On Feb 1, 2022, at 12:58 AM, Andrew MacDonald andrew.macdonald.ns@gmail.com wrote:

Chuck - Appreciate your response.

I do wonder if there is a way to forward those eBird Rare Bird Alerts to this listserve as I believe that’s why most are signed up here to begin with - to receive news immediately when a possible rarity is sighted.

I understand there is a fine line between creating excitement and needing to confirm the identification. But I would contend that at a place like Hammo there is really no downside in reporting a “possible” Mega-rarity sighting. Perhaps the header on the topic could be “Unconfirmed report: Species X at Location X searchers needed”. I would certainly not do this at private residences or small areas with limited parking, but at our large state parks I do not see the harm at all in putting the word out of a possible sighting to get people to come search. Especially if the search is for a needle in a haystack - the chances of finding that needle go up exponentially if there are more people looking for it.

I’m sure you can understand my frustration when, unbeknownst to me, there is a search underway nearby for a mega-rarity, and likely life bird for many, and word is not put out on a server that is meant for that purpose. I’m sure many others would have gladly joined a search at the drop of a hat today for this bird had word got out.

Just my .02. Hope it is found tomorrow!

On Jan 31, 2022, at 11:35 PM, Chuck Imbergamo imbercj@comcast.net wrote:


Hi Andrew – Those of us looking found out because of eBird and the Rare Bird Alert function.  You can sign up for them on eBird; depending on your settings they can come to you as emails rather quickly, which is why we headed to Hammo so fast.

I didn’t post about our search on the list because at the time I didn’t know if the person who saw it was certain, and I didn’t want to create excitement for a bird we hadn’t actually seen and that was only a second-hand report.

And to be honest, this will be a tough one to find.  The words ‘needle in a haystack’ were spoken many times today.

Maybe see you tomorrow – this would be a good needle to find!

Chuck Imbergamo
CT Birds Moderator
Madison

From: Andrew MacDonald
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2022 11:14 PM
To: Chuck Imbergamo
Cc: SARAH FAULKNER; ctbirds
Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Re: Varied Thrush

Curious what the point of this listserve is if this many birders are alerted to a mega rarity and it’s not reported on here. Did I miss a message?

I’m guessing many others would have left the house in 15 minutes to look for this bird.

On Jan 31, 2022, at 10:52 PM, Chuck Imbergamo imbercj@comcast.net wrote:

Hi All – I was alerted to Sarah’s eBird report by Hammo specialist Micky Komara and I was on-site and looking within 15 minutes - this would be a lifer for me, so I wasted no time getting out the door!

I was joined by Micky, Julian Hough, John Oshlick, Russ Smiley and Paul Desjardins.  Some looked for a while and had to leave, but after 2+ hours no one found the bird.  There was a lot of activity with Robins, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Starlings…and there was a Sharp-shinned Hawk hunting and causing a lot of commotion.  At one point I heard what I thought was a Hermit Thrush but I have since learned that the Varied Thrush has a similar call, so perhaps that was him…maybe!

To clarify on the location, there is a very dense cedar stand on both sides of the road just past the East Beach parking area as you head out to Meig’s Point.  The cedars on both sides are before the pull-off ahead on the right.  Looking on the map, the point where Sarah saw the bird is approximately at 41.257509, -72.552345, the north side of the road.  It is a VERY tough place to look because there is a lot of snow, the cedars are very dense and there are a lot of cars and no place for people, unless you’re standing in the snow.

Best bet is to park at the East Beach lot and wear tall boots to walk the snow.

I will likely try again for a while tomorrow AM but I also learned that this species is a skulker so it’s probably a long shot.

Fingers crossed!

Chuck Imbergamo
CT Birds Moderator
Madison

From: SARAH FAULKNER
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2022 9:45 PM
To: ctbirds
Subject: [CT Birds] Varied Thrush

Thank you to the group of expert birders who tried to relocate the varied thrush I saw at Hammonasset today. I saw it around noon in the grass under a cedar along the road, north side, about halfway between the roundabout and the Nature Center -- heavy cedars on both sides of the road for at least 100'.

It was very clearly a varied thrush - orange eyebrow, orange throat with black band beneath and then fading orange on lower breast, orange wingbars.  I thought it was a robin from shape and size before getting my bins on it and then was shocked.  I had pulled over -- no place to really stop but I stopped anyway -- because of the number of birds I saw flitting around in the cedars and flying across the road. It seemed very skittish, hiding under the cedar tree and moving quickly into the grass and back again when I saw it.  Then a loud vehicle came through from the other direction and spooked all the birds.  It flew into the cedars and I could not find it again.  I stayed for at least 20 minutes, maybe a lot longer...

There were many yellow-rumps and tons of robins.  Eventually something came through and put up all the robins and they few away en masse -- I estimated about 120.  At least 20 yellow rumps, maybe a lot more.

It's a tough place to see birds since the cedars are very dense and you're right on the road without a sidewalk.

Wish I could be more helpful -- I do hope someone else finds it!  I was delighted for even such a short view.

Sarah Faulkner
Collinsville

CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/
CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/
CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/
CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

On Feb 1, 2022, at 12:58 AM, Andrew MacDonald andrew.macdonald.ns@gmail.com wrote:

Chuck - Appreciate your response.

