December 15, 2012 - Day 350

Today was the Woodbury-Roxbury Audubon Christmas Bird Count.  Steven Ferrari and I covered Area 'N' of the count which covers Route 6 to Quassapaug Road and Middle Road turnpike to Route 64.  So the Area covers parts of Woodbury and Middlebury.

We had a full day of birding (10 hours) and here's what we saw:

Canada Goose (295), Mute Swan (2), Mallard (16), Ring-Necked Duck (14), Great Blue Heron (2), Red-Shouldered Hawk (1), Red-Tailed Hawk (1), Herring Gull (1), Mourning Dove (75), Belted Kingfisher (2), Red-Bellied Woodpecker (2), Yellow-Bellied Woodpecker (2), Downy Woodpecker (8), Hairy Woodpecker (2), Blue Jay (1), Crow (124), Black-Capped Chickadee (26), Titmouse (18), White-Breasted Nuthatch (7), Carolina Wren (1), Golden-Crowned Kinglet (1), Bluebird (1), Robin (2), Mockingbird (1), Starling (60), Song Sparrow (5), White-Throated Sparrow (7), Junco (59), Cardinal (7), Red-Winged Blackbird (12), Common Grackle (22), House Finch (5), Goldfinch (5), House Sparrow (14), Bufflehead (4), and Canvasback (1)

DATA:  6:00 am - 4:00 pm; 34F/41F; Clear; Calm

97)  Bufflehead

Novemeber 18, 2012 - Day 322 (PART 1)

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Owl Pellet

Decided to bird Whittemore with the hopes of finding a Red-Breasted Nuthatch and /or Crossbills that I have seen so many reports of.

I decided to start on the WHITE TRAIL clockwise then go to the YELLOW to BLUE to an UNNAMED and finally back onto the WHITE TRAIL.

Pellet Closeup

Second Pellet

It was very quiet at first which was strange to me.  I have been told that the best time to go birding is between 7 and 11 am when the birds are out singing and feeding.  But then I realized that those times are for the warmer summer months when the air heats up quicker due to the sun rising earlier and being higher in the sky.  But being mid-November, it took awhile for the sun to warm things up.  But it did so finally.

Feather

Other Side of Feather

Once the air did warm up, I began to hear birds and was soon looking at a few Red-Breasted Nuthatches!  I accomplished half of my goal for the day!

Chickadee

Red-Breasted Nuthatch (on ground)

Species Seen:  Red-Breasted Nuthatch (4), Downy Woodpecker (male), Common Merganser (2 female, 3 immature), Chickadee (heard 1, saw 2), Crow (heard), Titmouse, and White-Breasted Nuthatch.

DATA:  9:35 am-12:48pm; 34/54F; Clear/Partly Cloudy; Slight Breeze

White-Breasted Nuthatch

96)  Red-Breasted Nuthatch

November 18, 2012 - Day 322 (PART 2)

Bird Nest

Red-Tailed Hawk

After birding Whittemore, I went again to the old Corey's spot determined to get sparrows.  Oh well - win some and lose some.

Species Seen:  Bluebird (male), Junco (2), Red-Tailed Hawk, Hermit Thrush, Blue Jay, Crows (heard), House Finch (6)


DATA:  1:28-2:02 pm; 50F; cloudy

October 22, 2012 - Day 295

Went to one of my favorite places - the pond on Trolley Bed Road, and once again I was not disappointed.  But I know time is running out.

I was still trying to use the information I learned from the COA Sparrow workshop but those little things move so fast that it is hard to keep up with them. 

However, I was able to ID a Fox Sparrow but the other sparrows I saw had to stay unidentified. 

I also saw a yellowish green bird with a white eye ring with black and white on wings which I IDed as a Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher.

DATA:  3:10-3:25pm; 68F; clear; calm

94)  Fox Sparrow
95)  Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

October 21, 2012 - Day 294

After attending the COA Sparrow Workshop, I was hoping to try my luck at the old Corey's/Golf Driving Range.   Although the area has had two structures built on it, it is still mostly disturbed and weedy - good habitat for sparrows with places to hide and seeds!

However, my hopes of finding any new species for my Big Year went unfulfilled.  But I was outside and walking so it was a good day.

Species:  Canada Goose (65 in one fly-over), House Finch, Mockingbird, Song Sparrow, Junco, Hairy Woodpecker, Turkey Vulture, Crow, Blue Jay, and Chickadee.

DATA:  9:45-10:44pm; 49/58F; clear; breezy gusts

October 20, 2012 - Day 293

Went on a COA (Connecticut Ornithological Association) workshop to Allen's Meadow in Wilton, CT.  Even the workshop stressed sparrows, other birds were seen as well.

Since the birds seen today were seen in Wilton, they will not count towards my Big Year.

Species Seen:  Sparrows - Song, Savannah, Vesper, Clay-Colored, Swamp, White- Crowned (juv); Pileated Woodpecker (male & female), Cedar Waxwing (20), Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Winter Wren (2), Blue Jay, Pine Siskin, Crow, Starling (5), Great Blue Heron, Bluebird (5), Junco, Purple Finch, Meadowlark, Turkey Vulture (5), Broad-Winged Hawk, and Palm Warbler.



DATA:  8:00-11:00am; 68F; foggy/sunny; calm

October 16, 2012 - Day 289

Went to Nonnewaug High School today to see what might be there and to see how the area changes over the seasons (thinking of doing a year of birding at Nonnewaug next year - it's close by and has a lot to offer in terms of habitats for birds.)

Species Seen:  Cedar Waxwings (3), Crows (7), Cardinal (male), Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Downy Woodpecker, Pine Warbler (2/female).

DATA:  3:00-5:00pm; 58F; clear; breezy

93)  Pine Warbler

October 8, 2012 - Day 281

Decided to check out the Hollow after school.  I knew not many warblers will be around now since their migration had begun but I figured to give it a try anyways.

Besides the 'regs', I did see a Black and White Warbler as well as a Brown Creeper which I noticed climbing up a tree while looking at another bird!  I also saw a yellowish bird, with black strips on its side, a white belly, and an eye ring which I need to look up in my books.

Species seen:  Golfinch, Chickadee (2), Mournign Dove, Great Blue Heron, Titmosue, hairy Woodpecker (male), Crow, Blue Jay, Phoebe, House Wren, Catbird, White-Throated Sparrows (6), Cardinal, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Black and White Warbler, and Brown Creeper.

DATA:  3:42-4:35pm; 58F; cloudy; calm

91)  Black & White Warbler
92)  Brown Creeper