February 2, 2020 — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s North Atlantic-Appalachian region celebrated Groundhog Day by interviewing Connecticut Audubon Executive Director Patrick Comins about actual signs that spring is on its way. Their blog post, published this morning, is here. We thank them for permission to use it on Natural Selections. Enjoy, puns and all!
Read more...
February 1, 2021 — Our popular Super Bowl Sunday Live Owl event with Horizon Wings is here, virtually! Join Mary-Beth Kaeser of Horizon Wings as she introduces you to several local owl species.
Read more...
February 1, 2020 — The Northern Harrier is a hawk of grasslands and open country. At this time of year it can be found at dozens of locations along the coast, and in open grasslands inland as well.
Read more...
January 30, 2021 — Good pelican news for a Saturday morning. We’ve posted a terrific short video of the rescued Brown Pelican eating vigorously.
Read more...
January 29, 2021 – Since 1970, bird populations in North America have dropped by 29 percent; there are now approximately 2.9 billion fewer birds in North America than there were 50 years ago. Ignoring the problem won’t solve it. Feeling guilty about it won’t solve it. You can help Connecticut’s birds, and when you do, […]
Read more...
January 28, 2021 — The Brown Pelican that was rescued in dire condition from the icy Connecticut River in Essex yesterday is doing surprisingly well today and seems as if it will survive. Christine Cummings, co-founder A Place Called Hope, the raptor rehabilitation center in Killingworth that has been treating the bird since yesterday afternoon, […]
Read more...
January 27, 2021 — Quick action by Connecticut Audubon’s staff led to the rescue of an injured Brown Pelican huddled in distress on a cove in Essex today.
Read more...January 27, 2021 — The Connecticut Audubon Society invites applicants for a seasonal position at 35 hours per week beginning March 1 through October 1, 2021 as coordinator for the Osprey Nation Project.
Read more...
January 26, 2021 — Both species can be found in saltwater and freshwater, although neither is numerous on freshwater in Connecticut. But as we’ll see, finding them can be the easy part; distinguishing them can be harder.
Read more...
January 26, 2021 — Connecticut Audubon’s popular day camp will return for summer 2021 promising great outdoor fun for kids. We’re planning camp sessions for the Center at Fairfield, Coastal Center at Milford Point, Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center in Old Lyme, and the Center at Pomfret.
Read more...
January 25, 2021 — If you were watching the Weather Channel yesterday morning, you saw the two interviews with Connecticut Audubon’s Jim Arrigoni about winter wildlife. They’re slightly different, so if you missed them, watch both.
Read more...
January 24, 2021 — Can enough of the planet be saved so there’s ample room for wildlife to thrive? That’s the goal of the Half-Earth Project.
Read more...
1/21/21 — The Great Cormorant is the largest North American cormorant and is found on nearly all continents. In the States, it is restricted to the east coast, where it breeds on a just a few rocky island colonies in Maine. It is a regular winter visitor to Connecticut where it replaces the more commonly found summer resident, the Double-crested Cormorant.
Read more...
January 21, 2021 — Connecticut Audubon is remembering Frederick D. Schroeder, a friend and birding companion as well as a former regional board member and one of the organization’s longest active members. Mr. Schroeder died on January 16.
Read more...
January 20, 2021 — Winter is the prime time for seeing Golden-crowned Kinglets in Connecticut. They’re very hardy and overwinter in decent numbers. Ruby-crowned Kinglets can be harder to find in this season but they’re here too.
Read more...
January 19, 2021 — Young, Gifted, and Wild About Birds returns on Thursday, January 28, with a great program about an effort to save half the earth for biodiversity.
Read more...
January 19, 2021 — Snow Goose occurs each winter in Connecticut but only in limited numbers, unlike the massive flocks found on the Delmarva Peninsula, the Nebraska wetlands, and the rice fields of Arkansas. You can expect to typically find one or two birds mixed in with large flocks of Canada Geese. Most records are from inland sites.
Read more...
January 15, 2021 — Lapland Longspurs are not always here but, when they are you’ll find then at coastal locations with open expanses of grassland, dunes, sand barrens or open weedy places.. They’re often with Horned Larks or Snow Buntings, foraging for wind-blown weed seeds.
Read more...
January 15, 2021 — There’s a newly-discovered winter hotspot in Connecticut for birds. If you visit now, there’s a good chance you’ll see Prairie Warbler, Cape May Warbler, and Tennessee Warbler — yes, now, in January.
Read more...
January 22, 2021 — The Connecticut Audubon Society submitted testimony today to the General Assembly’s Environment Committee urging the passage of the Long Island Sound Blue Plan.
Read more...
January 11, 2021 — Winter is the season for loons in Connecticut and the Red-throated, the smallest of its family, is a favorite. The best place to find this high latitude nester in Connecticut is on Long Island Sound. Through March, this should be a relatively easy bird to find.
Read more...
January 4, 2020 — Communications Director Tom Andersen does a quick check-in with UConn Ph.D. candidate Eliza Grames as she prepares for her “Young, Gifted, And Wild About Birds” presentation on Thursday evening, January 7.
Read more...
January 13, 2021 — The Merlin frequents open areas such as marshes, beaches, and large fields. Most migrate through Connecticut to winter further south, but some spend the winter in southern Connecticut, mainly along the coast. You usually see one when you least expect it and it is often a quick look since they are usually flying fast in pursuit of prey.
Read more...
December 18, 2020 — High tides threatened them. Foxes preyed on them. People and their dogs disturbed them. And because of COVID-19, few conservation workers could put in the time protecting them. 2020 was a tough year for the birds nesting at Milford Point. The IBA Coastal Ranger talks about the details, including the emotional toll it took on her.
Read more...December 18, 2020 — The reviews of Part I of Young, Gifted, and Wild About Birds are in, and they are awesome. “So impressive! I learned a ton! Thank you!” “Wonderful program! It provided me with a whole new perspective on birding.” So why not join us for part II?
Read more...
December 20, 2020 — From fall til early spring Sharp-shinned Hawks are often found patrolling bird feeding stations and field edges. The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a small hawk, around 11 inches in size. Adults have blue-grey above and reddish-brown barring below.
Read more...
December 16, 2020 — The Red-breasted Merganser’s distinguishing characteristics are a long neck, a scarlet bill, and a double crest at the back of the heads of both males and females. Typically staying within 20 miles of the coast, the Red-breasted Merganser has a notable preference for salt water, compared to the other two species of merganser.
Read more...
December 15, 2020 — Two red-headed ducks occur in Connecticut in winter, one somewhat regularly, the other not so much. Both are diving or bay ducks – or pochards – of the genus Aythya.
Read more...
December 11, 2020 — There are numerous places to see Black Scoters along the shore but they are rare visitors to Connecticut’s fresh water. The adult males are all black with a yellow knob at the base of the upper bill. Juveniles and females are grey-brown with a dark cap and lighter cheeks.
Read more...
December 11, 2020 — The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown meant that elected officials paid less attention than usual to land conservation issues in 2020. So in 2021, conservation advocates will have to double down. Amy Paterson, executive director of the Connecticut Land Conservation Council, covered the issue in her Connecticut State of the Birds 2020 article, called “The Impacts of COVID-19 on Conservation Funding.”
Read more...
December 9, 2020 — You know that feeling you get when birds come to your feeder or when you pass through a mixed flock of songbirds in the woods? That’s happiness and, it turns out, those birds are bringing it to you.
Read more...
December 9, 2020 — Mew Gulls are similar to Ring-billed Gulls. The western European and northwestern North American subspecies are both smaller than Ring-billeds. These Mews have thin greenish yellow bills with either a thin ring or no ring at all, depending on season. Their mantles are slightly darker, and they have darker eyes than the Ring-billed’s.
Read more...
December 9, 2020 — Notice of a Mew Gull in New London went out this morning on our Rare Bird Alert. We are lucky enough to have posted about Mew Gull twice before, and even luckier that the authors were Patrick Comins, who is Connecticut Audubon’s executive director, and Greg Hanisek, editor of the Connecticut Ornithological Association’s quarterly journal, The Connecticut Warbler.
Read more...
December 9, 2020 — 2020 marks the third year in a row that Charity Navigator has designated Connecticut Audubon a four-star organization. Out of approximately 1,000 non-profits in Connecticut, only 48 received four stars in 2020. “This is our highest possible rating and indicates that your organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way.”
