Looking on Google Earth, if I'm not mistaken it looks like it's only about 8 miles "as the flycatcher flies" from that park to Cranberry Pond in White Memorial where in past years I've found Alders apparently nesting. Greg knows the habitat better for sure but if the habitat would support them, it doesn't seem a stretch for them to be found that short a distance away. Nice find. Jim The Fat Robin Wild Bird and Nature Shop 3000 Whitney Ave. Hamden, CT 06518 www.fatrobin.com 203-248-7068 Toll Free U.S. 1-866-Fat-Robin Jim Zipp Bird Photography www.JimZipp.com ----- Original Message ---- From: William Sweet <w.sweet@sbcglobal.net> To: William Sweet <w.sweet@sbcglobal.net>; ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 3:47:31 PM Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Willow or Alder? Bill, Your recollection of my thoughts last year are right on the money. Funny you should post this, because I went up to the site a week or so ago and heard what I assume is the same bird in the same place. While I was there he sounded very much like an Alder, despite my doubts about an Alder being in that location. I was going to post something then but never got around to it. As I listened to song after song I thought maybe this is an Alder and they're going to start a little southward range expansion, ala Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. I was probably influenced by the fact that there was a sapsucker there at the time drumming on a utility pole (well south of that species' historic range in CT)! So the safe answer right now is: interesting and I'm not really sure what's up. Greg Hanisek Waterbury William Sweet <w.sweet@sbcglobal.net> wrote: Last year I posted on the subject of a possible Alder Flycatcher in Veteran's Park in Watertown (actually in the powerline cut behind the park). The song was so much like an Alder to me that I recorded it as such for a couple of years in my journal. After the post last year, Greg Hanisek investigated this bird and he agreed it was a song very much like an Alder but he was leaning toward a Willow singing like an Alder as the habitat is very much Willow friendly. Greg - please correct me if I'm wrong with your estimation. Anyway - Today at noon I took a walk in the powerline cut and heard a flycatcher song that was a little more Willow than Alder but yet still mixed... not quite a pure Willow song. It will be interesting to see (if this bird hangs around) if this song becomes more Alder-like as it settles in over the next month as in the previous years. If anyone is interested... Veteran's Park in Watertown is on Nova Scotia Drive off of 262. If you drive the loop-road and come to the basketball courts... Park there. The path to the powerline cut is across from the courts. Keep straight on the path and goes to the right and connects to a service trail. Walk that service trail. This area has been pretty good birding over the years. _______________________________________________ This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org _______________________________________________ This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org

Hello Jim, This is one of the fascinating things about Alder Flycatcher. It seems to have a very clearly demarcated southern limit in the state. So far, I'm not aware of any breaking out. That 8 miles might as well be 80 based on happenings to date. But things have changed in that direction with other birds (sapsucker, raven), and quite quickly, so you never know when a bird like this Watertown guy will represent a move away from the norm. That's a great thing about this list. If it starts to happen, we can share info very easily. Greg Hanisek Waterbury ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Zipp" <jimzipp@sbcglobal.net> To: "William Sweet" <w.sweet@sbcglobal.net>; <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 6:56 PM Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Willow or Alder? > Looking on Google Earth, if I'm not mistaken it looks like it's only about > 8 miles "as the flycatcher flies" from that park to Cranberry Pond in > White Memorial where in past years I've found Alders apparently nesting. > Greg knows the habitat better for sure but if the habitat would support > them, it doesn't seem a stretch for them to be found that short a distance > away. Nice find. > > Jim > > The Fat Robin Wild Bird and Nature Shop > 3000 Whitney Ave. Hamden, CT 06518 > www.fatrobin.com > 203-248-7068 > Toll Free U.S. 1-866-Fat-Robin > > Jim Zipp Bird Photography www.JimZipp.com > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: William Sweet <w.sweet@sbcglobal.net> > To: William Sweet <w.sweet@sbcglobal.net>; ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org > Sent: Tuesday, June 3, 2008 3:47:31 PM > Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Willow or Alder? > > Bill, > > Your recollection of my thoughts last year are right on the money. > Funny you > should post this, because I went up to the site a week or so ago and > heard > what I assume is the same bird in the same place. While I was there he > sounded very much like an Alder, despite my doubts about an Alder being > in > that location. I was going to post something then but never got around > to > it. As I listened to song after song I thought maybe this is an Alder > and > they're going to start a little southward range expansion, ala > Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. I was probably influenced by the fact that > there > was a sapsucker there at the time drumming on a utility pole (well > south of > that species' historic range in CT)! > > So the safe answer right now is: interesting and I'm not really sure > what's > up. > > Greg Hanisek > Waterbury > > > William Sweet <w.sweet@sbcglobal.net> wrote: Last year I posted on the > subject of a possible Alder Flycatcher in Veteran's Park in Watertown > (actually in the powerline cut behind the park). The song was so much like > an Alder to me that I recorded it as such for a couple of years in my > journal. > > After the post last year, Greg Hanisek investigated this bird and he > agreed it was a song very much like an Alder but he was leaning toward a > Willow singing like an Alder as the habitat is very much Willow friendly. > Greg - please correct me if I'm wrong with your estimation. > > Anyway - Today at noon I took a walk in the powerline cut and heard a > flycatcher song that was a little more Willow than Alder but yet still > mixed... not quite a pure Willow song. It will be interesting to see (if > this bird hangs around) if this song becomes more Alder-like as it settles > in over the next month as in the previous years. > > If anyone is interested... Veteran's Park in Watertown is on Nova Scotia > Drive off of 262. If you drive the loop-road and come to the basketball > courts... Park there. The path to the powerline cut is across from the > courts. Keep straight on the path and goes to the right and connects to a > service trail. Walk that service trail. This area has been pretty good > birding over the years. > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) > for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org > > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) > for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) > for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org > >

