While birding with a client on Sunday, we added a second European species to our day list when I found this Black-headed Gull at Pine Point. A few birders made it over in time to see it before watching it head out of the harbor and disappearing.
Of course, the big news in birding continued to be the Gray Heron in Cape Elizabeth. Having been present since at least October 1st (but not coming to light until the 18th, it continued in the area through 10/22). I wrote a blog about this bird last week, including salient identification features, links to viewing info, thoughts about vagrancy, and lots of snarky comments about human behavior. Unfortunately it has not been relocated.
My second visit with the Gray Heron was on the 22nd, when I grabbed this phone-scoped photo. I missed the shot of it catching and eating what appeared to be a Song Sparrow!
With rarity season upon us, I birded widely this week, yielding the following observations of note over the past 7 days:
Highlights from our Durham property this week included 1 American Woodcock on 10/23; good numbers of Pine Siskins daily and an increase in Purple Finches; and a woodcock foraging under our feeders before sunrise on the 28th!
Birding with a client from Florida who was in town to see the Gray Heron was incredibly productive on 10/22. We even found our own rarity! Our long list of highlights included the continuing GRAY HERON (Wells Road, Cape Elizabeth) of course, but also: 2 Snow Buntings (FOF; Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh); we then found a 1st cycle BLACK-HEADED GULL and 1 late Common Tern at Pine Point (photo above); 1 Indigo Bunting and 1 “Ipswich” Savannah Sparrow (FOF; Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth), the continuing HUDSONIAN GODWIT along with 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 1 White-rumped Sandpiper, etc, (Back Cove from Payson Park, Portland), and enjoyed other Northeastern specialties such as Common Eiders and Great Cormorants. There were also an impressive number of Northern Gannets nearshore throughout the day.
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/24.
A very light flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning thanks to a lighter than expected flight overnight and near-calm winds by sunrise.
7:06-8:18, then to 9:00 with Saturday Morning Birdwalk Group
32F, mostly clear, very light WNW to calm.
103 American Robins
24 Yellow-rumped Warblers
23 Pine Siskins
13 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
10 Black-capped Chickadees
5 American Goldfinch
4 Golden-crowned Kinglets
3 Dark-eyed Juncos
3 Eastern Bluebirds
2 Purple Finches
2 Blue Jays
2 Brown Creepers
1 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Common Grackle
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker (crossed after 4 false starts)
1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
1 Snow Bunting
1 unidentified
Total = 200
Evan Obercian and I birded the Rockland area on 10/25, searching for late migrants and rarities. It was a very slow (too nice!) day overall, but a few birds of note included 1 DICKCISSEL (private property in Thomaston); 3 Nelson’s Sparrows and 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper (Weskeag Marsh); 2 Common Yellowthroats (Green House Hill Road); 1 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL (FOF) and 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (The Samoset), etc.
1 CAPE MAY WARBLER, 2 Pine Warblers, etc, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 10/26 (with Jeannette).
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/27.
Despite clear skies and very light northwesterly winds overnight and into the morning, a very light flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning. With so many nights of unimpeded migration due to our lack of “weathah” this month, the pipeline might just be dry. This may have been my last visit to “my office” for the season.
7:09-9:10am
42F, mostly clear, NW 1.8-3.5 to 2.1-4.1
With Luke Seitz and Bill Thompson
74 American Robins
73 Common Grackles
26 Yellow-rumped Warblers
13 Dark-eyed Juncos
11 Canada Geese
6 House Finches
5 Pine Siskins
4 American Pipits
4 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
2 Unidentified
1 Common Loon
1 Palm Warbler
1 TENNESSEE WARBLER (photo below)
1 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 White-throated Sparrow
1 White-crowned Sparrow
1 Hermit Thrush
1 Purple Finch
Total = 227
1 late Solitary Sandpiper that appears to have a broken/deformed bill that doesn’t close on the distal third, 2 White-rumped Sandpipers, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, etc., Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 10/28.
Portland Explorer and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are teaming up to offer a very special, very exclusive road trip outing in 2026.
Early November is a fantastic time of year in Maine for vagrants – birds normally seen in far-off places. Due to a combination of weather patterns, changing seasonal food resources, falling temperatures, and other factors – some of which are not completely understood – birds that may have ended up in Maine by “accident” begin to concentrate at the coast in “migrant traps” and “hotspots.” In other words, this is the time of year to expect the unexpected.
A traditional “Rarity Roundup” involves teams of birders heading out on a given day during rarity prime time, looking for species that are not supposed to be around. And in honor of that tradition, that’s exactly what we are going to do on this unique tour. We may “chase” a rarity (go to see something that has already been found, aka “twitch”) or we might choose a destination known for rare birds in an attempt to find one of our own. Or perhaps, we’ll do both!
Anything in southern Maine is fair game, and we might not even know where we will head until we are on the bus and the latest rare bird alert is received. For those who love adding a bird to your Life or State List, and/or basking in the thrill of discovery, well then this is the tour for you! In between seeing great birds, we’ll discuss the complex factors that are involved in delivering rarities to an area, and how we go about finding them.
For example, last year, our Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Rarity Roundup traveled to Yarmouth to see one of the few MacGillivray’s Warblers ever recorded in the state, then ventured all of the way to Kittery to try and find our own vagrant and the famous Fort Foster Park.
On Sunday, October 18th, a Gray Heron was discovered by an alert birder, Peter Griffin, on Jordan’s Farm along Wells Road in Cape Elizabeth. By the afternoon, its suspected identification came to light, and the word was spread.
I got a text, and Jeannette turned around on her way home to come back to the store to cover me. The chase was on! I arrived at 4:58pm, with the light rapidly fading, joining about a dozen other birders, including my friend Bill Thompson whose photos I once again have pilfered for my blog.
A very short while earlier, I was sent some photos, which I viewed on my phone. They sure looked like a Gray Heron, but I wanted to be sure! On the scene, Bill, Josh Fecteau, and I studied and debated it together (with similar conversations likely up and down the road), and we all felt pretty confident in the identification. Nonetheless, we were relieved to hear from a couple of friends – especially one with more extensive experience with Gray Heron than I – that they were convinced, too. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind. This was Maine’s first ever Gray Heron.
Several of us enjoyed watching it forage, studying its structure and movements, and later, its diet, including a presumed grasshopper and this unlucky Meadow Vole!
See, the thing is, this is actually a somewhat tricky identification, as the bird is very similar to our common Great Blue Heron. In juvenile/first winter plumage, which the Cape Elizabeth Gray Heron is (aged by the gray crown and uniform wing coverts and flight feathers on the spread wing) the head and especially crown pattern of Great Blue Heron (hereafter, GBHE) and Gray Heron (hereafter, GRAH) are essentially identical, but the two species are readily separable using the following traits.
Let’s start with the undersides. Here’s our GBHE; this one happens to be from our yard in Durham about this time last fall.
Note the neck, chest, and belly are heavily streaked with grayish-brown and the background color is whitish or very pale gray. On GRAH, the streaks are fewer, blacker, straighter, and contrast more with a purer white background. GRAH looks white-fronted, GBHE does not. Also note how the appearance of those streaks changes based on posture. Perhaps most importantly, the “thighs” (or more specifically, the feathers covering the upper leg) on GRAH are white or off-white, sometimes with a hint of buff, but on GBHE, they are usually reddish-brown, even at this age. Some can be quite pale, and keep in mind, these feathers are usually obscured when resting (Howell, et al, 2014).
