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Tag: sighting

  • Rare bird spotted in New Hampshire

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    Rare bird spotted in New Hampshire

    ALL RIGHT, CALLING ALL BIRD ENTHUSIASTS. AND BY THE WAY, I FOUND OUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, SO I THINK THEY’LL FIND THIS INTERESTING. A RARE BIRD WAS SEEN TODAY IN SOUTH CEMETERY IN PORTSMOUTH. THIS IS A EUROPEAN COMMON CUCKOO AND SPELLED WITH A U. BUT I WAS TOLD IT’S PRONOUNCED CUCKOO, LIKE THE CLOCK. IT’S A VERY RARE VAGRANT IN NORTH AMERICA, AND ONLY A FEW HAVE BEEN SEEN. IT BREEDS IN EUROPE AND WINTERS IN TROPICAL AFRICA. SO IN THIS CASE, HAYLEY, WE ARE

    A rare bird was spotted Friday at South Cemetery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The common cuckoo is a rare vagrant in North America, and only a few have ever been sighted. The species typically breeds in Europe and winters in tropical Africa.This is the first recorded sighting in New Hampshire. It has not been seen since, according to local birders.

    PORTSMOUTH, N.H. —

    A rare bird was spotted Friday at South Cemetery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

    The common cuckoo is a rare vagrant in North America, and only a few have ever been sighted.

    The species typically breeds in Europe and winters in tropical Africa.

    This is the first recorded sighting in New Hampshire. It has not been seen since, according to local birders.

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  • Danish airport closes again after suspected new drone sighting

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    A sighting of a suspected drone briefly shuttered a Danish airport on Friday for the second time in a few hours, after the country’s prime minister said the flights were part of “hybrid attacks” that may be linked to Russia.

    Drones have been seen flying over several Danish airports since Wednesday, causing one of them to close for hours, after a sighting earlier this week prompted Copenhagen airport to shut down.

    That followed a similar incident in Norway, drone incursions in Polish and Romanian territory and the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian fighter jets, which raised tensions in light of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

    “Over recent days, Denmark has been the victim of hybrid attacks,” Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a video message on social media on Thursday — referring to a form of unconventional warfare.

    She warned that such drone flights “could multiply”.

    Investigators said they had so far failed to identify those responsible, but Frederiksen stressed: “There is one main country that poses a threat to Europe’s security, and it is Russia.”

    Moscow said Thursday it “firmly rejects” any suggestion that it was involved in the Danish incidents. Its embassy in Copenhagen called them “a staged provocation”, in a post on social media.

    Denmark’s Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard earlier said the aim of the attack was “to spread fear, create division and frighten us”.

    He added that Copenhagen would acquire new enhanced capabilities to “detect” and “neutralise drones”.

    Denmark will on Friday join other EU countries, mostly along the eastern border with Russia, in the first talks on proposals to build a “wall” of anti-drone defences in the face of the tensions with Moscow.

    – Russia sabotage warning –

    Drones were spotted on Wednesday and early Thursday at airports in Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sonderborg and at the Skrydstrup air base before leaving on their own, police said.

    Aalborg airport, located in northern Denmark, was initially shut down for several hours, and closed again for about an hour from late Thursday into early Friday morning due to another suspected sighting.

    “It was not possible to take down the drones, which flew over a very large area over a couple of hours,” North Jutland chief police inspector Jesper Bojgaard Madsen said about the initial Aalborg incident.

    The head of Denmark’s military intelligence, Thomas Ahrenkiel, told a news conference the service had not been able to identify who was behind the drones.

    But intelligence chief Finn Borch said: “The risk of Russian sabotage in Denmark is high.”

    Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told a news conference the flights appeared to be “the work of a professional actor… such a systematic operation in so many locations at virtually the same time”.

    He said it had posed “no direct military threat” to Denmark.

    Frederiksen said Thursday that she had spoken with NATO chief Mark Rutte about the incidents.

    Lund Poulsen said the government had yet to decide whether to invoke NATO’s Article 4, under which any member state can call urgent talks when it feels its “territorial integrity, political independence or security” are at risk.

    French President Emmanuel Macron said his country stood ready “to contribute to the security of Danish airspace”.

    Copenhagen is set to host a summit of European Union leaders next week.

