Monthly Archives: April 2022

This Week’s Highlights, April 23-29, 2022.

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Palm Warblers were on the move this week, although concentrations remain low.

Persistent winds from unfavorable directions precluded a big push of migrants this week, but the season is slowly progressing. There were a couple of decent nights of migration this week, on Sunday and Monday nights. My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (FOY), our yard in Pownal, 4/23.
  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cape Elizabeth Greenbelt Trail, 4/25 (with Jeannette).
  • 40 Purple Sandpipers, Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth, 4/25 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, private property in Durham, 4/27.
  • 2 pairs of Gadwall, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 4/29.

And my list of personal “first of years” this week also included the following:

  • 1 Laughing Gull, Winslow Park, Freeport, 4/23 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 House Wren, here at the store, 4/23.
  • 1 early CLIFF SWALLOW, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 4/23.
  • 1 Blue-headed Vireo, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/24.
  • 1 RUSTY BLACKBIRD, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/29.
  • 1 Willet, Dunstan Landing, Scarborough Marsh, 4/29.
  • 1 LITTLE BLUE HERON, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 4/29.

And don’t forget, this weekend is Feathers Over Freeport! With the weather of the past three days in particular, it should be a great weekend for migrants!

Carolina Wren from the Saco Riverwalk on Sunday.

This Week’s Highlights, April 16-22, 2022.

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Unlike last week, my birding was more limited this week, and coupled with less-than-conducive weather for migrants on most days, my observations of note were few.

  • ~50 Palm Warblers, ~25 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 2 Pine Warblers, Florida Lake, Freeport, 4/16 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 2 female BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 4/17 (with Jeannette).
  • 7 Gadwall, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 4/17 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Fish Crow, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/20 (my 168th species here!)

And my list of personal “first of years” and other new arrivals also showed the reduced time in the field and only one good night of migration this week:

  • 78 Glossy Ibis, Scarborough Marsh, 4/17 (with Jeannette)
  • 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, Scarborough Marsh, 4/17 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, Morgan Meadow WMA, 4/21.

I hope to see you all on Monday when Jeannette and I will be presenting a program on Birding in Cuba for Merrymeeting Audubon at the Curtis Library in Brunswick at 7:00pm.

And don’t forget, next weekend is Feathers Over Freeport!

This Week’s Highlights, April 9-15, 2022.

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This stunning male Indigo Bunting really brightened up a wet and dreary morning on Bailey Island on Tuesday. Rather than just a very early migrant, this bird is more likely part of an “overshooting” vagrancy event that brought several southern birds to Maine in the past week.

I had relatively few things scheduled this week, so I took full advantage to spend a little extra time in the field – it might be July by the time I get a week this open again!  While I definitely “swung for the fences” a few times in my pursuit of finding rare birds, I enjoyed a really great week of birding overall.

My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 1 Northern Goshawk, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 4/10.
  • 1 Red Crossbill, Waterboro Barrens Preserve, Waterboro, 4/11 (with Jeannette).

But my highlight was experiencing a fallout along the southern York County coast on 4/14, led by Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Golden-crowned Kinglets, but also including goodly tallies of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers, White-throated Sparrows, Northern Flickers, and especially Hermit Thrushes. I also totaled 10 sparrow species on the day, several first-of-years, but alas, none of the hoped-for rarities. I summarized the event briefly in this post.

And my list of personal “first of years” and other new arrivals this week really showed the progression of the season.

  • 2 Hermit Thrushes, Winslow Park, Freeport, 4/9 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 7 Pam Warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/10.
  • 2 Swamp Sparrows (FOS), Florida Lake Park, 4/10.
  • 16 Wilson’s Snipe, Highland Road, Brunswick, 4/10.
  • 5 RUDDY DUCKS, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 4/10.
  • 1 Barn Swallow, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 4/10.
  • 1 INDIGO BUNTING, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 4/12 (with Jeannette. See photo and note above).
  • 1 Savannah Sparrow, Bailey Island, 4/12 (with Jeannette).
  • 7 Broad-winged Hawks, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 4/12 (with Jeannette)
  • 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Florida Lake Park, 4/13.
  • 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers (FOS), Florida Lake Park, 4/13.
  • 1 drake Blue-winged Teal, Spring Brook Farm, Cumberland, 4/13.
  • 1 Chipping Sparrow, feeders here at the store, 4/13.
  • 1 Field Sparrow, Fort Foster, Kittery, 4/14.
  • 1 Eastern Towhee, Fort Foster, 4/14.
  • 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Fort Foster, 4/14.
  • 1 pair GADWALL (FOS), Seapoint Beach, Kittery, 4/14.
  • 1 Dunlin (FOS), Seapoint Beach, 4/14.

And finally, the first event of this year’s extended Feathers Over Freeport celebration is Wednesday, 4/20 at Maine Beer Co. A portion of the proceeds of every food purchase will directly support the weekend’s events! I’ll be joining park staff to answer questions about our local state parks, local birding, and the Feathers Over Freeport Weekend.  For more information, visit: www.maine.gov/feathersoverfreeeport

This Week’s Highlights, April 2-8, 2022.

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A distantly-phone-scoped photo of a drake Eurasian Wigeon does not do this spiffy bird justice!

A few “good” ducks, an increasing roster of new arrivals, and a successful tour were my sightings of note over the past seven days:

  • 12 NORTHERN SHOVELERS (one of my highest Maine counts), Maquoit Bay Conservation Land, Brunswick, 4/2 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 continuing drake EURASIAN WIGEON, Route 136, Durham, 4/7 (photo above). Originally found by N. Gibb on 4/3.

New Arrivals this week:

  • 2 Pied-billed Grebes (FOY), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/3 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • 5 Tree Swallows (FOY), Morgan Meadow WMA, 4/4 (with Jeannette).
  • 8 Great Egrets (FOY), Scarborough Marsh, 4/4 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • 1 Snowy Egret (FOY), Scarborough Marsh, 4/4 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • 1 Greater Yellowlegs (FOY), Scarborough Marsh, 4/4 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • 1 Double-crested Cormorant (FOS), Scarborough Marsh, 4/4 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • Big arrival of more Eastern Phoebes and Song Sparrows in particular night of 4/5-6.
  • 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (FOY), private property in Durham, 4/7 (with Jeannette).

This Week’s Highlights, March 26-April 1, 2022.

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Red-throated Loon, Race Point, Cape Cod.

Jeannette and I escaped for a long weekend in Cape Cod, Friday through Monday. We were mostly looking for North Atlantic Right Whales, but of course we did some birding too!  Jeannette’s whale and bird photos from the weekend are posted in this short blog about our trip:

The Right Whales of Race Point.

Meanwhile, back in Maine, the strong northwesterly winds slowed the pace of migration. However, by week’s end, I had some time do a little local birding, producing the following highlights:

  • 1 Winter Wren (FOY), our yard in Pownal, 3/31.
  • 3+ American Wigeon, 2+ Northern Pintail, 30+ Wood Ducks, etc, Route 136 fields, Durham, 3/31.
  • 1 Eastern Phoebe (FOY), Thornhurst Farm, North Yarmouth, 3/31.
  • 1 Osprey (FOY), Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 4/1.

The weather is looking good for Saturday night for our annual “Woodcocks Gone Wild” evening.  If there’s any uncertainty about when the forecast winds will diminish, be sure to check the News Page of our website. More information about the tour, and last year’s trip report, can be found here.