Although not in Maine, this spiffy adult Sabine’s Gull was the icing on the cake of an incredible day in Head Harbor Passage, New Brunswick on 9/4 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends). An impressive concentration of gulls was led by 5,000-8,000 Bonaparte’s Gulls, 5,000 Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, and also including 20+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 20-30 Laughing Gulls (also Ring-billeds and Black-legged Kittiwakes). It was the best concentrations of birds we have experienced here in several years.

With our annual early fall weekend with friends to Washington County, a productive eight days of birding included the following observations of note: 

• Sandy Point Morning Flight, 9/3: 355 total migrants led by 105 Northern Parulas and 88 Cedar Waxwings, and also including a single BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Only my 4^th morning flight record). Complete tally here.

• 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, Lubec Bar and Flats, 9/5 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends).

• 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Roque Bluffs State Park, 9/6 (with Jeannette).

• 1 juvenile YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, Jones Creek, Pine Point, Scarborough, 9/10 (with Jeannette).

• Our Durham property continues to impress during migration. Another week with at least 15 species of warblers detected in the yard, and highlights including Philadelphia Vireo on several days and a Brown Thrasher at our feeders 9/8-9.

Based on the progressing season, and my upcoming schedule, this was the last week I focused on shorebirds. As always, my peak shorebird season culminates with our visit down east. There are plenty of shorebirds left to enjoy (and count), but my final shorebird “high counts” report of the season – including a goodly 20 species this week – is as follows:

• AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 4 (2 ad with 2 juv), Pine Point, Scarborough, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
• Black-bellied Plover:  8, Pine Point, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
• Killdeer: 14, Crystal Spring Farm, Brunswick, 9/8.
• Semipalmated Plover: 71, Pine Point, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
• Whimbrel: 3, Lubec Bar and Flats, 9/5 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends).
• Ruddy Turnstone: 1, Lubec Bar and Flats, 9/5 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends).
• RED KNOT: 1 juv, Lubec Bar and Flats, 9/5 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends).
• STILT SANDPIPER: 1 juvenile, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 9/9.
• Sanderling: 11, Carrying Place Cove, Lubec, 9/5 (with Jeannette).
• DUNLIN: 1 juv, Lubec Bar and Flats, 9/5 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends).
• Least Sandpiper: 150+, Sanborn Cove, Machiasport, 9/3 (with Jeannette).
• White-rumped Sandpiper: 10+, Sanborn Cove, 9/3 (with Jeannette).
• Pectoral Sandpiper: 2, Walsh Preserve, 9/9.
• Semipalmated Sandpiper: 3,000-4,000 (!), Machiasport, 9/3 (with Jeannette). Only 2,000 or so on 9/6 (with Jeannette).
• WESTERN SANDPIPER: 1 juvenile, Pine Point, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
• Short-billed Dowitcher: 15, Walsh Preserve, 9/9.
• Spotted Sandpiper: 2, Pike Lands Preserve, Lubec, 9/5 (with Jeannette).
• Lesser Yellowlegs: 41, Walsh Preserve, 9/9.
• “Eastern” Willet: 2, Pine Point, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
• Greater Yellowlegs: 6, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 9/8.