>From Frank Mantlik, with Patrick & Jim Dugan, Tina Green, and Tom Murray, 10/14 Milford, Milford Point - The BIG SIT "Surf Scopers" team recorded 83 species, with much westward migration of waterbirds into the strong SW wind. Highlights: 17 Common Loons, 3 Red-throated Loons, 1 Horned Grebe, 2 NORTHERN GANNETS, 11 species of ducks including 1 Am. Wigeon, 1 Northern Pintail, 28 Green-winged Teal, 1 BLACK SCOTER, 40 Surf Scoters, 25 White-winged Scoters, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Bald Eagles, 3 Peregrine Falcons, 1 Clapper Rail, 1 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, 2 Bonaparte's Gulls, 1 COMMON TERN, 14 Forster's Terns, 1 BLACK SKIMMER (imm.), 2 Common Ravens, 1 House Wren, 1 Blackpoll Warbler, Nelson's and Saltmarsh Sparrows, 10 Pine Siskins. Also, a possible PACIFIC LOON was seen in flight and on the water before it continued west. Also 1 LITTLE YELLOW butterfly.

Congrats on such an exceptional Big Sit! total. Things were quite different at Lighthouse Point Park today, where the "Coops" (ie, me) decided to use yesterday's numbers (a paltry 59 species, but still much, much better than today).  BWD changed the rules this year and is allowing a submittal for either Saturday or Sunday.  Not that it mattered, but the habitat at Lighthouse was a bit altered today.  The entire Park was covered in parked cars for the ACS Breast Cancer walk.  By the way, the falcon show hoped for, did not really materialize on those strong SW winds.  16 hawks for 6 hours of observation (7 were Merlins).  There were plenty of hawks milling around right off the deck, but only 16 moved on.  Steve Mayo Bethany ________________________________ From: Frank Mantlik <mantlik@sbcglobal.net> To: Birds CT <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2012 8:42 PM Subject: [CT Birds] 10/14 Milford Point BIG SIT From Frank Mantlik, with Patrick & Jim Dugan, Tina Green, and Tom Murray, 10/14  Milford, Milford Point - The BIG SIT "Surf Scopers" team recorded 83 species, with much westward migration of waterbirds into the strong SW wind.  Highlights:  17 Common Loons, 3 Red-throated Loons, 1 Horned Grebe, 2 NORTHERN GANNETS, 11 species of ducks including 1 Am. Wigeon, 1 Northern Pintail, 28 Green-winged Teal, 1 BLACK SCOTER, 40 Surf Scoters, 25 White-winged Scoters, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Bald Eagles, 3 Peregrine Falcons, 1 Clapper Rail, 1 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, 2 Bonaparte's Gulls, 1 COMMON TERN, 14 Forster's Terns, 1 BLACK SKIMMER (imm.), 2 Common Ravens, 1 House Wren, 1 Blackpoll Warbler, Nelson's and Saltmarsh Sparrows, 10 Pine Siskins.  Also, a possible PACIFIC LOON was seen in flight and on the water before it continued west.  Also 1 LITTLE YELLOW butterfly. _______________________________________________ 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