Build it and they will come

If you’re a birder or know a birder, most likely you have heard the buzz all over New England regarding a South American fork-tailed flycatcher that found its way to Cove Island Park Bird Sanctuary in Stamford, Conn.

Many of us from Northwest Connecticut have made the trip to see this rare and beautiful bird, which continued to delight birders over the Thanksgiving holiday and is still there as I write this article on Nov. 29.

South American fork-tailed flycatchers breed as far south as southern Argentina and migrate north toward the equator in the austral fall (our spring). Every once and a while, but quite rarely, they are seen this time of year along the North American Atlantic coast. It is believed that these are young birds that went the wrong way; they went north toward us instead of back south toward their breeding grounds in South America for the austral spring.

This bird is a treat to see, but the real story here is where it is being seen. Cove Island Park has been named one of the 27 Important Bird Areas or IBAs in Connecticut by BirdLife International and Audubon. It is important for birds primarily as a migratory stopover. Many species return here year after year during the spring and fall migrations since the park is situated on a major coastal migration path. Dave Winston, chief steward of the Cove Island sanctuary, likens it to a truck stop on a migratory highway.

“They’re looking for a safe place to stay, and they’re looking for food.â€

Five years ago, when I was there helping to install a nature trail in the park, the area where this flycatcher has felt comfortable over the last couple weeks was quite different. It was a brush and stump dump with compacted soil, invasive plants and not much else. But thanks to the hard work of volunteers, a state grant and several smaller Audubon grants, the area has been converted into a veritable wildlife sanctuary. Hundreds of trees and shrubs have been planted and invasive plants removed. This is another great example of how volunteers can have a profound impact on conservation. Without this work, who knows where this beautiful (and lost) bird would have ended up.

If you are interested in birding, and in helping out with a century-old citizen science project, join us for our annual Christmas Bird Count, which will be held Dec. 19. Any experience level is welcome and people can participate all day or part of the day. In the evening we will gather at the Audubon Center for a pot luck supper and share our sightings!

Scott Heth is the director of Audubon Sharon and can be reached at sheth@audubon.org, (subject line: Nature Notes).