I consider myself a passing baseball fan. In season, I occasionally check out the standings or the box scores. I enjoy going to Paw-Sox games every once in a while too. That being said, a trip to the Baseball Hall-Of-Fame makes for an extremely enjoyable weekend trip. Even if you had no interest in baseball, I am sure you could find something to do.
The car ride there (and back) is straightforward and quick. From southern RI, we took I-295 to Rt. 146 to I-90. A short jump on I-88 to Rt. 20 takes you to Rt. 80 and a straight ride into Cooperstown.
Once you get away from Worcester, the scenery improves as the hills start to rise out of the western horizon.
Our choice of season couldn’t have worked out better. We opted to take the day off on Friday so we headed out early. This gave us two nice crisp nights and two bright sunny days.
My wife and I were the first to arrive. We still had an hour or two until we could check in to our B&B. As such, we decided to stop at the Farmer’s Museum on the way into town. It seemed like it might be a good time killer. It wasn’t. It took all of 30 seconds before we realized it was $11 per person to see someone’s old barn.
On our way back out the door, my wife stopped to look through the tourist brochures. One of the things she picked up was a brochure for the Fly Creek Cider Mill. Apparently, this little gem is the last of nine mills in the Cooperstown area. The peaceful and serene atmosphere was worth the trip.
We must have spent $3.00 in quarters feeding the ducks and chickens. We had any imaginable apple-based product available. All in all, we had a great time at the mill.
We met up with the rest of the family and worked out where we were going to eat dinner and called it an early night.
Early the next morning we got up, ate breakfast and headed for the Hall-Of-Fame. Actually, as a point of clarification, Cooperstown is home to the Baseball Hall-Of-Fame, Museum and Library. We headed into the museum and took a look around. Its amazing how short a time baseball has existed. The museum is arranged in chronological order and has some memorabilia of the greatest players in baseball history.
It was interesting to see the sport evolve. The little facts of the sport are most entertaining. Apparently, it used to be considered an out if you caught the ball on the first bounce. Also, currently, it is against players to fraternize with players from the other team. That same rule also prohibits players from being in the stands while in uniform.
We moved through the museum in about 3.5 hours. I’m sure a huge baseball fan would be able to spend a very long time in there, but for the average attendee, half a day would be sufficient to see the museum. At that point, we had just enough time to go through the Hall-Of-Fame before lunch. I don’t know what I was expecting to see in the Hall. In reality, though, the Hall is just that… a hall. It consists of a long narrow room with plaques mounted on the wall for each player. I think an accurate analogy is that the Hall-Of-Fame is an really inefficient (room sized) book of notable people in baseball. I almost think it would be cooler if they had some sort of register of all professional players that ever played the sport with some notes or stats or a signature from each one.
All in all, it was a great weekend. We skipped the library and did a bit of overpriced baseball-related shopping. We ordered in for pizza and watched ‘A League of Their Own’ on TV. There was plenty of other stuff in the area that sounded like fun. We just didn’t really have the time. Fortunately, this is only a five hour drive (or less).
Thursday, September 29, 2005
5 Hours Or Less: Cooperstown, NY
Posted by Bill Gauch at 9:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: 5 Hours Or Less, Recreation
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Movie News: It feels like someone hit me on the head with a wrench
Oh my frikkin god! I just found out something that completely blew my mind out of commission today. (That’s pretty bad considering that its only 9:00. Anyway, here it is…
They are making a ‘Three Stooges’ movie!
By “they†I mean the (in)famous Farrelly Brothers. Yes, those champions of comedy who brought us ‘Dumb & Dumber’ and ‘There’s Something About Mary.’
Ok… Try to focus your thoughts… Breathe… Breathe… Ok.
Now, I don’t really know what to think about this. Generally, I like the Farrelly Brothers comedy style. I don’t particularly like their casting choices, but that is a different issue. The biggest thing that is screaming in my brain is the question, “Why?†Why would they make a movie that couldn’t possibly succeed?
I feel confident making that statement for a couple of reasons. First, there will be the purists who refuse to even accept Shemp, Joe or Curly-Joe as true stooges. These people will surely be the loudest critics.
Then, there are the people who have never watched The Stooges. This may be due to the fact that they were born after 1970. It may also be due to the fact that Vaudeville-style slapstick humor went out long before 1970.
Finally, there are the people who just don’t understand Stooge comedy. These people have seen several episodes. They may even have chuckled a few times at a slap or a poke. When it finally comes down to it, though, they just don’t get it.
