Category: Bird Counts

Hartford Summer Bird Count Summary – June 12-13, 2021

July 10, 2021 / / 0 Comments

HARTFORD SUMMER BIRD COUNT SUMMARY –  JUNE 12-13 2021

As we moved through spring, Connecticut began to loosen up its COVID 19 restrictions, and people began to once again travel and attend events in mid-June.  As such, coverage of our area during the Hartford Summer Bird Count was spotty in certain areas.  Although the number of observers at 54, and total party hours at 168 were below the record numbers of last year (65 observers and 198 party hours), they were still well ahead of participatory totals in 2019.  Several long time participants, however, were unavailable this year and their absence surely impacted our results, especially with regard to species totals.

Total species came in at 104, a decrease of seven from 2020.  It was no surprise that last year’s unprecedented Western Meadowlark, accepted by the Avian Records Committee as the first sighting of this species in Hartford County, was not seen this year.  Additional species seen in 2020, but not in 2021, include Black Duck, Broad-winged Hawk, American Kestrel, American Woodcock, both Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Blue-headed Vireo, Worm-eating and Yellow-rumped Warbler.  Other species, not found last year, made an appearance on this year’s list including a Black-crowned Night Heron at Hartford’s sewage lagoon, a Red-headed Woodpecker in Wethersfield/Rocky Hill, and two Northern Parulas in East Hartford.  Other birds of note included a Sharp-shinned Hawk in Glastonbury and Brown Thrashers in Glastonbury and Bloomfield.  Glastonbury’s Purple Martin colony has now increased to 7 birds.  Mute Swan, unreported in 2020, appeared in three areas totaling 15 individual birds.

Other species came very close to being unreported this year.  The marshes of South Glastonbury did not produce Virginia Rails this year, but a single individual, along with a least bittern, was found near Station 43, South Windsor.  Other species producing but a single individual included Eastern Screech Owl in Windsor, and Winter Wren, Black-and-white and Black-throated Green Warbler in West Hartford.

Several species showed little or no change over last year.  Cliff Swallows were reported from the same three towns and totaled 40 birds, the same number reported in 2020.  Eastern Meadowlarks and Bobolinks were still present, but in fewer numbers than seen in the previous year. The four meadowlarks were found only at the former Hartford landfill site.  Last year, there were eight.  The bobolinks were reported in the same four areas, but there were 40 compared to last year’s 46.

In addition to lack of coverage, there are other concerns for the future of the Summer Bird.  Potential loss of habitat due to development, and to the encroachment of invasive plant species in critical habitats remain concerns.

The University of Hartford remains off limits to public visitors, denying access to a productive area along the Park River on the Hartford/West Hartford line.

We have been fortunate in terms of the weather on our Count weekend, but prolonged heat waves and torrential rains are always a concern leading up to Count Week.

This marks the 31st year for the Hartford SBC, providing information on the status of breeding bird populations in the Hartford area.  In this, the final breeding season of the Connecticut Breeding Bird Atlas project, the Summer Bird Count continued to add valuable data to this worthy effort.  As compiler, I thank the area captains and the 55 participants who donated their time to participate in the Count this year.  Results of ours and the other Connecticut SBCs will be published in an upcoming edition of The Connecticut Warbler, quarterly journal of the Connecticut Ornithological Association.  For more information on the atlasing project, go to www.ctbirdatlas.org  A full accounting of the species found on the Hartford Count is available by e-mailing me at jaybrd49@aol.com

Jay Kaplan, Compiler

Hartford Summer Bird Count

Second Annual Hartford Audubon – Day Light Savings Time Bird-A-Thon Results – March 14, 2021

March 23, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Seven teams participated in the Bird-A-Thon.

A big congratulation goes to:

“Roger’s Tee-Birds” with 99 points:   Doug and Shirley Beach and Mike Labossiere.

They got early to Station 43 and scored 39 species that means 78 points early in the day. The ducks are amazing at Station 43! Let’s celebrate at the zoom members meeting in April.  They also took first place last year.

   

In no particular order, these are the remaining teams that participated:

“The Timberockets” –   Vicky and Paul Margiott

“The Tennis See Warblers” –  Sharon Straka, Janie Balazs and Becky Miller

“The Bird Brains” –  Sarah Faulkner and Donna Summer

“Birds of Paradise” –  Annette Pasek, Roberta Gowing and Elaine Payne.

