Snowy Owl Take Two
Snowy Owl, take two! Here are photos from today after spending some time with what seemed to be the same owl as Sunday’s bird. The irruption is building as there are now four of them in and around Stratford, Connecticut. Let us hope some decide to stick around all winter long (Snowy in snow, please). I included a wider photo taken at 500mm because I wanted to show everyone concerned about giving them space what happens with my shots. I was at the same distance from the owl, the precise position, in all of the beach photos. I crop quite a bit to get the “close” shots. Every...
Read MoreSnowy Owl Arrival
Last week I posted a photo of a Merlin that I took after missing my first Snowy Owl of the season by a few minutes, lamenting my luck. I was hopeful I would be able to pick one up again soon considering the major Snowy flight south that is occurring now. Thankfully today I spent a few hours capturing the beauty of this bird! For the most part this time was filled with chatting with friends while observing it snoozing away. A few times the very calm bird (planes, diving gulls, unintentionally close beachgoers – no problem) did a bit of preening, and most of the eyes open shots came...
Read MoreMerlin Meal
I barely missed my first Snowy Owl of the season earlier today, but my consolation prize was this Merlin finishing up a meal. I am not positive on the identification of the prey, but I did observe the raptor eating the entire leg and foot. Snowy Owls seem to be spreading out all over the region with new sightings coming every day! Have you spotted any yet? I am looking forward to seeing and sharing images of one soon… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreHarlequin Duck at Stratford Point
Today we were fortunate enough to host a drake Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) at Stratford Point as found by our friend Tom Murray. I took the below photo in the later afternoon during a brief moment when the sun came out from behind the clouds. These additional shots were taken earlier in the morning under those aforementioned clouds while the duck was feeding, swimming, preening, and loving those rocks as the species always does. Harlequin Ducks are a relatively rare visitor for us in Connecticut. If it is anything like the last drake Harlequin (could it be the same bird?) that...
Read MorePurple Sandpiper
We had a couple of special visitors stop by Stratford Point last week. The first was Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History President Twan Leenders who happened to spot the second, a Purple Sandpiper sitting on the rocks taking in the waves. We always feel like we should see more of the species at the site, but they tend to be found more often on the rocks offshore on the breakwater or jetties at nearby beaches. After taking a couple of direct hits from waves it flew off to the breakwater. We appreciated them both stopping by! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach...
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