[CT Birds] Your next life bird

[COMINS, Patrick]

I was hoping that this week would bring Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman's Sparrow and/or Brown-headed Nuthatch (obviously I'm not in CT, but on a business trip to North Carolina), but the week has been so chock full that I haven't had a chance to go looking for them and won't likely before I go home tomorrow.

Maybe my next one will be Western Tanager, but I don't have such a great track record with chasing birds...or lately even finding time to do so.  I did once spend several hours a few years back in a nice person's living room on the day after one had regularly been coming to a yard.  I finally got to Lighthouse Point Park 15 minutes after the last sighting of the Calliope Hummingbird and to Sandy Point the day after the last report of Snowy Plover (the last one would have only been a state bird though).

Other eastern birds that have eluded me:  Boreal Chickadee, Northern Hawk Owl, Black-backed and Three-toed Woodpeckers and a common nemesis, Spruce Grouse.  Dovekie is perhaps the only bird I have seen and ID'd that I still don't count on my life list.  I was leading a trip and scanning with my scope.  I shouted "Dovekie" and jumped out of the way so the participants could see it.  Everyone enjoyed looks, but it dove before I got to see it, never to be found again.  My look was so short I still don't believe my eyes.  At the other extreme, Swainson's Warbler, MS Kite and S-b Ani have always successfully eluded me.  Finally, I don't believe in Henslow's or Le Conte's Sparrows, although some of my colleagues from NY and PA continue the conspiracy and just today were talking about conservation of one of the fictional sparrows.

Three I am really hoping to add to my life and Connecticut lists are Slaty-backed, Ross' and Black-tailed Gulls...those I'll chase.

Patrick Comins, Meriden