“The Blazers” – Jack and Maggie Peretto with Blaze

And just for the fun of it, Chris and Diane Fisher participated part of the day.

Congratulations to all the teams and thank you for your participation.

Please, mark your 2022 calendars for the second Sunday in March.

Hoping that in 2022 we can have a pot luck supper after a day of birding.

Work on your teams t-shirts and hats for next year. It is all about fun with the birds!!!!

Maggie Peretto

Manchester, CT

2019 HARTFORD CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT SUMMARY

December 29, 2019 / / 0 Comments
2019 HARTFORD CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT SUMMARY
If nothing else, the Christmas Bird Count never fails to offer surprises with respect to bird
species found and others missed.  This year’s Count was true to form as we noted
Brant and Brown Thrasher for the first time since 2012, and Northern Pintail and  Rough- legged Hawk
last seen in 2014.   Alas, we missed Red-breasted Nuthatch for the first time in more than a decade.
Snow Goose and  Fox Sparrow were missed for the second  consecutive year, with both absent for only the third time in ten years.
Eighty-seven field observers totaled three more than in 2018, while party hours and party miles were
similar to last year’s effort.  Weather was quite pleasant and mild with temperatures
reaching fifty degrees, although it was a bit on the breezy side.
The mild weather preceding Count Day melted much of the ice that had accumulated in a
colder than normal first half of December.  There was no ice on rivers, and in most
locations, previously frozen still water was again partially open.   Concerns that the
severe cold early in the month would eliminate most lingerers proved not to be the case
as Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Gray Catbird, Eastern Towhee and
Chipping Sparrow were all reported within our Count circle.
It is always interesting to note high and low counts for various species.  A ten-year high
count was noted for Black Vulture, as the Manchester roost continues to flourish.  It was
also a good year for woodpeckers with Hairy Woodpecker and Northern Flicker
reaching ten year highs.  Other species reaching ten year high counts included
Bald Eagle, Common Raven, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Yellow-rumped
Warbler although the wren jumped from just one to two.  Are the increased numbers
reflective of a better than average food supply for the kinglets and warblers this year?
On the other side of the coin, numerous species were reported in ten-year low numbers.
These included Mute Swan , with but a single individual found in Newington;
Wild Turkey , with but nine birds reported from Farmington as opposed to more than ninety the
previous year; Mourning Dove, Horned Lark, Brown Creeper, American Robin,
White-throated Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco.
It should be noted that the low of twenty Horned Larks was likely at least partially attributable to our inability to access the Hartford landfill this year.
There were a number of nice surprises this year.  The Brant in West Hartford was the
most unusual goose reported, while a lone Greater White-fronted Goose was with
Canada Geese on the flooded playing fields of Hartford’s Riverside Park.  This was the
seventh report over the past ten years for this once rare species.  Other waterfowl of note
included Gadwall, Northern Pintail and Ring-necked Duck. The Gadwall was from
East Hartford and the Pintail was found in Glastonbury, while Ring-necked Duck came
from across the River in Wethersfield.  An American Coot was a bonus in Glastonbury
as was a Wilson’s Snipe in South Windsor.  The brown thrasher in Glastonbury was a
great pick-up as was the rough-legged hawk, seen soaring over Hartford’s Cedar Hill
Cemetery   The “roughleg,”, observed initially against dark clouds was almost written
off as one of the Red-tailed Hawks that are commonly seen there.  A single rusty
blackbird in South Windsor prevented us from missing this declining species for a second
consecutive year.
Count Week includes three days prior and three days following Count Day.  Birds seen on
these days, but not on Count Day, itself, are designated as Count Week or Count Period
birds.  No Count Week birds were reported this year, nor was a single winter finch found
on our Count.  It will be interesting to see if other Connecticut Counts report winter
finches.
As has become the custom for this summary, let’s end with Crows. This year, what I
assume to be the state’s largest crow roost has moved yet again.  The birds are roosting in
trees surrounded by a residential area off Talcott Street in West Hartford and not far from
the commercial area that includes Home Depot and other big box stores.  It was very
difficult to count the crows flying toward the roost as they first descended into a linear
park along Trout Brook to the west of the roost.  Many did not fly in until after dark.  The
crows were spread out over a large area and there may have been other “sub-roosts” that
we did not locate.  As such, we have decreased the crow count for this year, but it is quite
possible we are off in our estimation.  Fear not, there are still a lot of crows in this roost!
Total species for the Count stands at 89, five more than last year, and close to the ten-year
average of 90.5 species.
I would like to thank all the captains, field observers and feeder watchers for your efforts this year.  This was the 120th edition of the Christmas Bird Count, the longest running of all citizen science-based research projects, and we could not do it without a lot of help from our members and friends!
We hope to see many of you next year or perhaps on the Summer Bird Count scheduled the second weekend in June.
A ten-year spreadsheet for Hartford Christmas Bird Count results will be available at
upcoming monthly meetings of the Hartford Audubon Society.
It is also available by sending an email request to jaybrd49@aol.com
Best wishes for the Holiday Season and the New Year!
Jay Kaplan, Compiler
Hartford Christmas Bird Count

