Monhegan’s third Ash-throated Flycatcher was found by Ken and Sue Feustel on Monday, September 30^th. I was lucky enough to relocate it a short time later and snag these photos. Despite much searching, only one observer saw it on 10/1, but it is likely still on the island but having recovered, moving around widely. It was not in great shape, with a real tattered plumage, but as the morning went on it continued to feed and look healthier. Although one half of the tail is tattered, the photo below shows the diagnostic pattern in the outer tail feathers, where the dark brown from the outer web wraps around to the end of the inner web. This feature eliminates an even rarer Myiarchus flycatcher, which was important given the rather early date of this individual.

My birding this week included five wonderful days on Monhegan, and two very productive mornings on our Durham property.

My observations of note from Monhegan included (full trip report with photos soon):

• 9/27 (with Monhegan Fall Migration Tour group):

1 continuing female Dickcissel

7 Baltimore Orioles

• 9/28 (with Monhegan Fall Migration Tour group):

1 continuing Dickcissel

1 female Mourning Warbler

1 Clay-colored Sparrow

2 Pine Warblers

1 YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (calling after dark; not with group)

• 9/29 (with Monhegan Fall Migration Tour group):

2 Orange-crowned Warblers

2 Clay-colored Sparrows

3 Nelson’s Sparrows (ssp subvirgatus)

2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

• 9/30 (on my own and then with Jeannette):

1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo

1 ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (see photos and notes above)

2 Clay-colored Sparrows

1 Orange-crowned Warbler

1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

2 Wilson’s Snipe

• 10/1 (with Jeannette):

2 Dickcissels

1 Scarlet Tanager

1 Wilson’s Snipe and 1 Semipalmated Plover

• Highlights from the yard included 8+ Lincoln’s Sparrows and a late Nashville Warbler on 9/26, while on the morning of 10/2, 70+ Swamp Sparrows, a continuing Indigo Bunting, and a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawks were among the birds present.

UPCOMING TOURS:

Our annual half-day pelagic with our partners Cap’n Fish’s Cruises out of Boothbay Harbor is only 1 ½ weeks away! Join us on this annual favorite on October 14^th – a nice, late date that should put us more in the season of things like Great Skua. More info and link to registration is here.

A few spaces remain on our Birds on Tap! – The Boat Trip! To House Island in Casco Bay on Sunday, October 20^th. More info here.