With all that opposition, the only people you will have left who want to see this movie will be single white males, aged 30-50. So, to summarize, the Farrelly Brothers are make a movie for all those sad lonely guys who eat alone in their apartments with all the lights out watching TV and playing computer games. On a plus note, the DVD sales/rentals will be through the roof.
Posted by Bill Gauch at 8:00 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Sliced Dill Pickles
(makes 7 pints)
Ingredients:
4 pounds cucumbers
6 tablespoons kosher salt
4 1/2 cups water
4 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
7 teaspoons dry dill seed or 14 heads of fresh dill
3 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed
7 bay leaves
7 cloves garlic
peppercorns
Thoroughly wash 7 pint canning jars and their associated lids and rings. The jars must be heated but do not need to be sterilized since they will be processed for more than 10 minutes. Pre-heating the jars prevents them from exploding when boiling hot liquid is added to them. While this is not extremely common, you should not skip this step. The jars can be heated in two ways. First, you can place the jars into the water-bath canner. Lower them gently with tongs, making sure to allow some water to fill the jar so it won’t float. The second method is to fill each jar half full of water and place in the microwave. Heat on full power for enough time (probably 6-10 minutes) to make the jars sufficiently hot. Just before you are ready to use the hot jars, pour off the water (back into the canner if you used it to heat the jars) and place them upside down on a clean dry towel to dry them.Wash and drain cucumbers. Cut the blossom end (opposite the stem) off the cucumbers and discard. Slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices. Try to make them as uniform as possible. A food processor works wonders here, but a manual slicer or a knife works well too.
Combine the salt, water and vinegar in a large stainless steel or enamel pan and bring it to a boil.
Pack the sliced cucumbers into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top of each jar. They should be packed tight and you should be able to fit almost all of the slices into the jars.
To each jar add 1 teaspoon of dry dill seed or 2 heads of fresh dill, 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seed, 1 clove of garlic, sliced in half, 1 bay leaf and 2 or 3 peppercorns.
Ladle boiling liquid over the cucumbers, still leaving 1/4 of space at the top of the jar. Make sure to remove the air bubbles. This can be accomplished with a stainless steel spoon and/or butter knife.
Clean and dry the top edge and threads of each jar. Place a lid on each jar then screw down the ring tightly. Transfer each jar into a water-bath canner kettle which should be at a rolling boil with enough water to cover the sealed jars by an inch or two. Process the jars in the boiling water for 15 minutes. Carefully transfer the jars to a hard flat surface with a clean dry cloth on it. A large wooden cutting board works great for this so that you can place all the jars on the board next to the stove and then carefully move the board to a cool, draft-free table out of the way. As they cool, they should suction the lid down to show that they have sealed. This should take as much as several hours. Check the jars when they are cool by lightly pressing on the center of the lid. It should be firm. Avoid the temptation to check the jars before they have cooled because this could cause the sealed jars to fail. If the jar did not seal properly, place it in the refrigerator and use it first.
Once opened, the pickles should be consumed within 4 weeks. Unopened jars should be used within 12 months to ensure maximum freshness.
Posted by Bill Gauch at 8:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Recipies
Monday, April 18, 2005
Recreation: A day at the ball park
"What a great day for a ball game!" That was the common sentiment among our foursome who went to the Sunday afternoon Pawsox game. Everyone else apparently had the same idea because the stands were quite full. We got our green-seat tickets from my wife's friend's father's friend.
We were just to the right of home plate which put us outside the protection of the backstop net. This plus the action put forth by the Pawsox meant that we would pay attention to the entire game.
For our attention we were rewarded with the first couple home runs of the season as well as stolen bases and a 9-4 win for the Sox.
If you're looking for a nice afternoon or evening, you cant go wrong with a ball game. It's a great family outing or a fun time out with friends. Prices are quite reasonable at $6 for adults, $4 for kids and seniors, and $9 for reserved box seats.
It looks like this is starting off to be a good season for the Pawsox so why not go and enjoy it. (Check out www.pawsox.com)
Posted by Bill Gauch at 8:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Recreation
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Movie Review: Sin City
Frank Miller's "Sin City" gets better with each passing day since I saw it. Fans of Robert Rodrigues' unique style of visual storytelling will not be disappointed. Those who have seen his other works (Desperado, Once Upon A Time Down In Mexico, Spy Kids, etc.) will instantly recognize his form and format. Those that haven't seen them or don't recall them will be equally impressed.
This movie, based on the comic book of the same name, is black-and-white with splashes of color that really make things pop. Compound that with surreal gun fire effects and scantily clad women and you've got a sure winner.
