February 2011. Of course I picked the coldest day of the year to go at that time. https://aroundustyroads.com/2011/03/04/eagles-on-the-connecticut-river/

This time the weather seems a bit warmer even with the stiff breeze.

The cruise leaves from the dock at Eagle Landing State Park which is located in Haddam across the river from the Goodspeed Opera House.

I am always impressed by how personable and knowledgeable the crew of Riverquest is about the sights along the river and the birds that can be seen. They are the ones who first pointed out Gillette Castle and gave a thumbnail history. They also knew the ID and history of the impressive building that turned out to be St. John’s. Plus they have “eagle” eyes when it come to spotting birds!

Today the cruise is billed as an Eagle and Osprey tour and we certainly got to see Osprey. We also got off to a quick start with the eagles. Barely out from the dock 4 birds were spotted circling very high up. Binoculars came out and a discussion ensued but finally it was determined that there were 4, possibly 5 juvenile eagles soaring on the thermals.

Juvenile eagles are not as distinctive as their more mature counterparts. They start out brown and progress through stages as they age. An eagle expert can tell the age of a juvenile by how much “mottling” the feathers show. They don’t get the trademark white head until they are 5 years old.

We started watching Osprey right at the dock. A pair are trying to build a nest on the center tower of the swing bridge but are having a tough time because of the wind.

As we headed down the river it seemed like every buoy or marker had a pair of Osprey trying to build a nest. It was clear that there is a thriving population of Osprey on this section of the Connecticut River.

We also saw double crested cormorants, a peregrine falcon buzzed the bow of the boat, and even a red-shouldered hawk (as opposed to a red tail hawk) took to the thermals watching for prey. Common mergansers with their funny “bad hair day ” crest floated on the river while Black Backed gulls patrolled the skies.

We passed a mute swan and spotted a loon. And then we saw the large eagle nest on an island ahead of us. The captain brought the boat in as close as he could but even then it was pretty far away. At least it wasn’t hidden by leaves yet so we had a clear line of sight and there they were. Two adult eagles , fully mature, with their white heads gleaming in the afternoon sun. As one moved off the nest to a nearby tree we could just make out the head of a baby eagle above the edge of the nest.

The pictures aren’t great because of the distance but lack of pictures didn’t dampen the excitement of seeing these gorgeous birds in the wild.

All in all it was a successful and enjoyable trip down the Connecticut River and I will continue my quest for that iconic photo of an eagle in the wild. Maybe I’ll get a chance in Alaska!

Haddam Pizza

Posted on April 19, 2013April 19, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Following my jaunt around Gillette Castle I decided it was time for lunch. My past experience with off-season dining around Haddam had not been good. So I was up for trying someplace a little different from sub sandwiches or Dunkin’ Donuts.

Right on Saybrook Road before you make the turn to the boat docks was a mostly one story building with the sign Haddam Pizza. When I made my reservation for the Riverquest Eagle and Osprey Boat trip there was an ad for Haddam Pizza on the receipt. It seemed as good a place as any to try for lunch. There were a few cars in the parking lot so I assumed it was open.

There were 2 doors, neither clearly marked as the main entrance so I used the one that seemed to have a path of sorts to identify it. It led me into the bar area. It’s a pretty nice bar with a nice atmosphere. As I stood looking around the bartender called to me across the room. With a wave of an arm she let me know I was free to sit anywhere.

I was also looking for the lady’s room. The men’s room was right there near the bar where I came in but I didn’t see any ladies room so I turned left down a corridor which opened into another seating area and counter space. The lady’s room was off this area. The 2nd door I had seen apparently opened into this area. People came in and out here to pick up their take out orders.

To the left off the corridor were booths and a fireplace. I slipped into the first booth and made myself comfortable. The first thing that hit me was the aroma. It was such an amazing mixture of tomato and garlic and cheese, nothing overpowering, it seemed almost to tickle my nose. I ‘ve been in many italian restaurants and pizza shops but this was a more subtle flavorful aroma. It was so nice I had to comment on it to the waitress.

As tempting as the aromas were I chose to try the fish and chips. Haddam is not far from Long Island Sound so I assumed they must get fresh fish. I continued to look around as I waited for my meal. They weren’t really busy by any means but there was a steady flow of customers, some like me chosing to sit at a booth or table and other picking up.

When my fish arrived it was lightly breaded and fried but there were no greasy puddles on the plate nor did any grease or oil drip out when I cut into the fish. Always a good sign! The fish itself was tender and white . The presentation was attractive too with a curled orange slice and a lettuce leaf along with the lemon wedges and a dash of paperika. The french fries were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. No complaints there.

As for the service, the waitress was pleasant and attentive and I willingly left her a 20% tip. I would go back and although the fish was good, the aroma of that sauce has stayed with me and makes me think that next trip I’ll have to try something else. Pizza or an italian dish..not sure which, but I really want to taste that sauce!

Around the grounds of Gillette Castle

Posted on April 18, 2013April 18, 2013 by Dusty Roads

I’ve written about Gillette Castle before. https://aroundustyroads.com/2011/03/05/gillette-castle-and-state-park/

But up until now I’ve never had time to visit the actual grounds. I’ve always viewed the castle from the river.

I rolled into Haddam about 1pm and my River Cruise wasn’t until 4 pm so with time on my hand I followed the signs to Gillette Castle and State park.. The roads and entrance are well-marked making it easy to find.

The drive in is quite pretty even this early in the spring. There’s a little pond with a picturesque stone bridge just before you reach the main parking lot. You can pull in here and park or continue on to the visitor center and Castle itself.

I was still here too early in the season. Nothing was open except the grounds so you could walk around the castle, enjoy the views and follow the trails but the Welcome Center was closed as was the interior of the Castle and the snack bar.

That’s ok with me.

There will be plenty more to explore when I get back this way again.

Mount St. John School

Posted on April 16, 2013April 16, 2013 by Dusty Roads

This building is Mount St. John in Deep River Connecticut. I have never seen the building up close but each time I take a trip down the river I see that dome gleaming in the sunlight. The building fascinated me but I heard different things about it. On the river cruise on the Becky Thatcher the guide pointed it out and said it was a convent. But on the Riverquest cruise that guide said it was a home for troubled boys.

On my most recent trip down the river the captain mentioned that he thought the school had been sold and was being closed down this summer.

So here is the history as I have been able to dig it up.

Mount Saint John was founded as St. John’s Industrial School in 1904 in Hartford. This was a residential school for boys in need of care. The need rapidly outgrew the space in Hartford so in 1907 the cornerstone was laid for the beautiful building we see from the river today.

In 1908 the staff and residents moved from Hartford to the new property in Deep River. The Xaverian Brothers, staffed the school from its opening until 1919. While much good work was done, the future of the institution as an Industrial School was very uncertain. At the same time, an orphanage for boys in Hartford, conducted by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambery, was in dire need of more accommodations. It was agreed that the orphanage would move to the Deep River site. At that time the Sisters of St. Joseph administered the home and school until 1958.

Then in 1958, a large addition to the original building opened to house new dormitories, classrooms, and a gymnasium/auditorium. The programs for the boys admitted are tailored for individual needs and have changed over the years as the types of problems presented has changed with society.

For more information on the history of Mount St John including photos I refer you to a great blog entry I ran across http://mountsaintjohnsschoolalumni.blogspot.com/

Although finding history on this building was easy, finding current news was not so I don’t know the current status of the building or it’s school. I can only hope that with its history of good works that the news our good captain shared is wrong and the legacy will continue.