Bird is the WORD! Mystery Cache

Bird is the WORD! is a multi-mystery puzzle cache that will take you around the beautiful Althea's Meadow at Audubon Center Bent of the River in Southbury, CT.  This cache takes place on mowed grass meadow trails that are accessible to almost everyone, with one small grass hill. A .4 mi walk to the meadow along a serene river trail is required.  Handicap parking is available closer to the cache site if necessary.

Audubon Center Bent of the River (from the website):

Audubon Center Bent of the River is a 700-acre nature sanctuary and education center located in Southbury, Connecticut. It is part of Audubon Connecticut (a state office of the National Audubon Society) and the Atlantic Flyway, and serves as the hub for Audubon’s Grasslands & Shrublands work in Connecticut.  Visitors are welcome to enjoy trails, nature programs, and conservation-themed events throughout the year. Come learn and explore with us!

Trails:

Audubon Center Bent of the River has approximately 15 miles of hiking trails that pass through meadows and woods and are open from sunrise to sunset. Some of these trails traverse over countryside that feels very remote and wild even though we are located less than 2 miles north of Interstate 84 in Southbury, Connecticut. Trail Map.

Trail Rules:

The center is for the protection, study, and enjoyment of nature:

• Please leave pets at home
• No hunting, fishing, or collecting
• No river access except with an educational tour
• Please stay on the trails
• Take only pictures and leave only footprints
• Please respect our neighbors’ privacy and stay on Center grounds

Bird is the WORD!

To complete this multi-mystery puzzle cache, you will have to go to four areas around Althea’s Meadow and record different pieces of information mentioned below.  Once you have found all the different “clues”, you will have to decode a message that will take you to the Final, tell you what to look for at the final area, and give you the code to open the cache. NOTE: Parking, Trails, and Visitor Center/Barn are all open sunrise to sunset, leaving the cache only available during daylight hours.

1^st clue: go to N 41 27' 55.49"  W 73 15' 30.45", write down the name and place that you find.

2^nd clue: go to N 41 27' 49.32"  W 73 15' 26.62", write down the names and dates that you find.  If there is snow, you may need to dig around in front of the bench to uncover the two clue areas.

3^rd clue: go to N 41 27' 48.33"  W 73 15' 24.73", find the name of a bird on the giant cottonwood. This is a few feet off the trail, so please watch for poison ivy, especially around the tree.

4^th clue: go to N 41 27' 56.40"  W 73 15' 26.90", find a famous name in bird conservation.

Where to go for the Final:

__    The second initial in the gentleman’s middle name, from Clue #2

__    The second letter from the State, from Clue #1

__    The second letter in the second name of the bird, from Clue #3

__    The last letter in the name of the conservationist, from Clue #4

What to look for at the Final:

__    The first letter in the gentleman’s first name, from Clue #2

__    The fifth letter in ladie’s first name, from Clue #2

__    The last letter of the last name of the gentleman from Malvern, from Clue #1

__    The second to last letter in the name of the conservationist, from Clue #4

__    The third letter in the bird’s first name, from Clue #3

Code = The total age of the gentleman and lady added together, from Clue #2