Thursday, December 13, 2018

Purple Sandpipers, record video, Anchor Beach, 12/12/18

A grainy record video of a group of at least 12 Purple Sandpipers on Anchor Beach in Milford on 12/12/18.


Purple Sandpipers, Anchor Beach, Milford CT 12/12/18

Purple Sandpiper, Merwin Pt, Milford CT 12/12/18

12 Purple Sandpipers, Merwin Pt, Milford CT 12/12/18
7 Great Cormorants, Merwin Pt, Milford CT 12/12/18


Sunday, December 2, 2018

Coyote, Madison CT, 21/1/18

A healthy coyote at a park in Madison CT, 21/1/18.






Thursday, November 29, 2018

Ducks, fall, winter 2018


Ducks, fall, winter 2018.  I'll try to get photos of this season's ducks, both drake and hen.


Common Eider her, Milford Harbor entrance, 12/20/18

Common Eider her, Milford Harbor entrance, 12/20/18

Common Eider her, Milford Harbor entrance, 12/20/18

Common Eider her, Milford Harbor entrance, 12/20/18



Tufted Duck (upper right), with scaup (probably Lesser), Captain's Cove, 12/17/18


Tufted Duck, with scaup (probably Lesser), Captain's Cove, 12/17/18

Redhead pair (drake and hen) with scaup, Captain's Cover, 12.17/18

Greater Scaup

American Wigeon

Surf Scoter, hen, 2 drake

Common Goldeneye

White-winged Scoter

Greater Scaup

Black Scoter 

Hooded Mergansers, drake & hen, Mondo Ponds, 11/30/18

Hooded Merganser hen, Mondo Ponds, 11/30/18

Gadwall drake, Birdseye Boat Ramp, Stratford, 11/27/18

Gadwall drake, Birdseye Boat Ramp, Stratford, 11/27/18

Northern Shoveler, below.  A few photos show the unusual spatulate bill: BNA Online says, "Pronounced bill morphology distinguishes this species from other North American waterfowl: elongated bill, widened distally and spatulate with a conspicuous series of comblike lamellae along lateral edge."  Or, in the words Cornell, 
  • The bill of the Northern Shoveler is big (about 2.5 inches long) and shaped like a shovel, but that odd-shaped bill also has about 110 fine projections (called lamellae) along the edges that act like a colander, filtering out tiny crustaceans, seeds, and aquatic invertebrates from the water.

Northern Shoveler, Birdseye Boat Ramp. Stratford, 11/29/18
Northern Shoveler, Birdseye Boat Ramp. Stratford, 11/29/18


Northern Shoveler, Birdseye Boat Ramp. Stratford, 11/29/18


Northern Shoveler, Birdseye Boat Ramp. Stratford, 11/29/18


Northern Shoveler, Birdseye Boat Ramp. Stratford, 11/29/18

Northern Shoveler, Birdseye Boat Ramp. Stratford, 11/29/18

Northern Shoveler, Birdseye Boat Ramp. Stratford, 11/29/18









Saturday, November 17, 2018

Snow Buntings, 11/17/18 Silver Sands

Snow Buntings, 11/17/18 Silver Sands









Thursday, November 8, 2018

Black-throated Green Warbler, American Bittern, Silver Sands SP, 11/8/18

Black-throated Green Warbler, American Bittern, Silver Sands SP, 11/8/18

Black-throated Green Warbler, Silver Sands SP, Milford CT 11/8/18

Black-throated Green Warbler, Silver Sands SP, Milford CT 11/8/18

Black-throated Green Warbler, Silver Sands SP, Milford CT 11/8/18

Black-throated Green Warbler, Silver Sands SP, Milford CT 11/8/18

Black-throated Green Warbler, Silver Sands SP, Milford CT 11/8/18

Black-throated Green Warbler, Silver Sands SP, Milford CT 11/8/18

Black-throated Green Warbler, Silver Sands SP, Milford CT 11/8/18

Black-throated Green Warbler, Silver Sands SP, Milford CT 11/8/18
American Bittern, Silver Sands SP, 11/8/18
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Silver Sands SP, 11/8/18