Pass the Fork-Tailed Flycatcher

The Fork-Tailed Flycatcher is an amazing bird.  The Greys, Blacks, and Whites of this bird make its an amazing specimen.  Now add on to the fact that this bird is quite rare in North America.  By rare, I mean, when you look it up in Sibley's, Peterson's, or Crossley's, and you see the range map, there are a lot of marks for rare and very rare.

The bird is extremely beautiful.  The colors are amazing and a wonderful study in the power of contrast.  We were lucky to see this bird so close to home.  Seeing this bird, you can't help but be hit by the unicorn effect.  Plus the joy of sharing the moment with so many birders only adds to the excitement.  Of course, I would love to go see the bird on its home turf.  Oh, the possibilities and wonder!

Just like with the BCHU earlier, I was stuck wondering what brought this bird here.  How did it travel from its typical grounds in Central America and South America?  What made the bird come here to Hadlyme, Connecticut? The Journey is long and dangerous and while I am happy to see such a bird,

Want to see this lovely bird?  Look for the CT Birding Email List.  That will have all recent sightings and updates

A First for Connecticut

For a few weeks, Connecticut Birding experienced a first, a Black-Chinned Hummingbird.  While I had seen my first one of these beautiful birds in Texas in May, it was great to see one in CT and see this record BCHU.  This wonderful find turned up at a private residence and the owner was kind enough to let a number of birders see this record little fella.

Record birds represent an interesting facet of ornithology and bird migration.  How did the bird get here?  How is it surviving in a strange environment?  What is compelling it to stay?  Are we even sure this is a rare bird?  Not that I have any answers to these questions.  I think its worth reflecting on the voyage that this migrant has made before it leaves and hopefully returns to its flock.

That last one was inspired by what I always say when I see a rare bird.  Am I sure that's a rare bird?  For this BCHU, I am fairly certain that it is a rare bird.  Since it was a CT First I decided to fill out a Rare Bird Report Form.  Even if this form wasn't the best one, I really enjoyed the experience of filling out the form.  As a closing, I leave you with a selection from said form. Until the next time...

"Since CT is home to the Ruby-Throated that was the first bird that I compared the bird I found to.  The first thing that I noticed was the unusual chin markings and eye markings. The Chin markings are the ones that lead to me to verify that this is a BCHU.  They are clearly different from a RTHU and the photos match the descriptions found in Sibley’s Bird Guide. "

A Black-Chinned Hummingbird in Connecticut

Another View

In Flight and Feeding

A Real Joy to Behold, a Texas Treat in Connecticut

Migrants Migrants and More Migrants

Fall Migration is in full swing and Connecticut has had some great visitors in the past few weeks.  Amazingly, all the photos were taken at Hammonasset Beach State Park. I've attached links to the park below.  HBSP is an amazing park and one that has been classified as an Important Bird Area by National Audubon and people work to try to expand the park.  Recently, there were efforts to try and pave over the open grass and gravel parking lots and make them asphalt.  While this would increase the amount of non-point source population in the park, it would also decrease the open grass and gravel fields that so many birds love.  These parking lots have yielded, Golden Plovers, Black-Headed Gulls, Lapland Longspurs, Horned Larks, Lesser Black-Backed Gulls and many more.  News Link here  Since the Paving stopped, the Birds keep will coming back to this little spot.

My last visit here got me two great birds to add to my Connecticut List.  Wilson's Phalarope and American Golden-Plover.  I had seen both species before on my trip to Texas and got to see them in their breeding plumage.  While they weren't as decorated as when I saw them in spring, it was still a wonderful opportunity to see these birds.  The pharalope was having a good time playing hide-and-seek with the many birders trying to see it.  He kept darting in and out of  the tall grasses and we went picture crazy trying to snap a photo or two... or 50.  The Golden-Plover was playing a different game.  He was playing chicken with us and got within 10 feet of the birders watching him.  I am going to put a more detailed post of the pictures and poses I got from that experience in my next blog!  Until then, get outside and see some birds!

A Wilson's Phalarope

An American Golden Plover

A Snowy Egret and Little Blue Heron Face Off!

2013 Birds:
263

Hammonasset Beach State Park
DEEP
Friends of Hammonasset

Another Wild Goose Chase

So today saw me undertake another wild goose chase. Today's target bird was a Pink-footed Goose. A goose that is fairly common in Greenland and Great Britain but extremely rare bird in North America. The word on the street (by which I mean blogs, emails and listservs) was that the target bird was hanging out with a huge flock of Canada Geese. So after a few minutes of driving around, we found the flock, a flock that was over 200 Canada Geese large! Well, after standing slack jawed, i picked up my binoculars and got to looking. I must have looked over each goose about 5 times. It getting to know this flock so well that I could tell you who was walking where and who had honked at who. Then, there it was. I figured out that I was with the wrong flock. A couple of birders pointed me to the right flock. When I was with the right flock, I found the pink-footed goose. I'd like to tell there was a moment of revelation or that music and lights shone from the heavens when I found it. No such luck, instead, I found that I could not take my eyes off the bird. I beautiful goose and my first real rarity successfully chased down. A great addition to my life list and to my 2012 Year list! Well, here's to more birding!

Outing #4
Pink Footed Goose *LB
Mallard
Northern Mockingbird
Mute Swan

2012 Total 30