Category Archives: Birds of Prey

Osprey flying with fish in talons

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Photo by Chris Bosak An Osprey flies with a fish at Milford Point in Milford, CT, June 2014.

Photo by Chris Bosak
An Osprey flies with a fish at Milford Point in Milford, CT, June 2014.

I saw the shadow in the sand and knew it was something big. I wheeled around and saw the Osprey flying with the fish and scrambled to try to get the bird in the view finder of my camera. I didn’t nail the photo by any stretch of the imagination, but the scene was pretty neat so I figured I’d share the subpar photo anyway.

This Osprey was photographed at Milford Point in Milford, CT, on Monday, June 16. It was flying the large fish back to its nest not far from the beach. The fish was plucked from Long Island Sound.

Osprey catch their fish and in midair adjust the catch in their talons to make it more aerodynamic.

Look who’s back on the bridge (Peregrine Falcon)

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Photo by Chris Bosak Peregrine Falcon on Yankee Doodle Bridge on I-95 in Norwalk, Conn., April 2014.

Photo by Chris Bosak
Peregrine Falcon on Yankee Doodle Bridge on I-95 in Norwalk, Conn., April 2014.

Two years ago a Peregrine Falcon pair nested and fledged two chicks under the bridge right next to where I work in Norwalk, Conn. I was lucky enough to see the birds every day as they flew, hunted and screeched around the Yankee Doodle Bridge (I-95).

The birds do not nest there anymore — which surprises me because they were successful when they tried two years ago — but they do come to the bridge fairly often. It’s a rare week that I don’t see them and typically it’s a few times a week I see them perched on the bridge. I like my work anyway, but seeing the falcons gives me another thing to look forward to as I start my days.

What birds brighten your days? Comment or email me to let me know.

More photos:

Photo by Chris Bosak Peregrine Falcon on Yankee Doodle Bridge on I-95 in Norwalk, Conn., April 2014.

Photo by Chris Bosak
Peregrine Falcon on Yankee Doodle Bridge on I-95 in Norwalk, Conn., April 2014.

Photo by Chris Bosak Peregrine Falcon on Yankee Doodle Bridge on I-95 in Norwalk, Conn., April 2014.

Photo by Chris Bosak
Peregrine Falcon on Yankee Doodle Bridge on I-95 in Norwalk, Conn., April 2014.

David Allen Sibley talks about the Snowy Owl irruption

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Photo by Chris Bosak A Snowy Owl flies across the beach at The Coastal Center at Milford Point in early March 2014.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A Snowy Owl flies across the beach at The Coastal Center at Milford Point in early March 2014.

I’ll post parts of my David Allen Sibley interview throughout the next few weeks. Here he talks about the great Snowy Owl irruption of winter 2013-14.

BirdsofNewEngland’s random bird thought of the day: Osprey coming back

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Photo by Chris Bosak Osprey eats a fish at Norwalk's Calf Pasture Beach, March 26, 2013.

Photo by Chris Bosak
Osprey eats a fish at Norwalk’s Calf Pasture Beach, March 26, 2013.

Here’s another random bird thought for you.

Ospreys that are born in New England fly to their wintering grounds in South America and do not return the next summer. They come back the second summer when they are of breeding age.

New England’s Osprey population has increased tremendously — especially in coastal areas — over the last decade. Good news!

Some Osprey have returned to New England already, but most will return in late March or early April.

Have a question for my “random thoughts?” Send it to bozclark@earthlink.net

Another Snowy Owl sighting in this historic year

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Photo by Chris Bosak A Snowy Owl sits on an old telephone pole at The Coastal Center at Milford Point in early March 2014. Smoke stacks in Bridgeport loom in the background.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A Snowy Owl sits on an old telephone pole at The Coastal Center at Milford Point in early March 2014. Smoke stacks in Bridgeport loom in the background.

It’s no secret by now that this is a historic winter for Snowy Owl sightings throughout New England and beyond. Snowy Owls are large owls that breed in the Arctic. The irruption of Snowies has gained the attention of nearly all media outlets — small, medium and large; newspapers, magazines, radio and television.

It’s hard to ignore such an avian happening. A couple Snowy Owl sightings in a New England winter is the norm. This year there have been dozens, perhaps hundreds. The most recent Audubon magazine has a great article by Scott Weidensaul. I highly recommend reading it.

I saw my first Snowy Owl of this winter in December in Westport, Conn. I saw a few more in January and February in Milford and Stratford, Conn.

On March 1 I had perhaps my best Snowy Owl sighting of the year. It was at the Coastal Center at Milford Point in Milford, Conn. The owl was on the beach and, while I photographed it from a distance, other beach walkers flushed the impressive bird on occasion. Because of the owl’s impressive size I was able to relocate it each time. Such an impressive bird.

My hope is that as many of these beautiful birds as possible make it back to the Arctic. Perhaps they’ll visit us again another winter.

Enjoy these photos. I hope to have a short video ready soon.

Photo by Chris Bosak A Snowy Owl flies across the beach at The Coastal Center at Milford Point in early March 2014.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A Snowy Owl flies across the beach at The Coastal Center at Milford Point in early March 2014.

More photos below (click on “continue reading.”)

