[CT Birds] Broad-wingeds to the left of us...

[greg hanisek]

OK, now I have to weigh in with a little more detail. As Dave intimated here, the Broad-winged Hawk thing may have begun to take on a life of its own. Earlier this winter there were 4 reports of BW, and now we've had 3 more in a matter of days. To put this in perspective, historically there have been virtually no BWs in North America after early December and very few in the Northeast before April. This is not to say that none of the reports this winter in CT is correct, but the number is so astounding that it seems unlikely they can all be right.
   
  I've spoken with some of you who have reported BWs this winter and have gotten some good details from some observers. That is the point I'd like to emphasize - details. When you see a bird during its normal season, a casual observation carries little significance. However, when you see a bird outside its normal season, your observation has a major impact on the historical record. Considering that there is only one fairly well-documented BW record for CT prior to this year, all of these reports change the historic record dramatically. That's why a report out of season should be handled the same way you would report an overall rarity, like maybe a Gyrfalcon. Connecticut has more Gyrfalcon records than confirmed winter BW records. Don't be satisified with a casual identification. Nail it down completely or consider it one that got away.
   
  I realize this might sound like a lecture (especially to you poor souls who take a birding class with me) but I'm just a little obsessive about records considering my long history as a field notes editor.
   
  Based on that history, I can tell you that throughout my formative birding years, reporting a BW in winter was the sure sign of an inexperienced and incautious birder. Of course I grew up birding in NJ in the 50s, 60s and early 70s, when attending an all-male meeting of the Urner Ornithological Club in Newark was like having a sit down with the Sopranos. Ridicule was a time honored teaching method. Needless to say this kind of inflexibility also can bias things in the opposite direction. Good documentation will have Tony and Pauly Walnuts buying you a nice ossibuco (sic).
   
  Any way if that part of my background leaches out of me occasionally like detritus from a landfill, please accept that I'm otherwsie quite charming. Anyway, I'm keeping track of all the reports, because there is some recent indication of various migration schedules stretching out on both ends. When I began biridng there were virtually no March BW records. Now the first few seem to arrive in LATE March every year. The information we're compiling may eventually show a significant trend, but it will be best verified with detail accounts of unusual sightings (and of course some photos would be nice. Raptors are hard to identify and not conducive to quick positive IDs).
   
  I'm smiling when I'm writing this...
   
  Greg Hanisek
  Waterbury
   
   
   
  
David.F.Provencher at dom.com wrote:
  
Oi! Here a Broad-winged, there a Broad-winged, everywhere a Broad-winged!
Either things really are shifting or it's stint fever. I did see several
Red-shouldered this winter...

Dave



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