In this photos, taken in Scarborough Marsh in late October, you can see just how pale the “leggings” are on some worn immature GBHE, but even still, there’s the obvious cinnamon “headlight” at the fold of the wing.
In flight, there is one important difference. On both species, there are two small “headlights” on the leading edge of the forewing, at the bend in the wing near the alula and in the primary coverts. In GBHE, these two pale patches, which can vary in overall color, usually appear buffy or brown. They are pretty small, sometimes hard to see, and can appear very pale on some birds and in strong light.
However, in GRAH these two patches are big, bold, and pure white. (I’ll insert a photo of the GRAH in flight when I get permission to use one)
And then, there is structure. While we all wished there was a GBHE nearby when we were viewing the GRAH, its differing structure was still obvious. It’s short-legged and stumpy, the body seems more compact, and the neck is shorter and thicker. The bill appears shorter and somewhat more stout. GBHE looks like an elegant Great Egret on steroids. GRAH looks more like a Hulked-out Yellow-crowned Night-Heron or American Bittern.
Look at how long and relatively skinny-necked a Great Blue Heron looks.Compare this to the first photo above.
I saw my first Gray Herons in Norway, and I thought they looked and were shaped quite different from the Great Blue Herons I knew from home. In August of 2022, Jeannette and I happened to be taking our summer vacation to Prince Edward Island, where a Gray Heron had been present for much of the summer. Happily, it was still present in Brackley Marsh, but we arrived on a rainy day, and a small group of herons were way out in the marsh, hunkered down, and obscured by water on our scopes and fog. One looked paler, but it was not obvious.
Even at this odd angle, and even when hunting, GRAH looks less elegant, long-necked, and dare I say “dumpy.”
We went back the next day, when conveniently, other birders were already on the scene, and we thought, “oh, that one.” And it was the structure, conveniently positioned adjacent to several GBHE that first stuck out.
Got that? Structural differences coupled with the key field marks of underpart pattern and color, thighs, and different color and intensity of the “headlight” on the open wing are how we identify a wayward GRAH from our common and conspicuous GBHE.
Still think you have a GRAH in your yard? Or at your local pond/marsh/farm field? Unless you live in and around Spurwink Marsh in Cape Elizabeth, I am sorry to say it, and I will be blunt: you do not. But if you still think you do, I strongly encourage you to submit your report to eBird…while a second Gray Heron would be unprecedented, as birds continue to prove, nothing is impossible!
“Our” GBHE are found throughout the state, and while many have departed for points south by now, there are plenty still around. They often hunt voles and insects in upland fields, especially in fall, and single birds can look really out of place and unusual when seen out of context like that. (For more information on our resident heron, and how you can help them out since they have declined by as much as 82% along the coast of Maine, please visit the website for the Maine Heron Observation Network).
And while common birds can sometimes have uncommon appearances (such as plumage abnormalities), structure rarely differs. So, unless you are sure you have a thorough understanding of the nuances of the field marks and have the vast field experience to evaluate the subjective structural differences, can we please stop the comments such as “I have one here.” “I saw one too,” and my favorite “These aren’t rare, they are all over!”
Yeah, I made the mistake of looking at comments on the posts made by the local TV outlets and media sites that all covered this extraordinary visitor. I know, “NEVER read the comments in the (online) newspaper!” I sometimes forget.
But this is indeed, a very, very rare bird. A “MEGA” in birding parlance. The first record for Maine (it was, however, #7 on my Next Birds for Maine predictions list! Or, 7.7 based on the wonky formatting I never figured out how to correct in that post back in January). In fact, it’s one of only about 15 records ever anywhere in North America, including only the (likely) second individual ever in the Lower 48, with most records coming from the Canadian Maritimes, such as the 2022 PEI bird. These growing number of records to our northeast prompted me to bump it up on my predictions list recently.
So, now that I hope you are convinced that you do not in fact have one on your pond, or have seen them all over, how about going to see the real deal in Cape Elizabeth? A good “twitch” (when birders chase a rare bird) can be quite the sight, even just for the people-watching value! We’re an excitable bunch, and yeah, our antics can be entertaining.
Additionally, the bird has been moving around a bit, so if it’s not in view (or the line of birders is not to be found) along Wells Road, you’ll want to check other places around the marsh. Recently, it has been viewed commuting to and from the fields and the marsh and has been spotted in the marsh from along Spurwink Rd and from the Spurwink Cemetery. But please, for the love of humanity, wherever it is or it isn’t, please be absolutely careful and respectful of the people and land and vehicles around you, and try to use some common sense!
So now that you know you don’t have a GRAH in you yard, and you had a wonderful visit with the bird, let’s think about the “how and why” a little bit.
GRAH is the ecological equivalent of our GBHE in the “Old World,” with the migratory subspecies having an extensive breeding range from mid-latitude western Europe to western Russia and Japan. They winter from western Europe to Southeast Asia and Africa, where migrants join year-round residents (Howell, et al, 2014). Like our GBHE, they are resident throughout much of its range, however, just like GBHE (including just about all of those in Maine), the birds clear out of the northern edge of their breeding range for points further south. Having to “leap frog” over residents, the northernmost birds often fly the furthest, and this long-distance migration is powered by the birds’ massive wings, but also by their ability to soar effortless for hundreds of (ground) miles, especially by soaring on rising thermals of warm air, just as migrant raptors do. We often see small groups of GBHE soaring high above the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch when they return to Maine, for example.
GRAH is regular in Iceland, and there are records from Bermuda and the eastern Caribbean. They’re even now regular residents in Barbados! In other words, GRAH can travel far, so if one sets off in the wrong direction (the mechanisms that cause vagrancy are complex, poorly understood, and beyond the scope of this already too-long blog) they can end up in far-away places. They can also land on ships (several records listed in Howell, et al, 2014 for example), and take a ride as they rest, or even, scrounge up enough food (like handouts of fish or perhaps even disoriented songbirds) to live aboard a vessel for some period of time. The potential for “ship assisted vagrancy” in GRAH reaching North America is very real, and some birders still disparage this with an Asterix.
We’re not talking about a bird kept in a cage onboard on ocean liner for weeks on end, or some pirate’s escaped parrot, but a wild bird that was unrestrained landed on the boat and took the proverbial any port in a (likely) storm. Floating islands have been traversing the Atlantic Ocean for over 500 years now, and everything from massive cruise ships to oil tankers to cargo ships the size of stadiums are criss-crossing the world’s oceans at all times. This is very part a reality of the Anthropocene as a conscientious backyard birder keeping their hummingbird feeders out well into the fall in the hopes of attracting, feeding, and usually, saving the life of a vagrant (like Freeport’s Broad-tailed Hummingbird, New England’s first record, in 2022. Heck, we even did catch that one!)
A wild bird finding a way to survive in the face of a degrading ecosystem by taking advantage of humanity, whether it’s a feeder or a ship, does not seem worthy of an Asterix to me. In fact, they deserve a pat on the back (also proverbial; wild birds don’t like pats on the back).
So, if it rode a ship for all or part of its journey, so be it. I give it credit. But I don’t think we need to default to this as how it got here. As a growing record of European vagrants to northeastern North America attests, some weather conditions can aid in the vagrancy, or at least, facilitate their arrival (after some “mistake” has been made) in the “wrong” place, even the other side of an ocean.