Hartford Summer Bird Count Summary – June 8-9, 2019

June 24, 2019 / / 0 Comments

The 2018 Summer Bird Count (SBC) was held June 8th and 9th, 2019 and featured delightful weather on both days of the weekend.  Observers totaled 38, two less than the previous year.  Party hours also decreased slightly to 127.5 from last year’s 135, and several key areas were lightly covered during the weekend.   The Summer Bird Count, unlike mid-December’s Christmas Bird Count, competes with graduations, vacations and numerous outdoor activities, thus it is not surprising that it is difficult to generate a larger pool of participants.   Participation, however, is always rewarding and one never knows what surprises await such as the sight of a Virginia Rail cavorting under a sprinkler on a golf course green at Hartford’s Goodwin Park!

Total species at 112, an increase by two over 2018, and included were a couple species new to our Count. A Tri-colored Heron at Station 43 in South Windsor and a pair of Sand hill Cranes in a Glastonbury farm field were great finds. Other birds of note included a Great Egret and some migrant Least Sandpipers in Glastonbury, a pair of Sharp-shinned hawks and a Brown Thrasher in East Hartford, and a Blue-headed Vireo in Bloomfield.   Glastonbury’s marshes also produced Least Bittern and Virginia Rail, while the marshes of Station 43 produced both Virginia Rail and Sora.

In addition to the previously mentioned Sharp-shinned hawks, American Kestrels were found in two areas as were Peregrine Falcons, giving hope that these listed species continue to increase as breeding birds in the Hartford area. The kestrels are utilizing nesting boxes in South Windsor and Glastonbury (thank you Art Gingert and Tom Sayers!). There is no question that both Ospreys and Bald Eagles are doing well with several nests for both species reported along the Connecticut River. Thirteen Ospreys was a record high count, besting last year by one.

Regarding swallows, the small Purple Martin colony in Glastonbury has not grown since it was first discovered in 2015, hanging on with but four birds. Cliff Swallows in Bloomfield and West Hartford, on the other hand, totaled a record 55 birds between these two sites.   Although 112 species may seem like a relatively lofty number, consider that ten species were represented by a single individual. These included Mute Swan, Ring-necked Pheasant (likely a stocked bird from the South Windsor meadows), Great Egret, Tri-colored Heron, Sora , Great Horned and Barred Owl, Blue-headed Vireo, Brown Thrasher, and Chestnut-sided Warbler. Four species found in 2018 do not appear on this year’s Count. These include Common Raven, Hermit Thrush, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Grasshopper Sparrow. The latter, diligently searched for at the Hartford Landfill, could not be found this year. Other grassland birds were present including a healthy 8 Eastern Meadowlarks, one of two locations in which this declining grassland bird was located. Bobolinks were found in five areas this year for a total of 59 bird. Sadly, Rentschler Field, once the premier site for grassland birds, is now apparently being actively managed to prevent birds and birders from using the area. This in spite of the fact that plans for large scale development are now on hold. Truly a shame.

