More GBBC birds

The highlight of my GBBC was still those Common Redpolls, but there were some other great birds around during the past four days. As previously mentioned, Stratford Point has another male Eurasian Wigeon. Today, I saw a lone Snow Bunting picking at the plowed lawn along the sides of the driveway. While I did see Savannah Sparrows there recently, no sparrows of any sort were with it. A few fresh inches of snow and some strong winds made Long Island Sound and the coastal grasslands relatively quiet.

On Friday, I enjoyed seeing some nice ducks at Raven Park Pond. One was this male Wood Duck.


Multiple pairs of Northern Pintail have been frequenting the pond as well, with this male allowing me a decent shot.


This Merlin was not far from Stratford Point - at Short Beach - when I caught it preening after a meal of some sorts.


Finally, it is already blackbird time! Hundreds and thousands have begun to return to Connecticut just in time to be counted for the GBBC with many, many, more soon to come. While small numbers spent the entire winter here, my feeders have not seen this many since the fall.


There were even more in the trees and other parts of the yard. Groups like this make me hope for a Yellow-headed Blackbird, a species I would love to add to my town list or a CAS sanctuary list. If you visit Stratford Point be sure to watch for migrant blackbirds flying in from Long Island Sound. Witnessing birds coming in from the water on their journey north is always exciting.


Photos © Scott Kruitbosch