Category Archives: Private Guiding and Tours

Birds on Tap – Monhegan!

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“Coffee Warbler” would be a better name for the Magnolia Warbler due to their affinity, and perhaps even reliance, on shade-grown coffee plantations in winter.

Beer + bird-friendly coffee + birds + migration + Monhegan + Dr. Steve Kress* = Epic.

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You never know what will show up on Monhegan on Memorial Day weekend, like this female Hooded Warbler.

For a while now, I have been hinting at a big event in the works for Memorial Day Weekend on Monhegan Island. Partnering with Birds & Beans Coffee, Monhegan Brewing, and The Trailing Yew, Freeport Wild Bird Supply is pleased to announce:

Birds on Tap – Monhegan!

We have the “Birds on Tap!” lecture series at Rising Tide in partnership with Dr. Noah Perlut, and the Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! series in conjunction with the Maine Brew Bus, and now, we’re going even bigger with a weekend on the birding Mecca of Monhegan Island!
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Eastern Kingbirds.

But now we’re adding coffee to the mix, specifically bird-friendly, shade-grown, organic, and fair-trade certified – not to mention absolutely delicious – Birds & Beans coffee! Roasted right here in Maine, Birds & Beans (available at Freeport Wild Bird Supply and several other retailers around the state) coffee carries the “gold standard” of certification, the “Bird Friendly” label of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. With this level of certification, we can protect the rainforest habitat required for the Neotropical migrants that us birders flock to places like Monhegan Island in spring and fall to see.
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Want to see warblers, vireos, tanagers, and orioles? Well then we really can’t afford to lose more rainforest where these birds spend up to eight months of every year. So this year, while enjoying the migrants that pass over and through Monhegan, we’re going to work to save them. By drinking coffee…and a little beer.
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Northern Parula on springtime apples on Monhegan.

Dr. Stephen Kress will be giving a program titled: “Saving Seabirds: Lessons from Puffins and Terns”. Worldwide, about one third of all seabird species are globally threatened due to human caused threats. A recent study has shown that 70% of all seabirds have vanished in the last 60 years. Now, often at the last hour, there is a bold approach emerging to help some of the most threatened species. Dr. Kress will review how techniques developed on Maine islands have led to the restoration of puffins and terns to historic nesting islands. He will also discuss how these techniques are helping to expand breeding ranges and reduce risks to extinction worldwide while serving as a bellwether to the effects of commercial fishing and climate change. His lecture includes reviews of several inspiring and hopeful seabird restoration projects worldwide. Dr. Kress will also share the recent discovery of the previously unknown winter home for puffins- to an area known as New England’s remarkable ‘coral canyons and seamounts’ off the NE continental shelf. Discovery of the puffin wintering area provides an additional reason to protect this biologically diverse habitat.

Dr. Kress is Vice President for Bird Conservation for the National Audubon Society and Director of Project Puffin and the Hog Island Audubon Camp. His career has focused on developing techniques for managing colonial nesting seabirds. In this role, he manages 13 seabird nesting islands in Maine that are home to more than 42,000 seabirds of 27 species. Each year his program trains about 25 interns; hundreds of professional seabird biologists can trace their first interest in seabirds to Project Puffin. Methods first developed in Maine such as seabird chick translocations and social attraction are now standard practice worldwide. Dr. Kress received his Ph.D. from Cornell University and his Master’s and undergraduate degrees from Ohio State University. In the summer he lives in Bremen and winters in Ithaca, NY with his wife Elissa and daughter Liliana. He is author (with Derrick Jackson of the Boston Globe) of a new autobiography (Project Puffin: the Improbable Quest to Bring a Beloved Seabird Back to Egg Rock). The book tells the inside story of how puffins were brought back to Egg Rock and other Maine islands.

The Trailing Yew will be serving Birds & Beans Coffee for its guests all weekend, and there will be an ample supply available to fuel Sunday Morning. We’ll begin by sipping coffee while observing the “Morning Flight” above the Trailing Yew and keeping an eye on the spruces around the property – often one of the most productive patches on the island at sunrise! After breakfast, local experts will lead a birdwalk to some of the nearby hotspots, departing the Yew at 9:00am and returning around 11:00am.