For more on vagrancy and its mechanisms and the detection of rare birds, see my book, How to Be a Better Birder (Princeton University Press, 2012) and Rare Birds of North America (Howell, Lewington, and Russell, 2014).
And when weather patterns in the North Atlantic include extensively easterly winds, reaching as far as Greenland and Iceland and sometimes even beyond – such as on the backside of massive tropical systems or Nor’easters. OK, I can go down a wormhole, as you all know, with vagrancy and the mechanisms thereof, but let’s just agree for the moment that it got here somehow. That much is fact.
Peter Griffin has received the credit, and deserves all the accolades for his attention, carefulness, and simply being out in the field looking for birds. Afterall the best way to not find rare birds is to not go birding. Peter was birding, was looking, and noticed (I assume; I have not talked to him about it) that this did not appear to be a Great Blue Heron.
And unlike everyone else commenting on various Facebook pages right now, he was right! But a few days later, game camera footage from the farm proved the bird has been present since at least October 1st (fide Alex Lamoreaux)! How many birders drove by this field, and how many even noticed “just” a Great Blue Heron out looking for some vole treats?
Which brings us to another topic: detection. This bird was around for three weeks, when there were many more GBHE present than there are now, so would it have even been noticed by a passing birder. Detection bias is real…but that’s yet another blog for another day. This has gone on long enough. But the lesson is we should always look ay every bird carefully, even “just” our common ones, because every now and then, they are anything but common!
Here’s the summary: you do not have a Gray Heron in your yard or area. But holy shit, there’s one in Cape Elizabeth and it’s wicked cool! You should go see it. Just don’t be a dumbass when you do. And may I suggest taking an extra moment to study it, to appreciate it, and to watch what it does. This could be a once in a lifetime occurrence. Savor it. Add it to the list, sure, but take a moment to think about how amazing it is that it got here, was discovered, and now, here you are getting to see it…and what the hell is that guy wearing!? Because yeah, the people watching at these events can be fun, too.
References:
Howell, Steve N.G, Ian Lewington, and Will Russell. 2014. Rare Birds of North America. Princeton University Press: Princeton and Oxford.
Lovitch, Derek. 2012. How to Be a Better Birder. Princeton University Press: Princeton and Oxford.
Mullarney, Killian, Lars Svensson, and Dan Zetterstrom. 2023. Birds of Europe: Third Edition. Princeton University Press: Princeton and Oxford.
10/24 Update.
Um, yeah, so…about that heron you saw in the field/marsh/pond? Might want to check again, especially if you are south of Portland! The GRAY HERON was not seen at all on 10/23, despite a lot of people checking the Spurwink Marsh area, and it was not relocated despite much searching in the following days.
So it could be anywhere! Although most likely heading south from Cape Elizabeth – assuming it has departed – but I would be carefully double-checking “just a Great Blue” in places like Scarborough Marsh, Webhannet Marsh, and anywhere else that a heron might be.
But the theme of the blog – and the social commentary about the distrust of authority and refusal to acknowledge expertise in internet comments withstanding – take a close look at every heron…using the objective criteria listed above!
And maybe, if people are out searching, something else of significance might be uncovered, too!
The star of the show this week, and perhaps the bird of the year in Maine, this Gray Heron graced Jordan’s Farm in Cape Elizabeth since at least 10/16, but was identified on 10/18 and word soon spread far and wide. Here’s a photo from Bill as dusk approached that day, shortly after my arrival.
After returning from a trip to Chicago where Jeannette ran the Chicago Marathon (and finally visiting the Magic Hedge at Montrose Bird Sanctuary!), I tried to hit the ground running here in my favorite month of birding in Maine. While a weekend walk and tour didn’t produce any rarities, they were chock full of expected October migrants, as were local patches. I swung for the fences with finding a rarity with a visit to Bailey Island on the 16th, and Bill Thompson and I combed Peak’s Island on the 20th. Neither produced anything of note, but chances are they would have been a little anticlimactic with the Mega that was discovered in Cape Elizabeth on Sunday! Therefore, here are my observations of note over the past 8 days.
Highlights from our property in Durham included 1 Fox Sparrow (FOF) on 10/14; 2 American Woodcocks on the 19th; but all was eclipsed by 2 Bobcats in the afternoon on the 14th!
Pine Siskins staged a major incursion into the area this week.
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/15.
A light flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning. A lighter than expected flight overnight (likely due to strong winds and turbulence) and stronger than expected winds this morning reduced the flight.
6:56-9:00.
54F, clear, NW 11.8-14.6 to 12.3-16.2mph.
85 Yellow-rumped Warblers
26 Blackpoll Warblers
24 American Robins
22 White-throated Sparrows
21 Palm Warblers
16 Unidentified
13 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
3 Rusty Blackbirds
3 Hermit Thrushes
3 American Goldfinches
2 American Pipits
2 Sharp-shinned Hawks
2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
2 White-crowned Sparrows
2 Black-throated Green Warblers
1 Cape May Warbler
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Pine Siskin
1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
1 Purple Finch
1 Northern Flicker
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Turkey Vulture
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
T = 239
THE GRAY HERON! Spurwink Marsh, Cape Elizabeth, 10/18 (see photo above). Found earlier in the day by Peter Griffin, I raced down in the afternoon when the news broke, joining a growing legion of admirers watching the bird in the fields of Jordan’s Farm on Wells Road. Careful consideration of identification, and some other details will be included in an upcoming post.
2 Pectoral Sandpipers and a Lesser Yellowlegs were still with 15 Greater Yellowlegs at the Walsh Preserve, Freeport, as of the 21st.
As our collaboration with Portland Explorer enters its 12th season, we’re mixing things up with a brand new series of joint history and birding tours. These unique, relaxed birding and history adventures combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with educational journeys through some of our local history. Join two experts in their field on this brand new collaboration! (Sorry, no beer tastings here!)
Once there, we’ll plan on walking 3-4 easy miles (paved or dirt roads and a few narrow trails including one with irregular boards over wet areas) to cover the prime birding hotspots of the island, including the thickets that were made famous last year when Derek discovered Maine’s 5th-ever Virginia’s Warbler (and first away from Monhegan). We’ll make our way along the shoreline, looking at resident and recently-arrived migrant waterbirds, but checking various nooks and crannies that can hold unexpected vagrants.
We’ll make our way to the famous Battery Steele – famous for its access, its impressive graffiti, and yes, its birding. Here, a complex of wetlands and scrubby areas combine to attract and hold a wide range of avian species, often including some that are usually long gone from Maine by now. We’ll then explore the open-access fort and even get to experience total darkness!
Birding will continue as we traverse the island to return to town. There will be an opportunity to purchase a delicious lunch, or bring your own, and we’ll relax for a spell as we await our ferry departure.
Portland Explorer and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are teaming up to offer a very special, very exclusive road trip outing in 2026.
Early November is a fantastic time of year in Maine for vagrants – birds normally seen in far-off places. Due to a combination of weather patterns, changing seasonal food resources, falling temperatures, and other factors – some of which are not completely understood – birds that may have ended up in Maine by “accident” begin to concentrate at the coast in “migrant traps” and “hotspots.” In other words, this is the time of year to expect the unexpected.
