Shorebirder

Tomorrow marks the first day of November, which is known as a great month for vagrants (particularly western). It also coincides with the passage of a cold front that has brought about 24 hrs of moderate/strong SW winds to be followed by a light NW wind. This setup at this time of year is known to bring Cave Swallows, Ash-throated Flycatchers, and other western birds to the northeast...so keep an eye out. It's a fun time of year. - NB

Regarding last week's BRANT in Norwalk, CT : I have received opinions from two northwestern U.S. Brant experts. Both believe that the bird is likely a GRAY-BELLIED BRANT (the as-of-yet scientifically unnamed population that winters in the Pacific Northwest). The color and extent of the underparts, the shade of the upperpart color, the amount of contrast with the neck sock, and the broken necklace all seem to fit nicely within Gray-bellied Brant. Very interesting stuff, but there is no way to eliminate an Atlantic x Black Brant hybrid. So it must be left as a probable Gray-bellied. This bird is likely too dark for Eastern High-Arctic Brant. Several years ago Mark Szantyr photographed a likely GB Brant in Stamford, CT. Take a look at his photo (towards the bottom). - NB

This BRANT (front and center) was among a flock of nearly 300 'Atlantic' Brant ( Branta bernicla hrota ) that were grazing on the lawns of Veterans Park in Norwalk, CT on 10/21. Brant are comprised of multiple subspecies. Our typical eastern US subspecies is often called Atlantic Brant ( B. b. hrota ). Here is a summary of the Brant populations of the world: - Atlantic Brant ( hrota , in part) is the only subspecies that is expected in our eastern US region. - Eastern High-Arctic Brant ( hrota , in part) winters in Ireland. Possibly quite variable in belly darkness. - Black Brant ( nigricans ) winters along the Pacific coast. - Dark-bellied Brant ( bernicla ) winters in northern Europe. - Gray-bellied Brant (not currently recognized as a distinct taxon) is a small population that winters in the Pacific Northwest. Highly variable in belly darkness. **Note that Atlantic and Eastern High-Arctic are combined into one subspecies, hrota . Also, other populations or sub-populations ma...

A juv Hudsonian Godwit was found today at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, CT. Hudwits are increasingly scarce migrants in CT, so I took the opportunity to chase this one. Digibinned from inside the car. - NB

Birding in bits and pieces can be productive, even though I would have preferred to be in Massachusetts looking at the Brown-chested Martin! 10/11 - Barnacle Goose Mark Barriger found a Barnacle Goose at a farm in Durham in the late afternoon, and thanks to his prompt reporting I was able to get over there before dusk. Looks were distant, but I couldn't detect any signs of captivity (nor could Mark and Aaron). This bird has not been relocated yet, but few people seem to be trying, probably because of last autumn's chase-able individual in nearby Wallingford . 10/14 - Golden Eagle, record Bald Eagle day, sparrows I had much of the day off today after a few early hours at school, so I headed over to East Shore Park in New Haven which held many passerines...mainly Yellow-rumps, Palm Warblers, and White-throated Sparrows. Then to Lighthouse Point, where a nice eagle flight was underway. By the time I left around 2pm, a site-record number of Bald Eagles were tallied. The previous re...

Thursday 10/8 was indeed a good day at Lighthouse Pt, with over 1,000 hawks and a Red-headed Woodpecker seen. Tomorrow (Sat 10/10) is also looking decent...it's likely to start slow but pick up as the winds kick around to the NW and the overcast breaks up. adult Red-headed Woodpecker at LHP I was able to sneak over to the Veterans Park in Wallingford for 20 minutes today during lunchtime. It was my best alternative to twitching the probable Le Conte's Sparrow seen this morning in South Windsor...something I didn't have time to do. I got lucky and arrived between showers. A good number of sparrows in the community gardens there including 4 White-crowns and 2 Lincoln's, but the real highlight was an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, which is a species I've seen very few of in New England. For whatever reason they tend to avoid me. Orange-crowned Warbler White-crowned Sparrow Tomorrow, search for the Le Conte's. - Nick

UPDATE 10/7: Tomorrow is still looking good for hawkwatching, but they're calling for clear skies. Bright blue cloudless skies make hawkwatching much tougher on the eyes because the birds do not contrast strongly against the sky...this is why partial cloud cover is preferable. We'll see what happens. [end update] Thursday's forecast is currently calling for 15mph winds out of the NW. This is a recipe for a fine day of hawkwatching at Lighthouse Point in New Haven. If there are some clouds in the sky (making for easier viewing), it could be a very good day. I hope to be there, on high alert for Swainson's Hawk, a species I have not yet seen in the east. Of course the usual caveats apply. The forecast could change, or the birds simply might not cooperate. But as of right now it's looking promising. -NB

I've been looking forward to checking out the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Wallingford, CT for several days now. While doing some internet scouting for spots in my soon-to-be new neighborhood I found that this park has community gardens, which is often a recipe for success with sparrows in October. I made it there late this afternoon and was glad to see gardens, about 75 square yards, thick with plantings, weeds, and seeding grasses. Opposite the gardens were more weeds and shrubs with a small stream running through the middle. John Oshlick put it well when he said it reminded him a bit of the now famous Allen's Meadows in Wilton. If only there was a large weedy-covered dirt mound, it would look incredibly similar. If only it could produce good birds like Allen's... gardens more gardens gardens to the left, more shrubs and weeds to the right small waterway I think there are trails back there somewhere... Looking forward to a repeat visit. And this is what Mackenzie Res...

Milford Pt, CT.....early-mid Sept A couple interesting features on this bird that otherwise appears to be a normal SEPL. - NB