What is this raptor?

The photo below was taken at the coastal grasslands of Stratford Point. It shows a raptor sitting on top of an American Kestrel box.




The picture is small, isn't it? It is 25% of actual size. It is as if you had nothing but your eyes or possibly a pair of binoculars while watching it. So my question to you is...what is this raptor?! I will post the answer later this week.



Photo © Scott Kruitbosch

Banded Canada Goose

You may have read this post I made on the Westport-Fairfield Christmas Bird Count, as I was a part of Charlie Barnard's count team for his Fairfield shoreline area. The rest of the team included Dave Zawisha, Alex Burdo, and James Purcell. In the middle of the day, our group found a banded Canada Goose. This bird was among a sizable flock of Canada Geese that were sitting, resting, and feeding on a golf course that runs along Old Dam Road. The large yellow neck band had four characters on it. Even with my binoculars, I was able to read them as J184. We continued with our busy day a few minutes later and I forgot about the sighting, but the next morning I remembered this encounter. For many of us who see them in numbers on a frequent basis that may be "just" another Canada Goose, but it is of vital importance to report any marked or banded bird to the bird banding laboratory.

This is a relatively simple process even if you have never done so before. The easiest way to do it is to visit http://reportband.gov/ - now that is a link anyone can remember! From there follow the steps outlined, selecting color marker, federal metal band, or both. You will be able to pick out what you saw from menus they provide (such as a leg band or wing marker, the colors and position of characters, etc.) and enter any numbers and letters on bands and markers. When completed you will very likely hear back relatively quickly, and the USGS will provide you with a PDF certificate of appreciation. The one below is what I received for this Canada Goose.

You can see the band characters listed - J184 - as well as the fact this goose is a male banded way back on June 25, 2003 when it was too young to fly. What was most fascinating to me was how little this soon to be eight year-old bird had moved, as it was born mere minutes away in Southport. That is not to say we have any idea where it has been its entire life, but I found the proximity to where it was banded to be notable. I hope this example shows you that it is worth taking the time and effort to report every marked or banded bird you come across, no matter what the species. Apart from helping scientific research you will get something quite engrossing in return for your efforts.

A ducky day at Stratford Point

A cold night, slight haze and no wind created perfect viewing conditions of the Long Island Sound from Stratford Point yesterday. Although we already know that there are a lot of ducks in the area, it was quite amazing to be able see every duck, loon and grebe in at least a half a mile radius. As hunters were putting the thousands of scaup and scoter on the other side of the pensinula in motion, we were treated to quite the spectacle as flocks of these ducks continuously moved in and out of the area. Apart from the sheer number of birds present (many thousands could be seen in a matter of minutes at times) there were also some unusual species to be found. The two female King Eider that have been associated with the scaup/scoter flock for a few weeks now are still present and a Eurasian Wigeon has been seen near shore at Stratford Point for the last few days.

Male Eurasian Wigeon accompanied by two female American Wigeon at Stratford Point

A group of Greater Scaup fly towards the large flock located off Cove Place, on the west side of Stratford Point

American Wigeon are present in good numbers as well

A hunter flushes hundreds of ducks just before sunset

Photographs by Twan Leenders

Hybrid Red-tailed by Red-shouldered Hawk

Here's another entry from CAS Director of the Coastal Center at Milford Point, Frank Gallo, concerning a possible hybrid raptor:

Lynn Jones and I found this odd raptor on the Oxford CBC. It nearly made our heads explode trying to work out what it was.




It had a short white and black-banded tail with wider than normal white bands for a Red-shouldered, more like a Broad-winged Hawk, but the the wings didn't fit for Broad-winged. It acted like a Red-shoulder, sitting low in the forest, had a wing pattern mostly like a Red-shouldered, but it had a brown head, pale throat, and upper chests markings more like a Red-tailed.




I sent it off to Brian Wheeler and he forwarded it to Jerry Liguori. Both agreed that it's a possible Red-tailed x Red-shouldered Hybrid. Their response is below. Very cool.


Remarks from Brian Wheeler, author of several notable raptor guides:

"This looks more like a hybrid Red-tailed Hawk and Red-shouldered Hawk. The head is very red-tailed-like, as are the rufous sides of neck. Lack of distinct white barring on secondaries is interesting, too. There are some aberrant adult Red-shouldered Hawks with funky barring on the under parts, but this bird seems to have something other in it. It is not anything like a California type, either (western bird)."

"I sent your images to Jerry Liguori and both of us feel it is a possible hybrid with Red-tailed Hawk by head and ventral markings." ... "It has mix of Red-tailed Hawk characters on the head and some of under parts, and even on the wing."


Jerry Liguori's, also a notable raptor author, comments to Brian:

"At first glance, it looks like another hybrid RS x RT, it has RT traits on the underbody and RS-like upperparts and tail. I'd love to see other photos, but just from these, hybrid looks good."



