Connecticut Audbon Society

State of the Birds

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2025 Migration Magic: A month of fun and friendly competition raises more than $41K to help Connecticut’s birds

Wednesday, June 25th, 2025

June 25, 2025—More than 1,500 people helped the cause of bird conservation in Connecticut this May by participating in Migration Magic 2025 — birding, donating, and attending walks and programs throughout the state. Together they raised $41,650 for bird conservation — almost one third more than last year, making the 2025 Migration Magic Birdathon a great success.

10 great films slated for benefit showing of Mountainfilm on Tour in Hartford, Sunday, June 29

Monday, June 16th, 2025

June 16, 2025—Mountainfilm on Tour comes to Cinestudio at Trinity College, Hartford, on Sunday, June 29, at 1 p.m. for a special 10-film showing to benefit the environmental education work of Connecticut Audubon’s Greater Hartford program. Cinestudio’s high quality, single-screen theater is ideal for the immersive Mountainfilm experience. 

Watch the 2025 Purple Martins nest at Milford Point

Tuesday, June 10th, 2025

Welcome to Connecticut Audubon’s Purple Martin Cam! Live from the Coastal Center at Milford point. Several dozen Purple Martins nest in a colony on the edge of the marsh at Milford Point. We are live-streaming from one of the nests to give you a close-up view as the incubate eggs and raise their young.

Connecticut moves closer to a law that bans neonics. Congratulations and thank you to the scores of advocates who spoke out on this important issue.

Thursday, May 29th, 2025

May 29, 2025—Connecticut is just a step away from banning the use of neonicotinoid pesticides on 300,000 acres of lawns, golf courses, and other areas of turf grass. Yesterday, the State House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 9, an important climate change, pesticides and rodenticides bill. The Senate passed it two weeks ago. It will now go to Governor Ned Lamont.

8 Days Left to Join the Fun—Migration Magic Birdathon Is Still Going Strong!

Friday, May 23rd, 2025

May 23, 2025 — Migration Magic, our month-long festival of birds and birding, runs through May 31, 2025—as of today, May 23, there are 8 more days to participate in the Birdathon and Birdathon Photo Contest to support bird conservation right here in Connecticut.

An important pesticides bill passes the State Senate and now moves to the House. Here’s what you need to know

Friday, May 23rd, 2025

May 23, 2025 — Senate Bill 9 has passed the State Senate by a vote of 28–8 — a significant step forward, though not a complete victory. It now heads to the House. If passed there, it will move on to the Governor’s desk for final approval.

Resources for understanding the importance of Public Act 25-33/SB 9 and its neonics provisions

Friday, May 23rd, 2025

May 23, 2025 — Here’s a summary of SB 9; links to the Senate vote and to the complete the text of the bill; links to the 2024 Connecticut State of the Birds report and to a summary of the report; and more.

Homegrown Habitat, May 2025: Chokecherry

Thursday, May 22nd, 2025

May 22, 2025 — Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), a small tree with excellent garden potential, is also an ecological powerhouse. It is native to much of the United States except for a few Southeastern states. 

Volunteer Opportunity for Birders: Help with Bird Research This June

Tuesday, May 20th, 2025

May 20, 2025 —Attention, birders! Hartmut Doerwaldt, a master’s degree student at Wesleyan University, is conducting a summer field study on insect-eating birds and their predation on white oak caterpillars.

Bad news on neonics but it might not be too late

Thursday, May 15th, 2025

May 15, 2025—Act today! Senate Bill 9, which includes a provision to restrict the use of neonics, has been amended, and not in a good way. Trees and shrubs were removed from the bill. That means that landscapers will be prohibited from using neonics on lawns but not on the trees and shrubs next to lawns. And the law would be delayed for a year and a half! It would go into effect in October 2027 rather than January 2026.

Neonics Bill Update: Time to Contact Your State Officials

Wednesday, April 30th, 2025

April 30, 2025—There’s good news about the work being done to enact a stronger pesticide law in Hartford, but also a serious concern. It is important for you to contact your legislators as soon as you can.

For Earth Week, a team of volunteeers and staff help make sure Purple Martins thrive

Friday, April 25th, 2025

April 25, 2025—Our seventh and final Earth Week story is about one of our own projects, submitted by Beverly Propen, peerless volunteer at the Milford Point Coastal Center. Bev is part of the team of volunteers and staff that make sure the Coastal Center’s Purple Martin colony thrives.

For Earth Week, trees — planting them along the road, managing them as part of a forest

Thursday, April 24th, 2025

April 24, 2025—Was it E.F. Schumacher, author of the influential 1970s-era book Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as If People Mattered, who, when asked what is the most important thing one person can do to make a difference, answered, “Plant a tree”? Tree planting and forest management are the subjects of the fourth day of our series of Earth Week stories about important local environmental initiatives in Connecticut.

For Earth Week, a conventional lawn in Madison is transformed into a family’s nature preserve

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025

April 23, 2025—People love pollinator gardens, and with good reason — they’re colorful, full of life, ever-changing, and a delight to look at and listen to. On the third day of our Earth Week series, we’re featuring a tale of how one family in Madison transformed their typical lawn-dominated yard into a biodiversity showplace.

For Earth Week, tales of environmental projects that are making a difference: a pollinator garden in downtown Bridgeport; a close look at rising temperatures, globally and at home

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025

April 22, 2025 — On the second day of our Earth Week series, we’re featuring a project in downtown Bridgeport and another from the atmosphere above Connecticut. The former started as a way to ease the heat island effect in a city; the other is based on a wish by two scientists to understand just how hot it has gotten, and how quickly it has happened.

Homegrown Habitat, April 2025: Wild Geranium

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025

April 22, 2025—At this time of year copious flowers invite us outside, proclaiming a joyful end to the late-winter blues. Wild geranium is a valuable member of this spring bloomers club; it is easy to grow in the garden, a pleasure to behold, and offers many benefits to birds and pollinators. 

For Earth Day, tales of environmental projects that are making a difference, locally and beyond: West Virginia White Butterflies

Monday, April 21st, 2025

April 21, 2025—We’re celebrating Earth Day 2025 by publishing stories from around Connecticut of important, small-scale environmental projects — and their creators — from around Connecticut. First up: restoring rare butterfly habitat in New Milford.

Protecting birds from building collisions during spring migration

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

April 17, 2025—Bird migration is underway and the forecast is for the first big night of spring, tomorrow, Friday, April 18. Birds migrate at night so please help them by turning out your outdoor lights.

News Release: Connecticut Audubon Society Welcomes Bird Enthusiasts to Migration Magic 2025

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

April 17, 2025—Connecticut Audubon invites people from across the state to participate in Migration Magic 2025, a month-long celebration of bird migration taking place throughout May. May is the peak month for spring bird migration. On some days, more than half a million birds migrate into and over Connecticut, many of them staying to rest, feed and look for places to nest. It is an ideal time to experience this amazing annual phenomenon, and Migration Magic is designed to help you enjoy it in dozens of ways.

Launch party! “The Naturalists’ Guide to Migration Magic 2025” — a free Zoom program

Thursday, April 10th, 2025

April 10, 2025—You’re invited to a special free Zoom presentation to help you get the most enjoyment out of spring migration and help us launch Migration Magic 2025. It’s called “The Naturalists’ Guide to Migration Magic 2025,” and it’s scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 7 p.m. 

 

 

 

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