The story to this movie is more accurately described as three stories (five if you count the opening and closing bits). The stories are well formed with sometimes heavy dialog. If you enjoy 30s/40s gangster stories, you will probably really enjoy them. Each part is loosely tied back to the rest of the movie visually, which is what this movie is really all about.
The cinematography and visual effects for this movie were excellent. In fact, I would have to say that, by far, this was the best visual movie I have ever seen. One could almost turn the sound off and still know what was going on. (When I get the DVD, I plan to try that.)
I can't quite figure out what it is about this movie that makes me like it as much as I do. When I left the movie, my initial thought was that it was good, and certainly worth the money. After letting the movie sit in my mind for a while, I can't seem to think that it was anything less than spectacular.
The movie possesses an all-star cast of Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Clive Owen and many others. Rosario Dawson was especially good. In a surprise to me (I hate Gillmore Girls), I really liked Alexis Bledel. Its not that she is a good actress (she really isn't). Its not that she is so attractive (Ok, she is cute, but nothing special). What really did it for me was the effect that they used on her bluer-than-blue eyes.
When it really comes down to it, that is what this movie is all about… the visual effects. I can see this movie being a likely candidate for best director and best cinematography in the various film awards.
Overall, this was a great movie. I can't wait for the DVD.
Posted by Bill Gauch at 8:00 AM 0 comments
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Tomato Soup
This recipe has been derived from Cook's Illustrated Magazine's recipe for cream of tomato soup. We played with it a bit to get a very tasty tomato soup with a strong tomato flavor. The recipe can be made easier and about 30 minutes faster if you can find fire-roasted whole tomatoes. The Shaws supermarket here in Middletown, RI has them hidden on the bottom shelf in the Foods-Of-The-World section. Be warned… Once you try this soup, you may never want that canned kind ever again.
Ingredients:
2 cans (28 oz.) whole tomatoes, drained, 3 cups juice reserved. (Get fire-roasted tomatoes if possible)
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large shallots minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
pinch ground allspice
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Asiago cheese (optional)
1. Skip this step if you can find fire-roasted tomatoes. Just make sure to add the brown sugar later when you add the tomatoes. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees; line jelly-roll pan or rimmed cookie sheet with foil. Spread tomatoes in single layer on foil, and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Bake until all liquid has evaporated and tomatoes begin to color, about 30 minutes. Let tomatoes cool slightly, then peel them off foil; transfer to small bowl and set aside.
2. Heat butter over medium heat in medium non-reactive saucepan until foaming; add shallots, tomato paste, and allspice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Whisking constantly, gradually add chicken stock; stir in reserved tomato juice and roasted tomatoes. Cover, increase heat to medium, and bring to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes.
3. Strain mixture into medium bowl; Transfer tomatoes and solids in strainer to blender; add 1 cup strained liquid and puree until smooth. Place pureed mixture and remaining strained liquid in saucepan, and heat over low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and cayenne, and serve immediately with coarsely grated asiago cheese.
Posted by Bill Gauch at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Recipies
Monday, March 21, 2005
Restaurant Review: Chen's Restaurant - Wakefield, RI
60 Old Tower Hill Rd., Wakefield, RI
Looking for some huge portions of delicious Chinese food? Try Chen's in Wakefield. This unsuspecting location for a Chinese restaurant with a slight Hawaiian flavor serves some of the best chicken wings around. Of course, those looking for the best hot wings have come to the wrong place. Here the wings are covered with a deliciously sweet oyster sauce served piping hot. The only real down side to these wings is that the high sugar content makes them impossible to handle without burning yourself when they come out of the oven. At $8.40 for a large bowl of wings, it is worth the risk of burns.
The beef teriyaki (8 skewers for $8.20) added on to this would have made a good meal if paired with some fried rice. Instead of stoping with the appetizers, each member of our foursome selected a meal choice. My father-in-law chose the Dye Ten Chicken, at $9.10, and my mother-in-law selected the Cashew Chicken Ding for $9.05. Both were deemed good, although my father-in-law was dissappointed that the waitress didn't inform him that the portion sizes were so large. He felt that his food alone would have been sufficient for 2 people.
My wife couldn't decide whether to have the standard General Tso's Chicken or venture out and try the Shrimp With Garlic Sauce. As a fortunate circumstance there is a menu item called the Dragon & Phoenix which combines the two options for $12.80. She felt that the shrimp were small and the garlic sauce was somewhat bland, but the General Tso's was good and satisfying which made her whole meal experience good.