Memorial Day weekend is prime time to view migrants on their way north, in full breeding garb, and we’ll also be seeking rarities – unusual species from all directions often show up on this weekend; expect the unexpected.

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Such as near-annual Summer Tanagers…

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… or, as in 2014, Maine’s first-ever Brewer’s Sparrow!

“But wait,” many of you are saying, “you said something about beer!” It is called “Birds on Tap!” afterall, so beer will definitely be at the forefront of this special weekend. But not just any beer, Monhegan Brewing’s fantastic beer! In fact, the event kicks off on Saturday afternoon with an exclusive, limited-edition, small-batch coffee stout brewed with Birds & Beans! “Beer-listers” will want to head out just for this one-time offering, just like birders flock to Monhegan for those once-in-a-lifetime bird sightings!
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Kenn and Kim will be signing books, birds will be discussed, and beer will be imbibed. And that’s just the kickoff!

Sold yet?

This is going to be a one of a kind event, so you’ll want to make your reservations soon. You can join my MonhegZen Birding Weekend Tour for 1, 2, or 3 days (see details on the “Tours, Events, Workshops, and Programs” page of our website) or make your reservations to spend a night on the island (our group, and our guest speakers, will be staying and dining at the Trailing Yew if you would like to join us!) and join us for some of these outstanding events…all of which are completely free (with books and beer available for purchase). Edit (5/12): NOTE: The tour is full, but all of the following events are free and open to the public, with no registration necessary.

Here’s the complete schedule of events.
Saturday, May 28th:
3:00pm – Release of Monhegan Brewing Company’s coffee-infused Milk Stout. Location: Monhegan Brewing Co.
7:30pm – Presentation by Dr. Stephen Kress. Location: community church. (Note: Trailing Yew will be offering an early dinner service at 6pm).

Sunday, May 29th:
6:30-7:30am – Casual birding while sampling B&B coffee with local experts around the Trailing Yew
9:00-11:00am – Guided birdwalk with local experts (Location: begins and ends at the Trailing Yew)

You often hear birders on Monhegan exclaim “it doesn’t get any better than this!” Except now, it has! I sincerely hope you’ll join us on the island for this fun-filled weekend, as if you needed more incentive than visiting Maine’s premier migration hoptspot!

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BBlogofinal This. Is. Going. To. Be. Awesome.

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Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Surf And Suds! 2/28/16

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brew bus at store

The first of six “Birds on Tap – Roadtrips!” with our partners at the Maine Brew Bus took place last Sunday. Our “Surf and Suds!” tour headed south, visiting two hotspots along the York County Coast, looking for waterfowl (especially Harlequin Ducks), Purple Sandpipers, and Great Cormorants and other winter denizens of the rocky shore.

We began at Marginal Way in Ogunquit, enjoying perfect conditions. With temperatures rapidly rising into the low 40’s on a very light, southwesterly breeze, it was more than comfortable. And with a high deck of clouds and calm waters, viewing conditions were perfect.
birders at Marginal Way

Harlequin Ducks are one of the premier “targets” of this tour, and they could not have been more obliging. At least 35 were along the pathway, with most very close to shore and several small groups hauled out on the rocks.

Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) at Marginal Way, Ogunquit, ME

(Photo with Leica V-Lux Type 114)

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(Phone-scoped photo)

While we only encountered 15 Purple Sandpipers, we saw them exceptionally well. I just with the little raft of 8 Razorbills were a little closer! A Carolina Wren singing from the neighborhood and 250+ Black Scoters were among the other highlights, while we also took ample time to enjoy views of Common Eiders, Red-breasted Mergansers, and all three scoters.

