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12/30/2013 Snowy Owls

RH
Roy Harvey
Tue, Dec 31, 2013 5:09 AM

Note: Snowy Owl reports Hartford(!), Bridgeport, West Haven, New
Haven, Stratford and Madison (Hammonasset).  Not bad.

From Gary Hamilton:
12/30/13 - Hartford -- 10:35 AM; Snowy Owl sitting on the roof of the
Community Court building at 80 Washington St, Visible only from
employee parking lot behind court.

From Randy Sabia:
12/30/13 - Hartford -- 11:30; Snowy Owl still there, best views from
adjacent parking garage.

From David Lawton:
12/30/13 - Hartford -- 11:45 AM; SNOWY OWL still atop 80 Washington
Street, sitting in the far northeast corner of the building on the
rooftop (not on the ledge) tucked between the floodlight and the ledge
corner).  Probably not visible from the ground but visible from the
Buckingham Parking Lot after going through security channels to gain
access.

From Jim Pfeifer:
12/30/13 - Hartford -- 12:45 PM; Snowy Owl being seen right now on
roof of 80 Washington street bldg in htfd.  Sitting on NE corner of
building.

From Roy Zartarian:
12/30/13 - Hartford -- 1:45 PM; Snowy Owl still there.

From SH Johnston:
12/30/13 - Hartford -- Snowy owl visible at 1:50 PM on NE corner of
100 Cedar Street in Hartford. Top of bird's head is visible  behind
parapet, just below large light fixture. Awake, looking around.
Appears to be a young bird? Visible from street level in front of 100
a Cedar Street. Be aware of posted parking regulations.

From various via Bill Asteriades:
12/30/13 - Hartford, Northeast corner of roof at the Community Court
building at 80 Washington St -- SNOWY OWL continues at 1:30 PM (head
is visible only from employee parking lot behind court).

From Katherine Kuckens:
12/30/13 - Hartford -- I observed the Snowy Owl just after noon today
from the employee parking lot behind 80 Washington. As others have
stated, the owl was hunkered down in the north east corner of the
roof, partially hidden by a low parapet. Several crows were making
quite a ruckus over it. I then got to see the owl from a top floor
office of the Family Court Building next door. The owl was nestled in
a pile of autumn leaves.  Next I got permission to go to the top of
the adjacent state office building parking garage, where the owl was
clearly visible below me. He appeared alert, looked around a lot,
including staring right at me.  He was heavily barred, one of the
darkest owls I've seen.  He seemed to have a problem with his left
eye, which was not fully open.  I also heard that a custodian at the
state office building saw the owl fly around and catch something,
which he took back to the roof and ate.

From Julian Hough:
12/30/13 - Bridgeport -- One female Snowy Owl perched on piling just
north of the Blackrock Yacht Club. Still present at 9:30 am preening
and looking settled.

From Robert Marra:
12/30/13 - West Haven -- Adult snowy Owl on beach almost directly
opposite skate park.  Surrounded by about 30 crows and a few gulls,
finally flew off over the Sound, circling back and alighting in a tree
near old Captain's Galley.

From John Oshlick:
12/30/13 - New Haven, Long Wharf -- 1 Snowy Owl sitting on top of the
Vietnam Memorial. It is quite white and likely is a male.

From Russ Smiley:
12/30/13 - New Haven, Long Wharf -- Snowy Owl continues at water's
edge. It appears to have a wounded right eye.

From Robert White:
12/30/13 - New Haven, Long Warf -- 3 PM; Snowy Owl still on the mud
flats.

From Nancy Meyer Lustman:
12/30/13 - New Haven, Long Warf -- 3:25 PM; Snowy Owl continues at
water's edge.  I agree with previous post, right eye appears to be
hurt.

From Dan and Emily Rottino:
12/30/13 - Old Lyme, Smith's Neck Landing -- 9:05 AM; 1 SNOWY OWL seen
perched in a tree on the opposite side of Great Island. We found it
with bins from the boat launch viewing platform.

From Hank Golet:
12/30/13 - Old Lyme, Great Island, From viewing platform -- dark Snowy
Owl on Great Island, lined up left of two pine trees that are left of
inner Saybrook Light.

