It was another busy week of birding for me! And it was another great week of birding, with the vanguard of spring migration coupled with lots of winter specialties still around – and a lot more finches! Turkey Vulture, Red-winged Blackbird, and Common Grackle numbers were slowly increasing by week’s end.  Scattered Pine Siskins are now reaching the coastal plain (from the north, west, or south?). My observations of note over the past seven days were as follows:

• 1 drake Northern Pintail, Wolfe’s Neck Center, Freeport, 3/5 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).

• 3+ Lapland Longspurs with 100+ Snow Buntings and 40+ Horned Larks, Flood Farm, Clinton, 3/6 (with clients from Texas).

• ~35 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, Stillwater Avenue, Orono, 3/7 (with clients from Texas).

• Sunkhaze NWR/Stud Mill Road finch report (from a few hours in the pm on 3/6 and two hours in the early morning on 3/7 (with clients from Texas):

Pine Siskins: many hundreds, including numerous flocks of 50-75+

Purple Finches and American Goldfinch: scattered small numbers; groups up to 10-12.

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS: Scattered individuals and small groups including one cluster of 4+ singing males.

Red Crossbills: Scattered individuals and one small group of 8. No recordings were successfully obtained.

Common Redpoll: One flock of 60-75; a few singles with other finches.

• 1 first-winter Iceland Gull and 1 drake Lesser Scaup, Auburn Riverwalk, 3/10.