Snowy Owl, Charles Island, 22 Dec 11

A few record shots of an adult Snowy Owl on the northeast edge of Charles Island. It remained at the same spot from at least from 2:45-4:15 PM.

Red-tailed Hawks Milford downtown church

A few images and a video of a juvenile Eastern Red-tailed Hawk eating a squirrel in front of the Episcopal Church across from the post office in downtown Milford on December 1, 2011. Pedestrians walking within 6 feet of the eating hawk did not make it pause at all. For juvenile ID, notice the evenly banded brown tail, light brown head, spotted white scapulars, pale eye. Also impressive are the white leggings blowing in the wind. Picture two shows the nictitating membrane (contrast with picture one) protecting the eye during messy eating.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Silver Sands 5 Nov 11

A late season Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Silver Sands State Park on 5 Nov 11 showed up around 3:45 PM on a brisk, sunny afternoon. A few record shots above. As I left a male N Harrier was coursing over the area where the cuckoo was foraging. (Yesterday, at about the same hour, a splendid juvenile Golden Eagle drifted through Silver Sands--the third time in the last 8 years we've seen a juv Golden Eagle in Silver Sands during the 1st week of November.)

Silver Sands Vesper, Grasshopper, Swamp Sav 2,3 11/11

Sparrows at Silver Sands in early November, 2011. Above, Song Sparrow on 11/4/11--most sparrows seem to have have left the park. Below, from 11/3/11, pictures 1 & 2 of Vesper Sparrow. From 11/2/11, a Grasshopper Sparrow record shots, pictures 3 & 4. Both Vesper and Grasshopper were in area very close to parking lot. Grasshopper quite tame but in bad light around 4:00 PM. Vespers also have been in fields and paths near parking lot since the last few days in October. Pictures 5 & 6, Savannah and Swamp, also from 11/3/11 in area around the Iroquois pipeline valve. Sparrows today (11/3/11) much declined in numbers from the past month.

Silver Sands Sparrows 28 Oct 11

Many sparrows in Silver Sands SP today, a sunny, chilly 28 October 2011 with a forecast of snow tomorrow. In addition to the usual crowd of Swamp, Song, and Savannahs (and a couple of Fields) were a trio of Vespers. Below are a few record shots: single Vesper, Vepser & Savannah, and a short video of 2 Vespers and a Savannah.

Gray Hairstreak 17 Oct 11 home

A few record shots (doral, ventral, ventral) of a Gray Hairstreak in the home garden today (10.17.11). Not unusual, but getting towards the end of the time to see Gray Hairstreaks in S CT.

Melospiza sparrow, 12 Oct 11

Above, a few shots of a Swamp Sparrow at Silver Sands SP on 12 Oct 11 (thanks to Chris Loscalzo for his advice). The middle photo, showing the large buffy eye ring and raised crown, is very similar to the Oct 2000 Lincoln's Sparrow on Long Island in Beadle and Rising (Sparrows of the United States and Canada: The Photographic Guide 43.1.) But the bird is a Swamp Sparrow: see Beadle & Rising picture 44.7. Notice the diffuse rather than sharp black streaking, the lack of an abrupt bottom limit to the breast streaking (it extends through the belly), and the very rufous buffy flanks. Also, the basic color of the head, esp the supercilium and above but also, is olive, a detail noted by Sibley ("usually olive-tinged face"--color not as apparent in the blog images).

Blue Grosbeak Silver Sands 13 Oct 11

On the fencing around the Iroquois pipeline station in Silver Sands SP, a female or first winter (male or female) Blue Grosbeak. Blurry record shot below.

Orange Sulphurs, 9 Oct 11

A few shots of the abundant Orange Suphurs seen in southern CT recently. These are all in our own New England Aster. All are part of nectaring series.

Saltmarsh Sparrows Milford Pt, 8 Oct 11

After a quick squitch, had 10 sharp-tailed sparrows within a single binocular view. Most in record shots were Saltmarsh, as see below, but at least half the sharp-taileds this morning were Nelson's. Large bill of Saltmarsh in relation to Nelson's seems best fieldmark.

Silver Sands Red Fox, Buckeye, Fiery

A few recent sightings: Black-bellied Plover, Mlf Pt (9/30/11); migration is tiring--sleeping Semipalmated Sandpipers, Plovers (note nictitating membrane of Semi Plover (9/30/11) Red Fox at Silver Sands SP (10/07/11); Buckeye (10/06/11)--one of the amazing number around in 2011; dorsal view of male Fiery Skipper at Lighthouse (10/07/11--fuzzy image but interesting to see dorsal male). Finally, short video of Semipalmated SPs, 9/30/11.

Wild Indigo Duskywing, Sachems, Prairie Warbler

Some recent butterflies and birds in late September 2011. First, a Prairie Warbler at the CACC on 26 Sept. Then, representing the Grass Skippers, some female Sachems, with a focus on nectaring, at Lighthouse Point and home garden. Finally, representing the Spread-winged Skippers, a Wild Indigo Duskywing on 25 Sept at Lighthouse Point

16 Sept 11 More Golden Plover at Mlf Pt

Today at least 5 Golden Plover (presumably all American) in the company of Red Knots (good view of R Knot bill in picture #3), Sanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and Black-bellied Plover at Milford Point: 2 on end of spit with Whimbrel; 3 on Cedar Beach section. Of the Cedar Beach birds, two, the ones not right next to the water were very dark with much gold specking. The other, next to the water, looked like the birds photographed yesterday.