Read more...
December 8, 2020 — Connecticut’s Piping Plovers fared poorly during the 2020 breeding season. Because of the COVID-19 lockdown, the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds was forced to cut back on its protection work. Only when restrictions were eased during summer and the work-pace picked up did Piping Plovers do better. It’s an important enough issue that we wrote about it in this year’s State of the Birds report and are highlighting it here.
Read more...
December 8, 2020 — For those birders who relish long walks in biting cold winds, coastal sparrow searches in winter can turn up one of the rarer subspecies of the common Savannah Sparrow, the “Ipswich” Savannah Sparrow.
Read more...
December 7, 2020 — Federal and state environmental officials today announced 24 grants totaling $2.8 million to local governments, nongovernmental organizations and community groups in New England to improve Long Island Sound. Included in this year’s grants is more than $44,000 for the Connecticut Audubon Society to restore coastal beach, dune and forest habitat at the Milford Point Coastal Center.
Read more...
December 7, 2020 — Join us on Thursday and Friday, December 10 and 11, for this two-day, six-hour virtual course and learn techniques to create landscapes that are “ecologically functioning” as well as beautiful. This course, presented by New Directions in the American Landscape and co-sponsored by The Connecticut Audubon Society, will illustrate how to apply these altered practices in a variety of settings including meadows, shrublands, woodlands, and fine gardens.
Read more...
December 7, 2020 — The Young, Gifted, and Wild About Birds series on Zoom starts next week with “#BlackBirdersWeek: The hashtag that started a movement,” featuring co-founder Deja Perkins.
Read more...
December 6, 2020 — Dovekies, murres, guillemots, puffins, razorbills — these are the Alcids of Connecticut. Some are rare. When they are here, they can be hard to observe, given their preference for the sea. But they’re fascinating and worth learning about.
Read more...
December 21, 2020 — Birding and bird conservation is a lot more fun when you can share your stories. When a rare bird arrives, people spread the news. When a bird needs help, it becomes a rescue tale to be recounted. When something as simple as groups of beautiful birds show up at feeders, feeder-watchers can’t wait to let you know about it. For our 2020 Birds of the Year, we have the usual array of interesting rarities. But we also have great stories to make the list come alive.
Read more...
December 5, 2020 — ‘Tis the season for Christmas Bird Counts. Keep alert for French hens and turtle doves, and take extra time scrutinizing all the pear trees you might come upon. Here’s the schedule of CBC’s in Connecticut.
Read more...
December 3, 2020 — Bird conservation and research didn’t stop when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March. But they were affected in ways big and small, usually for the worse but in some cases creating opportunities for conservationists to adapt and make the best of a bad situation. That’s the main finding of Connecticut Audubon’s 2020 State of the Birds report, released today.
Read more...
December 2, 2020 — It’s a great time of year to bundle up and head to the shore to look for sea ducks. Look in shallow, sandy bottomed, salt water areas of Long Island Sound, at the mouths of rivers and occasionally inland on larger rivers and lakes.
Read more...
December 2, 2020 — Recently we started using closed captioning on our Zoom programs, for people who might have difficulty hearing the presenters. It works great. But it also produces funny transcriptions of bird names. See if you can figure out what they are.
Read more...
December 1, 2020 — King Eider is a robust sea duck, somewhere between the size of crow and a goose, but smaller than its relative, the Common Eider. All coastal areas, especially rocky areas, are places to look for this species.
Read more...
November 30 — Feeding birds in your yard is a win-win. You provide food and water for the birds in your neighborhood and, because maintaining a bird feeder is as much about enjoying the birds as it is about feeding them, you’ll get the added satisfaction of attracting more birds and more species. We have a webinar that can help.
Read more...November 25, 2020 — We are set to release our annual Connecticut State of the Birds report on Thursday, December 3. The 2020 report is titled “Pandemic: Conservationists scramble in the field, the lab, and the legislature.” It is the first in-depth look at how the coronavirus lockdown has affected conservation in the state.
Read more...