Next up was The Nubble, where one Great Cormorant coming into high breeding posed nicely, and a goodly total of 38 Harlequin Ducks were present. It was a MUCH better look at the single Razorbill that was feeding just off the Nubble, and it would be impossible to obtain better views of a Red-tailed Hawk that was making rounds of the parking lot, the Nubble, and nearby rooftops.
birders at Nubble

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(phone-scoped photo)

Before we knew it, it was “beer o’clock” and Don took over for the beer-ing portion of this unique tour. York’s SoMe Brewing was our first destination, and after a tour of their rapidly-growing operation as we discussed the ins and outs of brewing beer, we settled in for a flight of samples. Perhaps best known for their Whoopie Pie Stout and their go-to Apostrophe IPA, for me at least (and several others) “Sugar What?” stole the show. This Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Maple Amber hit all the right notes for me.
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Back on the Brew Bus, we began our trek northward, continuing our discussions about birds, beer, and everything from “status and distribution” to bird-friendly coffee. We pulled into the unassuming South Portland neighborhood’s Fore River Brewing Company – a first visit for me, and all of the participants on the tour.
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Lygonia IPA was my favorite of our samples, although the crowd was appreciating their John Henry Milk Stout quite a bit. We also learned how their brewing system, philosophy, and background differed from our first brewery; it always fascinates me on these tours to learn about the brewers and their approach to beer.
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With the bus unloaded in Freeport, conversation continued at the store, and plans were made for the next Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! On April 10th, “Spring Ducks and Draughts” will visit Merrymeeting Bay for waterfowl migration and Bald Eagles, followed by visits to Oxbow Brewing Company in Newcastle (I love their woodland tasting room!) and Lively Brewing in Brunswick. These trips are truly unique and we hope you will join us for the next fun-filled tour of birds and beer!

The 2015-16 Winter SnowBird(er) Contest is Underway!

Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Ducks and Draughts! 11/15/15.

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scaup scanning

The second “Birds on Tap – Roadtrip!” of 2015 was another resounding success. As a follow up to our first event in August that featured shorebirds in Scarborough Marsh, we once again partner with the Maine Brew Bus to offer a fun, bird- and beer- filled outing.

Our theme for the this tour was “Ducks and Draughts,” and so we headed northwest to Sabattus Pond in Sabattus, one of the premier duck-watching sites in Maine, and arguably THE waterfowl hotspot in late fall in the southern half of the state. After pick-ups in Portland and Freeport, the bus, Paul (our driver and beer guide for the day), and I arrived at the south end of Sabattus Pond. It didn’t take long to know why this place is such a destination for birders at this time of year.

A large number of ducks were immediately encountered, but we soon focused our attention on the pair of Redheads – rare, but fairly-regular migrants in Maine – that were a “Life” or “State” Bird for some. For others, it was nothing more than the pleasure of seeing this attractive bird!
group at south end

We covered the three primary hotspots on Sabattus Pond, amassing a total of 17 species of waterbirds. In addition to the Redheads, highlights included a Red-necked Grebe (rare in Maine’s interior), 24 American Coots, 4 Northern Pintails, 6 Green-winged Teal, and several hundred Ruddy Ducks. Although a relatively low number for here, “several hundred” Ruddy Ducks is not a statement uttered anywhere else in Maine…and especially not when proceeded by the word “low!” Other waterbirds species seen today included Lesser and Greater Scaup, Mallard, American Black Duck, Ring-billed and Herring (1) Gulls, Buffleheads, Hooded and Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, and one Great Blue Heron.
group on east side

Sabattus also affords the opportunity to study the two scaup species together, so we took plenty of time to go over this identification challenge. Side-by-side, the major differences are often readily apparent, so we practiced our skills to apply them to a homogenous group, or worse, the “dreaded” lone, single, distant scaup!

Having our fill of the nuances of Aythya identification, Paul took charge and delivered us to Lewiston’s Baxter Brewing. But as we stepped out of the bus at the renovated mill, it was back to the binoculars and scopes as we enjoyed a Peregrine Falcon pair – one busy feasting on a Rock Pigeon lunch – a top a nearby building. With that, it was beer time!
outside Baxter

