Would you believe that I took this photo of a Great Egret (Ardea alba) in Connecticut only last week? It is exceptionally true and resident birders in New England can attest to the fact that we now have them as an overwintering species! Climate change is starting to allow us to keep more long-legged waders and shorebirds, such as the American Oystercatcher, year-round in parts of Long Island Sound and the New England Atlantic coastline. Why bother leaving when you can make it through the entire season? Migration is the most perilous part of the life of a bird and while a colder than usual or very snowy and stormy winter can make life difficult it is probably a winning bet to make for most of these birds. It also means that we in the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds have even more to monitor 365 days a year.
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
