April 6, 2021— Eastern Phoebe is one of the first songbirds to arrive back in Connecticut during spring migration. They’re mainly insect eaters, particularly flying insects. They’re a common species that can be found around most homes and outbuildings, and readily build their nest on small ledges under overhangs in buildings, on outdoor lights and under bridges.
Posts Tagged ‘Daily Bird’
Daily Bird: Eastern Phoebe
Tuesday, April 6th, 2021Daily Bird: Spring waterfowl — Blue-winged Teal
Wednesday, March 31st, 2021March 31, 2021 — As spring takes hold, our marshes, both inland and coastal, will really begin to awaken. One of our most familiar and easily-observed groups of birds, the ducks, are in peak migration and can be seen readily in most wetlands. Keep an eye out for the dapper Blue-winged Teal among the flocks of familiar waterfowl.
Daily Bird: White-faced Ibis
Tuesday, March 30th, 2021March 30, 2021 — Birders found a White-faced Ibis — an uncommon visitor to Connecticut’s coast — at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison today.
Daily Bird: Great Horned Owl
Monday, March 29th, 2021March 29, 2021 — Great Horned Owl is one of the earliest nesting birds in Connecticut, and you may already start to see the downy heads of chicks poking out the top of their stick nests this time of year.
Daily Bird: Spring waterfowl — Wood Duck
Friday, March 26th, 2021March 26, 2021 — This time of the year Wood Ducks are found in good nesting habitat. That includes almost all freshwater bodies and wetlands with nearby large trees and adequate cover.
Daily Bird: Spring waterfowl — American Black Duck
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021March 24, 2021 — Breeding season is starting so look for American Black Duck mainly in freshwater wetlands such as shallow ponds, marshes, and beaver ponds. Some nesting occurs in saltwater marshes as well.
Daily Bird: Spring waterfowl — Ring-necked Duck
Monday, March 22nd, 2021March 22, 2021 — Ring-necked Ducks appear on Connecticut’s shallow freshwater lakes as soon as the ice disappears in late winter and early spring. As with many waterfowl, if you pick the right spot and don’t try to get too close, they can be fairly easy to observe with binoculars or a scope. Also like most waterfowl, they are strikingly beautiful.
Daily Bird: Bonaparte’s Gull
Friday, March 19th, 2021March 19, 2021 — They are most likely to be seen during spring migration through Long Island Sound, which peaks from now to early-April, when with some luck the larger flocks may be found. When in flight, these flocks stay very tightly together and can be quite acrobatic as they weave back and forth through the air. Look for them feeding on barnacle larvae on the water’s surface. This annual phenomenon known as a plankton “bloom” occurs in March and April, coinciding with the Bonaparte’s Gull migration.
Daily Bird: Black-headed Gull
Wednesday, March 17th, 2021March 17, 2021 — A great find at any time of the year, but more likely in the late winter and early spring, this small, hooded gull is normally found associating with large flocks of Bonaparte’s Gulls but often consorts with larger gull species such as Laughing and Ring-billed Gulls.
Daily Bird: American Woodcock
Wednesday, March 10th, 2021March 10, 2021 — A harbinger of spring, American Woodcocks arrived in Connecticut in February again this year rather than in March. Their flight displays and calls are an amazing spectacle that should be witnessed by all who appreciate nature and yearn for spring to start.
