Natural Selections

Daily Bird nesting season special: Bobolink

June 7, 2022 — With updated information on safe dates for mowing fields in which Bobolinks nest. Bobolinks are found in large grasslands (hay, pasture, airports), of at least 10 acres in size usually. Fields with hills tend to have more birds; they usually nest on the top of the hill or the side in the thick grasses. If you’re in the right area, it’s an easy bird to locate. The males will sit on the top of a clump of grass or nearby tree or shrub and sing, defending their territory from other males; the males also sing while flying low over the grassland.

Daily Bird nesting season special: Indigo Bunting

June 6, 2022 — Until the end of June, the Daily Bird will feature Connecticut’s nesting species, including information on where to find these beauties. The series starts with Indigo Bunting.

New pesticide restrictions signed into law

June 2, 2022 — A pesticide restriction bill that passed the General Assembly in Hartford with the strong support of Connecticut Audubon’s grassroots advocates was signed into law yesterday by Governor Ned Lamont. Public Act 22-142 makes it illegal to use chlorpyrifos on golf courses or for any cosmetic or non-agricultural use.

Advocates act to ensure passage of new pesticide bill

May 23, 2022 — Timely advocacy on the part of Connecticut Audubon members and others around the state led to passage of a bill in Hartford that will cut the use of an insecticide that’s dangerous to birds.

New horseshoe crab rules might help migrating shorebirds

May 20, 2022 — The state of Connecticut has set new rules in hopes of protecting horseshoe crabs. The shorebirds that eat the crabs’ eggs might benefit as well. The rules shorten the season for commercial fishing of horseshoe crabs and lower by 70% the number of crabs that can be caught.

Spring migratory birds: Hooded Warbler

Usually first noticed by a ringing “weeta, weeta, weeteeo” song, a Hooded Warbler sighting highlights almost any bird walk in the Connecticut woods. Hooded Warblers reach the northern edge of their breeding range here in Connecticut (although there is a breeding population in southern Ontario), generally arriving during the first week of May and setting up housekeeping almost immediately. Hooded Warbler would be a great bird to add to your list during the Migration Madness Birdathon, May 13-15.

Spring migratory birds: Black-throated Blue Warbler

The Black-throated Blue Warbler, stunningly unique in its adult male garb, is quite average in other ways. It’s never as rare or hard to find as a Mourning Warbler, and never as abundant at the height of migration as a Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler, or a Palm Warbler.

Spring migratory birds: Blackburnian Warbler

One of the most strikingly colored of our wood-warblers, this species’ flaming orange throat was responsible for its colloquial name of “Fire Throat.” With yellow and black on its neck and face, black wings with a large fused white wing bar, and black streaks on a yellow to white belly, the male is unique among our North American warblers. Females are a muted version of the male, showing two narrower wing bars.

Spring migratory birds: Black-and-white Warbler

May 3, 2022 — Although every warbler species is unique, the Black-and-white Warbler stands out, and for a variety of reasons. Many warblers exhibit bright and flashy colors, but the aptly named Black-and-white Warbler is just that: black and white. Yet it is far from drab: the ornate and contrasting stripes conjures the exotic pattern of a zebra.

Spring migratory birds: Canada Warbler

When searching for Canada Warbler, it is important to become familiar with its unique song. One of my favorite ways of locating a Canada Warbler is by slowly driving along Greenwoods Road in Peoples State Forest, listening for its clear, loud chip note, followed by an abrupt, explosive series of short notes that regularly ends with a three-note phrase.

Spring migratory birds: 20 warblers

May 2, 2022 — To put you in the mood for the 2022 Migration Madness Birdathon, we present one minute’s worth of warblers. Give it a look — guaranteed to make you smile.

