5/10 Milford, Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center, 9:45am-1:30pm. (low tide, rising), sunny, 61-68F. Very busy at the Coastal Center today- class visits & visitors from out of state, and local visitors. A young couple was visiting from central PA. She was an environmental educator and was very impressed with our center and all the surrounding wildlife. A father with his son who was very busy with our puppets. Ruby the red eared slider was walking around for a bit and "barking" which entertained the visitors. Our ospreys are still incubating the eggs and the third osprey (presumably from the nest across the marsh) was not welcomed as it flew over. Our Purple Martin colony was busy (counted 17) with 2 Tree swallows on top and a Starling poking its head out of Gourd 26. On the marsh: 1 Black bellied plover, 6 Semi-palmated plovers, a flock of about 50 unidentified "peeps" far out and flying around the marsh, 1 Great Egret, about 122 Brant as the tide came in, 1 Canada Goose, 9 Mute swans, 1 Black duck. On the grounds & feeders, 2 Northern Mockingbirds, 1 very vocal Fish crow in a tree, calling straight for about 10 minutes. 2 Song sparrows, 4 House finches, 5 American crows, 12 Grackles, 8 Mourning doves, 2 Cardinals, 1 Blue jay, 1 Red winged blackbird. 3 Grackles were chasing a crow, and then later 4 Crows & 2 grackles were chasing the Red tailed hawk. Also, I was told that the Brown Thrasher which I saw last week, is not unusual here. Although it was the first time I have seen one here, they apparently have been nesting on the property for a few years. A brief walk near the lagoon and beach had 2 Yellowlegs, and 2 nesting Piping plovers on nests. Full report on EBird. Bev Propen, Orange