From Roy Harvey:
12/30/13 - Stratford, Long Beach -- 1 Snowy Owl in the marsh behind
the parking lot. Seen from just passes the end of the parking lot
looking back toward end of causeway. Just a white spot in the grass.

From Russ Smiley:
12/30/13 - Madison, Hammonasset State Park -- 2:10 PM; Snowy Owl on
the jetty.  3:15 PM; Clay-colored Sparrow where Tim A last saw it, in
the shrubby patch by east end cabin area with all the tables.

From Roy Zartarian:
12/30/13 - Newington, Cedarcrest property -- 2 PEREGRINE FALCONS
perched on the antenna tower, seen from the southwest corner of Cedar
Hill Cemetery.

From Amy Jarratt:
12/30/13 - Stratford, backyard -- Rough-legged Hawk.

From Keith Mueller:
12/30/13 - Madison, Circle Beach -- 2:30 PM; 1st cycle Iceland Gull
found by Russ Smiley.  Thanks Russ for the heads up!  Also the
continuing adult Iceland made a brief appearance with a quick
fly over of the beach. It flew back to the East.

From Jo Fasciolo:
12/30/13 - Norwalk, yard -- Fox Sparrow ground feeding.

From Nick Ferrauolo:
12/29/13 - Wallingford -- 3:00; possible Townsend's Solitaire on
Parker Farms Road on the hill seen low in the trees near Pequot road.
(If searching for this bird be aware that the local residents are
predominantly elderly.)

From Tina Green, Frank Mantlik, Glenn Williams, Sara Zagorski:
12/30/13 - Stonington, Stonington Point -- 9:44 AM; we spent the last
two hours scanning the water.  We did not see a Black Guillemot but we
did see an interesting loon that we determined to be a Leusistic
Common Loon.We also had 18 Bonaparte's Gulls.
(Which resulted in this followup from yesterday
From John Marshall:
Though I still think the bird I reported was smaller than a loon and
showed a somewhat different distribution of black on the back and tail
and did not show any brown or yellow I have now seen a picture of the
leucistic Common Loon and it is similar enough to the bird I saw to
cast doubts on my identification of a Black Guillemot. I have removed
the Guillemot from my eBird report.

From Bill Banks:
12/30/13 - Derby, Derby Greenway -- 5 Black Vultures.

