If you read our blog or are familiar with the Connecticut Audubon Society, you know about the Birdcraft Sanctuary and Museum. Founded in 1914, Birdcraft is the first private bird sanctuary in the United States. This six-acre site was originally created as a refuge to attract, harbor, and feed migratory and resident birds. It still serves this purpose today as an oasis of natural habitat adjacent to Interstate 95 and residential neighborhoods. Additionally, since 1979, Connecticut Audubon Society volunteers, licensed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, have operated a bird-banding station at Birdcraft. More than 18,000 birds have been mist-netted, documented, banded, and released unharmed.
While working on a master bird list for Birdcraft I came across the following publication that you can view online here: http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924090201306
It is The Story of Birdcraft Sanctuary by Mabel Osgood Wright. The Connecticut Audubon Society was founded in 1898 by Mrs. Wright, a pioneer in the American conservation movement. CAS received its first land donation in 1914 through the generosity of philanthropist Annie Burr Jennings of Fairfield. With Ms. Jenning’s gift of 10 acres, Mrs. Wright created Birdcraft Sanctuary, the first-of-its-kind songbird refuge in the nation, and literally laid the groundwork for Connecticut Audubon Society. Check out the short book at the link above by selecting a format on the left side of the page. You will learn so much about Birdcraft, the Connecticut Audubon Society, and conservation nearly a century ago.
Currently we have 190 species on that Birdcraft bird list with some amazing rarities. If you ever have data or information on any of our sanctuaries or centers, we would love for you to share it with us.
Judy Richardson, master bird bander and Chairman of the Connecticut Audubon Society Fairfield Regional Board received an International Cooperation Award from the US Department of Agriculture for her significant contribution to the establishment of a Network of Bird Monitoring in Costa Rica. This 2011 Conservations Award is part of the “Wings Across the Americas” program which is a United States Forest Service program to conserve birds, bats, butterflies and dragonflies. Wings Across the Americas supports international conservation and uses Forest Services experience and expertise to improve bird conservation at home and abroad.
In Latin America, a big leap in the collection and sharing of data is found in the establishment of the Network of Bird Banders of Costa Rica. Richardson’s work with the San Vito Bird Club in the establishment of a network of bird monitoring in Costa Rica won her international recognition. The first of its kind in Latin America, the network has been a model for others in the region and facilitates cooperative research projects. Results are being used by bird researchers, land mangers and decision makers in Costa Rica and throughout the Americas for understanding resident and migratory species.
On a local level, here in the U.S., Richardson monitors birds through her bird banding efforts at the Connecticut Audubon Society’s Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary in Fairfield. “Many of the birds that migrate to Costa Rica may actually pass through our Birdcraft sanctuary.” states Nelson North Connecticut Audubon Society, Director of Fairfield Operations, “Judy’s bird banding efforts at the Birdcraft are instrumental in the monitoring process. Her work here and in Costa Rica will continue to expand our comprehension of the biology and life histories of our birds, ultimately resulting in their improved conservation.”
I hope you are already using eBird for all of your bird sightings. Now the site is getting even easier to use and better for the birds. You can help their team beta test a new data entry system. If you visit this page you can read all about it: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/new-ebird-data-entry
This system makes entering your sightings a faster process as you now have one column to go down instead of groups of species. You can also add comments, sex, age, and other information for each species right as you go instead of doing it on another page. Users can change what they want to see or not - like subspecies - quite easily. The task of adding species to a checklist is much more refined, and so is confirming a rare bird. There are a lot of positive modifications.
However, the best change in my eyes is...breeding bird codes! You can now enter this data whenever, from wherever, and however you like. No longer will we have to simply write in the comments about finding a nest, a male singing on territory, or fledgling birds. You can record sorely needed information about critically important breeding species or the American Robin nest in your backyard. This is going to be a fantastic tool for conservation. Please try eBird today if you have not before and use it as much as possible. Things are only going to get better every year.The direct link to the new submission page is here, but be aware sightings go directly to the eBird database (this is not a test!) and that it works best in browsers that are not Internet Explorer: http://demo.ebird.org/ebird/submit.
Today was an incredible day for migration in much of Connecticut. Birds were finally able to navigate into the state after two difficult and spotty weeks. I could go on and on about a bunch of nice sightings, but after a long and rewarding day in the field, I wanted to share a specific and awesome story. I found an Olive-sided Flycatcher on the railroad trail in the McKinney Refuge in Stratford late this morning. This is a tough species to find in migration, so records are scarce in most parts of the state. This was the second bird ever in Stratford and of course the Great Meadows Important Bird Area. It was cloudy at the time, but here are a couple of dark photos.
The cooler part? We found the first Stratford Olive-sided Flycatcher mere feet from that spot one year ago to the day. This is absolutely astounding to me. You can be sure I will be watching for one there next May 20th. I wonder if this was the same exact bird...Photos © Scott Kruitbosch
Here is a message from our Senior Director of Science and Conservation and Conservation Advocate, Milan Bull:
The Environment Committee voted yesterday (5/17/11) to make significant changes to SB 1019 that effectively inserts the language of the Community Conservation Fund bill and replaces the onerous language in SB 1019. The former language of SB 1019 concerned changes in the DEP permitting process that reduced the time (by 1/2) allowed for DEP to process permits, allowing for automatic approval of projects without permits if the new time frame is not met. This language could have resulted in a significant loss of environmental protections.
The new SB 1019 allows municipalities (but does not require them) to place a fee on buyers of real estate, to be placed in a dedicated local “Conservation Fund.”
This fund would be used for conservation projects (open space, clean air, farmland and water projects), and also historic preservation and energy conservation projects. This aids many communities who currently must pay for these projects with property taxes that are already overburdening. SB 1019 would permit a maximum buyer fee of 1% of the real estate purchase price, with the first $150,000 waived to lessen the impact on affordable housing.
This could raise as much as $96 million for local conservation efforts, as well as generate thousands of jobs throughout the state with no increase to the state budget.
This is not a new state tax. Passage of the bill would generate no income unless and until communities decide to enact the legislation locally.
Co-chairs of the Environment Committee, Senator Meyer and Representative Roy, are to thank for changing this bill for the better.
Before this bill comes to a vote in the Senate, it will likely be assigned to the Planning and Development Committee.