The Hartford SBC, has now completed its twenty-ninth year, providing information on the status of breeding bird populations in the Hartford area. In the second season of a three year state-wide atlas project, the Summer Bird Count will again add valuable data to this worthy effort. As compiler, I thank the area captains and the 38 participants who donated their time to participate in the Count this year. Results of ours and the other Connecticut SBCs will be published in an upcoming edition of The Connecticut Warbler, quarterly journal of the Connecticut Ornithological Association. A full accounting of those species found on the Hartford Count is available by e-mailing me at jaybrd49@aol.com

Jay Kaplan, Compiler, Hartford Summer Bird Count

2018 Hartford Christmas Bird Count (CBC) Summary

December 28, 2018 / / 0 Comments

2018 HARTFORD CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT SUMMARY

It wasn’t as bad as the forecast predicted. We didn’t really have any sleet or freezing rain, high winds never materialized and it did not rain heavily much of the day. That is not to say it was nice. Temperatures were relatively steady in the high 30s during the daylight hours and while it was damp throughout, there were long stretches during which it didn’t precipitate much if at all. Eighty-four field observers was a little below the norm, but they made up for it with time in the field. Total party hours were up slightly over 2017, and total party miles exceeded last year’s effort by over 100 miles! Quite remarkable on a miserable day.

Every Count is different and this year was no exception. In spite of November reports of pine siskins and even evening grosbeaks in the area, not a single winter finch was reported on the Hartford count for the second consecutive year. Temperatures well below freezing prior to the Count did not translate into the conditions we found last year. There was no ice on rivers, and in most locations, even still water was partially open. As such, several interesting species of waterfowl were recorded this year. Snow often concentrates birds into smaller, more predictable areas where food is readily available.
Speaking of food, several parties noted it was a poor year for nuts, seeds and fruit.
All the above factors contributed to numerous ten year low counts for a wide variety of species.

Although one of the primary objectives of the Christmas Bird Count is to track long term trends in bird populations, year to year fluctuations can swing wildly. For example, one year after reaching a ten-year high count, Canada Goose dropped to a ten-year low. Other species exhibiting ten year low counts included Mute Swan, Black Duck, Great Black-backed Gull, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Dark-eyed Junco, Brown-headed Cowbird and House Finch. In addition to the aforementioned winter finches, also missed on our Count this year were Marsh Wren (last missed in 2011) and Fox Sparrow (2014).

Not all the news was bad and there were a number of nice surprises this year. The only unusual goose reported was lone Greater White-fronted Goose found in the Rocky Hill Meadows. Perhaps this goose is becoming more common in our area as this was the sixth report in the past ten years for this once rare species. Bufflehead and Common Loon were both last reported in 2014. Killdeer has appeared twice as a Count Week bird, but was last found in 2013. Perhaps the best bird of the Count, a Northern Shrike reported from Newington, was last found on our Count in 2011. A single American Kestrel in Glastonbury was a welcome find. A Chipping Sparrow, also in Glastonbury, marked the third consecutive year for this diminutive sparrow, but only the fourth time in the past ten years. A Lincoln’s Sparrow sighting marked the third time in the past ten years for this elusive species. We reached ten year high counts for Field and Swamp Sparrow. The bulk of sparrow reports came from the incredible sparrow habitat found in the Glastonbury meadows. To the chagrin of birders, much of it is on private property and is generally not accessible to the public except on special guided walks.

Each year, several species, missed on the day of our Count, are sighted during Count Week, three days prior to and three days following Count Day. Although Snowy Owl did not make the list three years in a row, this year’s Count Week birds included Green-winged Teal, last missed on Count Day in 2013, Iceland Gull and American Pipit. The latter, seen as a Count Week bird, was missed for only the second time over the past ten years, but it has been missed in two of the last four.

Finally, let’s talk about crows. This year, the state’s largest crow roost has moved about a mile to the east. It has also, apparently, increased in size and was estimated at 19,000 birds. The roost usually remains until mid-February. If anyone would like an interesting experience, visit the Mark Twain House on Farmington Avenue in Harford late some afternoon around 4 PM. If you stand right in front of the Visitors Information Building, where many of the crows stage before flying south to the actual roost on Hawthorn Street a half mile to the south. You won’t be disappointed!

Total species for the Count stands at 84, five less than last year, but not surprising considering the less than ideal weather conditions. On behalf of the compilers, thank you to all the captains, field observers and feeder watchers for your efforts this year. Let’s hope for better weather in 2019! This was the 119th edition of the Christmas Bird Count, the longest running of all citizen science-based research projects. We hope to see many of you next year.

A ten-year spreadsheet for Hartford Christmas Bird Count results will be available at upcoming monthly meetings of the Hartford Audubon Society. It is also available by sending an email request to jaybrd49@aol.com.

Best wishes for the Holiday Season and the New Year!

Jay Kaplan & Steve Davis, Co-Compilers
Hartford Christmas Bird Count

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