November 21, 2020 — Join us for this great series of presentations featuring younger-generation conservationists, scientists and ornithologists doing newsworthy or innovative work. Topics include #BlackBirdersWeek, E.O. Wilson’s Half-Earth movement, urban and suburban birds and bees, #BirdsNamesforBirds, and more.
Read more...
November 19, 2020 — In honor of the tiny bird that survived in the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, today’s Daily Bird is Northern Saw-whet Owl.
Read more...
November 20, 2020 — Flocks of up to 50 Snow Buntings were feeding and flying about on the sandbar at the Milford Point Coastal Center this week — an excellent sign for fans of this beautiful bird. You could do worse over this weekend or during Thanksgiving week than donning your mask and heading out to look for them, either there or elsewhere.
Read more...
November 18, 2020 — Each winter, uncommon avian visitors from the north appear in open habitats such as fallow farm fields, coastal beaches, grasslands, and dunes. Among these winter visitors may be the Lapland Longspur
Read more...
November 17, 2020 — The Connecticut Young Birders Club is a small but active group trying to grow and become more active. One of the members, Will Schenck, wrote this account of a trip they took to Litchfield County on a recent weekend. Their enthusiasm is hard to match. When was the last time, for example, you heard about a “euphoric experience with a Ruffed Grouse”?
Read more...
November 17, 2020 — Sightings of the Fox Sparrow are on the increase in Connecticut. The place to look is on the ground. Typically Fox Sparrows can be found scratching for food among the leaf litter or picking up seeds under your feeder.
Read more...
November 13 — A century after Connecticut Audubon’s founder Mabel Osgood Wright helped her friends in New Canaan establish a bird sanctuary, that friendship has been rekindled over plans to restore the habitat.
Read more...
November 12, 2020 — One of the most distinctive of our dabbling ducks, small numbers of Northern Shovelers are most frequently seen in our area in late winter and early spring, but several have been around recently,
Read more...
November 11, 2020 — Bid on fabulous items in our online auction now, and join us on November 18 at 7 p.m. for a virtual conversation on “Art Birds Art?” with James Prosek, a well-known contemporary artist, and Richard Prum, the W. R. Coe Professor of Ornithology at Yale University and Curator of Ornithology at the Peabody Museum of Natural History. Your participation will support the work of Connecticut Audubon’s Fairfield Centers — Birdcraft and the Center at Fairfield — which provide programming for our community, teachers and students.
Read more...
November 11, 2020 — One of the aristocrats of the sparrow family, the size and handsome markings of this sparrow immediately distinguish it from other sparrows and draws the observer’s attention.
Read more...
November 10, 2020 — Hooded Mergansers are beautiful, small diving ducks that frequent open brackish creeks and marshes in the fall and winter and into spring. If there were a competition for the most beautiful wild duck in Connecticut, Hooded Merganser would be right in there.
Read more...
November 5, 2020 — The Red Crossbill is a common resident of higher-altitude coniferous forests of northern New England, but is nomadic, irruptive, and unpredictable in Connecticut. They can wander extensively, especially during years when cone crops fail within its normal winter range. During irruption years, movements may begin as early as late September, and may coincide with exodus of Red-breasted Nuthatch.
Read more...November 4, 2020 — Common Redpolls are “irruptive” fall and winter visitors to Connecticut. That is, they occur only when their food supply to the north is depleted.
Read more...
November 3, 2020 — During “irruption” years, you can find this bird without much effort at all and, in some locations, you can see numerous individuals consistently for several weeks during fall migration.
Read more...
November 2, 2020 — The Connecticut Audubon Society and its Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center will soon have a great new facility in Old Lyme to continue to carry out the regional conservation, science research and education work that began five years when the RTPEC was established.
Read more...
October 30, 2020 — Mountainfilm is a dozen short, exciting adventure films from top directors and producers. We’re bringing this great series to your home! Buy a ticket and enjoy the show anytime from noon on November 6, to noon on November 8.
Read more...
November 2, 2020 — Good news, bird lovers. The winter finch influx seems to be continuing, with Common Redpolls and a Red Crossbill added to the list. Members from across the state sent us their report.
Read more...
