July Sunset
Here are a couple sunset photos from last night at Stratford Point as we were on duty providing some fireworks coverage here in Stratford, Milford and West Haven for the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. You can see the reef balls in the distance along our dune and spartina growth in the intertidal zone. We had a couple Black-crowned Night-Heron visitors appropriately join us just after darkness fell on the site. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreCommon Merganser
This Common Merganser was a recent sighting off the mouth of the Housatonic River via Stratford Point where it meets Long Island Sound, typically a point too far for the species. Several individuals had been hanging out here which was a little strange considering how warm it has been with completely open rivers – we do not even go below freezing at night! Birds are doing all sorts of odd things during this stretch, and we are only getting started…the Christmas Bird Count results are starting to come in with equally unique and surprising data.
Read MoreOrange-crowned Warblers
As I mentioned previously my first bird of 2015 was the Blue Jay, one of the most well-known species in all of North America. They even have their own team thanks to Toronto. On the opposite end of the spectrum would be a bird like the Orange-crowned Warbler, an uncommon warbler even in some of the more common parts of its range, and a tough one to find in the Northeast in the winter (or any time, really!) regardless of their seemingly higher than average numbers this year. The species has a rather quiet and unassuming behavior and appearance with mostly drab colors, the orange crown being...
Read MoreSigns here, there and everywhere
It’s always a pleasure to see some natural history on display in very public areas where you may not expect it. This Connecticut sign discusses the ever-important Housatonic River Watershed today all the way to its history dating back 21,000 years. Good job by Sikorsky, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the Merritt Parkway Conservancy and the Housatonic Valley Association. You’re going to find many more and very visible signs by RTPI in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region soon that act as a unique, engaging gateway to education…stay tuned.
Read MoreHurricane/Tropical Storm Irene Sooty Terns
Three years ago tonight we in Connecticut and the tri-state area were recovering from the shock of being hammered by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene. She made landfall early on the 28th and I filmed these very rare Sooty Terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) she carried up from the topics as they made their way back down the Housatonic River, which separates Stratford and Milford, as the storm waned. As you can see the wind and water were still very turbulent! Most of us had damaged homes, yards and/or no power for several days and spent the next week seeing other unbelievably rare birds in our local...
Read More
