Snowy 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 MoreOverwintering Great Egrets
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...
Read MoreGet outside and find Rusty Blackbirds
This gorgeous scene is on the trail at the Akeley Swamp Important Bird Area in Pennsylvania. It is a prime location to find Rusty Blackbirds (Euphagus carolinus) during migration and October is the right time to spot them. They can be found in wooded wetlands, marshes, ponds and agricultural areas mixed in with flocks of other species like the Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird and Brown-headed Cowbird. If you see any please enter them into eBird! Rusty Blackbirds are one of the fastest declining species in North America and we need all the data and information on them we can get to help...
Read MoreGreat Egret – happy autumn eve!
Happy autumn eve! This Great Egret should probably get a move on soon. With that said more and more long-legged waders, shorebirds and various passerine species are attempting to overwinter further north each year. Last winter was the exception to the continually changing climate. Anyone who tells you with certainty what these upcoming seasons will bring is assuredly fibbing, but right now for us in the northeast it seems to be a continuation of historically average conditions.
Read MoreNeedham’s Skimmer (Libellula needhami)
The Needham’s Skimmer (Libellula needhami) is an uncommon coastal dragonfly in Connecticut and a stunning sight on sultry summer days.
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