Category Archives: Uncategorized

For the Birds: Male birds get defensive in the summer

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A rose-breasted grosbeak perches in a bush at Huntington State Park in Redding, Connecticut, summer 2026.

One of the main reasons why male birds are often more colorful than females was on full display during a recent bird walk.

As I noted in a recent column, summer is an ideal time for birdwatching and observing parent birds raising their young. Finding a nest is always exciting, but it isn’t necessary to confirm that birds are busy caring for youngsters nearby.

Father birds were particularly on edge during my recent walk. I got about halfway down the path when a male rose-breasted grosbeak darted across the trail in front of my face and landed in a nearby shrub. It was clearly agitated by my presence as it fluffed its feathers and chirped an alarm call.

I didn’t want to linger and fluster the bird even more, so I kept on my way.

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Stunning owl drawing

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I met a talented young artist/illustrator recently, and, of course, this owl drawing stood out to me when he showed me some of his portfolio. He gave his blessing when I asked if I could post it on my website/blog.

Check out more of his work …

Aiden Bae

https://bashybae.my.canva.site/

https://www.instagram.com/bashybae?igsh=NHZzdzluOTU0YTcw

For the Birds: What’s up with the bald cardinal?

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Photo by Chris Bosak A Northern Cardinal drinks from a bird bath in New England, fall 2015.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A Northern Cardinal drinks from a bird bath in New England.

I’ve seen it dozens of times, but it’s always initially startling when I see a molting cardinal with a bald head.

My home office looks over the side yard where my birdfeeders are located. (No surprise there, I’m sure.) There are tall bushes on either side of the feeders, and most birds perch in one of those before venturing over to the feeders. 

Lately, the action has been predictably a bit slower as the birds are busy raising young. Throughout the day, however, the usual assortment of chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, song sparrows, blue jays, mourning doves, downy woodpeckers and cardinals pay visits. So far this summer, as a pleasant surprise, gray catbirds are my most common visitors as they come to eat mealworms and suet. They are also frequent visitors to the birdbath located a few dozen yards away. I never pinpointed it, but I know the catbirds have a nest in one of the nearby bushes.

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Just a few bobolinks

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A male bobolink perches in a field in Brookfield, Connecticut, summer 2026.

Just a few bobolinks I met the other day on a walk.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A female bobolink perches in a field in Brookfield, Connecticut, summer 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A bobolink perches in a field in Brookfield, Connecticut, summer 2026.

For the Birds: A worthwhile detour

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A female Baltimore oriole brings material back to her nesting site this spring.

On my way to visit my family in Pennsylvania, I decided to stop at the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area in Sullivan County, New York, to see what birds might be in and around the giant marsh.

I used to canoe there frequently when I lived closer to that spot, but I hadn’t been there in many years. I didn’t have my canoe with me this time, but luckily there is a trail that follows the edge of the water and offers many expansive views.

As a bonus, the trail is wooded, so you get the shallow water on one side and the woods on the other. The Bashakill has a navigable channel winding through the middle, but the surrounding area is shallow water with thick aquatic vegetation where wood ducks and other birds find refuge. 

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A few birds from this weekend

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A veery at Huntington State Park in Redding, CT, May 2026.

Here are a few shots I got this weekend while out and about.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A veery at Huntington State Park in Redding, CT, May 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A blue-winged warbler at Huntington State Park in Redding, CT, May 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A black-capped chickadee at Huntington State Park in Redding, CT, May 2026.

For the Birds: Spring birding and reader insights

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Photo by Chris Bosak
Blue-gray gnatcatcher at Huntington State Park, Redding, Conn., April 24, 2026.

For many birdwatchers, this is the best time of year. Breeding season has begun in earnest, and the spring migration is in full swing.

Every walk in late April and early to mid-May has the potential to yield something that wasn’t there the day before. The other day, I took a quick walk and spotted my year’s first wood thrush, blue-gray gnatcatcher, blue-winged warbler and black-and-white warbler.

It’s also a busy time for my email inbox, as spring’s increased activity brings many exciting bird observations and raises some questions too.

Nancy from Keene shared that a pileated woodpecker made holes from top to bottom on a snag (dead tree) in her yard. She mentioned that she hears the large woodpeckers every year, but this was the first time she was able to get a video with her phone. Now, the moment has documentation that she can enjoy at any time.

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Successful day finding migrants

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Photo by Chris Bosak
White-eyed vireo at Huntington State Park, Redding, Conn., April 24, 2026.

I got up early and headed to Huntington State Park in Redding, Connecticut, and was rewarded with a good mix of migrants I hadn’t seen since last year.

Photo by Chris Bosak
Blue-gray gnatcatcher at Huntington State Park, Redding, Conn., April 24, 2026.

Fun, feisty little bird.

Photo by Chris Bosak
Yellow-bellied sapsucker at Huntington State Park, Redding, Conn., April 24, 2026.

Not exactly a migrant, and I had seen sapsuckers all winter, but I had to include this handsome bird anyway. This is a male as indicated by the red throat.

Photo by Chris Bosak
Louisiana waterthrush at Huntington State Park, Redding, Conn., April 24, 2026.

I’ve been seeing these for a few weeks now.

Photo by Chris Bosak
Hooded warbler at Huntington State Park, Redding, Conn., April 24, 2026

Not the best photo, of course, but this was as close as I could get. Cool bird though.

Photo by Chris Bosak
White-eyed vireo at Huntington State Park, Redding, Conn., April 24, 2026.

Piping plovers and oystercatchers highlight trip to shore

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A male piping plover (back) pursues a female at Milford Point in New England, April 16, 2026.

I took a trip to the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point today to see piping plovers, American oystercatchers, and whatever else may be around. I timed it nicely, as I found several piping plover pairs doing their mating ritual and even saw one pair copulating.

The male plovers followed the females around the rocks and sand, standing tall and performing a type of stomp dance with their feet and legs. It was quite entertaining.

While the plovers and oystercatchers were the highlight, there were dozens (hundreds maybe) of brant still hanging around New England.

Photo by Chris Bosak
A male piping plover (back) pursues a female at Milford Point in New England, April 16, 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A male piping plover (back) pursues a female at Milford Point in New England, April 16, 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
Piping plovers copulate at Milford Point in New England, April 16, 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
Piping plovers copulate at Milford Point in New England, April 16, 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
Piping plovers copulate at Milford Point in New England, April 16, 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
American oystercatcher pair at Milford Point in New England, April 16, 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
Brant at Milford Point in New England, April 16, 2026.
Photo by Chris Bosak
A male piping plover (back) pursues a female at Milford Point in New England, April 16, 2026.

For the Birds: Keeping up with species in peril

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Photo by Chris Bosak
Monarch, Brookfield, CT, summer 2019.

Too often, the perils facing a species in serious decline rise to the top of our consciousness through extensive media coverage or other means only to fade into the backs of our minds over time.

Is progress being made to help the species? Has the decline worsened, gotten better or stayed the same?

Here is a look at a few species in peril that were all over the media years ago, but not so much in recent years. 

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