July 10, 2019 – Five years after they were removed from the state’s list of threatened species, Purple Martins continue to thrive at Connecticut Audubon’s Coastal Center at Milford Point, with the number of hatchlings having essentially doubled since 2016. Purple Martins – North America’s largest swallow – continue to be listed as a “special […]
Author Archive
At the Coastal Center, the Purple Martins are thriving thanks to diligent management
Wednesday, July 10th, 2019Black Skimmer
Friday, July 12th, 2019July 12, 2019 – Black Skimmers are uncommon enough to be worth looking for, but you have to pick the right spot at the right time.
Connecticut Audubon earns 4 stars from Charity Navigator again!
Monday, July 8th, 2019July 8, 2019 – For the second year in a row, the Connecticut Audubon Society has earned the highest rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest evaluator of charities, for its strong financial health and for conserving Connecticut’s environment in a financially efficient way. “This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets Connecticut Audubon Society apart […]
Ovenbird
Friday, June 28th, 2019June 28, 2019 Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla by Chris Wood Walking along my regular birding/hiking route at Whittemore Sanctuary in Woodbury in late spring, two ubiquitous birds demand my attention: Red-eyed Vireo and Ovenbird. Red-eyed Vireos may be the most common woodland songbird in the Northeast, but looking over my eBird data for Whittemore (a 680 […]
Connecticut Audubon Advocacy 2019
Friday, June 14th, 2019June 14, 2019 – There were important environmental achievements in Hartford during the recently-concluded 2019 session, including the establishment of a fund to help communities protect themselves against climate change; authorization of the purchase of a significant amount off wind energy; a phased-in ban on plastic bags, among others bills. Thank you to all the […]
Videos of two Osprey eggs hatching
Friday, June 14th, 2019We recorded the hatching of the first two eggs, on June 9 and 11, 2019. In the first video, the action takes place quickly at the start. In the second, the hatching seems to occur near the 1:20 mark, and then there’s about a minute’s worth of action starting at 2:20. Enjoy, but keep in […]
2019 Birdathon Photo Contest Winners
Tuesday, June 4th, 2019June 4, 2019 – Here are the winning photos from our 2019 Birdathon photo contest, which was open to participants in the May 17-19 Birdathon. Thank you, Paul Fusco, first-rate bird photographer and co-designer of our Connecticut State of the Birds report, for judging the contest. Paul viewed all the photos without knowing who took […]
Purple Martin Cam 2019
Monday, June 10th, 2019June Birds
Thursday, June 13th, 2019June 13, 2019 – Connecticut is filled with birds this month, many of them raising families (or being raised), many resting and feeding. Here’s a list of eight chosen at random from among our summer Bird Finder entries over the past five years.
Cuckoos
Friday, June 7th, 2019June 7, 2019 – On a recent bird walk I was leading, my group stumbled upon our first cuckoo of the season in a less-traveled portion of Goodwin State Forest, near one of the park’s three wetlands. Though we never got to lay eyes on the conspicuous Yellow-billed Cuckoo that we heard, its distinctive, guttural-sounding call was enough to confirm the ID and welcome them back to our forest.
Cox Communications Brings New Science Field Equipment to Thousands of Students
Monday, June 3rd, 2019June 3, 2019 – A $10,000 grant by Cox Communications–Northeast Region will fund scientific equipment through a Tech Boost Grant to support Connecticut Audubon Society’s educational programming throughout the state. The new equipment will improve hands-on learning for 15,000 students a year through Connecticut Audubon’s award-winning Science in Nature Education Program. Science in Nature is […]
Saturday, June 8: Opening Day for 447 Additional Acres at Deer Pond Farm – in New York!
Tuesday, April 16th, 2019June 2, 2019 – For almost two years hikers, birders, and nature lovers of all kinds have enjoyed the network of trails on the section of Connecticut Audubon’s Deer Pond Farm that lies in Connecticut. But the other section of this beautiful preserve, in New York, has been off limits. That will soon change. Starting […]
In Time for Summer, Fishing Line Recycling Bins Installed in Bridgeport and Fairfield to Protect Wildlife
Friday, May 24th, 2019This map shows the location of the new monofilament line recycling bins: June 3, 2019 – Fishing in parts of Fairfield County might be safer this summer, for birds and other wildlife. A community-wide effort to build fishing line disposal bins and install them in the places in Fairfield and Bridgeport where people like to […]
Robert Roy Larsen, former Chairman of the Board and a driving force in Connecticut conservation
Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019May 22, 2019 – The Connecticut Audubon Society is remembering Robert Roy Larsen, a former board president whose leadership at a pivotal time helped transform the organization into the statewide conservation force it is today. Mr. Larsen, who lived in Fairfield and also served as chair of the Board’s Finance Committee, died May 9 at […]
Help wildlife by safely disposing your fishing line
Sunday, May 5th, 2019The Wood Warblers
Friday, April 26th, 2019April 26, 2019 – The next few weeks will be warbler weeks in Connecticut. True, vireos and thrushes and sandpipers and lots of others birds will be arriving too, but it seems almost beyond debate that warbler migration excites the spring birder more than those others.
2019 Birdathon Leaders
Wednesday, May 15th, 2019Here are the final totals of the 2019 Birdathon. Connecticut Audubon staff are marked with an asterisk. They’re not eligible for prizes, so don’t be discouraged by their high totals! ** denotes 18 and under category. Kathleen Van Der Aue’s total is from the Birdcraft banding team. Updated Monday, June 3 at 5:30 pm Participant’s […]
April Birds
Friday, April 19th, 2019April 19, 2019 – There are so many birds to find in April, we thought we’d post a quick compilation of a handful to be alert for over the next few days.
A new estuary reserve in Old Lyme and Groton
Monday, April 15th, 2019April 15, 2019 — The Connecticut Audubon Society’s Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center has been working for several years on a proposal to designate large coastal areas in southeastern Connecticut a National Estuarine Research Reserve. Here are a few basic details: What is the reserve and why is it significant for conservation? The National Estuarine […]
Weigh in on the future of Connecticut’s forests in as little as 10 minutes
Monday, April 15th, 2019April 15, 2019 — Connecticut Audubon Society supporters have a once-in-a-decade chance to help shape the plan that steers critical decisions about the state’s forests and woodlands. The state’s Forest Action Plan, a roadmap used by Connecticut and federal conservation agencies, is being fully updated for the first time since 2010. The Connecticut Forest & […]
