Dead Mouse
This looks like a White-footed Mouse, and it also looks like a cat kill. My dog Zach located it for us, immediately picking up the scent from probably over 50 feet away. A dead rodent with puncture wounds to the body that is left in the snow seems like a cat’s play toy to me. Other mammals or birds would have scooped it up for a meal and made sure to go back for it, even if they had to drop it. This occurs many, many times…millions upon millions…to small birds and mammals each day because of cats. They kill billions each year for no reason whatsoever apart from their own instincts....
Read MoreSnowy Owl
Welcome to winter! It took a while, but we are really feeling it now, with more to come this January as we look at long-range weather models. Here are a few more upland photos of the Snowy Owl that I enjoyed last Friday on a much warmer day without any snow. As we get deeper into the season we will inevitably see a few more winter birds…additional Rough-legged Hawks? Perhaps finally some of those record-setting Common Redpolls that were pouring south in Canada during autumn? It seems to be a down season for irruptive passerines, but I have to think we will at least have more backyard...
Read MoreSnowy Owl Eyes
The Snowy Owl currently delighting the Connecticut shoreline stopped by Stratford Point again today, and I took a few minutes to take some shots of our friend. This bird first visited us 11 days ago, and it has made the lighthouse its home at times. Today it was sitting on the tip of the bluff as it was during its initial visit, and I was able to get some closer photos. These were taken at 500mm and are extremely cropped. I have plenty of photos with its eyes mostly shut, and my point is that the bird was not alarmed by our presence – I just chose to share the shots showing its...
Read MoreSnowy Owl on Lighthouse
There is a new lighthouse keeper at the Stratford Point light – or at least there was for a little while – as this Snowy Owl sat on duty on the platform. I will trust you to keep it between us when I tell you that, for the most part, the Snowy stayed in the shade and snoozed the day away. There was a little bit of preening and an occasional stretch, but the bird used this great out of the way location as a sleeping spot. It certainly looks valiant and noble perched up there, likely wondering how this wonderful perch was made in such a perfect location along the water with long...
Read MoreSnowy Squinting
Hey, if you were staring into the sun, you would be squinting your eyes, right? It’s no different for a Snowy Owl with those big yellow eyes. No, this bird was not trying to nap, it was just doing what comes naturally. This is the same individual as Monday’s posting and was from the same day, too. This bird has been all over the coast of Stratford and Milford, Connecticut, being very active and enjoying the varied and favorable pockets of habitat. Long Island Sound has a lot of appeal to the species, and I wonder what it is doing at night with all of the ducks we have pouring...
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