Little Gulls are simply adorable. This is a scientific fact. This continuing 1st-cycle (born last year) individual was at Hill’s Beach in Biddeford on the 31st.
While there are still plenty of migrants moving through the region, especially shorebirds, breeding season is fully upon us now. This June, I have intentionally reduced my tour schedule to take full advantage of what June has to offer, including exploring new areas and enjoying Maine’s astounding array of breeding diversity, and yeah, doing some scouting, too. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days:
- Scattered Red Crossbills continue around the area, including here on the coastal plain. Blackpoll Warblers and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were among the later migrant passerines still on the move this week; I had several sightings of both species well outside breeding range. A Common Nighthawk over our yard in Durham on 6/2 was also likely a migrant.
- 36 White-winged Scoters, 41 Black-bellied Plovers, 25 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 4 Dunlin, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, etc, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 5/30 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
- 200+ Chimney Swifts, Maine Street and Androscoggin River, Brunswick, 5/30 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
- 1 continuing 1st cycle LITTLE GULL, 2 Brant, 6 Roseate Terns (FOY), etc, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 5/31 (photo above).
- 13 species of shorebirds, led by 85 Black-bellied Plovers but including 1 White-rumped Sandpiper (FOY), and 5-7 American Oystercatchers, between The Pool and Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 5/31.
- Lingering seaducks around the Biddeford Pool area on 5/31 included 120+ Black Scoters, a small number of White-winged and Surf Scoters, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, and 2 RED-NECKED GREBES (off Ocean Avenue. Back for another summer?).
- 2 1st summer Great Cormorants, East Point to Ocean Ave, Biddeford Pool, 5/31.
- 1 Willow Flycatcher, Bethel Rec Trail, Bethel, 6/1 (with Jeannette).
- 6 (visually confirmed) Philadelphia Vireos, Grafton Notch State Park, 6/2 (with Jeannette).
- 2 CANADA JAYS, Grafton Notch Forest Wilderness Preserve, 6/2 (with Jeannette).
- 5 Long-tailed Ducks, 1-2 American Oystercatchers, 16 Semipalmated Sandpipers, etc, Pine Point Beach, Scarborough, 6/5.
2026 Monhegan Spring Migration Weekend Tour Report.
Another remarkable Monhegan Spring Migration Weekend is in the books. Every day out here is different in migration, and every tour is unique. But this one was particularly full of superlatives.
It seemed slow. Low numbers, low diversity, but yet with new birds being seen every day we ended up with a very good, above-average tally of 95 species, with the 18 species of warblers being just about the long-term average.
While numbers of individuals, especially warblers, were dreadfully low, we more than made up for it with quality. Quality of species, but especially quality of sightings. Just about everything was seen so well. A recurring theme of the weekend was definitely “wow, that was a great view!” or “what a fascinating behavior!” The bird-watching was simply divine!
Here’s the photo-laden tour report, including daily birdlists.
Maine Birding Field Notes 