A traditional “Rarity Roundup” involves teams of birders heading out on a given day during rarity prime time, looking for species that are not supposed to be around. And in honor of that tradition, that’s exactly what we are going to do on this unique tour. We may “chase” a rarity (go to see something that has already been found, aka “twitch”) or we might choose a destination known for rare birds in an attempt to find one of our own. Or perhaps, we’ll do both
Anything in southern Maine is fair game, and we might not even know where we will head until we are on the bus and the latest rare bird alert is received. For those who love adding a bird to your Life or State List, and/or basking in the thrill of discovery, well then this is the tour for you! In between seeing great birds, we’ll discuss the complex factors that are involved in delivering rarities to an area, and how we go about finding them.
For example, last year, our Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Rarity Roundup traveled to Yarmouth to see one of the few MacGillivray’s Warblers ever recorded in the state, then ventured all of the way to Kittery to try and find our own vagrant at the famous Fort Foster Park. For a taste of what’s in store, here’s the trip report from our very exciting outing in 2025 (but note we will not be offering the beer tasting component in 2026).
If Northern Fulmar was species of the day on our 10/4 pelagic out of Boothbay Harbor with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises, then the individual bird of the day was this show-stopping Parasitic Jaeger!
A busy week of birding included our annual half-day pelagic out of Boothbay Harbor and two flights at Sandy Point, one of which was incredible! Here are my photo-laden observations of note over the past 8 days.
1 juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, Spurwink Marsh at Sawyer Road, 10/2 (with client from Philadelphia).
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/3 (Oh wow!)
An excellent flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth. An incredible 3 RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS (one prior record of a single on 10/2/2020) passed over, seen by all present, including the birdwalk group that just arrived.
Later, we also had a magical experience with a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. The story of the woodpeckers and the cuckoo can be seen here, while an (*) signifies species recorded only after the birdwalk started; I did not add migrant counts seen thereafter to the tallies. This was a flight for the books!
6:38 to 8:25, then birdwalk group through 10:15.
50F, clear, NNW 4.3-5.2 to NW 6.0 to 8.2
617 Yellow-rumped Warblers
292 unidentified
192 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
171 unidentified kinglets
59 Blackpoll Warblers
56 Golden-crowned Kinglets
40 Dark-eyed Juncos
37 Palm Warblers
35 Cedar Waxwings
28 American Robins
23 Eastern Bluebirds (**new record!)
19 Northern Parulas
15* White-throated Sparrows
13 Blue Jays
10 Blue-headed Vireos
9 Black-throated Blue Warblers
9 Black-throated Green Warblers
8 American Goldfinches
7 Tennessee Warblers
6 Nashville Warblers
6 Chipping Sparrows
5 Black-capped Chickadees
4 Rusty Blackbirds
4 Black-and-white Warblers
4 Cape May Warblers
4 Eastern Phoebes
3 American Redstarts
3 American Pipits
3* Swamp Sparrows
3* Hermit Thrushes
2 Tufted Titmice
2 Savannah Sparrows
2 Red-breasted Nuthatches
1 Pine Siskin (FOF)
1 DICKCISSEL
1 Philadelphia Vireo
1 Yellow Warbler
1 Osprey
1 Merlin
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
1 Swainson’s Thrush
1 Greater Scaup (FOF)
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
1 Great Egret
1 unidentified oriole
1 Common Loon
1 Pine Warbler
1 Red-eyed Vireo
1 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (my 9th Sandy Point record)
X* Common Yellowthroats
Total= 1708
Boothbay ½ Day Pelagic with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises, 10/4:
An incredible day offshore highlighted by 10 NORTHERN FULMARS; an astounding 128 late Wilson’s Storm-Petrels; 7 ATLANTIC PUFFIN and 3 Razorbills; 2 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, an American Pipit and Yellow-rumped Warblers 20 and 15 miles off shore, respectively; 1 MANX SHEARWATER and 4 Great Shearwaters; and finishing up with a close encounter and thrilling chase of a PARASTIC JAEGER. The complete trip report, including photos and checklist, is posted here:
A very light flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning. A turbulent atmosphere overnight coupled with increasing westerly winds in the morning reduced the number of birds on the go overnight, and passing through the point after sunrise.
6:45-8:40am.
39F, mostly clear, W 3.4-6.6 to 5.9-8.6mph.
123 Yellow-rumped Warblers
22 Blackpoll Warblers
5 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
3 American Robins
2 Hairy Woodpeckers (total of 16 false starts)
2 American Goldfinches
1 DICKCISSEL (6th of season ties my record high)
1 Cedar Waxwing
1 Eastern Bluebird
1 Purple Finch
1 Black-throated Green Warbler
1 Tufted Titmouse
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Osprey
1 Chipping Sparrow
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
1 Unidentified
1 Palm Warbler
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
X Common Yellowthroat
T= 168
2 DICKCISSELS, flying together over our Durham property on 10/8.
2-3 DICKCISSELS, Meadow Road, Durham, 10/8 while walking the dog. 4-5 Dickcissels in a morning in interior Maine is incredible. I wonder how many more are out there right now!
1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (FOF), our property in Durham, 10/9.
Join the crew of Seacoast Tours and Derek Lovitch from Freeport Wild Bird Supply on a special tour of the islands and waters of Casco Bay. We’ll explore the inner islands of Freeport, Brunswick and Harpswell as we search for eagles, migrant waterfowl, and an occasional seal basking in the sun on the ledges of hidden coves. We’ll focus on the common resident and migratory water and shoreline birds of the region while keeping an eye out for recently arrived wintering seaducks.
During our previous outings in which we became the first birding groups ever on the island, we found oodles of Yellow-rumped Warblers, other migrants, and learned about the island’s ecology. But we were also captivated by Captain Pete, who guided us through the historic fort, sharing a wealth of historical knowledge and fascinating stories. Once again, we’ve been granted special permission to come ashore and scour the island here in the peak of fall migration. We’ll follow well-maintained trails through the island’s mosaic of open habitats, scrub, and young woods. These are great habitats to search for a variety of migrants, and perhaps even a rarity!
As our collaboration with Portland Explorer enters its 12th season, we’re mixing things up with a brand new series of joint history and birding tours. These unique, relaxed birding and history adventures combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with educational journeys through some of our local history. Join two experts in their field on this brand new collaboration! (Sorry, no beer tastings here!)
But this time we’re leaving the van in the garage and hit the water once again! We’re going to hop aboard the Casco Bay Ferry Lines for the short, 20-minute trip across Portland Harbor to Peak’s Island.
Once there, we’ll plan on walking 3-4 easy miles (paved or dirt roads and a few narrow trails including one with irregular boards over wet areas) to cover the prime birding hotspots of the island, including the thickets that were made famous last year when Derek discovered Maine’s 5th-ever Virginia’s Warbler (and first away from Monhegan). We’ll make our way along the shoreline, looking at resident and recently-arrived migrant waterbirds, but checking various nooks and crannies that can hold unexpected vagrants.
We’ll make our way to the famous Battery Steele – famous for its access, its impressive graffiti, and yes, its birding. Here, a complex of wetlands and scrubby areas combine to attract and hold a wide range of avian species, often including some that are usually long gone from Maine by now. We’ll then explore the open-access fort and even get to experience total darkness!
