Recently, 50-60 atlas volunteers gathered at Hammonasset State Park for our second annual volunteer appreciation event. At the gathering, we discussed data collection so far, as well as plans for the upcoming winter atlas field season. Beforehand, Min Huang compiled a handout that summarizes much of the data collected so far. For those who were unable to attend, that handout can be seen here. Continue reading “Atlas update handout”
Block busting independently
Several bird groups have now run block busting trips to help fill gaps in atlas coverage. Block busting does not have to be done in organized groups though. This weekend, for example, Margaret Rubega and I had some time to kill in western Connecticut, so we spent a few hours searching under-surveyed blocks in the Danbury area. We focused on block 76D, but also spent some time in adjacent blocks, adding species in half a dozen blocks. Continue reading “Block busting independently”
Nest boxes
Many recent messages on the CTbirds listserv have mentioned the use of nest boxes, and just this week the chickadees nesting by my backdoor hatched their young. It’s a good time, then, to remember that nest boxes can make it easy to confirm breeding for a variety of species. And, that incidental records of birds in boxes can really help fill gaps for a number of species. Continue reading “Nest boxes”
Atlasing at the brewery?
Determining which breeding codes apply to which birds seen while atlasing is generally not too hard. There are exceptions, though, and one of the trickiest species is chimney swift. Continue reading “Atlasing at the brewery?”
Confirming common sparrows
Previously, we’ve identified species that it should be possible to confirm as breeders in most blocks. Two of those species are New World sparrows (a third, house sparrow, is an Old World sparrow – a completely separate family). And both begin nesting early enough in the year that confirming them should already be possible in many places. Continue reading “Confirming common sparrows”
Night birds (part 2)
Yesterday I wrote about night birds, but didn’t mention owls. On my return from whip-poor-will listening last week, though, I also heard a pair of great horned owls calling from my yard. Last summer, I confirmed breeding for this species when I heard both the parents and young owls calling. Continue reading “Night birds (part 2)”
Night birds (part 1)
Night birds are often among the most under-reported species in bird atlases. Precisely because they are hard to detect, however, they are also among those species we most need to learn about, because there are few other good sources of information about most of them. Continue reading “Night birds (part 1)”
Expanding woodpeckers
Last spring, Greg Hanisek wrote a blog post about the growing range of yellow-bellied sapsuckers in Connecticut. During the last breeding atlas, in the 1980s, the species was largely confined to the northwest corner of the state, with only scattered records of possible breeding elsewhere. Since then, the species is known to have spread south and east, but exactly how much was unclear. Continue reading “Expanding woodpeckers”
Can we confirm robins in every block?
Last summer I wrote a blog post highlighting 12 species that it should be possible to confirm as breeders in almost all atlas blocks. That list is reproduced here:
1. Song sparrow
2. American robin
3. Gray catbird
4. Black-capped chickadee
5. Mourning dove
6. Northern cardinal
7. Blue jay
8. House finch
9. Common yellowthroat
10. House sparrow
11. Chipping sparrow
12. Tufted titmouse
8. House finch
9. Common yellowthroat
10. House sparrow
11. Chipping sparrow
12. Tufted titmouse
Where have all the parids gone? (Answer: probably nowhere)
The summer of 2018 proved to be a really great start for the atlas, but whenever we present last year’s data we are constantly pointing out that comparisons to the first atlas need to be made with care. In part, we make these cautions because the data are still being reviewed to ensure we’ve made no errors. But, the main reason is simply that the historic data come from five years of field work, not just one. Continue reading “Where have all the parids gone? (Answer: probably nowhere)”