Beau Doherty of Portland is an avid wildlife observer and excellent photographer. Below, he shares with us some photos of species you might spot during winter. Be on the lookout for them on your walks, especially those listed as endangered, threatened, or species of concern. Several of these photos were taken at the Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary on South Road in Portland, a Preserve of Mattabeseck Audubon Society, designated an “eBird hotspot.“

The beautiful Hooded Merganser is seen often in winter at the Helen Carlson Preserve, in the Connecticut River, or in Great Hill Pond. This one surfaced with a small fish in its mouth. They nest in tree cavities.

This mink was seen in January 2025 at the Helen Carlson Preserve. I thought it was a small fisher at first until I saw it swim under the ice. I got to observe it for at least 20 minutes. Normally I see a white chin patch but couldn’t see it on this one. But I could see the webbed hind feet when I examined the pictures later.

Red Tailed Hawks are widespread and many will stay through the winter. I photographed this pair in early March of 2023. My neighbor had rescued the male and let it go after it was rehabilitated. The pair immediately got together and had a brood in the neighborhood. These birds benefit from a healthy squirrel population in town.

The Northern Harrier is listed in Connecticut as an endangered species. The fields between the old Portland Fairgrounds and Wangunk Meadows are good places to spot them. This picture of a male, often called the “Gray Ghost” with its owl-like face was hunting voles in March 2025.

The Red Headed Woodpecker is another CT Endangered Species. We were lucky in Portland to have several juveniles and adults winter over in 2024 and 2025. The only one being seen now (in Dec. 2025) is in Stamford, CT. The adult shown here had stashed acorns in various trees in the Helen Carlson Preserve.

We seem to have a healthy population of Eastern Coyotes in Portland. I came across a pair in a field in January 2025. They were hunting voles. Once they saw me, they used camouflage to make their exit.