October 29, 2020 — Those of you who have packed on more than a few years of chasing birds will easily remember the 1950’s and 60’s when Evening Grosbeaks were welcome visitors to our winter feeders. Usually they came in small flocks and mobbed the sunflower tray for a day or two, then disappeared. Being large, colorful grosbeaks with massive bills and dressed in black, white and bright yellow, they were always greeted with joy and amazement.
Read more...
October 28, 2020 — Imagine Sally and Walter Brockett’s surprise when they looked out their dining room window in North Haven yesterday and saw five Sandhill Cranes.
Read more...October 28, 2020 Purple Finches are stacked up at the feeder right now, yielding their posts only to Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Blue Jays. This is the seventh day in a row they’ve been here. In recent years they’ve stopped by only for a quick visit. This is their longest stay. And it isn’t just here. […]
Read more...
October 27, 2020 — It doesn’t happen often but once in a while a half dozen species of birds we rarely see in Connecticut will move south from their summer grounds in the far north in search of food. They’re called winter finches, even though they’re not all finches and it’s not winter. We’re going to feature them on the Daily Bird, starting with Pine Siskin today.
Read more...
October 26, 2020 — Join us on Tuesday evening, October 27, for a Zoom webinar on the amazing blackbirds of Connecticut: grackles, redwings, and more.
Read more...
October 20, 2020 — “It flew out of the box and is now near main entrance on ground under porch.”
Read more...October 16, 2020 — Congratulations to the winners of Connecticut Audubon’s Dave Engelman Volunteer Benchmark Award: Eleanor Perkins Robinson, Michael Aurelia, Frank Mantlik, and Tricia Gregory.
Read more...
October 15, 2020 — Thanks to your generous donations, we surpassed our goal of $5,000 and had a successful day of identifying birds! Our tally was 108 bird species identified including a Jaeger species, a tie for our third highest count. Highlights included 12 species of ducks (including seven Northern Shovelers and all three scoter species), Wild Turkeys, 12 species of shorebirds, and lots more.
Read more...The Connecticut Audubon Society celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Coastal Center at Milford Point with a small gathering of dedicated friends, neighbors and supporters on Wednesday, October 21. The afternoon, outdoor event was the kick-off to acknowledge a milestone that will be recognized with other events and activities in the year ahead. Against the […]
Read more...
October 5, 2020 — It’s always thrilling to see a hawk but it’s even better if you know which hawk you’re looking at. We have a solution to that — a Raptor Migration Webinar, Tuesday, October 6, 7 p.m., via Zoom.
Read more...
October 3, 2020 — On a recent Saturday, I joined a work party to help restore habitat at one of only two places in Connecticut where the highly endangered Northern Metalmark butterfly can be found. We all agreed to not even divulge the town in which this population is located.
Read more...
Six of New England’s best birders will be representing the Connecticut Audubon Society in this year’s International Big Sit Bird Challenge, to be held Sunday, October 11. The event is a fundraiser for the Coastal Center at Milford Point. The team will be trying to raise more than $5,000 by identifying as many species of birds as possible from one spot (an observation platform in the dunes).
Read more...
September 17, 2020 — Peek inside a real, buzzing beehive while experiencing a day in the life of a beekeeper. View and hear thousands of these little ladies hard at work; if you get extra lucky, you’ll meet Her Majesty, the Queen Bee!
Read more...
September 17, 2020 — Spending more time living, working and learning remotely from home? In this Zoom presentation, learn about the quality of the air in your home environment: the effects of air fresheners, carpeting, mold, Radon and more. Hear why some people are affected by common home allergens, while others are not.
Read more...
September 16, 2020 — Explore the amazing bounty of maritime plants and animals along Milford Point’s shoreline with Diana Payne, PhD, associate professor and education coordinator with UConn’s Connecticut Sea Grant. This fall walk, timed for low tide, is ideally suited for investigating marine life from the tide pools to the salt marsh.
Read more...
September 11, 2020 — Join Entomologist Steve Mason to learn about the tiny creatures that make up the world’s greatest biomass and gain an appreciation for their role in our fragile ecosystem.
Read more...
September 10, 2020 — Come and hike the trails of the Larsen Sanctuary with our naturalist and learn what birds are migrating, and why the varied habitats in the Sanctuary are important for the birds that live there.
Read more...
