These tarrying drake Green-winged Teal were snoozing in the Mallard flock along the Auburn Riverwalk on the 16th (above) and at Mill Creek Cove in South Portland on the 18th (below). I don’t like to disturb birds, so I have lots of sleeping duck photos! I enjoy the calmness of it, and one can really take in the intricacies of the rest of the plumage that way.
A frigid start to the week yielded to a warming trend by week’s end. Will we see a “stirring of the pot” with the warm-up and upcoming storm system? My observations of note from the past seven days included concentrating waterfowl and a brutal, but productive day on the Southern York County CBC. Here are the highlights:
- 1 drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE (first of season locally), Broad Cove Preserve, Cumberland, 12/13 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
- Southern York County CBC, 12/15: Moody Sector with Jeannette:
2,168 individuals of 54 species, led by 440 Mallards, 272 Canada Geese, and 258 European Starlings. Landbirds – especially resident “yard birds” – and oceanfront waterbirds were insanely low, even given challenges of a bitter cold day with strong winds. Almost all landbirds besides starlings, Rock Pigeon, House Sparrow, and Song Sparrow were very low for us. Exceptions include a very high count of 23 Yellow-rumped Warblers (Ogunquit Beach dunes) and a total of 28 Horned Larks. Nonetheless, our roster of notable birds was above recent average, with highlights including:
_2_ ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (been a long time for us in this territory! Only 2nd time there was been more than on on this CBC!) one dark morph (probable immature) and 1 light morph immature, both seen soaring and hunting late in the afternoon from the north end of the Footbridge parking lot. Dark-morph spotted around 2:30pm, and seen again at about 3:30pm when the light morph appeared. We lost the dark morph, but the light bird eventually glided overhead and disappeared over the treeline, heading south.
1 KILLDEER, Ogunquit River Marsh from Bourne Ave
2 hen and 1 drake NORTHERN PINTAIL, Ogunquit Rivermouth
2+ Red Crossbills, flying over Bourne Ave.
1 Savannah Sparrow, Furbish Ave.
13 Sanderlings, Ogunquit Beach.
- 2+ Fish Crows, Anniversary Park, Auburn, and 2-3 along Auburn Riverwalk, 12/16 (see last week’s Highlights for a FICR discussion).
- 1 drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL, Auburn Riverwalk, 12/16. Photo above.
- 16 Snow Buntings, North River Road (in parking lot next to boat launch), Auburn, 12/16.
- 1 Swamp Sparrow, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 12/17
- 1 Evening Grosbeak, here at the store, 12/17.
- 2 drake GADWALLS, 1 continuing pair Green-winged Teal, and 1 1st-cycle Iceland Gull, Mill Creek Cove, South Portland, 12/18 (photos above and below).
This hen Green-winged Teal, her plumage no less detailed and intricate than the male’s, was also dozing at Mill Creek Cove on the 18th. She woke up and took a swim though!
Maine Birding Field Notes 
What a fantastic week of birding! I always love reading your detailed reports—they make me feel like I’m right there with you, especially the excitement of spotting those Rough-legged Hawks on the CBC after so long. The contrast between the “brutal” conditions and the great finds, like the Barrow’s Goldeneye and the lingering Green-winged Teal, really captures the rewarding persistence of winter birding.
Your note about the calmness of photographing sleeping ducks to appreciate plumage details is such a great point. For a beginner trying to learn waterfowl in winter, besides looking for those sleeping birds, what are one or two other key behaviors or field marks you’d recommend focusing on first to tell similar species apart in these mixed flocks?
Thank you for the note, Christine, and for your kind words. I am glad you are getting enjoyment from my ramblings! As for waterfowl, the best way to learn is on our upcoming Waterfowl Workshop! Or our wintertime Saturday Morning Birdwalks. Otherwise, start with diving ducks vs dabbling ducks and then break it down into families first. That will get you started.