I love this time of year. After the exuberance of summer and the vibrant colors of fall, I’m thankful for the days growing shorter. The nights longer. Temperatures falling. Silhouettes of bare branches against a leaden sky promising snow. All of nature winding down. Encouraging quiet. Reflection. Introspection. [more]
Dedicated to Noble
Water Babies An Exhibition by William Burt March 11 – June 5, 2016 Burt’s photographic exhibit will be featured at RTPI from March 11– June 5, 2016. His book, also entitled Water Babies, is currently for sale in RTPI’s Nature Store. For 40 years, photographer William Burt has chased after the birds few people see: first rails, then bitterns, nightjars, and other skulkers – and now these, elusive creatures of a very different kind: theWater Babies. They are the subjects of his new book, and a new exhibition to be featured at RTPI. As in Burt’s...
read moreAAfCW Weekly Update #1
Below is an update from this past Monday on our work in the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds which you can find each week in the AAfCW blog or via our email list if you are a monitor or volunteer – check out the blog here! http://ctwaterbirds.blogspot.com/ This is the first weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2016 season. Today’s update includes reports of Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher through 1:00 p.m. on March 28 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff....
read moreNoble Proctor BioBlitz Challenge at Hammonasset on May 14, 2016
Noble Proctor BioBlitz Challenge at Hammonasset on May 14, 2016 Please join family, friends, colleagues and students for a celebration of Noble Proctor’s life in the form of a BioBlitz Challenge at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, Connecticut on Saturday, May 14, 2016 from 8AM to sunset. Our headquarters for the BioBlitz will be at the pavilion near Willard’s Island. A BioBlitz is a race to find every species of life possible – birds, mammals, plants, insects, and more. We will form teams to search the park and record all the species...
read moreBird Migration on Radar – March 31
Here is a radar grab of the eastern United States from just after midnight today with light bird migration occurring from the deep south all the way through Maine. A warm front had lifted through the Northeast while areas of heavy rain and thunderstorms associated with a soon to come cold front stretched across the Midwest. Areas near Georgia into the Carolinas and Delmarva appear to have had moderate migration occurring. At this time of the year we have everything from ducks to wintering friends like the Dark-eyed Junco to early arrivals...
read moreAmerican Oystercatcher
The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) is one of our focal species in the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. Many are now pairing off across Connecticut, finding the right place to start a nest next month. Last year our work helped the species make history! The 2015 population, consisting of 161 individuals that included 52 breeding pairs and 57 non-breeding individuals, was spread out over 31 different sites including barrier beaches and offshore islands. The breeding pairs successfully fledged an astronomical total of 64...
read moreFabiola Rodríguez – Tomorrow!
Speaker Series Event – March 30, 2016 at 7:00pm with the Roger Tory Peterson Institute Ornithological Club Title: The Ecology and Conservation Challenges of the Honduran Emerald in the Agalta Valley Presenter: Fabiola Rodríguez, Masters in Biology student Institution: Indiana University of Pennsylvania & Indiana University of Pennsylvania Research Institute The Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) is the only endemic bird to Honduras. This hummingbird species is included in the IUCN’s Red List as endangered and its population is...
read moreTree Swallow
Happy Easter! This Tree Swallow is one of many returning individuals migrating north this March, heading back to your yard or patch for the spring nesting season. I thought I would show you this bird from last week instead of showing you some eggs from past years and remind everyone to clean out their boxes now! Birds will be pairing up and starting to build those nests next month. After a cool start to April the long-term forecasts for spring look very warm, and there will be plenty of bugs for these birds to eat. Don’t forget to help...
read morePiping Plovers Return
They’re backkkkk! The Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) have returned to Connecticut in the past couple of weeks. This individual was resting at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven yesterday. Many of our sandy beaches have them dashing around after insects and aquatic invertebrate food along the water as they begin to claim territories and form pairs. There are more birds yet to arrive this spring, but our work in the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds is well underway seven days a week right now. Please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com...
read moreBanff Mountain Film Festival 2016 – Soon!
Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Reg Lenna Center for the Arts Wednesday, April 6, 2016 7:00pm For the 12th year, we’re bringing the spirit of outdoor adventure and mountain culture to Jamestown! This year’s World Tour features the best mountain films this year, showcasing amazing filmmaking talent from the world over to an audience that spans the globe. The 2015/2016 World Tour features a collection of exhilarating and provocative films that explore life in the mountains. They highlight remote cultures, intense expeditions into...
read moreString Fencing Dates – Volunteers Wanted!
Volunteers needed! Want an excuse to come bird with us and CT DEEP on the beach this April? Here it is… String fencing and signage erection dates for Connecticut beaches in spring 2016 are as follows and we need all the volunteers we can get! Wednesday, April 6th, 10:30 – Long Beach, Stratford Meet at the far west parking area. Monday, April 11th, 10:00 – Sandy/Morse Points, West Haven Meet in the parking lot. Friday, April 15th, 10:00 – Bluff Point, Groton Meet in the parking area and CT DEEP will shuttle people out...
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