Birding will continue as we traverse the island to return to town. There will be an opportunity to purchase a delicious lunch, or bring your own, and we’ll relax for a spell as we await our ferry departure.
Our Annual Half-Day Pelagic with our partners, Cap’n Fish’s Cruises in Boothbay Harbor took place on a rather pleasant Sunday, October 4th, 2026. It was clear and calm in the harbor, with a little chop offshore on top of at most a 2-ft swell, it was about as good as we can ask for in the Gulf of Maine in October.
Thanks to the weather and last year’s exceptional outing, we hit our designated capacity (far short of the boat’s capacity to allow for plenty of room to move around) with 93 participants! I handled most of the naturalist duties as we focused on birds, with Alex Lamoreaux on checklist, Dan Nickerson on chum, and of course the exceptional crew of Captain Nate, Naturalist Amy, and Grilled Cheese Chef Valentin.
As we were slowly motoring through the harbor, a flock of 10 Green-winged Teal took off – out of place in the middle of the bay!
Our many visitors to the region – from as far away as California and Nevada today – enjoyed our “common” inshore birds, such as Common Eider and of course Black Guillemot.
We picked up a couple of Great Cormorants, and then as we headed offshore, we soon began to spot the occasional Wilson’s Storm-Petrel. We don’t see Wilson’s this late most falls, and especially not this many! In fact, we saw them throughout the trip, including pockets of small groups. Our tally of 128 for the trip was conservative, yet still a shocking number for the date. Not surprisingly, our best views came as we passed through a mile-long chum slick we had just laid down.
Note the distinctive yellow-webbing between the toes.The pale fringe on the underwing coverts might bely this bird of breeding on the Falkland Islands. Some recent research suggests this could very well be a cryptic species.
That chum slick worked perfectly today, affording us exceptionally close looks at the storm-petrels, but also great views of one of our target birds for an October departure: Northern Fulmar.
Prior to chumming over the area we call Saga, we encountered two large pods of dolphins, with dozens of Northern Gannets circling overhead and plunge-diving among them. The first pod of about 60 Atlantic White-sided Dolphins was followed by an even larger mixed pod of Atlantic White-sided Dolphins and Short-beaked Common Dolphins.
Northern Gannets were abundant today, with feeding frenzies amongst the dolphins, but plenty of scattered birds all trip to keep us on our toes.
Incredibly, we encountered 7 Atlantic Puffins throughout the day, a couple of adults, but mostly juveniles as would be expected this late. Like the storm-petrels, puffins this late are noteworthy, so 7 was exceptional.
Offshore passerines are always thrilling, as they’re like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re gonna get. We only had two today, a Yellow-rumped Warbler and an AMERICAN PIPIT
It was a great day offshore, but we were – as always – still hopeful as we continued on our clockwise loop and worked our way back towards Boothbay. Luke Seitz and I were talking about how we “needed” a jaeger today, and were surprised we did not encounter one. Then, about 45 minutes from the dock, I spotted a jaeger right in front of the bow!
It was so sudden, and right “there” I almost dismissed it as a young Laughing Gull, but then it passed right across the bow. We had a decent look at this subadult Parasitic Jaeger, but then Captain Nate said “Should we go after it? I think we should.” I supported that decision. And while we were already a little behind schedule, the chase was on!
We had another decent view as it passed by, but then we lost it as it easily pulled ahead of us. We were about to turn around when it reappeared, once again right in front of the boat, but this time in hot pursuit of a juvenile Ring-billed Gull (who was being reminded why Ring-billed Gulls don’t often venture this far offshore!)
Peeling away from the Ring-billed, it took a run at a couple of Bonaparte’s Gulls who were minding their business on the water, before it began to head for deeper waters. We followed it for a good 10 minutes, often alongside the boat, just above eye level, for all to see and enjoy.
While any day with a jaeger is a good day, this spectacular view was icing on the cake of another wildly successful mini-pelagic.
This juvenile American Golden-Plover was one of three that Jayden Mowry and I saw in Scarborough Marsh during the rain on 9/27. It shared a similar look to all of us birders who were being drenched by the rain while not finding any mega-rarities!
For the first time in 20 years, I cancelled my Monhegan Fall Migration Weekend Tour due to ferry cancellations and forecasted weather. While the precip and the strongest winds held out through most of Saturday, it was the right call. Instead, I took full advantage of the “extra” weekend here on the mainland, including three near-full days of storm-related birding. While the storm overall was a bit of a dud, ornithologically-speaking, it did result in some decent birding and several observations of note over the past seven days, including the following:
Notables in our Durham property this week included 7 species of warblers including 2 Tennessee on 9/26; a Bay-breasted Warbler on 10/1; and daily Lincoln’s Sparrows continue.
1 Marsh Wren, Florida Lake Park, 9/26.
1 Cory’s Shearwater and 35 Northern Gannets in 1.5 hours of seawatching at Dyer Point, Cape Elizabeth, between 3:10 and 4:40 on 9/26 as the storm got crankin’
1 pair Gadwall and 1 continuing early drake Ruddy Duck, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 9/27.
4 Sandhill Cranes (3 ad and 1 juv), Mayall Road, Gray/New Gloucester, 9/27.
Jayden Mowry and I then met up for a couple of hours in the afternoon on the Eastern Road Trail in Scarborough Marsh, yielding our best birding of the day: 1 “INTERIOR” NELSON’S SPARROW with 3 Saltmarsh Sparrows, 1 “Atlantic” Nelson’s Sparrow, and 6+ unidentified “sharp-tailed” sparrows; 3 juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Pectoral Sandpipers, 1+ White-rumped Sandpiper, 15 Dunlin, etc, etc. It was delightfully productive as we once again got soaked.
1 3rd cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull, Pemaquid Point; 1 Common Tern, Pemaquid Beach Park; and 94 Laughing Gulls at Fort Pemaquid, 9/28 while not relocating the Franklin’s Gull seen earlier in the day (with Jeannette).
Highlight from a delightful day of storm birding with Jeannette on 9/29 included a northbound flock of 500-600 Tree Swallows swirling through Dyer Point, Cape Elizabeth in the early morning; 1 slighty-truant Yellow Warbler at Crescent Beach State Park; a goodly 48 Pectoral Sandpipers, 4 Saltmarsh Sparrows, 1 “Atlantic” Nelson’s Sparrow, and 8 Unidentified “sharp-tailed sparrows” along Eastern Road; and more, but still no storm-driven rarities.
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 9/30:
With cloudy skies and virtually no wind, only a light flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning.
6:37-9:00am
59 F, cloudy, calm to a hint of North.
67 Unidentified
65 Blackpoll Warblers
54 Yellow-rumped Warblers
20 Northern Parulas
15 Blue Jays
10 White-throated Sparrows
7 Palm Warblers
7 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
7 Chipping Sparrows
6 Black-throated Green Warblers
4 American Robins
4 Golden-crowned Kinglets
4 Black-throated Blue Warblers
3 American Pipits
3 Tufted Titmice (all crossed after only 3 false starts)
3 Black-and-white Warblers
2 Swamp Sparrows
2 Red-eyed Vireos
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
1 Rusty Blackbird
1 Tennessee Warbler
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
1 Merlin
1 Swainson’s Thrush
1 Northern Flicker
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 Nashville Warbler
1 Osprey
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 DICKCISSEL
1 Blue-headed Vireo
X Common Yellowthroats
Total= 296
*Family group of 4 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS continue.
