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Posts Tagged "rare"

Harlequin Duck at Stratford Point

Posted on Nov 16, 2017

Harlequin Duck at Stratford Point

Today we were fortunate enough to host a drake Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) at Stratford Point as found by our friend Tom Murray. I took the below photo in the later afternoon during a brief moment when the sun came out from behind the clouds. These additional shots were taken earlier in the morning under those aforementioned clouds while the duck was feeding, swimming, preening, and loving those rocks as the species always does. Harlequin Ducks are a relatively rare visitor for us in Connecticut. If it is anything like the last drake Harlequin (could it be the same bird?) that...

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Yellow-headed Blackbird

Posted on Apr 30, 2017

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Here is a bird you do not see too often around these parts – the Yellow-headed Blackbird! This immature male, found a few weeks ago by Stefan Martin, should ordinarily not be farther east than Illinois or Wisconsin. However, it took a wrong turn during migration and ended up all the way on the Atlantic Coast with us at Stratford Point, CT. He has been hanging out with Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Brown-headed Cowbirds while feeding on seed we put out plus whatever insects it can find. The bird has started singing, too, perching on various trees, snags, wires, and shrubs...

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Say’s Phoebe

Posted on Sep 18, 2016

Say’s Phoebe

Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya)! There is not much more to say about this Say’s other than the fact it was found today by Jeremy Nance with Brenda Inskeep (thank you!) at the Aspetuck Land Trust’s Trout Brook Valley Preserve in Easton/Weston, Connecticut. This is the likely third record for the state, the first being historic and the second being on private and inaccessible property, making this the first bird that birders could “chase” and see for themselves. I am a member of the Aspetuck Land Trust’s Land Management Committee, and this mega rarity comes as...

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Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)

Posted on Sep 12, 2016

Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)

I mentioned how Lincoln’s Sparrows were being spotted earlier than expected this year in my post about Palm Warblers from this morning (I wrote it yesterday). Sure enough, here’s my September Lincoln’s Sparrow from about 7:30AM today. I love them, and it was beautiful as always, but it is very unsettling to see another so early. Last week RTPI Development Director Linda Pierce sent me this article on Braddock Bay Bird Observatory and their increasingly early records, and one of the species named was the Lincoln’s Sparrow. I will be interested to see if we note a...

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Blue-winged Teal Pair

Posted on Apr 16, 2016

Blue-winged Teal Pair

Here is a shot of that shy Blue-winged Teal pair that was hanging around – if you two would like to stay in the area and build a nest, by all means! The price is right and we could use a lovely couple like you in the neighborhood. I wish they would swim a little more towards me instead of away, like all the ducks seem to enjoy doing…still, they’re a beautiful pair, and there will be a lot more green springing up around them after a weekend like this one. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator

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