Blue-winged Teals
During this strange weather – spring in winter, winter in spring, and a mix of both back and forth – we still have birds fighting their way to the north. On days with a strong southerly flow there is plenty of migration occurring, and while we will soon have yards full of brightly colored songbirds, there are some wonderful waterfowl species coming through, too. The drake Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) featured in these two distant photos was in the company of a hen and one other pair, all four swimming, preening and resting in a pond among American Black Ducks.
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 MoreField Sparrow
This Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) actually flew directly towards me and my dog to perch on this white pine branch this morning. It looked us over for a minute and then went back to snacking. It is another great example of a lovely bird that we can still find even in the..uh, cold days of November? It is November, and apart from the low sun angle and early sunset it felt like it could have been late August out there today. This will undoubtedly keep birds with us a little longer with easier to survive temperatures, poor migratory conditions because of the southerly flow, and prolonged...
Read MoreMonarch Beauty
We are winding down Monarch migration for the 2015 season, as individuals filtering through to the south now are in for a very difficult journey to Mexico. This late and beautiful butterfly was really in crisp and lovely shape, showing off the gorgeous Halloween colors while feeding. I hope he will be one of the lucky ones to make it all the way to the wintering grounds. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreMonarchs Building
Amazingly, Monarch butterfly numbers have been building still at Stratford Point in Connecticut over the last week. Mid-October is usually a busy time for the species here as they feed on goldenrod and quickly keep moving to the south. The last couple days of frigid temperatures certainly have not helped sightings, though…
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