May 8, 2020 — This handsome gray bird can be distinguished by its bold personality and characteristic call, reminiscent of a cat’s meow. They are more often heard than seen, spending much of the day hidden away in thick shrubs and trees. Although they tend to be secretive, they are very energetic and boisterous birds.
Author Archive
The Daily Bird: Gray Catbird
Friday, May 8th, 2020Watch and listen to what’s going on in the water at Deer Pond Farm
Friday, May 8th, 2020May 8, 2020 — Is there a more beautiful sound in nature than the trill of an American toad? You can hear it at the start of this terrific video that our Deer Pond Farm staff recorded this week. And stick around for Jim Arrigoni’s terrific description of the aquatic invertebrates he found.
You probably need new binoculars or a scope. If so, we’ve got you covered. Just call.
Thursday, May 7th, 2020May 7, 2020 — Time to upgrade those binoculars? Need a spotting scope? Need a gift? The birds are here, with more on their way. No time like the present! Call at 860-767-0660 to discuss or to place an order.
Daily Bird: Orchard Oriole
Thursday, May 7th, 2020May 7, 2020 — This is a handsome and distinctive species. The males lack the bright orange flash of the more common and widespread Baltimore Oriole but sport a bright chestnut and black plumage unique among North American birds. The greenish-yellow hues of the female also stand out, and the first-summer males are readily identified by the their black bib. Compared to the Baltimore, it’s a more slender and spritely bird.
Diary of a teenage birder from Connecticut, circa 1910. Part 2
Saturday, May 9th, 2020May 9, 2020 — In early spring 1910, 15-year-old Harold Jones, who lived on the Waveny Estate in New Canaan, was busy keeping his daily bird list and identifying wildflowers. Here’s the second entry from his nature diary.
Diary of a teenage birder from Connecticut, circa 1910. Part 1
Wednesday, May 6th, 2020May 6, 2020 — “I have some notebooks of bird observations from 1910. Would you be interested in them as a guide to habits today, considering the changes in climate? They were made by my father, now deceased. The written observations were in New Canaan, CT in 1909 and 1910.”
Daily Bird: Eastern Meadowlark
Wednesday, May 6th, 2020May 6, 2020 — Careful observers can still see and hear this bright relative of our blackbirds in open, grassy habitats, sometimes perched on fences and bushes in a few Connecticut locations. It is a birder’s treasure wherever it is found.
Daily Bird: Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Tuesday, May 5th, 2020May 5, 2020 — The Rose-breasted Grosbeak, returns from the Caribbean to Connecticut during spring migration. And you may not have to work very hard to find it.
Facetiming Bird Migration
Tuesday, May 5th, 2020May 5, 2020 — NBC CT meteorologist Kaitlyn McGrath Facetimed Executive Director Patrick Comins last week to talk about migration, about visiting Connecticut Audubon’s sanctuaries, and about threats to Connecticut’s birds.
Daily Bird: Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Monday, May 4th, 2020May 4, 2020 — Yellow-crowned Night Herons are birds of marshes and wet meadows but are not widely distributed across the state. Our Milford Point Coastal Center is by far the most reliable location in the state.
The Monday Bird Report
Monday, May 4th, 2020May 4, 2020 — It was not only a beautiful weekend, it was a busy one for birds and birders. Here are a few highlights.
Daily Bird: Eastern Whip-poor-will
Friday, May 1st, 2020May 1, 2020 — Eastern Whip-poor-wills typically arrive in their breeding grounds in late April-early May, timed with the appearance of the insects that make up their diet.
Daily Bird: Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Thursday, April 30th, 2020April 30, 2020 — The long-popular reference to a “miniature Mockingbird” holds up pretty well. Shape and tone are reminiscent of the big mimid, although the gnatcatcher lacks the white wing markings. But keep miniature in mind. This is a small, slender bird in the warbler size category.
The Daily Bird: Semipalmated Plover
Wednesday, April 29th, 2020April 29, 2020 — Semipalmated Plovers are starting to appear on Connecticut beaches during spring migration. Named for their semi-webbed toes, which allow them to walk on different substrates, Semipalmated Plovers can be found foraging for insects and other invertebrates on mudflats and beaches while they migrate to their nesting territory on Arctic beaches.
Daily Bird: Peregrine Falcon
Tuesday, April 28th, 2020April 28, 2020 — Urban development generally pushes species out of the habitat that was replaced by buildings. There are some species like the Peregrine Falcon, however, that can adapt. Peregrine Falcons nest on and dive from tall ledges. The abundance of ledges in urban areas gives them a greater selection of nesting locations.
The optics are good at EcoTravel
Tuesday, April 28th, 2020April 28, 2020 — Andy Griswold gives a rundown of the best binoculars and scopes from Vortex and Swarovski. Learn about what you should consider when making a purchase.
A look back at the 2020 Earth Day Backyard Bioblitz
Monday, April 27th, 2020April 28, 2020 — If you participated in the Earth Day Backyard Bioblitz, you know how much fun it was. Well over 200 people from all over Connecticut submitted 2,619 observations of 654 species. The most common: garlic mustard, an invasive plant.
Daily Bird: For Frank Mantlik, the Townsend’s Warbler was bird number 400. Nobody around has seen more.
Tuesday, April 21st, 2020April 21, 2020 — Only one birder was on record as ever having seen 400 species in Connecticut. Frank Mantlik’s Connecticut life list sat at 399, and he was about to become number 2.
Daily Bird: American Redstart
Monday, April 27th, 2020April 27, 2020 — The beautiful little American Redstart will be migrating into Connecticut any day now. Adult male American Redstarts are mostly black with bright orange patches on the sides, wings, and tail. Females have gray head and underparts, with olive back and wings and dark-gray tail.
Eco-Hour with Patrick Comins
Monday, April 27th, 2020April 27, 2020 — Join Connecticut Audubon Society’s Executive Director Patrick Comins as he takes you through Connecticut’s shorebirds by season.
