Some of the best birders in the state generously share their expertise here. Patrick Comins, Milan Bull, and Andy Griswold from our own staff. Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe and Genevieve Nuttall from Audubon Connecticut. Greg Hanisek, Stefan Martin, Helena Ives, Chris Wood, Nick Bonomo – a great roster of contributors. Our hope is that Bird Finder will inspire you to go out and find the birds they write about!
December 3, 2014. Northern Shrike. This is the rare passerine, or songbird, that actually preys on rodents and other birds. It and its close relative the Loggerhead Shrike are the only two in North America to do that.
October 23, 2013 — Pine Siskins have been leaving their summer haunts in the boreal forests and have been passing through Connecticut in large numbers recently. Over the past weekend, Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven recorded more than 3,000 siskins migrating past the hawk watching station.
September 16, 2014 – Sandy Point in West Haven has produced a Western Sandpiper this week. Numerous in its range, Western Sandpiper is considered a vagrant in Connecticut, with about half a dozen sightings each year.
September 10, 2014 – Baird’s Sandpipers breed in alpine tundra and dry coastal areas of the high arctic, and are a long-distance Central Flyway migrant to and from South America that strays east to Connecticut mainly in autumn. During migration, they are generally found on mudflats and grassy estuary, pond, and marsh edges, often in drier areas than those preferred by similar species. Currently, one or two are being seen at the Shell Beach Avenue marshes in Branford, off Route 146, and at the pools off the Moraine Trail at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison.
Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa
Where to find it: A Marbled Godwit, a relatively rare shorebird for Connecticut, has been feeding at several locations near the mouth of the Housatonic River, including at our Milford Point Coastal Center. A Marbled Godwit had been seen in the same area last weekend as well but then went unreported for several days. Marbled Godwits breed in the center of the continent in the northern prairie wet grasslands and are rare finds in Connecticut.
September 4, 2014 – 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.
August 15, 2014. Rufous Hummingbird. Measuring in at 3-3/4 inches, this short winged, compact hummingbird could, depending on the plumage, be passed over as our more common Ruby-throated Hummingbird (photo on left is Rufous; photo in center is Ruby-throated).
June 19, 2014 – Black Skimmer. A large, black and white, tern-like waterbird, the Black Skimmer has a distinctive large red bill. Typically skimmers fly low over the water with the lower mandible cutting the surface hoping to catch small fish. Skimmers are the only birds with the lower mandible longer than the upper. When at rest, they often group together on sand and gravel bars, their black backs and white underparts visible at long distances.
February 28, 2014 – Winter Wrens can be found throughout the state at this time of year although they are usually hard to find because of their secretive habits.
January 17, 2014. When this species leaves its tundra breeding grounds it looks for areas with the most abundant food source. In Connecticut this mean marshes and open field areas.
November 15, 2013 – Black Scoters seem to be more prevalent this year than in recent years. They are rarely seen in fresh water but this week you can look for these unusual scoters inland, in areas such as the Connecticut River off Vibert Road in South Windsor and Bantam Lake in Litchfield along North Shore Road. You can also look for them on the coast, off Penfield Reef in Fairfield, off Reef Road, where there is public access (go at low tide). Black Scoters are uncommon but regular migrants. They breed in subarctic regions and winter in coastal areas along both coasts. Diving ducks (rather than dabblers like Mallards), they dive to find crustaceans and mollusks to eat. Click the link below to read the entire post.
