Change in Seasons Brings Plenty of Birds
Winter Bird Forecast #7 is brought to you by Audubon Connecticut in partnership with the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. It is hard to believe that for some birds spring is already here. Waterfowl and diving birds like loons and grebes are already heading north and we are starting to get some northbound migrant shorebirds, including a Black-bellied Plover seen in Stratford last week. Brant geese are piling into Long Island Sound with rapidly increasing numbers. Within a few short weeks some of our nesting shorebirds, such as Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher, will be...
Read MoreSleepy Snowy Owl
I recently found this Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) taking a snooze on a cloudy and dreary sort of morning, sitting in the snow in some grasslands, blending in well with its surroundings. This bird looks to be an adult male with an almost all-white head and body. Despite how sleepy it was it stayed on guard, a silent and barely-moving sentinel occasionally turning its head to check something out with eyes still nearly entirely shut. There are still plenty of these visitors around, and soon enough they will be moving back to the north. Get out and find one! Scott Kruitbosch Conservation &...
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 MoreGreat Backyard Bird Count
Winter Birds Forecast #6 is brought to you by Audubon Connecticut in partnership with the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. The Great Backyard Bird Count is here! The count is sponsored by Audubon, Bird Studies Canada and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and occurs annually over President’s Day Weekend. Anyone can participate and in this case the world is your “backyard”. You can submit sightings from anywhere, not just birds you see in your yard. Observers from more than 100 countries are expected to participate in the 18th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), February...
Read MoreCan You Spot the Snowy?
Can you spot the Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) in this photo? The owl is relatively noticeable sitting along the edge of the field; however, they aren’t always very easy to see. This individual in particular is very white, blending in with the mounds of drifted snow nearby. It often takes a hard look to see these perfectly camouflaged predators sitting in a field or along a beach. Makes you wonder how many more Snowy Owls are in the area that just haven’t been noticed yet? If you decide to bundle up and search for some visiting species, remember to log your sightings in eBird and...
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