Continue reading →

Young Peregrine Falcon picks on the wrong bird

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Photo by Chris Bosak A young Herring Gull chases away a young Peregrine Falcon at Holly Pond in Stamford in Jan. 2014.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A young Herring Gull chases away a young Peregrine Falcon at Holly Pond in Stamford in Jan. 2014.

The distance and quickness of the event yielded an admittedly lousy photo, but it’s good enough to show that this young Peregrine Falcon has a lot to learn about what prey to target.

I was at Holly Pond in Stamford, Ct., trying to get some photos of a Hooded Merganser pair swimming in a small pool of water surrounded by ice. Suddenly the entire huge flock of gulls (Ring-billed, Herring and a few Greater Black-backed) that had been resting peacefully on the ice rose into the air started making a racket. I assumed at first that someone nearby had a bag of bread to offer the birds, but they all stayed above the water.

Then I noticed that a young Peregrine Falcon had swooped in on the flock. At this point the falcon was trying to single out individual gulls to pursue. Each chase was short-lived as the falcon quickly realized it was smaller than the birds it was trying to take down. Birds of Prey taking down larger prey is not unheard of, but this falcon did not yet have the strength or experience to handle a gull. It tried on three or four bird, got scolded and chased away, and eventually gave up and perched in a nearby tree.

Hey, you can’t blame the falcon. It was hungry and tried for a big, fat meal. Besides, if you don’t try, you’ll never succeed. The falcon learned a lesson and gained some experience. That’s always good in life.

Young Peregrine Falcon in flight

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Photo by Chris Bosak A young Peregrine Falcon flies overhead in Norwalk, CT, Dec. 2013.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A young Peregrine Falcon flies overhead in Norwalk, CT, Dec. 2013.

I spotted this young Peregrine Falcon flying around Veterans Park in East Norwalk a few weeks ago. It had a half-eaten prey (a crow, I think) in an open part of the park about 100 yards away, but kept circling around the parking lot where I was. It even has blood on its hooked bill. As many of you know, I’ve been photographing a few Peregrine Falcons along the Norwalk River where I work. (With limited success, admittedly.) This rare and close opportunity was certainly welcomed considering the distance from which I normally have to try to photograph them. Notice the brown plumage of this youngster, as opposed to the blue-gray of the adult.

I have some more photos of this beauty in flight that I will post later.

Snowy Owl contest launched by CT Audubon

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Photo by Chris Bosak A Snowy Owl perches on a roof top at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A Snowy Owl perches on a roof top at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

Here’s a copy/pasted press release about a fun contest from Connecticut Audubon.

Good luck!

…

This has been an incredible winter for Snowy Owl sightings in our area. Connecticut Audubon Society is looking to you to help us celebrate and raise awareness of these beautiful birds.

Now Connecticut Audubon Society is inviting birders to enter its Snowy Owl Observation Contest by sharing their experiences. First prize is  Continue reading →

Snowy Owls in New England (I’m in, finally)

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Photo by Chris Bosak A Snowy Owl perches on a roof top at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A Snowy Owl perches on a roof top at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

So I finally got into all this Snowy Owl action.

Snowy Owls are being seen in larger-than-usual numbers along the East Coast this fall and winter. Snowy Owls breed in the Arctic and typically spend their winters well north of New England.

On Monday, a Snowy Owl was spotted at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. The large birds of prey have been seen up and down the Connecticut coast since early November. 

I found the owl quickly and took a few photos out the passenger’s side window, but a passerby flushed the large bird. (Remember to give them a wide berth if you see one.) I found the bird about half an hour later and snapped a few photos from a sidewalk that dog walkers were using. The owl just watched everybody walk by.

Oh, and the weather was foggy with a steady rain falling. (My excuse for the photos not being so great.)

Experts believe this year’s irruption is due to either a lack of lemmings, their main food source in the Arctic, or a particularly good breeding year for Snowy Owls, or a combination of those factors.

Snowy Owls hunt during the day, unlike many owl species. They are large owls, measuring 24 inches tall.

Photo by Chris Bosak A Snowy Owl perches on a fence post at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A Snowy Owl perches on a fence post at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

Photo by Chris Bosak A Snowy Owl perches on a fence post at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A Snowy Owl perches on a fence post at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport on Monday, Dec. 23, 2013.

 

Young Peregrines gotta eat, too

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Photo by Chris Bosak An immature Peregrine Falcon sits on prey at Veterans Park in Norwalk, CT, Dec. 2013.

Photo by Chris Bosak
An immature Peregrine Falcon sits on prey at Veterans Park in Norwalk, CT, Dec. 2013.

Here’s a young Peregrine Falcon eating something or other in the field at Veterans Park in Norwalk, Conn., on Wednesday, Dec. 18. A pair of adult Peregrines and a young one “hang out” near where I work up the river a mile or so. I wonder if this is the same young falcon. At any rate, I didn’t want to close the distance for this photo too much. Young birds — and big ones, too, for that matter — need all the nutrition they can get, especially in winter.

Photo by Chris Bosak An immature Peregrine Falcon sits on prey at Veterans Park in Norwalk, CT, Dec. 2013.

Photo by Chris Bosak
An immature Peregrine Falcon sits on prey at Veterans Park in Norwalk, CT, Dec. 2013.