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.