Not Quite Migration

Everyday Spring migration draws nearer and nearer.  Or so they tell me.  While the last storm missed Connecticut, we got a good burst of cold wind and weather nonetheless.  Of course, that doesn't keep the New England Birder at bay.  Well, actually, it takes the New England Birder right to the Bay.  I visited several parks that were near open water this past weekend with great success.  I found an Eared Grebe that had been a winter resident near Greenwich Point Park.  While I had seen the EAGB in Texas, it was nice to add this rare bird to my Connecticut List.

The 2 most exciting birds that I got this last outing were the Long Eared Owl and a Glaucous Gull!  Both were great finds in the state of Connecticut.  It was hard to snap photos of the better birds due to distance and folliage, but all 3 were great birds to find for different reasons.  The Owl was just a great find.  Its silence and almost magical flight around me made me truly feel special to share space with that bird.  The Glaucous Gull was a bit more of a workhouse find.  Visiting Southbury where hundreds of Gulls have been visiting and to find the Glaucous, I had to sort through the Gulls.  Sitting out, against the wind, I had to sort through hundreds of Gulls and when I found the Glaucous, I felt like all those hours of reading and work finally paid off!  

I can't wait til the next weekend comes.  Until the next time, get outside and go birding!

A House Finch

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Juvenile Eastern Bluebird

Downy Woodpecker

Long-Eared Owl

2014 Year Birds: 127
CT Year Birds: 120
Notable Additions:
Long-Eared Owl *Life and Goal Bird*
Eared Grebe
Glaucous Gull *Life Bird*

The Evidence of a Raptor Attack

I present the following as a case study in what you might encounter outside when walking around.  First, a very basic list of what I encountered:

Lots of feathers (namely banded black, grey and brown tail feathers)

Bird poop

Unidentifiable Feathers covered in poop

A Dense Cedar Stand

Take a look...

Using a Bird Feather ID book and the US Fish and Wildlife Services Feather Atlas (Link Here) I figured out that the tail feathers belonged to a Cooper's Hawk.  The Black and Grey Banding on the tail feathers identified the feather for me.  So now I am left with a few questions:

What could eat and dispose of a Cooper's Hawk (or like species)?
What enjoys dense stands of trees?
What has kinds of raptors have been seen at Hammonasset Beach State Park in the past few weeks?

I'll start with the easiest question to answer.  Here are a list of all the raptors reported on ebird for Hammo.
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Red-Tailed Hawk
Red-Shouldered Hawk
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Snowy Owl
Barred Owl
Northern Harrier
Peregrine Falcon

Given the fact that it was in a dense stand, Hawk or Owl seems more likely.  Merlins, Falcons and Eagles like more open or wet hunting spaces.  The Trees tell me that it is more likely a hawk or owl.  Given the fact also that the prey was itself a bird of prey, this means that tough bird is a work.

So this is a mystery that I cannot solve.  But I think that either a Great Horned or Barred Owl are work.  Both have been seen near the site of the feathers and the tree over the scene was a short but dense tree.  While, I can not be sure, finding the scene was a great insight into parts of the natural world.  I hope to find more mysteries and great questions about the natural world.  I hope you do too!

Merry Birds of Prey

Happy Holidays everyone.  As 2013 wraps up, I've got a couple things on my mind like a few more books to read and why my goals of 2014 will be.  How do I want to grow as a birder?  I guess I have a few things to reflect on before I can answer that.  I'll save that heavy lifting for another blog.

Some of the birds I admired before becoming a birder are birds of prey.  Admiration for birds of prey are far and wide spread.  Cruises to watch Bald Eagles are often filled and they are almost universally seen across the world as symbols of strength.  The Golden Eagle is the animal that most often appears on shields, family crests, and flags.  It is a symbol of tremendous strength and beauty.  Owls are also seen across the work as 

On one of my last walks in Connecticut, the group I was with was lucky enough to see 2 amazing birds of prey.  A Merlin and 2 Great Horned Owls.  They are 2 amazing birds.  Merlins are small and powerful falcons that prey on other birds.  They were known before as pigeon hawks.  Its easy to see how these powerful birds can prey on other birds and mammals.  The Merlin we encountered presented themselves well to the whole group and everyone was able to get great shots of them.  Merlins are built tough and look the part.

The Great Horned Owl seems to be different as they seem more slender and less stocky than the Merlin.  But the Great Horned Owl is also an incredible bird of prey.  Pound for pound it is one of the fiercest birds of prey in North America.  They can take down a Canada Goose that is almost three times heavier than the average owl.  Seeing them in the wild is an impressive sight.

Recently I visited the American Museum of Natural History and they had 2 cases full of Birds of Prey.  Amazing sights to see and enjoy.  A great exercise to really get a feel for the difference between the different Birds of Prey of North America.  Until next time, go birding!

Most definitely a Merlin

A Merlin for Sure

Can You see the Owl?

Snowy Invasion

Can You find the Snowy?

