GBBC - Common Redpolls

If you are unaware, The Great Backyard Bird Count started on Friday and will continue through Monday. You can find more information on this annual and important bird count conducted by the National Audubon Society on its website above. Keep in mind that the Connecticut Audubon Society is an independent organization (which is why we need your constant support), so while we are not involved in running projects such as this, we still make an effort to promote these science and conservation efforts. I spent some time surveying Stratford on Friday and today, entering all of my data in eBird, our own internal CAS records, and on the GBBC website.

It was great to get into the field for once. Tomorrow I will post more images and observations (like another male Eurasian Wigeon at Stratford Point!), but right now I wanted to put up a bunch of shots from the surprise highlight of this weekend. Frank Mantlik called me early this morning to report that he saw around 40 Common Redpolls feeding on the dunes at Long Beach in Stratford. I headed over there this afternoon and found all of them still feeding, and snapped the following photos in the cold and strong wind.

(look how well it blends in!)

Photos © Scott Kruitbosch