The first brewer in New England to can all of its beer, Baxter is known for such go-to brews as their Pamola Pale Ale and especially, their Stowaway IPA. Less well-known, however, is their ultra-creative 10-gallon Small Batch Series. Samples of Tarnation Lager, Phantom Punch Winter Stout, and Bootleg Fireworks Double IPA were enjoyed and discusses, and I simply had to quench my curiosity (as well as my thirst, of course), with the Small Batch “Sweet Tea Chai Spice Stout.”
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A tour of the brewery and the brewing processed followed, and soon we were off – with one last quick look at the Peregrines, heading down the Androscoggin River to Freeport for a date at Maine Beer Company. Samples of Zoe (Hoppy Amber), Mo (Pale Ale), King Titus (Porter) and one of my absolute favorites, Lunch (IPA) were served, and a few folks sampled their most recent Pilot 8, their take on a Kolsch. Fueled by the delicious brews, we continued the discussion of…well, ducks…and draughts!
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outside MBC

The “Birds on Tap – Roadtrip!” series, a partnership between the Maine Brew Bus and Freeport Wild Bird Supply will continue in 2016. In fact, several new tours are in the works, which we hope to announce soon. Stay tuned!

“Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Shorebirds and Beers!” Trip report, 8/2/15

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It’s pretty clear that I am not the only birder who loves beer. And based on the success of the “Birds, Books, and Beers” series at Maine Beer Company, the first of hopefully many “Birds on Tap!” lectures at Rising Tide Brewing, and the fact that many of my tours finish the day at a brewery (e.g. Monhegan Brewing), I was looking for a way to build on these events.

Enter the “Birds on Tap – Roadtrip!” series with our friends at the Maine Brew Bus. And the first of what we hope will be a regular schedule of unique birding and beer-ing outings took place on Sunday.

Combining three hours of birding with visits to two of our great local breweries, we strive to showcase some of Maine’s best birding, and best craft brewers. Beginning in August, there’s no better place to bird in southern Maine than Scarborough Marsh.

After two convenient pick-ups, one at the store and one in Portland, it was down the marsh, starting at Pine Point on the incoming tide. Common Terns were feeding in the channel, and we took a moment to check out the truly beautiful turquoise eye of a nearby Double-crested Cormorant.

Out on the mudflats, 150+ Semipalmated Plovers were joined by at least 75 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 30 or so Short-billed Dowitchers, 15 “Eastern” Willets, and a few Black-bellied Plovers. As the ride rolled in, many of these birds flew closer, landing on the last strip of mud and sand right in front of us, offering detailed study of plumage details to complement the “general impression of size and shape” methodology of identifying birds afar.

Some birds, like this Semipalmated Plover, were incredibly close and offered great studies of plumage detail.

Our next stop, with the tide approaching high, was the Eastern Road Trail. The wide, raised trail crossing the marsh provided convenient access and easy viewing of the many hundreds of shorebirds out in the salt pannes. 300+ Semipalmated Sandpipers, 100-150 Semipalmated Plovers, 100+ Short-billed Dowitchers, 50+ Least Sandpipers, 20+ Greater and 6 Lesser Yellowlegs, 2 “Eastern” Willets, 2 White-rumped Sandpipers, and a single Spotted Sandpiper.

Joining the shorebirds in the pannes were a variety of wading birds, with 40+ Snowy and 25 Great Egrets, 8 Glossy Ibis, 4 Great Blue Herons, 3 Little Blue Herons, and “Patches:” the ultra-rare Tricolored Heron x Snowy Egret hybrid that has been frequenting the marsh for at least three summers now.

There were a lot of birds in the pannes today, with shorebirds covering all of the exposed mud and wading birds standing guard at the edges.

Several singing Nelson’s Sparrows, including a couple of birds that offered unusually prolonged scope-views, a soaring Bald Eagle, and a hunting Northern Harrier added to the diversity of the day.

As we enjoyed some scrumptious vegetable hand-pies, Josh took over the show, and escorted us down to Saco’s Barreled Souls. While several birders got a life bird or two today, everyone in the group had their “life beers” from Barreled Souls. All of Barreled Souls’ beers are fermented in oak barrels using a version of the Burton Union system, a method developed in England in the 1800’s. Unique ingredients coupled with this system that offer subtle flavor additions and changes to the beer, provides a healthy growing environment for the yeast that does the dirty work of making the sugar into alcohol, and allows for the capture the healthiest yeast crops for the next batch of brew.

