3/28/15 Savannah SP, Wilson's Snipe, RB Nut

At Silver Sands, more snow, Snipe and Savannah Sparrow on the ground (could not locate any daylight American Woodcock but they've been showing well at dusk for the past 10 days, and usually with a Long-eared Owl).  Also, a record shot of a Red-breasted Nuthatch at Mondo Ponds; also at Mondo, a few Wood Ducks, now usually found at the small pond next to Grinnell St.

3/27/15 Peregrine Trumbull; PIPL Mlf Pt

3/27/15 Peregrine Trumbull; PIPL Mlf Pt.  About 13 PIPL at Milford Point this afternoon.  Seemed to be establishing territories.  Also, an adult Peregrine Falcon flew onto top of house on Trumbull Avenue around 7:00 PM.

3/27/15 PIPL dark bill Mlf Pt

3/27/15 PIPL discussing turf, Cedar Beach

PIPL in his scrape 3/27/15 main sandbar 

dark billed PIPL 3/27/15 MLF PT

3/27/15 Cedar Beach Tuft talk

3/24/15 Rusty Blackbird, American Tree Sparrow, PIPL, AMOY

A few typical late March birds on a sunny but chilly day in Milford CT: Rusty Blackbirds at Eisenhower Park, American Tree Sparrow at Milford Point (it was in a group of 12 A Tree and 12 SOSP in a small patch of ground at the Coastal Center; a pair of PIPL sheltering in wrack on Cedar Beach; an AMOY on Cedar Beach; Dunlin and Sanderlings at Cedar Beach (flock of 200).

Sheltering PIPL 3/24/15 Cedar Beach

Dunlin Cedar Beach 3/24/15

Dunlin Cedar Beach 3/24/15

Sanderling with Dunlin flock Cedar Beach 3/24/15

American Oystercatcher Milford Point 3/24/15

American Tree Sparrow, Milford Point, 3/24/15

Rusty Blackbird, Eisenhower Park 3/24/15

3/22/15 PIPL Mfd Pt, Horned Larks; Killdeer, Turkey3/22/15 SSSP

Today, a cold, windy day after snow yesterday, 9 PIPL on Francis St spit and main sandbar at Milford Point.  Retarded molt still present.  Also, Horned Lark flock (about 22) at same place.  Possibly one Lapland Longspur but not seen well enough.  At Silver Sands, Killdeer and Wild Turkey in full alternate plumage and courting behavior.

Killdeer SSSP 3/22/15

Tom Turkey, SSSP 3/22/15

Horned Larks Milford Point 3/22/15 

piping PIPL Milford Point 3/22/15

3/19/15 retarded molt PIPL, Milford Point

3/19/15.  4 PIPL at Milford Point today (sunny but cold and windy).  First one seen had a black bill and  no black plumage.  Separated from Snowy Plover by beginning of a neck ring and beginning of orange legs.  Bill also elate short, thick for Snowy.  '''With Frank Gallo decided this a  basic plumage bird molting into alternate plumage.  Note transitional plumage on crown.

3/19/15 PIPL Milford Pt, Francis St

3/19/15 PIPL Milford Pt

3/19/15 PIPL Milford Pt

A few other birds on 3/19/15 in Milford:

3/17/15 FOY Piping Plover; courting Killdeer; A. Pipit

Found the FOY PIPL at the Francis Street spit at 1:10 3/17/15.  Also, at SSSP, courting Killdeer and the American Pipit--perhaps with bill problem.

3/17/15 1st PIPL Milford Point

1st PIPL Milford Point Francis St spit 3/17/15

1st PIPL 3/17/15 Mlfd Pt 

3/17/15 Killdeer courtship display SSSP

Killdeer mating courtship display 3/17/15

American Pipit, SSSP 3/17/15 problem bill?

problem bill? American Pipit SSSP 3/17/15