Horseshoe Crabs
If you are on the Atlantic Coast during the late spring you may be fortunate enough to find Horseshoe Crabs during the breeding season. Early June, especially around a new or full moon, is a very busy time for these marine arthropods that are considering living fossils, having existed nearly unchanged for approximately 450 million years. These photos were taken at Stratford Point in Stratford, Connecticut, an important mating site at the mouth of the Housatonic River. The females will lay eggs on beaches like this one, some subsequently being eaten by migrant shorebirds. The most vivid...
Read MoreRuddy Turnstone
This beautiful Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) was one of several feeding at Stratford Point in Stratford, Connecticut recently along with a small group of Semipalmated Sandpipers. Migrant shorebirds are now finishing moving north through the state, and it is hard to believe that in two months we will have many flying south. Please keep sharing any Connecticut eBird checklists with shorebirds, terns or long-legged waders with us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com, thanks!
Read MoreShorebird Brochures
Here are a couple quick photos of our freshly-printed American Oystercatcher brochures to go along with our Piping Plover brochures! You can spot our logo along with Audubon Connecticut at the top, and were created by our staff as a part of our education and outreach work in the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. They look wonderful in person, and our staff will soon have some to pass on to you if we see you on the beach in Connecticut. They feature basic biological information on both species including where and when they nest, why they are threatened, how we can help them and what to...
Read MoreFencing Dates & Monitoring Begins
String fencing and signage erection dates for Connecticut beaches in spring 2015 are as follows and we need all the volunteers we can get! April 8th, 11:00 Long Beach, Stratford Meet at the far west parking area. April 10th, 11:00 Sandy Point, West Haven Meet in the parking lot. April 13th, 9:30 Griswold Point, Old Lyme We recommend carpooling if possible which can be done at the park and ride commuter lot off exit 70 of Interstate 95 on Neck Road. The nearby businesses also have the only available restrooms. The group will meet up at the end of the private Griswold Point Lane for a 9:30AM...
Read MoreAir Pollution in New York and Connecticut
Here’s the view from Stratford Point in Stratford, Connecticut on a recent March morning. There was no wind to speak of, even here on the coast, or throughout the Long Island Sound region. This lack of mixing in the surface air and atmosphere meant that haze and abundant air pollution was remaining directly over land and readily apparent. It did not take long for a sea breeze to develop as the day warmed followed by a light regional southerly flow, cleansing what was sitting on top of us. Nevertheless, it is stark reminder of what we are putting into the air we breathe while...
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