[CT Daily] 03/24/2007 SMITH'S LONGSPUR, LITTLE GULL

[Roy Harvey]

About half the subscribers to the daily report are not joined to
CTBirds.  Those of you who do subscribe to CTBirds had the chance to
read about the SMITH'S LONGSPUR reported this morning, instead of
waiting until tonight.  Immediate distribution is just one of the
strengths of the CTBirds list.  Note that there are only two previous
records of this species in Connecticut.

Likewise there are advantages to sending your reports there.  As Nick
Bonomo put it, "People seem not to be reporting good birds on this
listserv (CTBIRDS)..... Remember, if you don't report rarities on
CTBirds, there's no way others will find out about them before dark!
If you're out in the field you could always call someone at a computer
to report a rare bird for you. That way the report gets out to the
masses."

 From Larry Flynn:
3/23 - Westport, Sherwood Island State Park -- 1 SMITH's LONGSPUR at
the model airplane field.  Photographed and identity confirmed.  Also
4 Eastern Meadowlark, 2 Wilson's Snipe,

 From various birders:
3/24 - Westport, Sherwood Island State Park -- No Smith's Longspur
relocated at the model airplane field or anywhere else in the par.
Eastern Meadowlarks and Wilson's Snipe were seen.

 From Julian Hough:
3/24 - Milford, Oyster River -- 11:30-12:00pm Adult LITTLE GULL with
150 Bonapartes.  Bird was feeding on the water just to the west of
Oyster River, best viewed from the end of Wall Street

 From Charlie Barnard with Penny Solum and Dennis Varza:
3/24 - Southport, western end of Southport Beach (Pequot Avenue) --
BLACK-HEADED GULL in with about 180 Bonaparte's gulls.  This spot is
usually OK within at least 2 hours of either side of low tide.

 From Paul Cianfaglione:
3/24 - South Windsor, Vibert Road -- 1 adult NORTHERN SHRIKE.

 From Luke Tiller with Nick Bonomo
3/24 - Westport, Compo Beach -- 1 ICELAND GULL continues, 1 LITTLE
GULL. The Little Gull was with a very small group of Bonaparte's. It
was seen looking directly out from the parking lot between the cannons
and the bath houses from the parking lot. It was drifting further out
eastward when last seen at about 4.00pm.

 From Robert Dixon:
3/23 - Old Mystic, soaring over Whitehall Ave. (near the firehouse
roost) -- BLACK VULTURE (4).

 From Donna Lorello:
3/24 - Branford -- The WHITE-WINGED DOVE is back!  Definitely was his
feathers that were on the ground - I've taken some pictures and you
can tell he's lost several tail, wing and body feathers.  But, he's
still around.  Maybe I should name him "Lucky".

 From Fred Norton:
3/24 - Stonington, on field @ corner Pequot Trail & N. Anguilla Drive
in wet area -- 6 WILSON'S SNIPE


Migration Note:

Bonaparte Gulls -- "While Boneys can be found anywhere along the
coast, there are a few reliable spots to find them. These include
South Cove in Old Saybrook, Oyster River in West Haven/Milford,
Seaside Park area in Bridgeport, and Southport Beach (aka Sasco River
mouth) in Southport.  All of these sites are productive near low tide
when the mudflats are available for roosting. At the higher tides the
birds often disperse into LI Sound to feed. Tomorrow's low tide at
Oyster River is about 11:30 am."