We received a tour of the facility, before being invited in the cozy tasting room. All the while, four unique and very flavorful beers, all very different in taste and body, were sampled, including Half-Nelson, an IPA with 100% Nelson Sauvin hops and Space Gose, a tart German style beer with coriander, Maine sea salt, and lemon zest. Mixing things up a bit, the fruity Eat a Peach and the finale, the malty and nutty – and potent – Quaker State Heavyweight.

Conversations about birds during the first half of the tour rapidly turned to conversations about beer, often spurred on by discussions about the samples, and several people remarked how these beers were outside of their usual comfort zone, broadening their horizons and challenging their pallets. One could say there is a parallel to our discussions about the finer point of “peep” identification while out in the marsh!

It seemed most appropriate that our second brewery of the tour would be Rising Tide Brewing in Portland – our partner in the Birds on Tap! lecture series. Refreshing Daymark, a clean and classic APA; Ishmael, the rich and malty American copper ale; Zephyr, Rising Tide’s hoppy but incredibly well-balanced IPA; and of course, the venerable Maine Island Trail Ale the citrusy, hoppy, and summertime-perfect American Ale that is one of the favorite beers of many a Maine beer drinker, myself included.

While many of the Maine residents in the group – we also had guests from Kansas and folks who share Maine with another home state – were more familiar with the offerings of this favorite brewery, Alex did a great job explaining the philosophy of the brewery and the methods they use to produce so many quality, unique, – and in many cases, exceedingly approachable – brews.

As we wrapped things up and Josh transported us back to our respective drop-offs, the bus was filled with chatter about birds, beers, and more than one question for when the next Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! from Freeport Wild Bird Supply and the Maine Brew Bus will be taking place…stay tuned!

Birding By Schooner Trip Report, 2015

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It’s hard for me to pick my “favorite” tour, but if pressed, I would probably answer our annual “Birding by Schooner” aboard the Lewis R. French tour. It just offers such a unique way to bird, and such unique birding experiences. The scenery, the food, and the good conversation can also not be beat.

Last week was my 6^th tour aboard the French. And one of the aspects of the tour that I so very much enjoy is that every tour is different. We often don’t know where we are going even as we depart Camden Harbor on our first morning! Weather (especially wind, or lack there of) dictates the plan. And I must say, it’s a nice bit of respite to not have any control over where we go! All I have to do is point out birds wherever our captain takes us.

Of course, this is a birding-themed trip, so we make our best efforts to get into position for some great birding, especially to visit one or more islands with breeding seabirds. But when I boarded the vessel on Sunday night, I could only guess what a plan might be.

We awoke to fog and calm on Monday morning, departed the harbor on the very lightest of breezes, and pushed our way across a bay with only the minimum of ripples. We found a whole in the fog bank as we rounded Owl’s Head Light…

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…but soon we were back in the murk.

Wilson’s Storm-Petrels began to show up, with at least 50 noted by the time we pulled into Port Clyde. Bald Eagles were conspicuous, as were the common bay denizens such as Black Guillemot…

…and Common Eider.

A stroll to Marshall Point Light added to our landbird list, while a Greater Yellowlegs in the harbor was the first migrant shorebird of the trip.

Overnighting in Port Clyde set us up nicely for a short trip to Eastern Egg Rock, which we rounded slowly to enjoy Roseate Terns among the Arctic and Commons, lots of Black Guillemots, and over 100 Atlantic Puffins. The fog lifted enough for us to have great visibility when near the island, but the offshore fog bank and cloudy skies meant a lot of puffins were on the water, and many loafed close to our boat or zipped right by.

Back into the fog as we trudged offshore, seabirds were few and far between. Or, I should say, we saw few seabirds…I am sure plenty were out there. We encountered some more puffins, and this one Northern Gannet.

Our destination this afternoon was none other than Monhegan Island…one of my favorite places in the world. It was pretty foggy, so the views were limited…

…But few complained. Especially those of us who ended up at the Monhegan Brewing Company (Wait, how do so many of my tours end up at breweries?).

Several common breeding birds were added to our trip list, but no mid-summer vagrants were detected. We had hoped to overnight in the harbor and take a birdwalk in the morning, but a tenuous anchorage and an approaching cold front led Captain Garth to err on the side of caution, and head for the shelter of the mainland, so we said an early farewell to Monhegan.