Join the crew of Seacoast Tours and Derek Lovitch from Freeport Wild Bird Supply on a special tour of the islands and waters of Casco Bay. We’ll explore the inner islands of Freeport, Brunswick and Harpswell as we search for eagles, migrant waterfowl, and an occasional seal basking in the sun on the ledges of hidden coves. We’ll focus on the common resident and migratory water and shoreline birds of the region while keeping an eye out for recently arrived wintering seaducks.
During our previous outings in which we became the first birding groups ever on the island, we found oodles of Yellow-rumped Warblers, other migrants, and learned about the island’s ecology. But we were also captivated by Captain Pete, who guided us through the historic fort, sharing a wealth of historical knowledge and fascinating stories. Once again, we’ve been granted special permission to come ashore and scour the island here in the peak of fall migration. We’ll follow well-maintained trails through the island’s mosaic of open habitats, scrub, and young woods. These are great habitats to search for a variety of migrants, and perhaps even a rarity!
I really like Clay-colored Sparrows, so I was happy to find this one in the Hill’s Beach neighborhood on the 18th.
I didn’t hit too many shorebird spots during this period and coupled with the lower tallies and diversity of late September, so I’ll forgo my Shorebird High Counts this week and just mention some of the highlights here. In fact, I didn’t get out birding much beyond our property and local patches, but I didn’t have to! Therefore, my observations of note over the past 8 days included:
Notables in our Durham property this week included 10 species of warblers on 9/17 (including two each of Prairie and Bay-breasted); a late-ish Least Flycatcher (9/21 with Katrina Fenton and 9/22 by Jeannette); 11 species of warblers on 9/22 including 3 Tennessee Warblers; our first White-crowned Sparrow of the fall and 33 fly-over American Pipits on the 23rd; a juvenile NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD on 9/24 was our 162nd Yard Bird; at least one Prairie Warbler has been present most of the week, and several Lincoln’s Sparrows were here on most days this week.
A productive morning in and around the Biddeford Pool environs on 9/18 produced a number of observations of note, including 1 DICKCISSEL and 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Bidd Pool neighborhood); 4-5 Red-necked Grebes, 3 American Oystercatchers, and 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull (Ocean Avenue/East Point); 1 American Golden-Plover and 17 Red Knots (The Pool), 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 3 American Oystercatchers (Hill’s Beach); 150-200 Tree Swallows swirling around; and 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (Sky Harbor Blvd).
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 9/19.
A great flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning. There were a lot of very high birds early and some very strong pulses of birds, adding to the high count of unidentified birds. I concluded the count before the flight was over to meet me Saturday Morning Birdwalk group that Jeannette had delivered to the point.
6:24-8:24am (count ended with start of Birdwalk).
46F, mostly clear, NW 6.3-8.1 to NNW 7.4-10.2mph
434 Unidentified
371 Northern Parulas
186 Cedar Waxwings
174 Blackpoll Warblers
96 Northern Flickers
38 Yellow-rumped Warblers
31 American Redstarts
29 Black-throated Green Warblers
16 Magnolia Warblers
12 Yellow Warblers
11 Palm Warblers
10 American Goldfinches
8 Cape May Warblers
8 Black-and-white Warblers
8 Nashville Warblers
7 Canada Geese
6 Red-eyed Vireos
4 Tennessee Warblers
4 American Black Ducks
3 American Pipits
3 Swainson’s Thrushes (at least two crossed!)
3 Eastern Phoebes
3 Blue Jays
3 Rusty Blackbirds
2 Bay-breasted Warblers
2 Philadelphia Vireos
2 Golden-crowned Kinglets
2 Purple Finches
2 Common Loons
2 American Kestrels
2 House Finches
2 Dark-eyed Juncos
2 Red-breasted Nuthatches
1 Blackburnian Warbler
1 Scarlet Tanager
1 unidentified Catharus
1 Black-throated Blue Warbler
1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
1 NORTHERN PINTAIL
1 Pine Warbler
X Common Yellowthroats
T=1493
After I ended the “official” count, I met my the Birdwalk group in the parking lot. 18 White-throated Sparrows, 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows, and 3 Eastern Wood-Pewees were new for me on the morning, while additional migrants tallied can be seen here.
1 drake Ruddy Duck (FOF) and 1 pair American Wigeon, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 9/21.
Join the crew of Seacoast Tours and Derek Lovitch from Freeport Wild Bird Supply on a special tour of the islands and waters of Casco Bay. We’ll explore the inner islands of Freeport, Brunswick and Harpswell as we search for eagles, migrant waterfowl, and an occasional seal basking in the sun on the ledges of hidden coves. We’ll focus on the common resident and migratory water and shoreline birds of the region while keeping an eye out for recently arrived wintering seaducks.
During our previous outings in which we became the first birding groups ever on the island, we found oodles of Yellow-rumped Warblers, other migrants, and learned about the island’s ecology. But we were also captivated by Captain Pete, who guided us through the historic fort, sharing a wealth of historical knowledge and fascinating stories. Once again, we’ve been granted special permission to come ashore and scour the island here in the peak of fall migration. We’ll follow well-maintained trails through the island’s mosaic of open habitats, scrub, and young woods. These are great habitats to search for a variety of migrants, and perhaps even a rarity!
We teased out one, likely continuing Little Gull from the unseasonably small masses of Bonaparte’s Gulls in Head Harbor Passage, New Brunswick on 9/9.
Our annual “weekend” downeast followed by a three-day tour to Monhegan headlined my birding this week, along with visits to shorebirds and Sandy Point to bookend the period. Here are my copious observations of note over the past 10 days.
I wasn’t home much during this period, but a few recent highlights from our Durham property this period included a Prairie Warbler on the 15th and a Brown Thrasher on the 16th.
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 9/7.
A very good flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth Island this morning. A high flight, periods of activity at all levels – including below me, and early morning clouds combined to yield a lot of unidentified as I struggled just to keep count at times
Thanks to Bill Thompson for some instant reply additions to the tallies.
6:10-9:35am.
52F, partly cloudy, NW 4.8-6.0, increasing, then diminishing to 3.9-5.3
541 Unidentified
448 Northern Parulas
169 American Redstarts
119 Blackpoll Warblers
51 Cedar Waxwings
46 Black-throated Green Warblers
14 Yellow Warblers
14 American Goldfinches
13 Red-eyed Vireos
11 Magnolia Warblers
10 Red-breasted Nuthatches
9 Cape May Warblers
6 Black-and-white Warblers
6 Bay-breasted Warblers
6 Nashville Warblers
5 Chipping Sparrows
5 Northern Flickers
5 Northern Waterthrushes
4 House Finch
4 Yellow-rumped Warblers
3 Black-and-white Warblers
3 Common Loons
3 Blue-headed Vireos
3 Tennessee Warblers
2 Savannah Sparrows
2 Prairie Warblers
2 Eastern Kingbirds
2 Black-capped Chickadees
1 Scarlet Tanager
1 Least Flycatcher
1 Common Nighthawk
1 Purple Finch
1 Cooper’s Hawk
1 Wilson’s Warbler
1 Philadelphia Vireo
1 Eastern Phoebe
1 Eastern Wood-Pewee
1 Downy Woodpecker
1 Blackburnian Warbler
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Black-throated Blue Warbler
1 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak
1 Tree Swallow
1 Olive-sided Flycatcher
1 White-throated Sparrow
1 Indigo Bunting
X Common Yellowthroat
T= 1,519
1 Monarch
2 juvenile Snowy Egrets, Downeast Sunrise Trail marsh and Middle Rover Park, Machias, 9/6-10 (with Jeannette).