Thanks to Frank for the amazing find, knowledge, and photos, and of course to Brian and Jerry for their additional expertise.


Photos © Frank Gallo

Snow angel of death...

Every once in a while I come across a little pile of feathers in the woods or some other sign that a raptor succesfully captured its prey. Recently, while surveying in fresh snow, I came across this scene:
It was located along the edge of a field near a line of trees; no tracks leading up to it at all. When you click on the image to enlarge it, you can see the few blades of grass near the spot where an unsuspecting rodent left the safety of the snow pack overhead and poked its head out. Three deep imprints indicate the spot where the talons and the tail hit the deck - the left talon impressions is right on top of the rodent's burrow. A perfect imprint of both wings, showing all individual flight feathers completes the snow angel. There is no sign of struggle, just the briefest touchdown and a few drops of blood are all that remain. The unfortunate mouse or vole never saw it coming.
A pair of Red-tailed Hawks nests in the nearby tree line and I spotted a Great Horned Owl in the area earlier. The wing imprints look relatively wide with short primaries, so I am blaming the owl for this scene, but I don't know if it is possible to determine who the culprit was based on the forensic evidence. I certainly would appreciate your input.

This truly is one of those pictures that says more than a thousand words....

Photo copyright Twan Leenders

Happy New Year from the Connecticut Audubon Society

Best wishes from all of us at Connecticut Audubon Society! May 2011 be full of wonderful surprises!

My new year certainly started off well when this little Eastern Screech Owl emerged from the bird house in the front yard of my in-laws! It's a nice reminder that exciting discoveries can be made in one's own yard. It also shows that with some effort it is possible to create habitat and resources for all kinds of wildlife close to home. For the 112th year running, Connecticut Audubon Society's education, advocacy, science and conservation programs will continue to do just this: improving our state's natural areas by creating and managing wildlife habitat on our own 19 sanctuaries and by educating and supporting others to do the same elsewhere. We hope you will help us along the way!

Photo: Twan Leenders

Taverner's Goose

The following post and photos are from CAS Director of the Coastal Center at Milford Point, Frank Gallo.

On 21 December 2010, I went to Longshore Country Club in Westport hoping to see and photograph the Cackling Goose I'd missed on my previous trip to the area. When I arrived, a large group of Canada Geese, some 250 or more, were feeding by the pond to the north of the entrance road. In with them was the Barnacle Goose that's been with the flock, and a small Canada-like goose that looked to be a Cackling Goose. At a distance, the Cackling Goose seemed a bit odd; it looked slightly larger than a Richardson's Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii, slightly longer necked, with a dark chest, rather than a pale one, and an odd head shape, rounded rather than flat-topped with a steep forehead.



The chinstrap looked different somehow, as well. I was able to get very close to the geese to study it, as they were intent on grazing on the grass. At first, I wondered if it might just be a Lesser Canada Goose, B. canadensis. parvipes, but it didn't look right for that either. The bird seemed to show characteristics of Taverner's Cackling Goose, B. h. taverneri, which breeds in Alaska, and normally winters in Oregon, Washington, and northern California.I studied it some more, took a lot of photographs, and headed home to look at them closely on my computer, and to check some references.




Mark Szantyr discovered a Taverner's Cackling Goose in Connecticut in Dec. 2007, the second documented in the Northeast, (the first was in MA, Oct. 2007) and I was anxious to view and compare my photos to his photos on line. I also sent copies of my images to him, Nick Bonomo, Greg Hanisek and others. Mark forwarded my photos to Steve Mlodinow, a Washington State birder, and authority on white-cheeked geese. While I awaited replies, I checked field guides and other references, and came to the conclusion that the bird was a very likely a Taverner's Cackling Goose based on a combination of characters mentioned earlier.



Nick, Mark, and Greg, all agreed that it was not a typical B. h. hutchinsii, and we awaited word from Steve. Later that evening I received Steve's reply... "Yes sir... they don't come any more classic than that. Nice bulge at base of mandible, head shape great, feather edgings w/in range of taverneri, wrong for minima. Bulky looking. Cheek patch shape normal for Taverner's, not normal for Richardson's."



Fantastic! It's exciting to document another Taverner's Goose in Connecticut.

For more information on how to separate the white-cheeked geese, including Taverner's, see the following links, kindly provided by Nick Bonomo:

http://www.utahbirds.org/RecCom/IDhelp/Cackling_Goose-NAB.pdf
http://birdinggeek.blogspot.com/2008/08/taverners-cackling-goose-branta.html
http://www.sibleyguides.com/2007/07/identification-of-cackling-and-canada-goose/

Our thanks to Steve, Mark, Nick, and Greg for their input!

Photos © Frank Gallo