I don't have my records handy at the moment, but there was a bird fairly south in Rhode Island determined to be an Alder Flycatcher a few years back. It returned for at least two breeding seasons. Does anyone remember where? There were also several Alder Flycatchers in Pomfret during the breeding season back when I used to bird that area in the late 90's. Are they still there? Glenn Williams Mystic, CT

Hi Glenn, It looks like we're getting a pretty decent discussion going on the status of Alder Flycatcher in the state. I'm aware from others' reports that there are some Alders in the northeast part of the state (such as Pomfret). I recall Mark Szantyr (he may want to chime in) mentioning a site somewhere out east. I also recall him saying he had very limited contact with them out there. Clay Taylor told me that there were Alders at Durham Meadows many years ago. I'm not aware of any established territorial birds that far south now, but someone out there may have info that hasn't been disseminated. Zeranski & Baptist mention possible (but not confirmed) breeding in the Conn R Valley south of Hartford. Again, I'm not aware of any territorial birds in that area now. It's possible (totally specualtive on my part) that various attempts by Alder to extend its range in CT have failed because of the dominance of Willow Fly where they occur together (from Birds of N.A. Online). It's also good to note that Alder is probably the latest migrant among CT's breeding species, so birds heard singing Alder songs even now in southern areas may be migrants (as Frank Gallo noted in a post on one from the recent Stratford Bioblitz). Greg Hanisek ----- Original Message ----- From: "Glenn Williams" <gswilliams9@yahoo.com> To: "Greg Hanisek" <ghanisek@rep-am.com>; "Jim Zipp" <jimzipp@sbcglobal.net> Cc: <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 5:09 PM Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Willow or Alder? > > I don't have my records handy at the moment, but there > was a bird fairly south in Rhode Island determined to > be an Alder Flycatcher a few years back. It returned > for at least two breeding seasons. Does anyone > remember where? There were also several Alder > Flycatchers in Pomfret during the breeding season back > when I used to bird that area in the late 90's. Are > they still there? > > Glenn Williams > Mystic, CT > > > > >

I have only encountered one "good" Alder Flycatcher up in the northeast. It ws a bird from late May in the wet area at the back of Middle Reservoir in East Killingly. I have, however, heard birds singing an alder song at dawn only to change over to a good willow song by about 8:00am. This makes censusing for this species difficult. I think there is some literature reference to this occuring but I will have to look it up. In George Clark's book, it is listed as an uncommon migrant and a local rare summer visitor. It is historically thought to have bred in the area. What also makes this difficult is the perceptual differences between people and how they perceive just what sound a bird is making. I have seen two or three people disagree as to whaich song they were hearing on more than one occasion. Mark Mark S.Szantyr 80 Bicknell Road Apt. 9 Ashford, CT 06278 USA Birddog55@Charter.net 860-487-9766 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Greg Hanisek" <ghanisek@rep-am.com> To: "Glenn Williams" <gswilliams9@yahoo.com>; "Jim Zipp" <jimzipp@sbcglobal.net> Cc: <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 6:43 PM Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Willow or Alder? > Hi Glenn, > > It looks like we're getting a pretty decent discussion going on the status > of Alder Flycatcher in the state. I'm aware from others' reports that > there > are some Alders in the northeast part of the state (such as Pomfret). I > recall Mark Szantyr (he may want to chime in) mentioning a site somewhere > out east. I also recall him saying he had very limited contact with them > out > there. > > Clay Taylor told me that there were Alders at Durham Meadows many years > ago. > I'm not aware of any established territorial birds that far south now, but > someone out there may have info that hasn't been disseminated. Zeranski & > Baptist mention possible (but not confirmed) breeding in the Conn R Valley > south of Hartford. Again, I'm not aware of any territorial birds in that > area now. > > It's possible (totally specualtive on my part) that various attempts by > Alder to extend its range in CT have failed because of the dominance of > Willow Fly where they occur together (from Birds of N.A. Online). > > It's also good to note that Alder is probably the latest migrant among > CT's > breeding species, so birds heard singing Alder songs even now in southern > areas may be migrants (as Frank Gallo noted in a post on one from the > recent > Stratford Bioblitz). > > Greg Hanisek > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Glenn Williams" <gswilliams9@yahoo.com> > To: "Greg Hanisek" <ghanisek@rep-am.com>; "Jim Zipp" > <jimzipp@sbcglobal.net> > Cc: <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> > Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 5:09 PM > Subject: Re: [CT Birds] Willow or Alder? > > >> >> I don't have my records handy at the moment, but there >> was a bird fairly south in Rhode Island determined to >> be an Alder Flycatcher a few years back. It returned >> for at least two breeding seasons. Does anyone >> remember where? There were also several Alder >> Flycatchers in Pomfret during the breeding season back >> when I used to bird that area in the late 90's. Are >> they still there? >> >> Glenn Williams >> Mystic, CT >> >> >> >> >> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) > for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org >