Red Fox and Cottontail
It is terribly ironic that just hours after my colleague, Audubon Connecticut Director of Bird Conservation Patrick Comins, uploaded some lovely cottontail photos to the Audubon Connecticut at Stratford Point page that I found our vixen Red Fox engaged in some hunting early this morning. I felt some eyes on me as I surveyed for avian migrants along Prospect Drive, and she was watching me from within our side of the fence. This is nothing abnormal, and the interaction was typical – a little curious stare down at one another before we both continue on. However, she then put her attention...
Read MoreCooper’s Hawk
I completely forgot to post these two photos of a young Cooper’s Hawk from last month, so here they are now. This individual was going after a Song Sparrow that had taken cover in a brush pile. It really seemed as if more accipiters remained in the Northeast during the extreme December record heat with more prey to find than usual in very cooperative weather conditions. What do you think is harder – hunting on a 60 degree sunny day with a light southerly breeze, or finding a meal when several inches of snow is falling in 20 degree temperatures with a bitter northerly flow? I...
Read MoreAmerican Kestrel
The month of October is always a great time to find plenty of American Kestrels passing through, with this male sporting some shades of Halloween. They are often rather shy but sometimes, if you let them fly to you after chasing some prey, you will be able to get a decent look even if only for a minute. These predators will go after birds but can usually be found foraging on abundant insects like grasshoppers or even the praying mantis here in the fall.
Read MoreFlicker vs. Kestrel
Feathered friends! Ehhhh…not so much. These boys were not getting along as well as this photo may suggest. The Northern Flicker was slowly chasing the American Kestrel while I looked on in the early morning. Amazingly, despite their relative sizes, Kestrels will prey on Flickers. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreCooper’s Hawk
I have been posting many photos of migrant songbirds lately, and here is one of their predators – the Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii). This raptor of the forest is an extremely agile and talented flier, able to navigate through thick woodlands in pursuit of prey. You may recognize them from your yard as they are frequent bird feeder guests, targeting hungry passerines. They seem to be less adept at capturing prey in open areas like this one, unable to fully utilize their maneuverability and relative speed as they do in more dense habitat to surprise and outwit songbirds. This...
Read More