Whoops, I read Waterford. Watertown is a different story and not too far from their traditional haunts. Have you considered putting in a report to the Natural Diversity Database? Patrick -----Original Message----- From: ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org [mailto:ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org] On Behalf Of COMINS, Patrick Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 4:08 PM To: William Sweet; ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org Subject: Re: [CT Birds] alder flycather and saltmarsh Interesting...there is one outlier in the Breeding Bird Atlas from what appears to be Barn Island, but I don't see any additional details. There was a record of one in Deep River in 1974 by Robert Craig. I wonder if Bob Askins or any of his students have been down to this spot in Waterford? There are a couple of 'possible' reports listed for that part of the state in the atlas. I didn't intend to say that reports in southern CT should be dismissed and are certainly not out of the question, but my main point was that any reports outside of the traditional haunts should be carefully documented. Patrick Comins -----Original Message----- From: ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org [mailto:ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org] On Behalf Of William Sweet Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 2:40 PM To: COMINS, Patrick; ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org Subject: Re: [CT Birds] alder flycather and saltmarsh I've been reading these postings with great interest wondering if I had misidentified a bird over the last two years. I have had an Alder Flycatcher for the last two years in a power line cut adjacent to Veteran's Park in Watertown. In fact, He was singing away yesterday at noon and I did not hear a "Willow" FC song. The bird is definitely in the lower section which is wetlands. If anyone is interested - the power line cut is accessible from Veteran's Park off of Nova Scotia road a number of ways. However, the easiest entrance is the trail across from the basketball courts. You get to the courts via the loop road. The courts will be on you left near the completion of the loop. The trail across the road leads directly to the open area. The park opens officially at 6:30am but I usually get in by 6:15 before work. This has been a pretty good birding spot over the last 7 years I've worked in the area. Along with many expected species, Brown thrashers are also there all season. There is a pond and some wooded trails also. Bill Sweet "COMINS, Patrick" <PCOMINS@audubon.org> wrote: Alder Flycatchers are typically in the northern part (mostly NW corner) of the state in shrubby freshwater wetland or riparian areas. One of the best places to find them is at White Memorial Foundation (the cranberry bog as I recall). I would be really surprised to find one at Hammonasset in nesting season. >From the Breeding Bird Atlas on habitat: "This species occupies areas with an interspersion of low vegetation including shrubs with trees over 8 feet high (I don't think they would occur with very tall trees) in the vicinity of streams or other open water. The nest is characteristically...not over water, less than three feet off the ground in thickets of hawthorn, spiraea, buttonbush, or alder." On the call of Alder Flycatcher, to me the 'song' is much more mechanical sounding than that of Willow Flycatcher, even their mimics of Alder 'songs'. They typical Willow 'song' sounds to me like a sneeze "ah-choo", but as mentioned, they do mimic the alder. To me the tone remains similar though, as if they are playing the alder 'song' on the willow instrument. For some reason, the alder 'song' reminds me of those instruments where you use a metal stick to rub against a ridged surface (popular in elementary school music classes). I think they're called a guiro http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Modern_fibreglass_guiro.jpg Perhaps others won't find that as useful as I do. Re Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows. You can sometimes find them close enough in to get a decent binocular look near the pools at the entrance (east entrance) to the Meigs' Point nature center parking lot. Also, the town boat launch in Guilford used to be the best place to find them close in, but I haven't had as much luck there recently. In migration, they are reasonably abundant in the tall spartina on the landward side of barrier beaches such as Long Beach, Milford Point or Sandy Point and you can even find them at Sandy Point in the summer, though it is a safe bet that they don't nest there. They don't often pop up though, so you have to keep an eye out for any movement in the grass and have some patience for them to show themselves. Patrick Comins, Meriden. -----Original Message----- From: ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org [mailto:ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org] On Behalf Of Grace Profatilov Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 12:15 PM To: ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org Subject: Re: [CT Birds] saltmarsh sparrow and alder flycather I don't have a spotting scope, but I'll just try to be patient and keep looking. I saw a gazillion song sparrows but surely a saltmarsh sparrow will appear for me one of these days. As for the Alder, I'm certain then that I was wrong. I'm still struggling with these fly catchers. I had a good long look at it, but had to go by song and I'm still not too good with songs either. But a Willow Flycatcher is new for my list too so I'll take that instead! BTW, what is the correct habitat for the Alders? Thanks, Grace Profatilov Hamden _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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