Bird count teams report soaring numbers, rare sightings

Bird count teams report soaring numbers, rare sightings
Counting Mallard and Black Ducks on the Rail Trail in Millerton for the Trixie Strauss Bird Count were, from left to right, Art Gingert, Mary King and Joe Gwazdauskas. 
Photo by Don Heiny

SHARON—It was a day for the birds.

Continuing a 122-year tradition, small groups of birders spread out in a 15-mile radius on Sunday, Dec. 19, solely for the purpose of counting birds during Sharon Audubon Center’s annual Trixie Strauss Bird Count. Judging from the results posted by the teams, there was no shortage of avian sightings or of surprises.

The early-winter event, held on a pleasantly mild but blustery day, revealed great numbers of American Robins, Eastern Bluebirds and Bald Eagles, as well as some uncommon species to this region in December, including the small-bodied Cackling Goose, shaggy-headed Red-breasted Mergansers and several elusive Gray Catbirds and Northern Mockingbirds.

“This year my team covered a new territory providing us with some exploration and excitement around different areas,” reported Zach Adams, compiler of the Lakeville-Sharon count. “By 9 a.m. we had seen over 20 species, including some unusual species.

“With this excitement to start the day, we enjoyed our full day of birding sporting a few highlights including four Hermit Thrushes,” Adams said. He noted that it is often difficult to locate just one in the entire count area. Adult Hermit Thrushes are typically found hopping on the forest floor while foraging among the leaf litter.

North Sharon: ducks, geese, eagles

Big numbers were reported by George and Beth Wallace, first-time participants in the Trixie Strauss Christmas Bird Count. The Salisbury couple covered portions of north Sharon, including Mudge Pond and Beardsley Pond, as well as Wononpakook Lake, also known as Long Pond.

“Open water is not always a given on the Christmas Bird Count, but this year, all the ponds were open and hosting large flocks of ducks and geese including over 300 Ring-necked Ducks on Wononpakook and over 250 Common Mergansers on Mudge Pond,” George Wallace said.

In addition, the route captains identified six Bald Eagles soaring at once over Long Pond.

“It’s amazing to consider the incredible recovery that Bald Eagles have made, from rare to common in just a few decades,” noted Wallace.

“Particularly surprising to us were the four Gray Catbirds we found, three of which were in the vicinity of the Twin Oaks Preserve. While recorded nearly annually on the count, we are at the northern limit of their wintering range, and one has to wonder how they fare in these cold conditions, especially given that most Gray Catbirds prefer to winter along the Gulf of Mexico and into the Caribbean and Central America.”

In all, the North Sharon Route team saw a whopping 2,369 birds of 49 species.

Falls Village: ‘super cool’ Northern Harriers

Wendy Miller, Education Programs Manager for Sharon Audubon, served as route captain for the Falls Village count area, where she identified 31 species.

“I didn’t get some of my usuals, like Cedar Waxwings, Ring-neck Pheasant, Golden-crowned Kinglet or Bald Eagle, but I did see two Northern Harriers, which was super cool, as well as a ton of American Robins, which seemed to be everywhere.” At one point, she noted, they kept flying overhead nonstop. “I counted about 148 of them, but I’m sure there were more.”

Another “fun surprise,” she said, was the discovery of a large flock of Red-winged Blackbirds. “There had to be about 150 of them, with about 40 Crown-headed Cowbirds mixed in,” as well as a Fox Sparrow. Miller said she is especially fond of Bluebirds, and spotted 19 of them in her territory. “People always think they are not around in the winter, but I see them every year.”

South Sharon: 33 species identified

Bethany Sheffer, captain of the South Sharon route, was joined by participants Cheri Johnson and her son, Jonas Johnson, Joshua Harkness and Laura Marris. Sheffer, a volunteer coordinator and naturalist at Sharon Audubon, said her team found 33 species and were surprised by the presence of three Northern Mockingbirds.

“This species isn’t traditionally found on this region’s count, which begs us to question why those individuals didn’t migrate to the southern United States,” noted Sheffer. Also to their surprise, she said, the team counted 427 American Robins, many of which were congregating near fruiting woody plants such as Winterberry, Asiatic Bittersweet and Multiflora Rose.

The latter two plants, according to the naturalist, are nonnative invasive species, which prompted the group to ask whether their increasing presence across the landscape is prompting larger numbers of certain species — such as American Robins and Northern Mockingbirds — to remain during the winter months instead of moving south.

“We were excited to see a Northern Harrier exercising its ghost-like flight behavior at the entrance of Sharon Land Trust’s Benton Hill Preserve,” Sheffer said. “This species often hunts for small rodent prey by using its long wings to soar just above the tops of grasses in open habitats. It is also a species that visits northwest Connecticut and New York State from more northern territories during the wintertime, frequenting expansive open habitats.”

An exciting end to the South Sharon team’s bird count was marked by the discovery of 16 Red-tailed Hawks that were predominantly perched in large trees overlooking open fields and farmlands, the birds’ preferred habitat.

“It was fun to see a blurry shape in the distance and congratulate ourselves when we correctly called it as a Perched Red-tail — verifying with our binoculars,” Sheffer added.

Data on flock formations, migrations

The Trixie Strauss Christmas Bird Count takes place within a 15-mile circle with its center at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville and covers some of the prime birding areas in Sharon, Salisbury, Falls Village, Amenia and North East/Millerton.

Teams of experienced birders and backyard bird enthusiasts from all over Connecticut and the country take part in the annual Christmas Bird Count, and the numbers are compiled and reported to help better understand flock formations and migrations.

Latest News

A scenic 32-mile loop through Litchfield County

Whenever I need to get a quick but scenic bicycle ride but don’t have time to organize a group ride that involves driving to a meeting point, I just turn right out of my driveway. That begins a 32-mile loop through some of the prettiest scenery in northern Litchfield County.

I ride south on Undermountain Road (Route 41 South) into Salisbury and turn right on Main Street (Route 44 West). If I’m meeting friends, we gather at the parking area on the west side of Salisbury Town Hall where parking is never a problem.

Keep ReadingShow less
Biking Ancramdale to Copake

This is a lovely ride that loops from Ancramdale north to Copake and back. At just over 23 miles and about 1,300 feet of elevation gain, it’s a perfect route for intermediate recreational riders and takes about two hours to complete. It’s entirely on quiet roads with little traffic, winding through rolling hills, open countryside, picturesque farms and several lakes.

Along the way, you’ll pass a couple of farmstands that are worth a quick visit. There is only one hill that might be described as steep, but it is quite short — probably less than a quarter-mile.

Keep ReadingShow less
Taking on Tanglewood

Aerial view of The Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass.

Provided

Now is the perfect time to plan ahead for symphonic music this summer at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts. Here are a few highlights from the classical programming.

Saturday, July 5: Shed Opening Night at 8 p.m. Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Daniil Trifonov plays piano in an All-Rachmaninoff program. The Piano Concerto No. 3 was completed in 1909 and was written specifically to be debuted in the composer’s American tour, at another time of unrest and upheaval in Russia. Trifonev is well-equipped to take on what is considered among the most technically difficult piano pieces. This program also includes Symphonic Dances, a work encapsulating many ideas and much nostalgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
James H. Fox

SHARON — James H. Fox, resident of Sharon, passed away on May 30, 2025, at Vassar Brothers Hospital.

Born in New York, New York, to Herbert Fox and Margaret Moser, James grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. He spent his summers in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, where he developed a deep connection to the community.

Keep ReadingShow less