Finally, I chose the Szechuan Ma Po Bean Curd, at $8.70, with a small side of Shrimp Lo Mein for $6.35. Overall, I felt my meal was excellent. The only thing that kept it from being absolutely perfect was the overly large pieces of tofu. I don't dislike tofu, but their large size prevented them from absorbing the very flavorful sauce.
The syling of the resturant is a traditional "red on red with some black". Unlike most typical take-out style Chinese restaurant, there is more than enough seating to accomodate many parties, which is a welcome change to be able to sit and enjoy the company of family and friends.
Posted by Bill Gauch at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Restaurant, Review
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Gardening: Late Winter/Early Spring Task List
The snow is finally melting and the robins can be seen searching for worms and other tasty morsels. It is now time to return to the task of outdoor gardening. What gardener can resist the tempting allure of that first warm day? Here is a list of tasks that must be done before the frenzy of the planting season begins.
Lawn and Garden Power Tool Tune-Up: Time to get those lawn mowers, chainsaws, and weed trimmers tuned up and ready for use. If you didn’t do it last fall, drain the gas and put in fresh stuff. Add a fuel stabilizer to your last can of gas that you buy to avoid this step in the future. Clean the mower top and bottom to remove all the build up dirt and grass that you should have been removing after each mowing. Sharpen or replace the blade on the mower and the chain on the chainsaw. Replace the sparkplugs at the interval specified in the manual. Never read the manual and now its lost? Just replace the plug anyway because it's easy and only costs a couple bucks. Make sure your weed trimmer has enough string to get you well into the season and replace it if necessary.
Don’t Forget Those Lawn and Garden Hand Tools Too: Scrape all that built-up caked-on dirt from your shovels, forks, and hoes. Get them nice and clean to assess them for replacement. Sharpen the shovels and trowels with a metal file. Just remember, you don’t need to slice tomatoes so you want it “blunt†sharp not razor sharp. Your trimmers and shears, on the other hand, should be quite sharp every time you cut. This is especially important when cutting out those diseased branches and stems. The cleaner the cut, the faster the tree will heal. After you have them clean and sharp, use some WD-40 or 3-in-1 oil on the joints. You can also coat the blades with a very light coating to inhibit rust. If you want a non-toxic solution, wipe them down with a very thin coating of mineral oil.
Roam the yard: Pick up all those twigs and branches that fell during those winter storms and get out those rakes to clean up the leaves that you didn’t get to in the fall. If you don’t have a compose pile, consider installing one in a secluded corner of the yard. Its a great way to avoid filling those paper sacks of yard waste and those extra trips to the dump. Take some time to appreciate all the crocus, daffodils and tulips popping up around the yard. If you don’t have any, remember to plant some this fall. Take a look at all the trees and shrubs to see which ones are in desperate need of pruning. Look for signs of winter injury or disease. Any plants that are severely diseased as well as trees that are damaged to the point that they pose a safety risk should be removed. Others should be pruned to remove dead, diseased or crossing branches, and then pruned to thin and shape the tree into an attractive healthy form.
Inspect the Hardscape: While you are roaming the yard, take stock of the condition of the hardscape features. Did the winter wind and snow blow down a section of fence? Is a fence post rotten? Does your shed need repair or replacement? Are those field stones in your walkway heaved up out of the ground causing a tripping hazard? Do you need to install any new garden beds? Make a list of all the work that will need to be done so you can prioritize them.
Think spring: Make a visit to your local seed supplier to see if there are any plants you want to start from seed. I find that this is also a good way to get ideas for what established plants I want to buy come April/May. By this time of year, most places even have their summer-flowering bulbs and tubers out.
Get dirty: As the month moves on and the soil starts to thaw you can start to transplant or divide. With most things still dormant, you can transplant them without having to worry about babying them. Once the night temperatures are at or above freezing consistently, you can plant snow peas, snap peas, cabbage, kale, broccoli, radishes and any other cold season crops. Garden beds, trees, and shrubs can have a 1/4 to 1/2 inch top-dressing of compost. One word of caution though, don’t put any manure products on fruit/vegetable beds. This can contaminate your food with e-coli.
Now that winter is finally ending, get out there and soak up the warm spring sun. Breath some of that fresh cool air. Get excited about the long days spent getting covered with dirt that are in the very near future.
Posted by Bill Gauch at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Gardening, Recreation
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 pieces of dark or bittersweet chocolate
The thing that makes this recipe good is premium quality ingredients. Also, make sure you use pure vanilla to avoid those synthetic chemicals.