Most birders are aware that we are experiencing a massive invasion of Snowy Owls.  Last time we had this, winter of '10-'11.  I seemed to constantly dip out the owls.  I was forced to drive a couple of hours to Rhode Island where I got one at Sachuet Point Nation Wildlife Refuge.  The drive and the anticipation, combined with several hours dipping on other Snowies made the visit to Sachuet Point risky and exciting.  Seeing the bird and enjoying amazing views of it made the trip worthwhile.  These amazing animals are being found throughout North America and even some are being seen in Bermuda!

What's the reason for their exodus and journey?  Well, the food on their normal wintering grounds is suffering.  Snowy owls usually stay in the northern forests and enjoy a selection of rodents and especially lemmings.  When Lemmings suffer, so do the Snowys.  While Snowy Owls are fairly adaptable when it comes to food and hunting, it is important to remember when see them, they are looking for food and their population is being stressed.  Enjoying their presence and beauty is best done while respecting the animal.  But definitely don't miss seeing owl as they are wonderful birds!

While I warn you about respecting the space of the Snowy Owls, you can do no worse than what the Port Authority was ready to do.  Since Snowy Owl enjoy open spaces, airports make natural refuges for them.  However, for a while, the Port Authority of NY and NJ was ready to shoot these birds.  However Logan Airport of Boston captures these birds and releases them elsewhere with great success.  They also use a falconer and their bird to chase the birds away.  While we seem to struggle with our place in the natural world, there are some who actually find ways to protect rather than destroy.  There are many lessons here, but I simply leave you more pictures of birds.  Until next time!

RECENT NEWS
New York Airports are Shooting Snowy Owls
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/snowy-owls-added-port-authority-kill-list-article-1.1541823

Logan Airport's Approach
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/boston-airport-takes-approach-snowy-owls-article-1.1541847

Snowy Owl at AllAboutBirds
Link

Links

Article from Audubon Magazine - Link

CT Post - Link

Owling...

The Holidays are coming and going and I am spending my time outside owling of course.  Once again, I am being met with failure, however, I am starting to get closer at identifying owl habitat and evidence of owls.  While the other day, I did manage to hear a Eastern Screech Owl, I am continuing my quest to find owls in the wild.  At the end of the day, I am enjoying the challenge.  Of course, I am stuck between owling and and shorebirding.  But that's a post for another day

Happy holidays to all!

White Wash on a Cedar in Connecticut (C) Mine

2012 List:
251 (eastern screech owl and white ibis)

The Role of Failure

Dipping must be my middle name.  This weekend's theme is failure.  I've been trying for some time now to see a Northern Saw-Whet Owl.  I keep track of the emails and ebird postings (which are often hard to find to protect this bird and rightfully so) and I even read up on the biology, habits and tendencies of this bird.  Still nothing.  I've been whacked by so many cedar branches and fallen pine cones, that I ask my self what I am doing looking for one little owl when there are plenty of other birds to see, behold, and enjoy.

This brings me to next topic.  Failure.  What role does failure play in birding?  How does the "dip" as they call it push us to move on or stifle our efforts?  How can we, as birders, naturalists, whatever you want to call it, ensure that we have the ability, capacity and tenacity to continue birding failure after failure?  Well, there are couple of things to keep in mind.  The first that without failure, there would be no success.  The joys of finding the bird you are looking come from, in part, the effort you put in to find it.  Failure isn't an end but rather, a step to being successful.  While I have yet to see a Northern Saw-Whet Owl, I do know what a cedar, pine and hemlock tree look like without a Saw-Whet Owl in them.  Along the way, I've seen Barred Owls, Juvenile Sharpies, Merlins, and all sorts of birds and raptors.  While I've enjoyed the pursuits, I do have a goal to find the Saw-whet and I have to keep that in mind.

Here's my future Target and I will keep trying!

Northern Saw-Whet Owl (c) brendan.lally of flickr
original link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11585318@N03/2256534488

2012 Life List:
248 (Eurasian Wigeon)

Owling or Howling

So, to celebrate Winter Solstice, I decided to go owling.  I felt it was an appropriate celebration of the day.  Well, needles to say, if you are going to go owling, then make sure to go with someone who knows what they are doing or at least make sure that you are familiar with the area... or at least bring a flashlight.  I did none of the three and I have the scars to prove it.  I feel down... face first... into a pricker bush.  while it was wasn't the most fun I had birding.  One point I want to bring up.  During my falling, slipping and being attacked by the wood, I did hear a Great Horned Owl.  Now, I know that hearing a bird counts as seeing the bird and being witness to it.  However, I do feel a certain obligation to see the bird.  Birding by ear is definitely a skill, but I do feel as though, for your first viewing of the bird, you ought to be able to see it instead of just hear it.  Otherwise, how sure can you be?  Not to say that sight isn't perfect, in fact, I am currently mulling over a view pictures of warblers that I need to sort out.  Back to the owl and my ear, while I am not ready to count the owl on my list.  What do you think a true birder should do?