“Spring Migration: Global Ecology in Connecticut’s Treetops” — a Zoom presentation with Yale’s Scott Yanco

May 2, 2022 — When we watch songbirds migrate through Connecticut, we’re seeing more than just beautiful creatures flitting through the tree canopy — we’re witnessing a tiny part of an amazing global-scale ecological process.  In conjunction with the 2022 Migration Madness Birdathon, you’re invited to a special Zoom program on the topic.

Spring migratory birds: Magnolia Warbler

The Magnolia Warbler is certainly one of the most beautiful and sought after migrants by birders throughout the state. Although during a good migration year it can be found in many habitat types ,it prefers flowering hardwoods, particularly oaks where it can be seen foraging among the flowers for tiny insects and caterpillars.

Spring migratory birds: Black-throated Green Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler
Setophaga virens

They haven’t arrived quite yet but you’ll be hearing them soon.

Spring migratory birds: Yellow Warbler

 “Sweet, sweet, sweet, ain’t I sweet!” sings the Yellow Warbler, and indeed it is sweet to hear this most vocal of warblers warming up the early spring season with song.

Spring Migratory Birds: Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler
Setophaga palmarum

Palm Warblers arrive earlier in April on their way to Canada. But some are still around so it’s not too late to look for them — and for their wagging tails.

Spring Migratory Birds: Northern Parula

April 26, 2022 — The Daily Bird is alive and well, brought back to celebrate spring migration and to prepare us all for the 2022 Migration Madness Birdathon. We start with Northern Parula, written by Connecticut Audubon Executive Director Patrick Comins. Videos by Gilles Carter, a member of Connecticut Audubon’s Board of Directors.

As Ospreys continue to thrive, Osprey Nation needs more volunteers to monitor nests. Help if you can!

April 9, 2022 — Osprey nesting season is underway! 2022 marks the 9th year of the Osprey Nation monitoring project. The number of nests in Connecticut has grown to more than 900. Ospreys are an incredible conservation success story but their growth means we need volunteers to help monitor nests. About 300 remain unspoken for. Can you help by being a volunteer Osprey Nation steward?

Important progress in the U.S. Senate for the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act

April 8, 2022 — One of the most important environmental bills in a generation has cleared a hurdle in the U.S. Senate.  The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act on Thursday, April 7, and is sending the bill to the full Senate for consideration. The bill would bring almost $12 million a year to Connecticut for the protection of birds and other wildlife.

Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center presents Season of the Osprey filmmaker in live Zoom

March 15, 2022 — Connecticut Audubon’s Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center is presenting  a free, interactive Zoom presentation on Thursday, April 7, at 6 p.m.: An evening with filmmaker Jacob Steinberg, producer and director of the PBS Nature program Season of the Osprey.

Birds of the Year 2021: Join us on Zoom for all the fun!

December 9, 2021 — It’s December, and at Connecticut Audubon that means it’s time for our annual Birds of the Year list. This year we’ll be taking to Zoom to present our picks for Birds of the Year. But there’s a new wrinkle. This year we want to include your picks as well!

Please join us for the release of Connecticut State of the Birds 2021. December 2, via Zoom.

November 16, 2021 — At noon on Thursday, December 2, we’ll bring together on Zoom a group of the nation’s top bird conservationists to talk about the Connecticut State of the Birds 2021 report. It’s free, and you’re invited.

National Estuarine Research Reserve proposal progresses

October 21, 2021 — Progress toward establishment a new estuary reserve in southeastern Connecticut reached a milestone this week, when the official period for commenting on the project’s draft environmental impact statement ended. Connecticut Audubon is a strong supporter of the National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Things you can do to help birds right now: make your windows bird-safe

August 6, 2021 — A bird doesn’t see a window as a barrier. If the window reflects the sky and trees, a bird thinks it’s flying into the sky and trees. The result is often a dead bird — lots of them. The best estimates show that up to a billion birds a year are killed when they fly into windows, walls, and other structures.

Things you can do to help birds right now: Keep your cat indoors

August 5, 2021 — Don’t let the cat out of the house. Outdoor cats kill an estimated 1.3 – 4 billion birds in North America every year (they also kill 6.3–22.3 billion mammals annually).

