P. T. Barnum

 The Greatest Showman, P. T. Barnum, had deep ties to Connecticut.  He was born and grew up in Bethel and spent much of his adult life in Bridgeport, where he served as mayor.  The town of Bethel is proud of its native son, born in 1819.  He began as a Bethel newspaperman and store owner.  

When he was in his twenties, he started his career as a showman, with uneven prospects.  Then, in 1841 Barnum acquired a circus museum in Manhattan, which became a popular success.  Soon after, he started touring companies, theaters and event spaces.

When he was 60, P. T. Barnum established the traveling circus for which he is known today.

A statue of Barnum stands outside the library in his hometown of Bethel, Connecticut.

Bethel Fire Department

 

An interesting range of firefighting vehicles.

The Burr Gilbert House

 

Ridgefield has lots of colonial-era houses.  This one is circa 1776.  I was drawn to the flowers in front.

Banding and Releasing

 I watched newborn purple martins being banded at McKeon Farm.

The baby purple martins are SMALL.  There were newborns just a couple of days old, but the banding took place only with birds at least ten days old.

Newborns waiting to be banded rested in a bucket.

The most experienced volunteers did the banding.

The nest from which each newborn purple martin was taken was recorded and matched with the number on the band.

After banding, each little bird was returned to the nest from which it had been taken.

Purple Martins

 There is a field with purple martin nests at McKeon Farm in Ridgefield.

The nests are mounted in groups on high poles.  The purple martins fly in and out continually.

Dragonflies are a favorite meal.  The second bird on the left was showing off its capture. 

The purple martin eggs hatched in the last two weeks.  Volunteers were removing the newborns from the nest, banding them so they can be studied, and then placing them back in the nests.

Tomorrow I will show some close-up photographs as the banding took place and the youngsters were returned to the nests. 

Turkeys

Mom and some of the kids.

Hoarder?

 This one is confusing.

A gorgeous Victorian house in Bethel, Connecticut, has been carefully and beautifully painted.

But the porch is overflowing with debris.  Huh?