Heat the milk in a microwave or on the stove top until just beginning to bubble around the edges. Remove from the heat and add the cocoa powder, sugar and chocolate. Stir or whisk vigorously until fully combined. Note: It may take some time to get the cocoa powder fully incorporated. Return to heat or microwave for another 15-30 seconds. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and serve. To make it more authentic, reduce the sugar and add a small amount of ground hot red pepper.
Posted by Bill Gauch at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Recipies
Friday, March 4, 2005
Restaurant Review: Ben's Chilli Dogs - Newport, RI
158 Broadway, Newport, RI
Looking for a simple, tasty and affordable lunch? Try Ben's Chilli Dogs. This barebones establishment offers hot dogs with a standard set of toppings for a very good price and with service that is both fast and friendly.
There isn't much more to say about this hot dog joint. They offer your choice of toppings including ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, chilli, cheese and sauerkraut to be served on your dog in a steamed bun. The price ranges from $1 and change to $2 and change. Lunch for 2 people usually comes to around $10 depending on how hungry you are and your choice of toppings.
The decor is just as barebones as the menu. The walls are dressed in wood panelling. Seating consists of 3 booths of 4 people, 2 booths of 2 people and bar stools facing the wall mounted bar-type table. Other than the plants in the front window, the only real adornments in the place are the somewhat amusing but rarely changing anti-Bush propaganda at the register.
When I stop and think about it, if I want a hot dog I can't think of any place I would rather get it than Ben's Chilli Dogs. Some people say New York Systems or Spike's Junkyard Dogs are better, but give me a Ben's any day and I'll be happy, my belly will be full and my wallet won't be empty.
Posted by Bill Gauch at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Restaurant, Review
Wednesday, February 2, 2005
Restaurant Review: Atlanta Bread - Middletown, RI
288 East Main Rd., Middletown, RI
Overall, this new area restaurant did not meet my expectations. I have visited 3 times since they opened and have not been fully satisfied.
First trip:
My wife and I decided to try this new place out for lunch. I ordered the California Avocado Sandwich. The sandwich is as follows: Ripe Avocado Slices with Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion, Provolone Cheese and Dill Sauce on Tomato Onion Focaccia for $6.39. My wife ordered the Tangy Roast Beef Sandwich. This sandwich is as follows: Roast Beef with Horseradish Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion, Spicy Mustard and Mayonnaise on a French Baguette for $6.39. My sandwich was good. It contained a generous amount of avocado and the half-focaccia that it came on was quite flavorful. The roast beef sandwich would probably have been good as well, but apparently the people behind the counter don’t know that there is more than 1 red meat. They made up the correct sandwich with the right bread and toppings, but used pastrami instead. Now, anyone who has ever purchased luncheon meat or eaten pastrami knows how different they are. Apparently, neither of these traits are required for employment.
Second trip:
I wanted a supplement to my lunch, so I figured I would try out their bread-like products. I knew they had an asiago bagel ($0.75) and that sounded like it would hit the spot. Some coworkers had placed a phone order, so I went with them to get my bagel when they picked up their food. They proceeded to the big sign that says, "Pick-up Orders" (or possibly "Order Pickup), while I walked over to the bakery/coffee register. As I ordered my bagel, my coworkers appeared behind me sans food. Apparently, for phone orders, you go to the bakery register to pick them up, but there is no sign indicating this. Upon my return to work, I sat down to eat lunch. I pull out my bagel and am disappointed by the look of it. All the cheese (what little there was) had apparently slid into the center of the bagel-hole. After a bite, I am even less impressed. It seems as if they use an egg-based dough. I guess that is OK, but I didn’t really want a plain egg bagel, I wanted a regular asiago bagel. To complete my disappointment, it looked like a bagel, but didn’t have the boiled-then-baked bagely goodness that I was hoping for. At least it was only 75 cents.