We sought shelter up the St. George River, first in Turkey Cove, but then Garth made a last minute decision to anchor on the river’s other bank, in the Pleasant Point Gut. Overnight, the storm cleared, and so did the fog.

We didn’t have much wind, but what we did have facilitated a trip out to remote Seal Island. We had to motor-sail most of the way, but we had an afternoon date with a punctual local.

On the way, we enjoyed some great birding. While we didn’t have enough wind to take the long way out to Matinicus Rock and deeper water, cutting a straight line around the north end of Metinic produced a whole lot of Wilson’s Storm-Petrels (450+ on the day), 6 Red Phalaropes (along with another 20 phalaropes that were just a little too far to ID), and a Mola Mola that gave us the slip. Most surprising, however, was a pair of American Oystercatchers that were flying around Little Green Island. Whether this is a previously-unknown pair of this slowly-increasing species in Maine, southbound migrants, or Maine breeders undergoing post-breeding dispersal is impossible to know, but it was a new “Schooner Bird” for me: my 116^th species seen during our “Birding by Schooner” tours!

It was a bit of work, but we made it to Seal Island on a sunny, fairly calm day at the perfect time. And “Troppy” the Red-billed Tropicbird that has returned to Seal Island for its 9^th straight summer (10^th overall in the area), made his afternoon appearance for a little bath. This was my fourth visit to Seal aboard the French, and we have seen Troppy three times (the only miss was on a cloudy day with fog the next morning).

And despite that sign, we dropped anchor for a special evening. One of the unique experiences for participants on this most unique tour is an evening with the Seal Island’s biologists. Not only do the passengers get a break from hearing me talk, the biologists get a break from cooking and their usual routine.

Yet another unique experience afforded by spending a night out at Seal is to get up and listen for Leach’s Storm-Petrels returning to the island from foraging trips in the middle of the night. While clear skies and a light westerly wind reduced the cacophony, the eerie, sinister chuckling of the petrels rang through the night.

And if a sunrise over Seal isn’t enough…

…there was what seemed to be the entire tern colony in the air…

… more puffins, a couple of dozen Razorbills and 1 Common Murre, Great Cormorants, and more Black Guillemots than you could count.

Migrant shorebirds included a Whimbrel, a flock of small shorebirds that totaled 20 Semipalmated and 2 Least Sandpipers along with 4 Semipalmated Plovers, and unexpectedly, a fly-by Wood Duck! Not to mention another view of the Red-billed Tropicbird!

If your head wasn’t already on a swivel from looking at all of that, looking down offered a mesmerizing ballet of traveling jellies, both Moon and White-cross Jellies(here)…

…and painful Lion’s Mane Jellies.

For me, it is always too soon to depart, but we had other fish to fry, or to be exact, lobsters to boil. So we set a course towards Stonington, keeping our eyes open along the way. Two male Razorbills with their chick in tow were nice to see, as was a Minke Whale. A handful of Northern Gannets and about 10 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels were our only other seabirds, however.

As we entered nearshore waters, we kept an eye out on islands, both big and small. You never know what you might see, and while I am on the lookout for something “mega” like a Brown Booby, we did spot a Great Cormorant on tiny Saddleback Ledge.

Back in the usual domain of the Schooner fleet, we passed The Heritage…

…and while the water boiled on Russ Island, the Angelique cruised passed us.

A little bird, plant, and ecology walk further swelled our appetites. Which was good, because we had a few lobsters to eat tonight. Swainson’s Thrushes offered the evening’s musical performance.

A Sharp-shinned Hawk carrying breakfast over Russ Island was another addition to my Schooner List, and our morning walk around Stonington added several new species to our triplist.

Rounding North Haven Island, we kept tallying Wilson’s Storm-Petrels (we don’t always see these birds inshore on this tour), spotted a few small groups of southbound swallows and a few shorebirds, and watched the storm clouds build.

Um, should we have been worried?

Nah, this crew has got it covered!

