Boat-tailed Grackle
This Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major) was one individual of the flock of the most northern U.S. population in Stratford, Connecticut, as photographed one spring several years ago. Changes to the local environment from Hurricanes Irene and Sandy helped to push them back to the south it seems, but there are still many places you can enjoy these supersized grackles across the U.S. I hope they come back to Roger Tory Peterson’s favorite places one of these years! Watching them during the breeding season is highly entertaining with their loud calls, conspicuous behavior and big nests. Scott...
Read MoreBrant (Branta bernicla)
It has been a slow season for the Brant (Branta bernicla) of Long Island Sound. From prolonged observations in Stratford, Connecticut I have seen low numbers of the species throughout the winter, if I have seen them at all. However, despite the ongoing well below-average temperatures and repeated days of more snow, the counts are increasing as northbound migration has started now that the calendar has turned to March. This photo of a spring Brant is one of thousands that will push through the area in mere weeks when we finally break the polar stranglehold on the region. Scott Kruitbosch...
Read MoreBrown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is probably the most rare bird that my Shetland Sheepdog has on his actually seen Connecticut life list as one drifted over our heads, to his amazement, a few days after Superstorm Sandy at Stratford Point in Stratford, Connecticut in 2012. He has been around some cool rarities but this is a bird he really saw as he locked his eyes on the low and massive glider circling over us, flying back to the southwest and out of sight. This particular pelican was photographed in Florida, a place they would much rather be…especially now! Scott Kruitbosch...
Read MoreBlack & White Ice & Ducks
This is just some of the ice that was present on Long Island Sound in the month of February. On certain days large swaths of the Sound were covered in sizable sheets of ice in an almost unprecedented crushing blow from this season’s ridiculously cold climate. This black and white photo is really representative of how it has felt in the Northeast. There has been a lot of waterfowl to be seen given that most areas other than the waters of the Atlantic Ocean have been frozen solid.
Read MoreLapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)
I recently took the photo of the flock of birds, including mostly Snow Buntings and Horned Larks, mostly for a record-type shot of a Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) mixed in. They were enjoying some exposed grass to feed on with snow still covering so much of the earth. However, when looking at the photo I noticed I actually had two Longspurs, with a second mixed in behind it. They are in the right center of the shot. Thankfully I was able to photograph one of them a few days later while sitting on this roof with a Horned Lark sitting behind it, the heat haze from the strong sun ever...
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