    – ‘Feel rather insecure’ –

    Police said investigations were under way with the Danish intelligence service and the armed forces.

    The drone activity shook some in Denmark, including 85-year-old Birgit Larsen.

    “I feel rather insecure. I live in a country where there has been peace since 1945. I am not really used to thinking about war,” she told AFP in central Copenhagen.

    Others were less concerned.

    “It’s probably Russia, you know, testing the borders of Europe. They fly close to the borders and stuff and try to provoke, but not threaten,” said 48-year-old Torsten Froling.

    The drone flights came after Denmark announced it would acquire long-range precision weapons for the first time, as Russia would pose a threat “for years to come”.

    bur-ef/rlp/jhb/mjw/jm

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  • Rare Canada lynx continues to be spotted in Vermont

    Rare Canada lynx continues to be spotted in Vermont

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    A rare Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County is continuing to be observed in other parts of the state as it travels north. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says the first confirmed sighting was captured this past August, and the most recent was in Addison County.According to Fish & Wildlife’s furbearer project leader, Brehan Furfey, the large cat has not been seen in the state in years. “All of a sudden, we’re starting to see one that is being seen very often, I would say, over the course of the last 45 days or so,” she said. According to Fish & Wildlife, the young lynx has been traveling a couple dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. Furfey said Canada lynx tend to prey on snowshoe hares, which are further north.”The fact that it’s moving further north is a good thing because there is better snowshoe hare habitat there, and I would expect that to continue to move north,” she said. “Whether or not it stays in Vermont is to be seen.”Currently, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has confirmed 16 photos and videos showing the lynx, which they believe is the same animal. However, other photos sent to the agency have depicted a bobcat, as opposed to the rare animal.Furrfey said Canada lynx have a hunched back, large feet and a black tail all the way around. Bobcats, on the other hand, weigh less and have white on their tails underneath with a black tip. Shrewsbury Town Clerk Rebecca Rice said she saw what she believes was the lynx on her farm around the time the first sightings were being reported. “We quietly walked down the driveway and watched the lynx catch a rabbit, and it then took it under the brush and the side of the field and proceeded to eat it,” Rice said. “We were far, way away, but he certainly didn’t mind us watching him.”Fish & Wildlife said the Canada lynx is a federally threatened species, and added that anyone who sees it should give the animal a respectful amount of space.

    A rare Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County is continuing to be observed in other parts of the state as it travels north. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department says the first confirmed sighting was captured this past August, and the most recent was in Addison County.

    According to Fish & Wildlife’s furbearer project leader, Brehan Furfey, the large cat has not been seen in the state in years.

    “All of a sudden, we’re starting to see one that is being seen very often, I would say, over the course of the last 45 days or so,” she said.

    According to Fish & Wildlife, the young lynx has been traveling a couple dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. Furfey said Canada lynx tend to prey on snowshoe hares, which are further north.

    “The fact that it’s moving further north is a good thing because there is better snowshoe hare habitat there, and I would expect that to continue to move north,” she said. “Whether or not it stays in Vermont is to be seen.”

    Currently, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has confirmed 16 photos and videos showing the lynx, which they believe is the same animal. However, other photos sent to the agency have depicted a bobcat, as opposed to the rare animal.

    Furrfey said Canada lynx have a hunched back, large feet and a black tail all the way around. Bobcats, on the other hand, weigh less and have white on their tails underneath with a black tip.

    Shrewsbury Town Clerk Rebecca Rice said she saw what she believes was the lynx on her farm around the time the first sightings were being reported.

    “We quietly walked down the driveway and watched the lynx catch a rabbit, and it then took it under the brush and the side of the field and proceeded to eat it,” Rice said. “We were far, way away, but he certainly didn’t mind us watching him.”

    Fish & Wildlife said the Canada lynx is a federally threatened species, and added that anyone who sees it should give the animal a respectful amount of space.