Third (and final for a while) trip:
Again, my wife and I met for lunch. She ordered the minestrone soup for $3.29 and I ordered a chicken salad sandwich for $5.39. The total cost ended up at $10.45, which seemed a little high, but I figured I had just misread the menu. upon paying, I get my receipt and my wife goes to sit down. I look at the slip to double check the price with the menu on the wall. As I look up, I see that my sandwich is listed at $5.39, but I have been charged $6.39. Upon closer inspection, I notice that the item on the receipt is not chicken salad, but a Bella grilled chicken sandwich. I proceed back to the register to get my order corrected. The cashier who took my order seemed confused at the difference between chicken salad and grilled chicken, so I had to explain it to her twice, using the menu as a prop. After we achieved comprehension, she walked to the food assemblers, talks with them for a minute and returns and says, "Ok, you’re all set." I look at her and say, "Uhh, the chicken salad is 1 dollar cheaper." Again, she walks over to the food prep area, then she walks over to the bread register, then back to the food prep area, and finally back to me. She looks me square in the eyes and says, "Its only a dollar. We’re really busy. If you sit down I will bring it to you later." So I go sit down and wait for our order. Our food beeper goes off and I get the food and after a couple minutes, she comes out and drops exactly $1.00 on the table and walks off. I sit there looking at my dollar thinking that its not worth it to bother pointing out that there was tax on that dollar. My wife, on the other hand, did not have that opinion. She went up and got my $0.08 and talked to the supervisor. That turned out to be a good thing because as we finished our meal, the supervisor put a bag down on the table with 2 cookies in it for free. At least they are willing to correct mistakes and try to make good on them. Overall, I would say that the layout and decor of the restaurant was pleasant and warm with a very clean feel to it. There is a nice fireplace in the corner with a couch. The location is convenient and there is ample parking. The menu is somewhat varied and the prices are similar to other area sandwich shops. They have a nice selection of breads and coffees. The cashier service was about average, but the food was prepared quickly. Hopefully, as the employees gain experience, the restaurant will improve.
Posted by Bill Gauch at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Restaurant, Review
Saturday, January 1, 2005
Lost Post 1: Sadly I have lost this post
Oh where, oh where has my little post gone? Oh where, oh where can it be?
Posted by Bill Gauch at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Lost Post
RI Bird Watching
This is the list of birds that are known to exist in Rhode Island. I started marking the birds I know I have seen, but as you can see, it is a long list. Hopefully, I will periodically update it to represent more birds that I can positively identify as I see them. I'm giving myself a check for the Bald Eagle. Technically, I have seen the Bald Eagles at the Roger Williams Park Zoo. I have seen wild eagles, but not in RI. Since there really aren't any standards for this list, I'm getting a check.
NOTE: If a check-box background is gray, the bird is a "vagrant" so it is less likely to be spotted.
| Seen | Bird (Common Name) |
| Acadian Flycatcher | |
| Alder Flycatcher | |
| American Avocet | |
| American Bittern | |
| American Black Duck | |
| American Coot | |
| American Crow | |
| American Golden-Plover | |
| American Goldfinch | |
| American Kestrel | |
| American Oystercatcher | |
| American Pipit | |
| American Redstart | |
| American Robin | |
| American Three-toed Woodpecker | |
| American Tree Sparrow | |
| American White Pelican | |
| American Wigeon | |
| American Woodcock | |
| Anhinga | |
| Arctic Tern | |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | |
| Atlantic Puffin | |
| Audubon's Shearwater | |
| Baird's Sandpiper | |
| Bald Eagle | |
| Baltimore Oriole | |
| Bank Swallow | |
| Barn Owl | |
| Barn Swallow | |
| Barnacle Goose | |
| Barred Owl | |
| Barrow's Goldeneye | |
| Bay-breasted Warbler | |
| Bell's Vireo | |
| Belted Kingfisher | |
| Bewick's Wren | |
| Bicknell's Thrush | |
| Black Guillemot | |
| Black Rail | |
| Black Scoter | |
| Black Skimmer | |
| Black Tern | |
| Black Vulture | |
| Black-and-white Warbler | |
| Black-backed Woodpecker | |
| Black-bellied Plover | |
| Black-billed Cuckoo | |
| Blackburnian Warbler | |