4 American Pipits (FOF), Carrying Place Cove, Lubec, 9/8 (with Jeannette).
Charter with Eastport Windjammers through Head Harbor Passage, New Brunswick (with Chris Bartlett, Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Renee Patterson, Cynthia Phinney, Jeannette, et al), 9/9: 1 molting adult or 2nd winter LITTLE GULL among a mere 800-1000 total Bonaparte’s Gulls, 3 juvenile Atlantic Puffins, 1 Arctic Tern, 3 Razorbills, etc.
1 1st summer THICK-BILLED MURRE, 11 Black-legged Kittiwakes, 16 Great Cormorants, etc, afternoon whale watch with Eastport Windjammers through Head Harbor Passage (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Cynthia Phinney, Jeannette, et al), 9/9.
Caption: Assuming we finally had our first Common Murre of the day (they’re regular in small numbers here in the late summer), “instant reply” overturned the call on the field and provided us with a most-unexpected Thick-billed Murre!
2 adult and 1 2nd-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull and 13 Laughing Gulls, Roque Bluffs State Park, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
Some of the observations of note from my three days on Monhegan (9/10-12) with my Monhegan Island Birding Workshop with DownEast Magazine’s DownEast Adventures tour group included: 1 make BLUE-WINGED WARBLER (9/12), 1 continuing hen KING EIDER (9/12), 1 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (9/13); 1 DICKCISSEL (9/12), 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (9/12), 1 juvenile Cooper’s Hawk (9/11), up to 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls daily, a respectable-for-Monhegan 8 species of shorebirds over the three days, and 30+ Wilson’s Storm-Petrels on the ferry both coming and going (getting a little late). Not bad for a “slow” weekend out there!
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 9/15.
6:20-10:05.
46F, clear, NNW 5.4-6.2 to N 1.5-2.6
A great flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth Island this morning. Jayden Mowry and Bill Thompson were on the bridge with me for most of the count. Pulses of birds early and high resulted in lots of unidentified. Northerly winds resulted in lots of swirling and non-crossings, making counting migrants even more challenging! The hunting Merlin also didn’t help. A family group of 4 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS on a sandbar (first spotted today by Matthew Gilbert) was my 199th species at Sandy Point!
297 Northern Parula
287 Unidentified
85 Blackpoll Warblers
45 American Redstarts
38 Black-throated Green Warblers
30 Cedar Waxwings
20 Red-eyed Vireos
19 Yellow-rumped Warblers
16 Yellow Warblers
15 Magnolia Warblers
9 Swainson’s Thrushes
7 Black-and-white Warblers
7 Northern Flickers
6 Ospreys
6 American Goldfinches
6 Nashville Warblers
5 Red-breasted Nuthatches
4 Northern Waterthrushes
4 Bay-breasted Warblers
3 Palm Warblers
3 Chestnut-sided Warblers
3 Chipping Sparrows
3 American Pipits
3 Common Loons
3 Black-throated Blue Warblers
3 Tennessee Warblers
3 Philadelphia Vireo
3 Blue Jays
2 Cape May Warblers
2 Purple Finches
2 DICKCISSELS
2 Blue-headed Vireos
2 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
2 Eastern Phoebes
2 Least Flycatchers
1 Wilson’s Warbler
1 Lincoln’s Sparrow
1 Merlin (plus 1 hunting)
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1 YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER (getting late; pending review of Bill’s photo)
1 Canada Warbler
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Blackburnian Warbler
1 Downy Woodpecker (at least 4 “false starts”)
1 unidentified vireo
1 Warbling Vireo
1 Scarlet Tanager
X Common Yellowthroat
T= 956
6 Monarchs
And here are my shorebird high counts over the past 10 days, which did not include any birding south of Yarmouth, hence the reduced diversity and lower numbers for many species:
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 4, Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth, 9/15 (with Matthew Gilbert, Lewis Holmes, Jayden Mowery, and Bill Thompson). My 199th Patch Bird here! Apparently, they have been present recently fide L. Homes and B. Thompson).
Black-bellied Plover: 85, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 9/16.
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER: 1 adult (FOY), Middle River Park, Machias, 9/10 (with Jeannette) and 1 juvenile, Wharton Point, 9/16.
Killdeer: 17, Crystal Spring Farm, Brunswick, 9/15.
Semipalmated Plover: 100+, Middle River Preserve, Machias, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
Hudsonian Whimbrel: 2, Carrying Place Cove then the Lubec Flats, Lubec, 9/8 (with Jeannette).
Join the crew of Seacoast Tours and Derek Lovitch from Freeport Wild Bird Supply on a special tour of the islands and waters of Casco Bay. We’ll explore the inner islands of Freeport, Brunswick and Harpswell as we search for eagles, migrant waterfowl, and an occasional seal basking in the sun on the ledges of hidden coves. We’ll focus on the common resident and migratory water and shoreline birds of the region while keeping an eye out for recently arrived wintering seaducks.
During our previous outings in which we became the first birding groups ever on the island, we found oodles of Yellow-rumped Warblers, other migrants, and learned about the island’s ecology. But we were also captivated by Captain Pete, who guided us through the historic fort, sharing a wealth of historical knowledge and fascinating stories. Once again, we’ve been granted special permission to come ashore and scour the island here in the peak of fall migration. We’ll follow well-maintained trails through the island’s mosaic of open habitats, scrub, and young woods. These are great habitats to search for a variety of migrants, and perhaps even a rarity!
It’s “uncommon” shorebird season, as evidenced by the scattered Baird’s Sandpipers this week. I found this one at Biddeford Pool Beach during a 21-species shorebird day on 8/30.
Fall was in the air this week, and with it, my first visit to Sandy Point of the season (finally!). It was also a great week for shorebirds, and on our property. Here are my observations of note over the past 10 days.
Highlights from our Durham property this period included 12 species of warblers (led by 5 Cape May and 4 American Redstarts, but also including 2 Bay-breasted, and 1 each of Tennessee, Prairie, and Canada!) on 8/28; 1 Philadelphia Vireo, 3 Scarlet Tanagers, and 11 species of warblers (led by 7 Cape May and 5 Common Yellowthroats but also including 1 Bay-breasted) on 9/2, 7+ Cape May Warblers on 9/5 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group), and up to 4 Cape May Warblers on all other days this week.
5 1st-cycle FORSTER’S TERNS, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/30 (with Noah Gibb and Stacey Huth).
1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Hill’s Beach, 8/30.
1 1st-cycle FORSTER’S TERN, Biddeford Pool Beach, Biddeford, 8/30.
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 8/31/2026
A moderate, but good for August, Morning Flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning, thanks to yesterday’s cold front. It must be fall because I am back at “my office!”
55F, clear, NNW 5.3-5.9mph to NW 6.2-9.2mph.
