Birding Connecticut: Coastal birds on a Friday morning

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Coastal birds on a Friday morning

We started the morning at New Haven harbor to see the Ruddy Ducks, and happily found them not far from shore. Mixed with a flock of Scaup, they bunched and broke apart, bunched and broke apart again, finally separating by species.

Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis, foreground; Greater Scaup, Aythya marila, background; mixed flock of both at right in middle ground.

Male and female Ruddy Ducks. The males show a distinct white cheek patch, the females a dark and light line through the eye.

Ruddy Ducks, the movie - click the play button - it will appear.

Greater Scaup, males and females

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, dabbling in shallow water in the harbor

Birds in New Haven harbor included:

Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis

Greater Scaup, Aythya marila

Gadwall, Anas strepera

Black Duck, Anas rubripes

Mallard, Anas brachyrhynchos

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis

Herring Gull, Larus argentatus

Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor

American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos

Rock Pigeon, Columba livia

Jorge dropped me at work in West Haven, then continued driving the coast to a new favorite spot: Silver Sands in Milford.

A small flock of Monk Parakeet was sunning in the White Pines.

Monk Parakeet, Myopsitta monachus

Monk Parakeet, Myopsitta monachus

Staying inside the car it was easy to observe a small group of watchful White-tailed Deer.

White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus

White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus

Although he tried hard at Silver Sands for Short- and Long-eared Owls, none were to be found and Jorge drove on to Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. Several good winter species had been recently found here - but only one turned up this morning.

The Red-breasted Nuthatch was foraging in bare deciduous trees, searching bark crevices - a bird that even a serious birder might have to call cute!

Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis

Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis

Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis

Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis

Other birds for the morning:

American Robin, Turdus migratorius

Black-capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapillus

Tufted Titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor

Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura

Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus

Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens

American Wigeon, Anas americana

Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia

House Sparrow, Passer domesticus

With the addition of Ruddy Duck, Monk Parakeet and Red-breasted Nuthatch, Jorge's Connecticut list is up to 80 species for 2010.

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Blogged Birds - since October 2009

112. Killdeer, Charadrius vocifierus (CT)
111. Rusty Blackbird, Euphagus carolinus (CT)
110. Boat-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus major (CT)
109. American Coot, Fulica americana (CT)
108. Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis (CT)
107. Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus (CT)
106, Barred Owl, Strix varia (CT)
105. Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis (CT)
104. Monk Parakeet, Myopsitta monachus (CT)
103. Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiacus (MA)
102. Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus (CT)
101. Common Grackle, Quiscalus quiscula (CT)
100. Red-shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus (CT)
99. Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (RI, CT)
98. Snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis (CT)
97. Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis (CT)
96. Greater Scaup, Aythya marila (CT)
95. Fish Crow, Corvus ossifragus (CT)
94. Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus (CT)
93. American Wigeon, Anas americana (CT)
92. Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis (CT)
91. Sanderling, Calidris alba (CT)
90. Purple Sandpiper, Calidris maritima (CT)
89. Ruddy Turnstone, Arenaria interpres (CT)
88. Black-bellied Plover, Pluvialis squatarola (CT)
87. Harlequin Duck, Histrionicus histrionicus (CT)
86. King Eider, Somateria spectabilis (CT)
85. Wood Duck, Aix sponsa (CT)
84. House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus (CT); (MA)
83. American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis (CT); (MA)
82. House Sparrow, Passer domesticus (CT); (MA)
81. Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater (CT)
80. Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus (CT);(MA)
79. Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula (CT)
78. Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis (CT); (MA)
77. White-throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis (CT); (MA)
76. White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys (MA)
75. Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia (CT); (MA)
74. Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis (CT)
73. American Tree Sparrow, Spizella arborea (CT)
72. Field Sparrow, Spizella pusilla (CT)
71. Eastern Towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus (CT)
70. Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis (CT); (MA)
69. Painted Bunting, Passerina ciris (MA)
68. Yellow-rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata (MA, CT)
67. Black-throated Blue Warbler, Dendroica caerulescens CT)
66. European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris (CT); (MA)
65. Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum (CT); (MA)
64. American Pipit, Anthus rubescens (CT)
63. Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos (CT)
62. American Robin, Turdus migratorius (CT); (MA)
61. Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus (CT)
60. Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis (CT); (MA)
59. Golden-crowned Kinglet, Regulus satrapa (CT); (MA)
58. Carolina Wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus (CT); (MA)
57. White-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis (CT); (MA)
56. Tufted Titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor (CT); (MA)
55. Brown Creeper, Certhia americana (CT)
54. Black-capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapilla (CT);(MA)
53. Horned Lark, Eremophila alpestris (CT)
52. American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos (CT);(MA)
51. Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata (CT); (MA)
50. Blue-headed Vireo, Vireo solitarius (CT)
49. Pileated Woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus (CT)
48. Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus (CT); (MA)
47. Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus (CT); (MA)
46. Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens (CT); (MA)
45. Red-bellied Woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus (CT); (MA)
44. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius (CT)
43. Belted Kingfisher, Ceryle alcyon (CT); (MA)
42. Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura (CT); (MA)
41. Rock Dove, Columba livia (CT) (MA)
40. Black Guillemot, Cepphus grylle (MA)
39. Dovekie, Alle alle (MA)
38.Common Murre, Uria aalge (MA)
37. Razorbill, Alca torda (MA)
36. Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus (MA, CT)
35. Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus (MA)
34. Iceland Gull, Larus glaucoides (MA)
33. Herring Gull, Larus argentatus (CT);(MA)
32. Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis (CT);(MA)
31. Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla (MA)
30. Dunlin, Calidris alpina (MA, CT)
29. Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo (CT)
28. Merlin, Falco columbarius (MA)
27. Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus (CT)
26. Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis (CT); (MA)
25. Northern Harrier, Circus cyaneus (CT); (MA)
24. Cooper's Hawk, Accipiter cooperii (CT); (MA)
23. Sharp-shinned Hawk, Accipiter striatus (CT); (MA)
22. Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura (CT)
21. Common Merganser, Mergus merganser (MA, CT)
20. Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator (MA, CT)
19. Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (MA, CT)
18. Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola (MA, CT)
17. Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (MA)
16. White-winged Scoter, Melanitta fusca (MA)
15. Common Eider, Somateria mollissima (MA, CT)
14. Ring-necked Duck, Aythya collaris (MA)
13. Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca (MA)
12. Gadwall, Anas strepera (MA, CT)
11. American Black Duck, Anas rubripes (CT);(MA)
10. Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (CT);(MA)
9. Brant, Branta bernicla (MA, CT)
8. Canada Goose, Branta canadensis (CT);(MA)
7. Mute Swan, Cygnus olor (CT);(MA)
6. Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias (CT);(MA)
5. Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo (MA) (RI)
4. Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus (MA)
3. Horned Grebe, Podiceps auritus (MA, CT)
2. Common Loon, Gavia immer (MA, CT))
1. Red-throated Loon, Gavia stellata, (MA) (CT)