This Week’s Highlights, 8/5-8/11,2023

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One of two adult American Oystercatchers tending a downy, flightless chick (late) at Upper Green Island in interior Casco Bay, confirming our suspected breeding on this tiny island.

I have spent dreadfully little time enjoying, studying, and counting shorebirds so far this summer, so I tried to make up for that this week!  With many species approaching peak numbers, it was a good week to do so. High water in ponds and salt pannes from all of our recent rains impacted some locations and overall diversity, but my shorebird high counts this week were quite good overall:

  • AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 2 ad with 1 downy juv, Upper Green Island, Casco Bay, 8/6 (with Birds of Casco Bay with Seacoast Tours). Confirmed breeding on this tiny island after finding a flighted juvenile with adults last summer at this time. See link below.
  • Black-bellied Plover: 62, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/9.
  • Killdeer: 41, Colonial Acres Sod Farm, Gorham, 8/8.
  • Semipalmated Plover: 400-500, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Piping Plover: 1 juv, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Whimbrel: 1, Pine Point, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Ruddy Turnstone: 2, Biddeford Pool Beach, Biddeford, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Least Sandpiper: ~50, Royal River, Yarmouth 8/6 (with Birds of Casco Bay with Seacoast Tours).
  • White-rumped Sandpiper: 3, Pine Point, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1500-2000, Pine Point, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Short-billed Dowitcher: 59, Hill’s Beach, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Spotted Sandpiper: 7, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Solitary Sandpiper: 1, Walsh Preserve, Yarmouth, 8/7 (with Jeannette).
  • Lesser Yellowlegs: 71, Royal River, Yarmouth 8/6 (with Birds of Casco Bay with Seacoast Tours).
  • “Eastern” Willet: 7, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/10 and Pine Point, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • “WESTERN” WILLET (FOY): 1, The Pool, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Greater Yellowlegs: 24, Walsh Preserve, 8/7 (with Jeannette).

A few non-shorebird highlights this week also included:

  • 1 3rd-cycle LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, well inland at Colonial Acres Sod Farm, 8/8.
  • 1 female Black Scoter, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 8/10 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Daily fly-overs of Red Crossbill continue in our Durham yard, but I never seem to have a phone handy for a recording.

TOURS AND EVENTS:

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