Although we had some good sailing winds ahead of the storm, and some moderate rain during the storm, the skies looked much worse than what we weathered. In fact, by the time we motored into Gilkey Harbor on Islesboro, the rain was ending and the skies showed a few hints of blue. And once again, we ate. Ate real well.

It’s amazing how fast a week aboard the Schooner French flies by – even without the birds – but it was now time to crank the anchor one last time. A Greater Yellowlegs sounded off and Ospreys circled overhead as we departed the quiet harbor for the bustle of Camden.

Crossing West Penobscot Bay, we encountered yet more Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, and surprisingly (for this far up the bay) another Razorbill father and kid.

Chimney Swifts twittering over Camden were our 79^th and final species of the tour – two over our average. Emails were exchanged, bunks were cleared, and one last photo-op capped off yet another stellar “Birding By Schooner” tour.

Here’s the complete, annotated checklist for this year’s trip, in order of appearance:

American Crow
House Sparrow
Rock Pigeon
Canada Goose (a couple of family groups in Camden Harbor)
Mallard
Song Sparrow
Double-crested Cormorant
Laughing Gull (common; all days)
Osprey (common, just about every day)
House Finch
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Cardinal
Mourning Dove (all of the above from the boat within Camden Harbor)
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel (daily; high day count of 450+ on 7/22, with 400+ between Little Green Island and Seal Island. Unusually common within Penobscot Bay).
Black Guillemot (Abundant daily; several hundred on multiple days).
Common Eider (very common; all days)
Common Tern (abundant, including thousands at Eastern Egg Rock and Seal Island, but also scattered throughout inshore waters)
Bald Eagle (common and seen daily; high count of 7 on 7/20).
Bonaparte’s Gull (scattered few)
Common Loon (scattered few on several days)
Great Blue Heron
Northern Parula
European Starling
Black-capped Chickadee
Common Grackle
American Robin
Common Yellowthroat
Black-throated Green Warbler
Purple Finch
Common Raven
White-throated Sparrow
Blue Jay
Greater Yellowlegs (scattered singletons)
Least Sandpiper (scattered few)
Northern Flicker
Gray Catbird
Semipalmated Sandpiper (scattered small groups; high of 30 at Seal Island on 7/23)
White-rumped Sandpiper (1 each at Eastern Egg Rock, 7/22 and Seal Island, 7/22)
Spotted Sandpiper
ATLANTIC PUFFIN (100+ at Eastern Egg Rock, 7/22 and hundreds at Seal Island 7/22-23)
ROSEATE TERN (dozens at Eastern Egg Rock, 7/22)
ARCTIC TERN (many hundreds at Eastern Egg Rock, 7/22 and Seal Island, 7/22-23)
Northern Gannet (1 between Eastern Egg and Seal, 7/22; 5 between Seal and Stonington, 7/23)
Tree Swallow (several southbound groups seen offshore and around islands)
Brown-headed Cowbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Winter Wren
Black-throated Green Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Barn Swallow (scattered small numbers, many southbound over water)
Blue-headed Vireo
Killdeer
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (pair at Little Green Island, 7/22)
RED PHALAROPE (6 between Little Green Island and Seal Island, 7/22, plus 20 unidentified phalaropes)
GREAT CORMORANT (35+ including juveniles at Seal Island, 7/22-23, plus 1 at Saddleback Ledge light, 7/23).
RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD (Troppy! Seal Island, 7/22-23).
RAZORBILL (20+ Seal Island, 7/22-23)
Bank Swallow (6 off of Seal Island, 7/22)
COMMON MURRE (1 at Seal Island, 7/22)
LEACH’S STORM-PETREL (many heard overnight at Seal Island, 7/22-23)
Savannah Sparrow
Whimbrel (one at Seal Island, 7/23)
WOOD DUCK (one unexpected fly-by at Seal Island, 7/23)
Semipalmated Plover (4 at Seal Island, 7/23 and 4 off North Haven, 7/24)
Turkey Vulture
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Chipping Sparrow
Black-and-white Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Hermit Thrush
Belted Kingfisher
Ring-billed Gull (just a few in and around Camden Harbor)
Chimney Swift

Since every trip is unique, here are links to the trip reports from the previous two tours.