| Black-capped Chickadee | |
| Black-capped Petrel | |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | |
| Black-headed Grosbeak | |
| Black-headed Gull | |
| Black-legged Kittiwake | |
| Black-necked Stilt | |
| Blackpoll Warbler | |
| Black-tailed Gull | |
| Black-throated Blue Warbler | |
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | |
| Black-throated Green Warbler | |
| Blue Grosbeak | |
| Blue Jay | |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | |
| Blue-headed Vireo | |
| Blue-winged Teal | |
| Blue-winged Warbler | |
| Boat-tailed Grackle | |
| Bobolink | |
| Bohemian Waxwing | |
| Bonaparte's Gull | |
| Boreal Chickadee | |
| Brant | |
| Brewer's Blackbird | |
| Bridled Tern | |
| Broad-winged Hawk | |
| Brown Booby | |
| Brown Creeper | |
| Brown Noddy | |
| Brown Pelican | |
| Brown Thrasher | |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | |
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper | |
| Bufflehead | |
| Bullock's Oriole | |
| Burrowing Owl | |
| Canada Goose | |
| Canada Warbler | |
| Canvasback | |
| Cape May Warbler | |
| Carolina Wren | |
| Caspian Tern | |
| Cattle Egret | |
| Cave Swallow | |
| Cedar Waxwing | |
| Cerulean Warbler | |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | |
| Chimney Swift | |
| Chipping Sparrow | |
| Chuck-will's-widow | |
| Clapper Rail | |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | |
| Cliff Swallow | |
| Common Eider | |
| Common Goldeneye | |
| Common Grackle | |
| Common Loon | |
| Common Merganser | |
| Common Moorhen | |
| Common Murre | |
| Common Nighthawk | |
| Common Raven | |
| Common Redpoll | |
| Common Ringed Plover | |
| Common Tern | |
| Common Yellowthroat | |
| Connecticut Warbler | |
| Cooper's Hawk | |
| Cory's Shearwater | |
| Curlew Sandpiper | |
| Dark-eyed Junco | |
| Dickcissel | |
| Double-crested Cormorant | |
| Dovekie | |
| Downy Woodpecker | |
| Dunlin | |
| Eared Grebe | |
| Eastern Bluebird | |
| Eastern Kingbird | |
| Eastern Meadowlark | |
| Eastern Phoebe | |
| Eastern Screech-Owl | |
| Eastern Towhee | |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | |
| Eskimo Curlew | |
| Eurasian Jackdaw | |
| Eurasian Wigeon | |
| European Starling | |
| Evening Grosbeak | |
| Field Sparrow | |
| Fish Crow | |
| Fork-tailed Flycatcher | |
| Forster's Tern | |
| Fox Sparrow | |
| Franklin's Gull | |
| Fulvous Whistling-Duck | |
| Gadwall | |
| Glaucous Gull | |
| Glossy Ibis | |
| Golden Eagle | |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | |
| Golden-winged Warbler | |
| Grasshopper Sparrow | |
| Gray Catbird | |
| Gray-cheeked Thrush | |
| Great Black-backed Gull | |
| Great Blue Heron | |
| Great Cormorant | |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | |
| Great Egret | |
| Great Gray Owl | |
| Great Horned Owl | |
| Great Skua | |
| Greater Scaup | |
| Greater Shearwater | |
| Greater White-fronted Goose | |
| Greater Yellowlegs | |
| Green Heron | |
| Green-tailed Towhee | |
| Green-winged Teal | |
| Gull-billed Tern | |
| Gyrfalcon | |
| Hairy Woodpecker | |
| Hammond's Flycatcher | |
| Harlequin Duck | |
| Harris's Sparrow | |
| Henslow's Sparrow | |
| Hermit Thrush | |
| Herring Gull | |
| Hoary Redpoll | |
| Hooded Merganser | |
| Hooded Warbler | |
| Horned Grebe | |
| Horned Lark | |
| House Finch | |
| House Sparrow | |
| House Wren | |
| Hudsonian Godwit | |
| Iceland Gull | |
| Indigo Bunting | |
| Ivory Gull | |
| Kentucky Warbler | |
| Killdeer | |
| King Eider | |
| King Rail | |
| Lapland Longspur | |
| Lark Bunting | |
| Lark Sparrow | |
| Laughing Gull | |
| Le Conte's Sparrow | |
| Leach's Storm-Petrel | |
| Least Bittern | |
| Least Flycatcher | |
| Least Sandpiper | |
| Least Tern | |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | |
| Lesser Sand-Plover | |
| Lesser Scaup | |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | |
| Lewis's Woodpecker | |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | |
| Little Blue Heron | |
| Little Egret | |
| Little Gull | |
| Loggerhead Shrike | |
| Long-billed Curlew | |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | |
| Long-billed Murrelet | |
| Long-eared Owl | |
| Long-tailed Duck | |
| Long-tailed Jaeger | |
| Louisiana Waterthrush | |
| Magnificent Frigatebird | |
| Magnolia Warbler | |
| Mallard | |
| Manx Shearwater | |
| Marbled Godwit | |
| Marsh Wren | |
| Merlin | |
| Mew Gull | |
| Mississippi Kite | |
| Monk Parakeet | |
| Mountain Bluebird | |
| Mourning Dove | |
| Mourning Warbler | |
| Mute Swan | |
| Nashville Warbler | |
| Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow | |
| Northern Bobwhite | |
| Northern Cardinal | |
| Northern Flicker | |
| Northern Fulmar | |
| Northern Gannet | |
| Northern Goshawk | |
| Northern Harrier | |
| Northern Hawk Owl | |
| Northern Lapwing | |
| Northern Mockingbird | |
| Northern Parula | |
| Northern Pintail | |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | |
| Northern Shoveler | |
| Northern Shrike | |
| Northern Waterthrush | |
| Northern Wheatear | |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | |
| Orchard Oriole | |
| Osprey | |
| Ovenbird | |
| Pacific Loon | |
| Painted Bunting | |
| Palm Warbler | |
| Parasitic Jaeger | |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | |
| Peregrine Falcon | |
| Phainopepla | |
| Philadelphia Vireo | |
| Pied-billed Grebe | |
| Pileated Woodpecker | |
| Pine Grosbeak | |
| Pine Siskin | |
| Pine Warbler | |
| Pink-footed Goose | |
| Piping Plover | |
| Pomarine Jaeger | |
| Prairie Warbler | |
| Prothonotary Warbler | |
| Purple Finch | |
| Purple Gallinule | |
| Purple Martin | |
| Purple Sandpiper | |
| Razorbill | |
| Red Crossbill | |
| Red Knot | |
| Red Phalarope | |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | |
| Red-billed Tropicbird | |
| Red-breasted Merganser | |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | |
| Reddish Egret | |
| Red-eyed Vireo | |
| Redhead | |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | |
| Red-necked Grebe | |
| Red-necked Phalarope | |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | |
| Red-tailed Hawk | |
| Red-throated Loon | |
| Redwing | |
| Red-winged Blackbird | |
| Ring-billed Gull | |
| Ring-necked Duck | |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | |
| Rock Pigeon | |
| Roseate Tern | |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | |
| Ross's Goose | |
| Rough-legged Hawk | |
| Royal Tern | |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | |
| Ruddy Duck | |
| Ruddy Turnstone | |
| Ruff | |
| Ruffed Grouse | |
| Rufous Hummingbird | |
| Rusty Blackbird | |
| Sabine's Gull | |
| Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow | |
| Sanderling | |
| Sandhill Crane | |
| Sandwich Tern | |
| Savannah Sparrow | |
| Say's Phoebe | |
| Scarlet Tanager | |
| Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | |
| Seaside Sparrow | |
| Sedge Wren | |
| Semipalmated Plover | |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper | |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | |
| Short-billed Dowitcher | |
| Short-eared Owl | |
| Smew | |
| Smith's Longspur | |
| Snow Bunting | |
| Snow Goose | |
| Snowy Egret | |
| Snowy Owl | |
| Solitary Sandpiper | |
| Song Sparrow | |
| Sooty Shearwater | |
| Sooty Tern | |
| Sora | |
| South Polar Skua | |
| Spotted Redshank | |
| Spotted Sandpiper | |
| Stilt Sandpiper | |
| Summer Tanager | |
| Surf Scoter | |
| Swainson's Hawk | |
| Swainson's Thrush | |
| Swallow-tailed Kite | |
| Swamp Sparrow | |
| Tennessee Warbler | |
| Thayer's Gull | |
| Thick-billed Murre | |
| Townsend's Solitaire | |
| Townsend's Warbler | |
| Tree Swallow | |
| Tricolored Heron | |
| Tufted Duck | |
| Tufted Titmouse | |
| Tundra Swan | |
| Turkey Vulture | |
| Upland Sandpiper | |
| Varied Thrush | |
| Veery | |
| Vermilion Flycatcher | |
| Vesper Sparrow | |
| Virginia Rail | |
| Virginia's Warbler | |
| Warbling Vireo | |
| Western Grebe | |
| Western Kingbird | |
| Western Meadowlark | |
| Western Sandpiper | |
| Western Tanager | |
| Whimbrel | |
| Whip-poor-will | |
| White Ibis | |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | |
| White-crowned Sparrow | |
| White-eyed Vireo | |
| White-faced Ibis | |
| White-faced Storm-Petrel | |
| White-rumped Sandpiper | |
| White-tailed Tropicbird | |
| White-throated Sparrow | |
| White-winged Crossbill | |
| White-winged Dove | |
| White-winged Scoter | |
| Wild Turkey | |
| Willet | |
| Willow Flycatcher | |
| Wilson's Phalarope | |
| Wilson's Plover | |
| Wilson's Snipe | |
| Wilson's Storm-Petrel | |
| Wilson's Warbler | |
| Winter Wren | |
| Wood Duck | |
| Wood Thrush | |
| Worm-eating Warbler | |
| Yellow Rail | |
| Yellow Warbler | |
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | |
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | |
| Yellow-breasted Chat | |
| Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | |
| Yellow-nosed Albatross | |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | |
| Yellow-throated Vireo | |
| Yellow-throated Warbler |
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