195 American Redstarts
116 Unidentified
105 Northern Parulas
24 Black-throated Green Warblers
18 Yellow Warblers
16 Cape May Warblers
11 Black-and-white Warblers
11 Cedar Waxwings
9 Magnolia Warblers
9 Northern Waterthrushes (*New high count).
6 Tennessee Warblers
6 Nashville Warblers
5 Eastern Wood-Pewees
4 Blackburnian Warblers
3 Red-breasted Nuthatches
2 Black-throated Blue Warblers
2 Baltimore Orioles
2 Least Flycatchers
2 American Robins
1 Swainson’s Thrush
1 MOURNING WARBLER
1 Wilson’s Warbler
1 Prairie Warbler
1 Bay-breasted Warbler
1 Indigo Bunting
1 Scarlet Tanager
1 Eastern Kingbird
1 Canada Warbler
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler
1 Philadelphia Vireo
1 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
X Common Yellowthroats
T=575
3 Cory’s Shearwaters, etc, off of Boothbay Harbor via Cap’n Fish’s Cruises Whale Watch, 8/31. Cory’s have been relatively sparse this year, likely due to water temperatures below recent averages.
5 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Reid State Park, Georgetown, 9/4.
2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Popham Beach State Park, Georgetown, 9/4.
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 9/5.
I had an abbreviated visit to My Office on Saturday Morning, but with a high flight and few birds landing, I chose not to return with the Birdwalk group. Despite NNW by morning and increasing cloud cover, a moderate flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this am thanks to a really massive flight overnight. Birds were still flying when I departed.
6:08 to 7:40
62 F, mostly cloudy, NNW 10.2-11.8 diminishing to 8.5 to 9.8mph.
179 Northern Parulas
161 Cedar Waxwings
160 American Redstarts
124 Unidentified
9 Magnolia Warblers
9 Black-throated Green Warblers
7 American Robins
5 Red-eyed Vireos
4 Yellow Warblers
3 Black-throated Blue Warblers
3 Blackburnian Warblers
2 Chipping Sparrows
2 Common Loons
2 DICKCISSELS (one by B. Thompson only, the second by both of us).
2 American Goldfinches
1 Northern Flicker
1 Merlin
1 American Kestrel
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
1 Bobolink
1 Baltimore Oriole
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 Cape May Warbler
1 Golden-crowned Kinglet
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Eastern Kingbird
1 Purple Finch
x Common Yellowthroat
T= 684
1 Green Darner
Magnolia WarblerNorthern Parula
3-4 continuting FORSTER’S TERNS and 3 adult Lessert Black-backed Gulls, Pine Point, Scarborough, 9/6.
Here are my shorebird high counts over the past 10 days, led by a productive 21-species of shorebird morning in and around Biddeford Pool on the 30th, for a week’s total of 23.5 species.
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 13, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/30.
Black-bellied Plover: 203, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/30.
Semipalmated Plover: 129, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/30.
Piping Plover: 5, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/30.
Hudsonian Whimbrel: 8, Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg, 9/3.
MARBLED GODWIT: 2 juv, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/30. One bird has been present for a couple of weeks, but this second bird appears to be “new” this morning.
Ruddy Turnstone: 13, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/30.
Red Knot: 31, Hill’s Beach, 8/30 (with Noah Gibb and Stacey Huth).
Sanderling: 81, Reid State Park, Georgetown, 9/4.
BAIRD’S SANDPIPER: 1 juv, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/30.
Least Sandpiper: 40++, The Pool, Biddeford, 8/30.
White-rumped Sandpiper: 1, several locations.
Pectoral Sandpiper: 1, Hill’s Beach, 8/30 and 1, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 9/2.
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 490, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/30.
WESTERN SANDPIPER: 1 juv., Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/30
Short-billed Dowitcher: 45, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/30.
Spotted Sandpiper: 2, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/30.
Solitary Sandpiper: 1, multiple locations this week.
Lesser Yellowlegs: 189 (a new record for here!), Walsh Preserve, 9/2.
(Eastern) Willet: 5 (including continuing leucistic bird), Pine Point, Scarborough, 9/6.
(WESTERN) WILLET (FOY): 2-3, The Pool and Hill’s Beach, 8/30. Noah Gibb and Stacey Huth found two at The Pool, a short time before I found one at Hill’s Beach. The bird had departed Hill’s Beach before I encountered two at The Pool.
Greater Yellowlegs: 8, Walsh Preserve, 9/2.
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: 1, offshore of Boothbay Harbor vis Cap’n Fish’s Cruises, 8/31. One, just one, lone phalarope spinning away on a mat of seaweed.
It’s been another great week for Cape May Warblers in our yard in Durham, including this 1 (of 7!) on 9/2.
It’s been another great summer for Forster’s Terns, and Biddeford Pool has been the epicenter of their appearance. On the 24th, Jeannette enjoyed a photo session with several of the 4 1st-cycle birds that were present that day.
Thanks to an 18-species shorebird pseudo-Big Day on 8/24, I tallied 19 species of shorebirds this week. During that day, we may have experienced lower numbers of most shorebird species than we had hoped, but overall had an exceptional day, including a lot of “uppercase” observations of note of more than just shorebirds. That productive day fueled an excellent week of noteworthy observations for me over the past seven days:
Highlights from our Durham property this period included a fist fall female MOURNING WARBLER and 1 continuing Cape May Warbler on the 21st; 3 Common Nighthawks (FOF) at dusk on the 22nd; at least 10 Cape May Warblers and 1 Tennessee Warbler on 8/23 (with Dan Nickerson); 9 Common Nighthawks, 8/24; daily multiple Cape May Warblers continuing through week’s end.
1 continuing proposed HYBRID TRICOLORED HERON X SMALL WHITE EGRET(S), aka “Patches,” 1 DICKCISSEL (FOF), 1 American Wigeon (FOF), 3 Gadwall, etc, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/24 (with Jeannette).
2 female Blue-winged Teal, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/24 (with Jeannette).
4 1st-cycle FORSTER’S TERNS, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/24 (with Jeannette).
2 continuing pairs of Red-necked Grebes and 1 continuing 1st-summer Great Cormorant, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 8/24.
1 3rd-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/24 (with Bill Sheehan and Jeannette).
2 1st-cycle FORSTER’S TERNS, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/24 (with Jeannette).
1 juvenile YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (FOY), Jones Creek, Pine Point, Scarborough Marsh, 8/24 (with Jeannette). Pretty sure we were about the last birders to see one this year!
1 DICKCISSEL and 2 Roseate Terns (1 adult and 1 juvenile; very rare within Casco Bay), Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/26.
Jeannette and I observed 18 species of shorebirds on 8/24, and I only managed a single additional species all week! But here are my shorebird high counts over the past 7 days:
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 9 Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/24 (with Jeannette).
Black-bellied Plover: 238, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/24 (with Bill Sheehan and Jeannette).
White-rumped Sandpiper: 3, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/26.
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 396, Wharton Point, 8/26. (SESA counts have been dreadfully low this season, but this flock of 100% juveniles was a really good sign).
Join me for three days of birding at Maine’s famous Migration Mecca. As the summer crowds dwindle, the island becomes a birders’ paradise, with birding opportunities around every corner. This tour will spend three days sampling what the island has to offer during the peak of migration, from warblers to hawks to sparrows to the unexpected. Weather (and sometimes, lack thereof) will dictate how much we do or do not see, but every day is different out there. We’ll learn that fall warblers are rarely if ever “confusing” and why migrants – and vagrants from any direction – drop by this offshore migrant trap.
