Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration
Here’s RTPI Affiliate Sean Graesser’s photo of a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird caught last winter in Costa Rica on migration, banded in the hopes of catching him again the next year. He notes that you can see that the hummingbird bands are so small and delicate, a stark contrast to these notoriously feisty birds. The tropical work season is coming up again in only a few months! Right now you can find these hummingbirds passing through your yard on the way there.
Read MoreDeer Everywhere
One of the more concerning sightings to me as of late are all the White-tailed Deer tracks and signs that I keep finding. They should not be everywhere, in every habitat type, feeding on all sorts of plantings or ornamental greenery in the summer. The population is simply too high in too many areas across the Northeast. It is dangerous for us – via car accidents all the way to ticks – and for them, with increased contact with humans, disease and starvation. If they cannot find the proper food now then what will happen during the winter? This is not even going into how much damage...
Read MorePurple Martins
Purple Martins (Progne subis) are a unique species even among other unique birds! These sizable aerial insectivores nest only within human-manufactured cavities including gourds, apartments and other types of boxes essentially everywhere to the east of the Rocky Mountains. This is due to Native Americans hosting them in gourds for thousands of years, slowly shifting their breeding behavior to using artificial structures as it was such a successful and mutually beneficial relationship. Without our help it is likely they would be entirely eliminated in this part of their range. Marketing is a...
Read MoreBobcat Signs
Can you spot the mammal here? No? Well…yes, you cannot find it because it is not there, but it has left its mark…literally. What do you see? This is a Bobcat scratching post and resting area, the bark stripped away by sharp claws. You can see the lines that have been carved into the wood. It is conveniently located over a pool of water, making it harder for anything to sneak up on the bobcat when it is at rest. It almost seemed similar to a place one of our pet cats would like to enjoy a snooze on! Nearby we found this pile of scat, also Bobcat. If you have a cat at home that may help you...
Read MoreFind Marked Piping Plovers
If you are birding beaches on the Atlantic Coast this spring and summer please be on the lookout for Piping Plovers bearing bands and flags. Information for reporting each flag color is provided below. If you are in Connecticut please cc both Laura.Saucier@ct.gov and ctwaterbirds@gmail.com with any reports, and feel free to email us with any questions. Please include the following information with each report: Flag and band colors, location on each leg, and any alphanumeric codes on the flags. Location of sighting Date of sighting Any photo that shows the bands and/or flag Coded black, gray,...
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