Thursday, September 1, 2011

Irene birds #1 - Gull-billed Tern, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet

We are here! The blog has been quiet as Irene took over our lives, from tracking the storm, finding birds, and taking care of power and internet problems. We will have much more to come on it and the amazingly spectacular birds it left, but for now, check out these mega Milford Point rarities at our Coastal Center:


Gull-billed Tern in the center discovered a few hours ago by Tina Green. I was with her when she initially found it. She and I discussed it, examined it, walked out to re-find it and get a better look on the bar. I snapped this shot through a scope with my BlackBerry, the only we have as of now. What a find by her yet again!



And this beauty, what more needs to be said - Nick Bonomo found it early Monday morning at the Coastal Center. You really need to check it out yourself, that poor shot does not do the Black-necked Stilt justice.




Mike Warner first reported this American Avocet today. At one point you could see them both this and the Black-necked Stilt in the same view. It may not be quite as good as the White-tailed Kite and Brown Pelican pairing, but it was close! We also had Baird's Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, "western" Willet and more just today.

UPDATE! STUNNING!
Not five minutes after I wrote this blog entry and mentioned the Brown Pelican above this did I get a call that a Brown Pelican was spotted at Milford Point! Those four birds are possibly as good as any four species in one place in one day in Connecticut could ever be. Here are a couple poor record shots from my BlackBerry/scope once again. The first is on a bar in the middle of the mouth of the Housatonic and the second is near sunset with the pelican off Stratford Point.






This is only a taste of the most incredible week of Connecticut birds...perhaps ever! More to come in the next few days when we are not in the field or on post-storm work.

Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician

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