Note: Snowy Owl reports Hartford(!), Bridgeport, West Haven, New Haven, Stratford and Madison (Hammonasset). Not bad. From Gary Hamilton: 12/30/13 - Hartford -- 10:35 AM; Snowy Owl sitting on the roof of the Community Court building at 80 Washington St, Visible only from employee parking lot behind court. From Randy Sabia: 12/30/13 - Hartford -- 11:30; Snowy Owl still there, best views from adjacent parking garage. From David Lawton: 12/30/13 - Hartford -- 11:45 AM; SNOWY OWL still atop 80 Washington Street, sitting in the far northeast corner of the building on the rooftop (not on the ledge) tucked between the floodlight and the ledge corner). Probably not visible from the ground but visible from the Buckingham Parking Lot after going through security channels to gain access. From Jim Pfeifer: 12/30/13 - Hartford -- 12:45 PM; Snowy Owl being seen right now on roof of 80 Washington street bldg in htfd. Sitting on NE corner of building. From Roy Zartarian: 12/30/13 - Hartford -- 1:45 PM; Snowy Owl still there. From SH Johnston: 12/30/13 - Hartford -- Snowy owl visible at 1:50 PM on NE corner of 100 Cedar Street in Hartford. Top of bird's head is visible behind parapet, just below large light fixture. Awake, looking around. Appears to be a young bird? Visible from street level in front of 100 a Cedar Street. Be aware of posted parking regulations. From various via Bill Asteriades: 12/30/13 - Hartford, Northeast corner of roof at the Community Court building at 80 Washington St -- SNOWY OWL continues at 1:30 PM (head is visible only from employee parking lot behind court). From Katherine Kuckens: 12/30/13 - Hartford -- I observed the Snowy Owl just after noon today from the employee parking lot behind 80 Washington. As others have stated, the owl was hunkered down in the north east corner of the roof, partially hidden by a low parapet. Several crows were making quite a ruckus over it. I then got to see the owl from a top floor office of the Family Court Building next door. The owl was nestled in a pile of autumn leaves. Next I got permission to go to the top of the adjacent state office building parking garage, where the owl was clearly visible below me. He appeared alert, looked around a lot, including staring right at me. He was heavily barred, one of the darkest owls I've seen. He seemed to have a problem with his left eye, which was not fully open. I also heard that a custodian at the state office building saw the owl fly around and catch something, which he took back to the roof and ate. From Julian Hough: 12/30/13 - Bridgeport -- One female Snowy Owl perched on piling just north of the Blackrock Yacht Club. Still present at 9:30 am preening and looking settled. From Robert Marra: 12/30/13 - West Haven -- Adult snowy Owl on beach almost directly opposite skate park.  Surrounded by about 30 crows and a few gulls, finally flew off over the Sound, circling back and alighting in a tree near old Captain's Galley. From John Oshlick: 12/30/13 - New Haven, Long Wharf -- 1 Snowy Owl sitting on top of the Vietnam Memorial. It is quite white and likely is a male. From Russ Smiley: 12/30/13 - New Haven, Long Wharf -- Snowy Owl continues at water's edge. It appears to have a wounded right eye. From Robert White: 12/30/13 - New Haven, Long Warf -- 3 PM; Snowy Owl still on the mud flats. From Nancy Meyer Lustman: 12/30/13 - New Haven, Long Warf -- 3:25 PM; Snowy Owl continues at water's edge. I agree with previous post, right eye appears to be hurt. From Dan and Emily Rottino: 12/30/13 - Old Lyme, Smith's Neck Landing -- 9:05 AM; 1 SNOWY OWL seen perched in a tree on the opposite side of Great Island. We found it with bins from the boat launch viewing platform. From Hank Golet: 12/30/13 - Old Lyme, Great Island, From viewing platform -- dark Snowy Owl on Great Island, lined up left of two pine trees that are left of inner Saybrook Light. From Roy Harvey: 12/30/13 - Stratford, Long Beach -- 1 Snowy Owl in the marsh behind the parking lot. Seen from just passes the end of the parking lot looking back toward end of causeway. Just a white spot in the grass. From Russ Smiley: 12/30/13 - Madison, Hammonasset State Park -- 2:10 PM; Snowy Owl on the jetty. 3:15 PM; Clay-colored Sparrow where Tim A last saw it, in the shrubby patch by east end cabin area with all the tables. From Roy Zartarian: 12/30/13 - Newington, Cedarcrest property -- 2 PEREGRINE FALCONS perched on the antenna tower, seen from the southwest corner of Cedar Hill Cemetery. From Amy Jarratt: 12/30/13 - Stratford, backyard -- Rough-legged Hawk. From Keith Mueller: 12/30/13 - Madison, Circle Beach -- 2:30 PM; 1st cycle Iceland Gull found by Russ Smiley. Thanks Russ for the heads up! Also the continuing adult Iceland made a brief appearance with a quick fly over of the beach. It flew back to the East. From Jo Fasciolo: 12/30/13 - Norwalk, yard -- Fox Sparrow ground feeding. From Nick Ferrauolo: 12/29/13 - Wallingford -- 3:00; possible Townsend's Solitaire on Parker Farms Road on the hill seen low in the trees near Pequot road. (If searching for this bird be aware that the local residents are predominantly elderly.) From Tina Green, Frank Mantlik, Glenn Williams, Sara Zagorski: 12/30/13 - Stonington, Stonington Point -- 9:44 AM; we spent the last two hours scanning the water. We did not see a Black Guillemot but we did see an interesting loon that we determined to be a Leusistic Common Loon.We also had 18 Bonaparte's Gulls. (Which resulted in this followup from yesterday From John Marshall: Though I still think the bird I reported was smaller than a loon and showed a somewhat different distribution of black on the back and tail and did not show any brown or yellow I have now seen a picture of the leucistic Common Loon and it is similar enough to the bird I saw to cast doubts on my identification of a Black Guillemot. I have removed the Guillemot from my eBird report. From Bill Banks: 12/30/13 - Derby, Derby Greenway -- 5 Black Vultures.