I tried the section of the champlain canal towpath trail running south from upper newtown rd in halfmoon to behind momentive in waterford for the first time this morning. It was quite birdy, albeit largely with residents birds. Main highlights included a black-billed cuckoo singing east of the trail roughly 1/2 - 2/3 of a mile south of upper newtown rd; a singing adolescent male orchard oriole (lacking full adult plumage and presumably a one-year old) near the large beaver lodge, pretty impressive numbers of baltimore orioles and chestnut-sided warblers; the lone through migrant I encountered was a singing tennessee warbler.