3 dead birds in Connecticut show similar symptoms to dead birds elsewhere so “please don’t feed” recommendation remains

August 2, 2021 — Please don’t put your bird feeders back up yet.  The state of Connecticut reported that it has tested three dead birds, and that  preliminary results suggest that the “cases match” what’s been seen in dead birds suffering from this condition elsewhere. In other words, there’s some evidence that the condition that is killing birds in southern, mid-Atlantic, and mid-western states has reached Connecticut.

Important Coastal Center law enacted in Hartford

In the Sanctuaries…
August 2, 2021 — We are happy to be able to tell you about the success of a bill in Hartford that allows Connecticut Audubon to sign a new lease for the Milford Point Coastal Center and to continue operating that great nature sanctuary.

Vote for us – 2021 Top 20 Places to Take Kids Survey

June 28, 2021 — Connecticut Audubon is again in the running for the annual KidsOutAndAbout survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Fairfield County Kids. Your vote will help make more people aware of the education programs and great experiences offered for all ages at our centers around the state. The survey runs through July 1.

A guide to keeping shorebirds on the Milford Point sandbar safe when you visit in August

In the Sanctuaries
August 14, 2021 — Shorebirds gathering now on the sandbar at Milford Point need to rest without disturbance in order to have the energy to complete their migration from the far north to Central and South America. Visitors who get too close while walking, photographing, or viewing through scopes and binoculars will scattered the flocks and deprive them of that rest. But there’s a span of time each day during which you can visit the Milford Point sandbar without disturbing the shorebirds. That time span is from roughly four hours before low tide until three hours after.

Anglers and bird lovers: your help needed to spread the word about fishing line recycling

June 21, 2021  — Your help is needed to get out the word about a serious hazard to local wildlife – especially if you love to fish. Discarded monofilament fishing line is dangerous to birds, fish and other wildlife, which can easily be injured, strangled or killed by line caught on piers, branches, and bushes. Fishing line also imperils swimmers and damages propellers and outboard motors.

Keeping in touch with the experts: Deveaux Bank and its Whimbrels, the White House, Capitol Hilll

June 20, 2021 — If you attend our lectures and read our reports, you know the names Deborah Cramer, Desiree Narango, and Tykee James. Catch up on what they’ve been doing: Deborah wrote about one of the great ornithological discoveries of recent decades, Desiree wrote to urge the White House to transform its grounds into a biodiversity hub, and Tykee led a bird walk for staffers on Capitol Hill.

The Blue Plan passes and is now Connecticut’s official Long Island Sound planning policy

May 24, 2021 — Long a priority for Connecticut Audubon’s advocacy work, the Long Island Sound Blue Plan is now the official policy of Connecticut. The state General Assembly voted to adopt the Blue Plan on May 14. The plan is a guide to help decision-makers in their deliberations about which areas of the Sound are most valuable for conservation, the economy, recreation, etc.

Migration Madness Birdathon 2021 Leaders

May 15, 2021 — Checklists are still coming in from the 94 people who have registered for the Migration Madness Birdathon. Here are the leaders after the first day and the number of species each person saw. Participants can submit lists anytime before midnight on Monday, May 17, so there are many more lists to come.

Migration Madness 2021 Grand Prize: an original owl carving being created specially for the Birdathon

May 12, 2021 — We just received the details from bird carver Keith Mueller about the carving he is creating for the 2021 Migration Madness Birdathon grand prize. Keith is an amazing artist, and it is an incredible honor to have him create an original work just for the Migration Madness Birdathon, May 14-16.

20 Warblers in 60 Seconds

May 7, 2021 — Got a minute? Connecticut Audubon Board member Gilles Carter put together this fun video: “20 warblers in 60 seconds” to celebrate the upcoming Migration Madness Birdathon.