Birds of October in photos

Here are some of the birds I photographed while out and about this October. They were at Connecticut Audubon Society properties, sites that we manage, or areas that we are actively surveying for other entities.

 Eastern Phoebe, so many everywhere

Savannah Sparrows are abundant at Stratford Point in October, with dozens each day

 White-crowned Sparrows are much less so; this individual was on the Sikorsky walkway in Stratford

 A Merlin on the ground mid-hunt rather than flying by a hawk watch

 One of Milford Point's staggering total of Yellow-rumped Warblers

 Atlantic Brant, some of nearly 4,000 I watched go by Stratford Point in only a few hours one day

 This late Semipalmated Plover got out just in time before the snowy nor'easter

 Can you count all of those Tree Swallows? Many more were present at Stratford Point

 This female Eastern Bluebird flew into Stratford Point with a male on Halloween, a very rare sight there - fleeing snow cover to the north?

 A bad year for Eastern Meadowlarks in Connecticut but 2-3 have been present some days at Stratford Point

Finally, this Vesper Sparrow at Stratford Point, who refuses to allow me a good photo

Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician