As is often the case, discussion on the CTbirds listserv, starting with a post by Preston Lust, led me to take a look at the preliminary atlas species maps this morning. This time, the subject was waterthrushes.
Month: July 2020
Yard atlasing
Birders keep lists. We all know that, even if we don’t do it ourselves. Some are more compulsive than others. A few months ago, I wrote about the potential for adding atlas data without ever leaving home and I noted that I’d confirmed breeding in a fair number of species just by watching the birds from my office window. At the time, I didn’t know the exact number, but this weekend I made a proper list. Continue reading
Confirming hummingbirds
Recently I was asked if we’d written a blog post on hummingbirds and had to answer “no”. Ever since, I’ve been thinking about what there is to say on how to confirm breeding for the state’s smallest nesters, as it can be surprisingly difficult (though not as bad as for the closely-related chimney swift). Continue reading
Confirming thrushes
On the ctbirds listserve, Chris Wood recently described how his experience finding hermit thrushes in his blocks led him to look into the atlas data on the species. Others have chimed in with suggestions of how and where to find them (hemlock groves are often key).
Recently fledged hermit thrush, as revealed by the buffy spots on the wings and head.
Confirming birds in practice
In my last post I described the value of birding in July, as there are many good opportunities to confirm breeding by species. That was the theory, though; how does it translate into practice? Continue reading
July is the month
When we started the atlas, we told everyone that our goal was to have 20 hours of breeding season survey effort in each block. That time could all be spent by one person who “adopts” the block, or it could be from a mix of people. And, we asked that the time be spread evenly across the breeding season, including visits to all habitats, and with at least a little time listening for nocturnal species. Continue reading