White Memorial Organizing BioBlitz for 2013

Middletown BioBlitz

White Memorial is proud to announce that it is planning a BioBlitz for May 31 - June 1, 2013 as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of White Memorial Foundation's incorporation.  A BioBlitz is an event where every living organism is counted within a 24 hour period.  Scientists who study specific groups of flora and fauna, referred to as taxonomists, perform the counting and are helped by volunteers.  Families are welcome to attend nature walks, learn more about our natural world, and participate in the inventory.  BioBlitzes are intense with every one trying to count as many species as possible and are loads of fun!  Thousands of organisms are counted by experts and amateurs in only 24 hours.  Our organizing committee consists of local educators, scientists, and conservationists.  Check back here to learn more about our BioBlitz in 2013!

Sue Clarkin, Wamogo High School Science Teacher
April Devereux, Wamogo High School Science Teacher
James Fischer, White Memorial Cons. Ctr. Research Director
Gerri Griswold, White Memorial Cons. Ctr. Director of Administration and Development
Jeff Greenwood, White Memorial Cons. Ctr. Education Director
Nicki Hall, Litchfield Hills Audubon Society Board Member
Twan Leenders, Connecticut Audubon Society Conservation Biologist
John Markelon, Litchfield High School Science Teacher

Results from the BIG SIT and other fall migration monitoring

Yellow-billed Cuckoo photo by Ronnie Maum

from http://www.fws.gov/

Pectoral Sandpiper photo by Paul Lewis

from http://www.carolinabirdclub.org/

American Redstart from http://www.tringa.org/

American Pipit from http://www.tringa.org/

White-crowned Sparrow photo by

Keith Carolson from http://www.idahofishandgame.gov/

Lincoln's Sparrow photo by Linda Williams

from http://www.cornell.edu/

Savannah Sparrow photo by Paul Fusco

from http://www.paulfuscowildlifephotography.com/

The cold, wet weather that has been a nuisance to us for much of this month has also played a role in the fall bird migration. It stalled on rainy days and moved along at a brisk pace on pleasant days and nights. Winds out of the south also hindered migration activity on some days. For birders, this often meant a bounty of birds on the few nice days this month. One period of time that was especially good was from the 7th through the 11th. Many birds were seen then, including our first American Pipits of the year, which were seen and heard flying over the Museum Area. The Litchfield Hills Audubon Society team conducting the Big Sit bird survey on the Sutton's Bridge portion of the Little Pond boardwalk on the 9th got our first Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Pine Siskin of the year. They also got other rarities like Pectoral Sandpiper, Sora, and Lincoln's Sparrow; and they had some unusually late migrants like Solitary Sandpiper and American Redstart. Before dawn they heard Great Horned, Barred, Eastern Screech, and Northern Saw-whet Owls calling. In all, this survey produced a very respectable 78 species. The day before the Big Sit I led a walk for mostly beginning and novice birders to Pine Island and the Old Sewer Beds portion of the Little Pond Trail. Highlights on this walk were 4 Red-breasted Nuthatches, a Blue-headed Vireo, and several Golden-crowned Kinglets at Pine Island, and 3 White-crowned Sparrows, a Field Sparrow, and a Lincoln's Sparrow at the Old Sewer Beds. We also saw Lincoln's Sparrows in Ongley and Activity Fields this past week. That's pretty good for a species that is usually rare and hard to find! Ongley Field has also produced a Savannah Sparrow and lots of White-throated and Chipping Sparrows over the past 10 days. Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers have been prevalent around the Museum Area, and Dark-eyed Juncos have been increasing slowly, but steadily in number since Friday, 10/7. Nice weather today, tonight, and tomorrow should bring even more migrants to, and through, northwest Connecticut.

2011 Litchfield Hills Audubon Summer Bird Count Results on White Memorial Foundation Property Only

Canada Goose	48
Mute Swan	5
Wood Duck	37
Mallard	53
Common Merganser	1
Wild Turkey	21
Double-crested Cormorant	20
Great Blue Heron	14
Turkey Vulture	4
Osprey	1
Bald Eagle	4
Sharp-shinned Hawk	1
Cooper's Hawk	5
Broad-winged Hawk	8
Red-tailed Hawk	10
American Kestrel	1
Merlin	1
Virginia Rail	4
Killdeer	11
American Woodcock	6
Mourning Dove	146
Great Horned Owl	2
Barred Owl	16
Chimney Swift	26
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	15
Belted Kingfisher	5
Red-bellied Woodpecker	47
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	122
Downy Woodpecker	100
Hairy Woodpecker	28
Northern Flicker	32
Pileated Woodpecker	19
Eastern Wood-Pewee	54
Acadian Flycatcher	2
Alder Flycatcher	25
Willow Flycatcher	24
Eastern Phoebe	35
Great Crested Flycatcher	66
Eastern Kingbird	69
Yellow-throated Vireo	22
Blue-headed Vireo	8
Warbling Vireo	40
Red-eyed Vireo	242
Blue Jay	90
American Crow	223
Fish Crow	7
Common Raven	2
N. Rough-winged Swallow	10
Tree Swallow	234
Bank Swallow	1
Barn Swallow	41
Black-capped Chickadee	233
Tufted Titmouse	164
Red-breasted Nuthatch	8
White-breasted Nuthatch	61
Brown Creeper	14
Carolina Wren	3
House Wren	18
Winter Wren	1
Marsh Wren	27
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	34
Eastern Bluebird	52
Veery	428
Hermit Thrush	23
Wood Thrush	154
American Robin	310
Gray Catbird	465
Northern Mockingbird	1
European Starling	101
Cedar Waxwing	402
Blue-winged Warbler	29
Yellow Warbler	307
Chestnut-sided Warbler	45
Magnolia Warbler	2
Black-throated Blue Warbler	2
Yellow-rumped Warbler	12
Black-throated Green Warbler	49
Blackburnian Warbler	18
Pine Warbler	57
Black-and-White Warbler	112
American Redstart	113
Worm-eating Warbler	4
Ovenbird	244
Northern Waterthrush	13
Louisiana Waterthrush	4
Common Yellowthroat	306
Canada Warbler	17
Eastern Towhee	75
Chipping Sparrow	205
Field Sparrow	2
Song Sparrow	231
Swamp Sparrow	232
Dark-eyed Junco	2
Scarlet Tanager	60
Northern Cardinal	147
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	30
Indigo Bunting	6
Bobolink	4
Red-winged Blackbird	411
Common Grackle	253
Brown-headed Cowbird	50
Orchard Oriole	1
Baltimore Oriole	68
Purple Finch	42
House Finch	51
American Goldfinch	277
House Sparrow	31

Count Period: June 8 - 15, 2011 with focus on June 11 & 12, 2011
Total Species: 107

Total Individuals: 7999

Party Hours: 84

Parties: 12

Observers (18): Patti & Rich Clarke, Mike Doyle, John Eykelhoff, Samantha Foster, Carol & John Grabowski, James Harmon, Roger Johnson, Jim Kandefer, Marie Kennedy, John Marshall, Donna McLean, Russ Naylor, Darlene Pelletier, Alyssa Rosenberg, Dave Rosgen, John Shugrue