[CT Birds] White Ibis report

[Greg Hanisek]

One of the two observers in the earlier post of a White Ibis report from Clinton provided the following details, which I think are worth posting. Greg Hanisek

WHITE IBIS SIGHTING

First, I should mention that my wife and I are quite familiar with  
the White Ibis and we both concurred immediately that this is what it  
was.  I have photographed them on Keywaden Island in SW Florida where  
you get small flocks working the beach.  ....  There  
is no doubt that this was an Ibis and easily determined by its red  
down curved bill, flap flap glide flight and trailing legs.  The head  
was extended - no way that it was either a Great Egret or .... (Snowy) Egret which fly with the head retracted  
and have a more haphazard flight.  The bird flew over the road about  
50ft ahead of the car and at about 30ft up.  It was traversing south  
across Rte 1 in Clinton to the east of Meadow Rd into the marsh close  
to Causeway close to the Clinton/Westbrook border.  We had just left  
a nearby shopping center and were driving at about 30mph.  It was not  
a hurried observation.  There is extensive marshland in this area and  
I would expect that it might well stay as there should be plenty of  
small marine crustaceans etc for it to find.  The time was just  
before 5pm with the sun behind us.

Graham Scott