If I was going to top last week’s spectacular week of migration, it was going to require a visit to Monhegan. And Monhegan definitely delivered, even if the largest number of birds this week moved over the weekend, before I arrived on the island. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.

• 17 species of warblers, led by 16 Common Yellowthroats and 9 American Redstarts, but also including 5 Bay-breasted Warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/21 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).

• 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (FOY), Florida Lake Park, 5/21 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).

• 15 species of warblers, led by 11 Common Yellowthroats and 8 Yellow-rumped Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/22 (with clients from Maine).

• 10 Common Nighthawks (FOY), our yard in Pownal, 5/22.

• ~40 Short-billed Dowitchers, flying high over our Pownal yard on 5/22 (with Jeannette). Interestingly, the third record for our yard of high spring migrants.

Three days on Monhegan with a client from India on 5/23 through 5/25 yielded 91 species and 18 species of warblers.  Monday was incredible, with lots of diversity, lots of quality, and just incredible looks at everything. Blackpoll Warblers were by far the dominant migrant each day, as expected. Here are our daily highlights:

5/23:

• 1 SANDHILL CRANE – I almost dropped my hand pie as this came cruising over the Trailing Yew, circled the meadow, and landed on the shoreline at a tidepool where observed by almost everyone on the island – birders and bird-curious alike.  Photos above.
• 1 immature, I believe continuing, BROAD-WINGED HAWK.
• 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo (FOY)
• At least 4-5 Black-billed Cuckoos, including this incredible observation of such normally shy birds!

• 1 imm. male ORCHARD ORIOLE
• 1 EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL (FOY, and a self-found island bird from my bedroom!)

5/24:

• 1 continuing SANDHILL CRANE. In the meadow in early morning before reportedly being observed later flying toward the mainland.
• 1 imm. male Orchard Oriole
• 1 continuing EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL (with client, Kristen Lindquist, Bill Thompson, and Jess Bishop).
• 1 leucistic (and nearly pure-white but with normal bare parts) Herring Gull.
  
  5/25:

• 1 female ORCHARD ORIOLE
• 1 Green Heron (FOY)
• 1 Wood Thrush

Our first pelagic with our partners Cap’n Fish’s Cruises out of Boothbay Harbor will run on Monday, June 6^th. It includes a visit to Eastern Egg Rock and chumming deeper offshore.  Info here: https://www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com/pelagics