Date: 11/19/24 7:04 am From: David Mathieu via CTBirds <ctbirds...> Subject: [CT Birds] CT Rarity Roundup 2024
Hello CT birders!
We are clearly in rarity season! Good birds in the last few weeks include Western Kingbird, Gray Kingbird, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Swainson's Hawk, Sandhill Crane, Sedge Wren, Pink-footed Goose, and Greater White-fronted Goose.
In the past few years Aidan Kiley organized an informal "Rarity Roundup" - an event where birders commit to search locations specifically to turn up vagrants. The goal is to get people out searching a variety of areas, especially those that are rarely or never covered! Vagrants can show up anywhere so checking a random roadside thicket or meadow could turn up something interesting.
This year, Aidan Kiley and I are organizing this for November 23rd-24th.
To organize this, we have created a Google Sheet (the Google Drive version of Excel).
If you are interested in helping (even if you only have the time to check a quick spot or two!) we encourage anyone to click the link and add your name, locations you’re planning to visit, and, if known/desired, dates you’ll check the areas and specific targets you may have in mind! We also encourage people to do this with some friends because the more eyes the better. The Google Sheet can be edited by anyone who clicks the link.
Some species to keep in mind: Pink-footed Goose, Barnacle Goose, Brown Booby, Painted Bunting, Western Kingbird and other western kingbird species, Harris’s Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Western Tanager, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Townsend’s Warbler, Sage Thrasher, Wood Stork and Western Flycatcher.
If you find anything interesting, please document with photos or audio (if possible) and report as soon as possible!
Next year Aidan and I are going to organize a more formal event, including areas, teams, and more community discussion/planning. Stay tuned for that!
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