From Howie Sternberg: 01/02/15 - Haddam, Haddam Meadows -- 1 Northern Shrike at 3:39 PM on top of trees to the right (north) side of the yellow gate into the fish hatchery, opposite the boat launch. Seen briefly, it appeared once the wind stopped blowing when other small birds were out and about on the ground directly below. From Kevin Doyle: 01/02/15 - Milford, Milford Point -- The Snowy Owl was all over the sand dune from one end to the other with many flyovers moving from one area to another. From Jason Rieger: 01/02/15 - Milford, Jonathon Law Pond -- Eurasian Wigeon continues. Milford Point -- Snowy Owl scoped from platform out on sandbar; flushed by paparazzi and flew east and settled in brush. Stratford, Long Beach -- Possible Vesper Sparrow in grassy area beyond parking lot. Large sparrow, finely streaked breast, bright white handle-bar mustache, lores and eye ring; dull gray-brown scaps, showed rufous on upper folded wing. From Bev Propen: 01/02/15 - Stratford, Birdseye Boat Ramp -- 8:40 AM; 1 AMERICAN BITTERN in reeds, very well camouflaged with bill straight up in air. From Russ Smiley: 01/02/15 - Hartford, Goodwin Park -- 8:00 AM; Cackling Goose and Brant (among about 500 CAGOs) in partly open north pond. (BTW, Wethersfield Cove Park closed for road work this morning.) Madison, Hammonassett Beach SP -- 12:35 PM: YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT emerged from a cedar by the benches at the nature center. Seen by Chuck Imbergamo and I (while wondering where the grasshopper sparrow is). From Robert Dixon: 01/02/15 - Groton, Eastern / Avery Point -- BONAPARTE'S GULL. North Stonington, Parke Preserve (Babcock Rd) -- pair NORTHERN SHOVELER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER. From Jack Swatt: 01/02/15 - Wallingford, MacKenzie Reservoir -- a blue-phase SNOW GOOSE present. From Dave Winston with Patrick Dugan: 01/02/15 - Stamford, Cove Island Park -- Painted Bunting showed itself for just a couple of minutes around 9:30 AM; not relocated as of 10:54. From Preston Lust: 01/02/15 - Westport, Sherwood Millpond Preserve -- Northern Pintail continues. From Bill Asteriades: 01/02/15 - Hartford, Riverside Park -- BRANT (with Canada Geese). East Hartford, Hockanum River Linear Trail by Scotland Road -- 2 NORTHERN PINTAIL (1 drake). Wethersfield, Wethersfield Cove -- GLAUCOUS GULL continues. From Tina Green with Don Morgan, Jory Teltser, the Batsfords, many others: 01/02/15 - Milford-Silver Sands State Park -- 2 Short-eared Owls continue and thrilled a crowd of birders, hunting in the fields and perching on the fence (as spotted by Donna Batsford). BTW, Don Morgan saw one owl at about 3:45 and I spoke to a man who said he sees them between 2-4 PM sometimes. From Sarah Faulkner: 01/02/15 - Stratford, Frash Pond -- 2 Northern Pintail. Peck’s Mill Pond -- Female Northern shoveler. From Cathy Rado: 01/02/15 - Fairfield, Jennings Beach -- Common Eider at the end of the jetty. Ash Creek -- several Eurasian Wigeons. From Stefan Martin: 01/02/15 - Greenwich, Tod's Point -- Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and a 1st winter Iceland Gull working the exposed flat near 'sand island'. From Scott Kruitbosch: 01/01/15 - Stratford, Sikorsky Bridge Park/Walkway -- afternoon; 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS; if you walk the path towards the bridge you will likely find them in and along the tree line running parallel and directly against the Merritt Parkway. They stayed very close to one another the entire time. From Alex Burdo: 01/01/15 - Fairfield, Pine Creek Area -- 1 PEREGRINE FALCON, 1 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, 1-2 COMMON RAVEN, 1 FOX SPARROW, 1 Lesser Scaup. Scandinavian Club -- 1 FOX SPARROW.