Tree Hollow
I always walk past this decaying dogwood tree hoping to find something in here – a roosting owl, the beginning of a nest, some small mammal crammed in there for a nap. It is probably in too open of an area for anything, but my hope remains. Someday, something…always keep an eye open for shelters like this one, and one day you may end up with a little gift. Once again, this is why we should leave our dying or dead woody vegetation in place. At least it serves as a place to grab a meal. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
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 MoreMottled Owl (Strix virgata)
You never know what is under the leaves, and in the tropics that sort of sentiment gets bumped up a few levels of size and greatness. Here we have a well-hidden Mottled Owl (Strix virgata) as photographed at Cabo Blanco in Costa Rica by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser. It is not too different from the Barred Owl that could be roosting in your pine tree right now!
Read MoreFerruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium ridgwayi)
This Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium ridgwayi) was described by RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser as “tiny in stature, but not in tenacity”. It is only the size of a large sparrow but he can personally attest to the amount of significant amount of damage the bill and talons can inflict upon prey or banding human handlers.
Read MoreExpect the Unexpected
Winter Birding Forecast #2 is brought to you by Audubon Connecticut in partnership with the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. The relatively mild December is making for great birding opportunities as we close out 2014. So called “half-hardy” birds such as Gray Catbird, Pine Warbler and Common Yellowthroat are putting in appearances on Christmas Bird Count (CBC) checklists and birds like Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren and Eastern Bluebird are being found in good numbers as are Yellow-rumped Warblers at some coastal locations. One of the biggest surprises of the week was the...
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