I do wonder if there is a way to forward those eBird Rare Bird Alerts to this listserve as I believe that’s why most are signed up here to begin with - to receive news immediately when a possible rarity is sighted.

I understand there is a fine line between creating excitement and needing to confirm the identification. But I would contend that at a place like Hammo there is really no downside in reporting a “possible” Mega-rarity sighting. Perhaps the header on the topic could be “Unconfirmed report: Species X at Location X searchers needed”. I would certainly not do this at private residences or small areas with limited parking, but at our large state parks I do not see the harm at all in putting the word out of a possible sighting to get people to come search. Especially if the search is for a needle in a haystack - the chances of finding that needle go up exponentially if there are more people looking for it.

I’m sure you can understand my frustration when, unbeknownst to me, there is a search underway nearby for a mega-rarity, and likely life bird for many, and word is not put out on a server that is meant for that purpose. I’m sure many others would have gladly joined a search at the drop of a hat today for this bird had word got out.

Just my .02. Hope it is found tomorrow!

On Jan 31, 2022, at 11:35 PM, Chuck Imbergamo imbercj@comcast.net wrote:


Hi Andrew – Those of us looking found out because of eBird and the Rare Bird Alert function.  You can sign up for them on eBird; depending on your settings they can come to you as emails rather quickly, which is why we headed to Hammo so fast.

I didn’t post about our search on the list because at the time I didn’t know if the person who saw it was certain, and I didn’t want to create excitement for a bird we hadn’t actually seen and that was only a second-hand report.

And to be honest, this will be a tough one to find.  The words ‘needle in a haystack’ were spoken many times today.

Maybe see you tomorrow – this would be a good needle to find!

Chuck Imbergamo
CT Birds Moderator
Madison

From: Andrew MacDonald
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2022 11:14 PM
To: Chuck Imbergamo
Cc: SARAH FAULKNER; ctbirds
Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Re: Varied Thrush

Curious what the point of this listserve is if this many birders are alerted to a mega rarity and it’s not reported on here. Did I miss a message?

I’m guessing many others would have left the house in 15 minutes to look for this bird.

On Jan 31, 2022, at 10:52 PM, Chuck Imbergamo imbercj@comcast.net wrote:

Hi All – I was alerted to Sarah’s eBird report by Hammo specialist Micky Komara and I was on-site and looking within 15 minutes - this would be a lifer for me, so I wasted no time getting out the door!

I was joined by Micky, Julian Hough, John Oshlick, Russ Smiley and Paul Desjardins.  Some looked for a while and had to leave, but after 2+ hours no one found the bird.  There was a lot of activity with Robins, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Starlings…and there was a Sharp-shinned Hawk hunting and causing a lot of commotion.  At one point I heard what I thought was a Hermit Thrush but I have since learned that the Varied Thrush has a similar call, so perhaps that was him…maybe!

To clarify on the location, there is a very dense cedar stand on both sides of the road just past the East Beach parking area as you head out to Meig’s Point.  The cedars on both sides are before the pull-off ahead on the right.  Looking on the map, the point where Sarah saw the bird is approximately at 41.257509, -72.552345, the north side of the road.  It is a VERY tough place to look because there is a lot of snow, the cedars are very dense and there are a lot of cars and no place for people, unless you’re standing in the snow.

Best bet is to park at the East Beach lot and wear tall boots to walk the snow.

I will likely try again for a while tomorrow AM but I also learned that this species is a skulker so it’s probably a long shot.

Fingers crossed!

Chuck Imbergamo
CT Birds Moderator
Madison

From: SARAH FAULKNER
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2022 9:45 PM
To: ctbirds
Subject: [CT Birds] Varied Thrush

Thank you to the group of expert birders who tried to relocate the varied thrush I saw at Hammonasset today. I saw it around noon in the grass under a cedar along the road, north side, about halfway between the roundabout and the Nature Center -- heavy cedars on both sides of the road for at least 100'.

It was very clearly a varied thrush - orange eyebrow, orange throat with black band beneath and then fading orange on lower breast, orange wingbars.  I thought it was a robin from shape and size before getting my bins on it and then was shocked.  I had pulled over -- no place to really stop but I stopped anyway -- because of the number of birds I saw flitting around in the cedars and flying across the road. It seemed very skittish, hiding under the cedar tree and moving quickly into the grass and back again when I saw it.  Then a loud vehicle came through from the other direction and spooked all the birds.  It flew into the cedars and I could not find it again.  I stayed for at least 20 minutes, maybe a lot longer...

There were many yellow-rumps and tons of robins.  Eventually something came through and put up all the robins and they few away en masse -- I estimated about 120.  At least 20 yellow rumps, maybe a lot more.

It's a tough place to see birds since the cedars are very dense and you're right on the road without a sidewalk.

Wish I could be more helpful -- I do hope someone else finds it!  I was delighted for even such a short view.

Sarah Faulkner
Collinsville

CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/
CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/
CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/

CTBirds, a service of Connecticut Ornithological Association - Bringing birders together statewide. Please support COA: https://www.ctbirding.org/join-us/
CTBirds is for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For list rules and subscription information visit: https://www.ctbirding.org/birds-birding/ct-birds-email-list/