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  • ‘Conservation success story’: Rare lynx spotted repeatedly in Vermont

    ‘Conservation success story’: Rare lynx spotted repeatedly in Vermont

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    A rare big cat caught on camera for the first time in years is once again showing up in Vermont, this time in a different area.See the rare cat in the video aboveVermont Fish and Wildlife said they have continued to receive verifiable photos of a Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County back in August. To date, biologists have noted 15 confirmed sightings since then and believe the reports are the same juvenile male.The incredible animal, which was captured walking calmly along a roadside in Shrewsbury by resident Gary Shattuck, has appeared to move about 60 miles north into Addison County, according to the latest images of the cat provided by the department.Video: Rare Canada lynx spotted in VermontFish and Wildlife experts said reports indicate that the lynx is traveling about a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. This behavior is typical for young lynx, with the department saying that juveniles will often travel long distances as they search for a new territory in what is called “dispersal” by biologists. Brehan Furfey, a biologist with the department, said the lynx’s movements are a “conservation success” thanks to Vermont’s network of protected lands that allow the cat to move safely from area to area. “We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey said in a statement.To ensure that the lynx continues on its journey and remains safe, the department urged Vermonters to give this federally threatened animal plenty of space if they happen to see it. While the lynx is healthy, biologists say it is skinny and may be stressed by the act of being in unfamiliar territory. They also assured residents that the cat is not a threat to people.“The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” said Furfey. The department said it previously posted a video to its social media accounts on how to tell a lynx apart from its more common cousin, the bobcat.

    A rare big cat caught on camera for the first time in years is once again showing up in Vermont, this time in a different area.

    See the rare cat in the video above

    Vermont Fish and Wildlife said they have continued to receive verifiable photos of a Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County back in August. To date, biologists have noted 15 confirmed sightings since then and believe the reports are the same juvenile male.

    Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

    A juvenile male Canada lynx photographed in late September 2024, in Addison County.

    The incredible animal, which was captured walking calmly along a roadside in Shrewsbury by resident Gary Shattuck, has appeared to move about 60 miles north into Addison County, according to the latest images of the cat provided by the department.

    Video: Rare Canada lynx spotted in Vermont

    Fish and Wildlife experts said reports indicate that the lynx is traveling about a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. This behavior is typical for young lynx, with the department saying that juveniles will often travel long distances as they search for a new territory in what is called “dispersal” by biologists.

    Brehan Furfey, a biologist with the department, said the lynx’s movements are a “conservation success” thanks to Vermont’s network of protected lands that allow the cat to move safely from area to area.

    “We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey said in a statement.

    To ensure that the lynx continues on its journey and remains safe, the department urged Vermonters to give this federally threatened animal plenty of space if they happen to see it. While the lynx is healthy, biologists say it is skinny and may be stressed by the act of being in unfamiliar territory. They also assured residents that the cat is not a threat to people.

    “The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” said Furfey.

    The department said it previously posted a video to its social media accounts on how to tell a lynx apart from its more common cousin, the bobcat.

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  • ‘Conservation success story’: Rare lynx spotted repeatedly in Vermont

    ‘Conservation success story’: Rare lynx spotted repeatedly in Vermont

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    A rare big cat caught on camera for the first time in years is once again showing up in Vermont, this time in a different area.See the rare cat in the video aboveVermont Fish and Wildlife said they have continued to receive verifiable photos of a Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County back in August. To date, biologists have noted 15 confirmed sightings since then and believe the reports are the same juvenile male.The incredible animal, which was captured walking calmly along a roadside in Shrewsbury by resident Gary Shattuck, has appeared to move about 60 miles north into Addison County, according to the latest images of the cat provided by the department.Video: Rare Canada lynx spotted in VermontFish and Wildlife experts said reports indicate that the lynx is traveling about a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. This behavior is typical for young lynx, with the department saying that juveniles will often travel long distances as they search for a new territory in what is called “dispersal” by biologists. Brehan Furfey, a biologist with the department, said the lynx’s movements are a “conservation success” thanks to Vermont’s network of protected lands that allow the cat to move safely from area to area. “We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey said in a statement.To ensure that the lynx continues on its journey and remains safe, the department urged Vermonters to give this federally threatened animal plenty of space if they happen to see it. While the lynx is healthy, biologists say it is skinny and may be stressed by the act of being in unfamiliar territory. They also assured residents that the cat is not a threat to people.“The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” said Furfey. The department said it previously posted a video to its social media accounts on how to tell a lynx apart from its more common cousin, the bobcat.

    A rare big cat caught on camera for the first time in years is once again showing up in Vermont, this time in a different area.

    See the rare cat in the video above

    Vermont Fish and Wildlife said they have continued to receive verifiable photos of a Canada lynx that was first spotted in Rutland County back in August. To date, biologists have noted 15 confirmed sightings since then and believe the reports are the same juvenile male.

    Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

    A juvenile male Canada lynx photographed in late September 2024, in Addison County.

    The incredible animal, which was captured walking calmly along a roadside in Shrewsbury by resident Gary Shattuck, has appeared to move about 60 miles north into Addison County, according to the latest images of the cat provided by the department.

    Video: Rare Canada lynx spotted in Vermont

    Fish and Wildlife experts said reports indicate that the lynx is traveling about a dozen miles at a time and then staying in the same area for several days before moving on. This behavior is typical for young lynx, with the department saying that juveniles will often travel long distances as they search for a new territory in what is called “dispersal” by biologists.

    Brehan Furfey, a biologist with the department, said the lynx’s movements are a “conservation success” thanks to Vermont’s network of protected lands that allow the cat to move safely from area to area.

    “We’re rooting for this lynx to keep heading north where it will find more young forest habitat and plenty of snowshoe hares to eat,” Furfey said in a statement.

    To ensure that the lynx continues on its journey and remains safe, the department urged Vermonters to give this federally threatened animal plenty of space if they happen to see it. While the lynx is healthy, biologists say it is skinny and may be stressed by the act of being in unfamiliar territory. They also assured residents that the cat is not a threat to people.

    “The rule of thumb is always to keep a respectful distance from any wildlife you’re observing. If they are changing their behavior in response to you, then you’re too close,” said Furfey.

    The department said it previously posted a video to its social media accounts on how to tell a lynx apart from its more common cousin, the bobcat.

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  • Rare, ‘uninvited visitor’ seen prowling in the dark outside Oklahoma home, video shows

    Rare, ‘uninvited visitor’ seen prowling in the dark outside Oklahoma home, video shows

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    A rarely seen predator was spotted wandering across the backyard of a home in Drumright, Oklahoma, video shows.

    A rarely seen predator was spotted wandering across the backyard of a home in Drumright, Oklahoma, video shows.

    Screengrab from video shared to Facebook by Drumright Police Department.

    Police are warning residents of a small Oklahoma town to stay alert after a backyard camera caught a rarely seen predator prowling at night.

    The “uninvited guest” was spotted outside a home in Drumright, the police department said in an April 16 Facebook post. Drumright, a town of about 2,500 people, is a roughly 40-mile drive southwest of Tulsa.

    In the video, a mountain lion can be seen passing within several feet of the home, strolling into the glare of a porch light before disappearing into the dark.

    “Maybe that’s why all the cats around here were stirred up last night,” a local woman commented on the post.

    Police have contacted state game wardens about the animal, but officials reminded the public to remain cautious and to use common sense.

    “If you see the cat, don’t try to approach it,” the post said.

    The mountain lion report has been verified, Jerrod Davis, senior wildlife biologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, told McClatchy News in a phone interview. While the department receives many reports throughout the year, often well into the hundreds, very few are actually able to be confirmed.

    “It is exciting when you actually get to see a good report,” Davis said. “From a biological perspective it’s kind of a win. But you just always have to balance those biological perspectives with public safety and human conflict.”

    As of April 17, the department has no plans to search for or capture the mountain lion, as it doesn’t seem to be bothering anyone.

    “Without there being any actual complaints, we’re just letting the mountain lion do what it needs to do, as long as it doesn’t cause any issues,” he said.

    “Luckily, cats do cat things, and cat things usually include chasing deer, and not chasing goats and cows.”

    It’s not clear where the mountain lion may have come from, but it most likely came from out of state.

    There is no “viable, breeding population” of the big cats in Oklahoma, but the animals have a tendency to wander far and wide from where they’re born, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife says. However, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and South Dakota all have mountain lion populations.

    Cougars that wander into the state often come from Colorado or the Black Hills of South Dakota, Davis said.

    Hunting mountain lions is against the law in Oklahoma, but residents are allowed to use lethal means to defend themselves, pets and domesticated animals if they are in danger of being attacked.

    There have been 77 confirmed mountain lion sightings in Oklahoma since 2002, as of December, according to state wildlife officials.

    Mitchell Willetts is a real-time news reporter covering the central U.S. for McClatchy. He is a University of Oklahoma graduate and outdoors enthusiast living in Texas.

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    Mitchell Willetts

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