Change in Seasons Brings Plenty of Birds
Winter Bird Forecast #7 is brought to you by Audubon Connecticut in partnership with the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. It is hard to believe that for some birds spring is already here. Waterfowl and diving birds like loons and grebes are already heading north and we are starting to get some northbound migrant shorebirds, including a Black-bellied Plover seen in Stratford last week. Brant geese are piling into Long Island Sound with rapidly increasing numbers. Within a few short weeks some of our nesting shorebirds, such as Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher, will be...
Read MoreSnowy Owl in Flight
Let’s be honest – this winter has been absolutely brutal! Whether we want to blame this continuous weather pattern on climate change or not, this is not what the climate is supposed to feel like in mid to late February. As the sun keeps rising temperatures keep plummeting with record low minimums at night and record low maximums during the day. The snow keeps coming, and more will be coming this weekend. However, the Snowy Owls have been a bit tougher to find this year than last. Nevertheless, there are many individuals spending their season here in our neighborhoods, which look...
Read MoreCommon Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
One irruptive bird species we can anticipate seeing many more of soon is the Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea). Ron Pittaway’s 2014-15 winter finch forecast projected the species to make a “moderate to good flight” this fall and winter due to “variably poor to average” birch seed crops in the boreal forest. It can often take until December to really see them on the move but the forecast is already coming true in northern areas of the U.S. Get your thistle feeders ready now! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
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