September 8, 2020 — Join Connecticut Audubon’s Teacher/Naturalist Tricia Kevalis and learn the basics of backyard birding including how to identify backyard birds by sight and sound, who is at the feeder, what their feeding habits are and more!
Read more...
September 5, 2020 — Although uncommon, Caspian Terns may be found in coastal Connecticut from mid-April to early November. Basically, if you’re seeing a large, red-billed tern that flies like a gull and has a hoarse voice, you’re probably looking at a Caspian Tern.
Read more...September 4, 2020 — Late summer is an incredible time to visit Fairfield’s Ash Creek, a Long Island Sound estuary, as it is warmed by the sun and filled with a bounty of creatures, including an excellent variety of shorebirds. On Thursday, September 10, explore this amazing natural world with Connecticut Audubon’s Milan Bull, senior director of Science and Conservation.
Read more...
September 3, 2020 — Thirty-three acres of prime oak forest has been added to Connecticut Audubon’s 233-acre Morgan R. Chaney Sanctuary in Montville, increasing the amount of habitat protected by the preserve by almost 15 percent.
Read more...
September 3, 2020 — American Golden-Plovers get their name from the golden hue of their speckled back feathers. Right now, the birds are molting into their non-breeding (alternate) plumage, so their bold, black throat and belly feathers are interspersed with more brown feathers, making for a more barred appearance.
Read more...
September 2, 2020 — Explore Milford Point to look for migrating shorebirds with Milan Bull, Connecticut Audubon’s senior director of science and conservation. Situated on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River, Milford Point is a designated Important Bird Area that provides essential habitat for these migrating birds.
Read more...
September 1, 2020 — Starting in late August, hundreds of thousands of Broad-winged Hawks leave northern forests to head for their wintering grounds in Central and South America. Look for them on almost all ridge lines where the birds can find thermal winds to give them the necessary lift to form large kettles and soar.
Read more...August 29, 2020 — This is the time of year to look for Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Five were reported from Hammonasst Beach State Park yesterday, Friday, August 28.
Read more...
August 27, 2020 — A common bird declining rapidly but still almost everywhere, and two rarities, one of which is unusually abundant for this time of year — those are our birds. Check out where to look for them.
Read more...August 27, 2020 — For the past several weeks there has been an important and renewed focus on issues of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in our society and institutions. Accordingly, the Connecticut Audubon Society and other Audubon societies across the country have been involved in discussions about the mixed legacy of John James Audubon.
Read more...
August 27, 2020 — No matter how much you know or learn about bird migration, it is still a marvel that a shorebird resting on the sandbar at the Milford Point Coastal Center had once been on the flats of Suriname, on the northeast coast of South America.
Read more...
August 25, 2020 — Our turtles and toads cordially invite you to join them on our back lawn as they enjoy a socially distanced meal. You can help our naturalist feed them while learning about their differences and similarities. Bring lots of questions, they are eager to see you!
Read more...
August 24, 2020 — Learning how to bird by ear is an important tool and useful field skill for birders though it can be difficult to pick out which bird is calling and from where. This program, set for Tuesday, August 25, is for everyone but has been formatted to meet the needs of people with visual impairments.
Read more...
August 21, 2020 — If you missed Brad Winn’s shorebird presentation on Thursday, August 20, we posted it on our website. Highly recommended and well worth an hour of your time.
Read more...
May 6, 2020 — Have you found an abandoned bird? Birds and other wildlife that seem to be abandoned or orphaned at this time of year often are not actually abandoned orphaned. The Connecticut DEEP has advice about what to do if you find a bird that you think is abandoned.
Read more...
August 22, 2020 — Baird’s Sandpipers are long-distance Central Flyway migrants a few of which stray east to Connecticut mainly in autumn and are generally found on mudflats and grassy estuary, pond, and marsh edges, often in drier areas than those preferred by similar species.
Read more...
August 21, 2020 — You won’t have to go far to fund one of this week’s birds (Ruby-throated Hummingbird), but for another, a trip to the shore would be worth it.
Read more...
August 19, 2020 — White-rumped Sandpiper is an uncommon species in Connecticut, but one that can be found with some reliability. It favors coastal shorelines and mudflats at the state’s top shorebird stopovers such as Milford Point, Sandy Point in West Haven and Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison.
Read more...
