Author Archive

This morning I was fortunate enough to find the flock of Common Goldeneye and its associated hybrid Barrow’s Goldeneye fairly close to the Stratford Point shore. Scott found this fascinating bird, as well as an adult male Barrow’s Goldeneye, last Friday. He described these birds and his discovery in a previous blog post but was […]

Below is the Connecticut Big January 2011 report courtesy of Frank Mantlik.CT BIG JANUARY 2011 – RESULTSIn recent years, many of the most active CT birders start the New Year by participating in a friendly birding competition called the Big January. It’s a way to get afield after the hustle and bustle of the Holidays, […]

I have watched for Barrow’s Goldeneye at Stratford Point all winter among the Common Goldeneye we regularly see. Yesterday I nearly instantly picked out a male Barrow’s with a few male Common. They were between the point and the breakwater to the east where Common Goldeneye frequently feed in small numbers. A couple minutes later, […]

That is what it appears to be, at least. On Monday, before yet another winter storm, I wandered around the coastal grasslands Stratford Point after one of our typical waterfowl surveys. Wandering is not quite the right wrong for it. Since we have feet of snow on the ground, the area is only passable with […]

Milan Bull to address Connecticut Audubon Society’s Connecticut State of the Birds 2011 Report When: Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Where: Birdcraft Museum, 314 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06824 Who: Milan Bull, CAS Senior Director of Science and Conservation & report co-editor Event: Release of Connecticut State of the Birds 2011 report. Connecticut […]

So what have we seen lately in the snow? Not much…though word comes today that our friend Tina Green may have found the first Common Murre for the state of Connecticut at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison. Congratulations to her! Here are some photos of some of what else has been going on… This […]

The historic snow continues! Yesterday, Bridgeport’s airport in Stratford set records for both all-time snow depth and snowiest January ever. Yes, you can read that again, and it is true. However, on second thought, you may not need to be convinced of it. The snow is everywhere. The bad news is more will be coming […]

As we are being blanketed by yet another storm, I wanted to share a few pictures with you from yesterday’s snow (which was forecast as essentially a dusting…alas). The lighthouse on Stratford Point – this picture was taken around noon, but the snow and clouds blocked much of the light. It is not a surprise […]

This year’s Rusty Blackbird Blitz is only five days away! The 2011 Blitz is scheduled for January 29 to February 13. For those 17 days scientists, birders, and other volunteers will look for Rusty Blackbirds in their potential habitats, focusing primarily on all of the states to our south. However, Connecticut holds a decent number […]

This is the first of two posts regarding the Rusty Blackbird, so please watch for the next one tomorrow. The once common species, that sometimes filled the sky during migration over a century ago, has shown both alarming long-term and shocking short-term population losses. It is actually one of the entire continent’s fastest declining species. […]

That is all people talk about so far in 2011 – snow. It is all we have time to discuss as we wrap up one system, such as today’s small to moderate event depending on your location in Connecticut, and move on to the next, a potential major storm around next Tuesday or Wednesday. There […]

January has been a quiet month in terms of birds for much of Connecticut as the state remains locked in a colder and snowier than usual pattern. This is not the year to find Gray Catbirds in warm wet spots or Eastern Meadowlarks hanging around in places like Stratford Point. However, we have had plenty […]

You may have seen this post here on our Facebook page but this is another great reason to become a Connecticut Audubon Society member. James Prosek, noted author and painter who resides in Connecticut signed copies of his most recent book, “Eels” for Connecticut Audubon Society’s Membership Drive. “Eels” recently received a great review in […]

The latest storm to impact the northeast is bringing a mixed bag of precipitation to Connecticut. While we started as snow, all of the state transitioned to sleet, freezing rain, and then plain rain after anywhere from one to several inches of snow and a few tenths of an inch of ice in some spots. […]

I wanted to share this impressive image of snow cover in New England after the storm of 1/12-1/13 (which still needs a good name). This satellite photo comes courtesy of NASA/GSFC, MODIS Rapid Response System. The photo is very large so be aware it may take some time to load on some networks or computers […]

The other day I posted the below image with the question of – what is this raptor? Your first clue came in where I said it was photographed, the coastal grasslands of Stratford Point. Habitat is often a large clue in determining the species of many birds, and though sometimes you can see an individual […]