August, 2014.
And July 2013.

And in the not-so-distant future, we’ll be posting dates and information for our 2016 adventure. This trip fills up fast, so don’t dally…sign up soon and we’ll see you aboard next year!

June 2015 Month in Review

The All-Time Saturday Morning Birdwalk List

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Maine’s first-ever Broad-tailed Hummingbird in November of 2022 was one of the rarest birds ever encountered on a Saturday Morning Birdwalk. Even better, we were among the first to see it as the birdwalk group was among the first to be granted permission to visit this Freeport yard before
it was open to the public for all to enjoy.

Last Update: 11/8/2025.

Our store, Freeport Wild Bird Supply, offers free birdwalks every Saturday morning, all year long. Meeting at 8:00am, we carpool to a local park of seasonal interest, and return to the store for bird-friendly coffee between 10 and 10:30. With the exception of inclement weather, we limit the drive to about 10-15 minutes away, and visit a variety of parks, waterfront overlooks, and other hotspots.

Over the years, we have seen a lot of good birds. We’ve “chased” as species or two, but we have found our fair share of “good” birds. Encompassing a wide variety of habitats each season, we have seen an impressive array of species. Spurred on by the Townsend’s Solitaire that the Saturday Morning Birdwalk group enjoyed this past weekend, I have finally compiled a list of all of the species seen on Saturday Morning Birdwalks over the past 10 ½ years (As of 2015, and not including any other trips, tours, or special walks).

This is the “unofficial” list at the moment. UPPERCASE is for species seen only once or twice. I am hoping participants will take a look at the list and see if I have missed anything, or made any errors. I’ll edit the list as changes come in, so please let me know what I missed!

1. 1. Greater White-fronted Goose
  2. Snow Goose
  3. BARNACLE GOOSE
  4. Cackling Goose
  5. Canada Goose
  6. Wood Duck
  7. Gadwall
  8. EURASIAN WIGEON
  9. American Wigeon
  10. American Black Duck
  11. Mallard
  12. Blue-winged Teal
  13. Northern Shoveler
  14. Northern Pintail
  15. Green-winged Teal
  16. Canvasback
  17. Ring-necked Duck
  18. Greater Scaup
  19. Lesser Scaup
  20. Common Eider
  21. HARLEQUIN DUCK
  22. Surf Scoter
  23. White-winged Scoter
  24. Black Scoter
  25. Long-tailed Duck
  26. Bufflehead
  27. Common Goldeneye
  28. Barrow’s Goldeneye
  29. Hooded Merganser
  30. Common Merganser
  31. Red-breasted Merganser
  32. Ruddy Duck
  33. Ruffed Grouse
  34. Wild Turkey
  35. Red-throated Loon
  36. Common Loon
  37. Pied-billed Grebe
  38. Horned Grebe
  39. Red-necked Grebe
  40. Double-crested Cormorant
  41. Great Cormorant
  42. American Bittern
  43. Great Blue Heron
  44. Great Egret
  45. Snowy Egret
  46. Little Blue Heron
  47. Green Heron
  48. Black-crowned Night-Heron
  49. Glossy Ibis
  50. Turkey Vulture
  51. Osprey
  52. Bald Eagle
  53. Northern Harrier
  54. Sharp-shinned Hawk
  55. Cooper’s Hawk
  56. Northern Goshawk
  57. Red-shouldered Hawk
  58. Broad-winged Hawk
  59. Red-tailed Hawk
  60. Rough-legged Hawk
  61. GOLDEN EAGLE
  62. American Kestrel
  63. Merlin
  64. Peregrine Falcon
  65. Sandhill Crane
  66. Black-bellied Plover
  67. American Golden-Plover
  68. Semipalmated Plover
  69. Killdeer
  70. Greater Yellowlegs
  71. Lesser Yellowlegs
  72. Solitary Sandpiper
  73. “Eastern” Willet
  74. Spotted Sandpiper
  75. Whimbrel
  76. MARBLED GODWIT
  77. Ruddy Turnstone
  78. Red Knot
  79. Semipalmated Sandpiper
  80. Least Sandpiper
  81. White-rumped Sandpiper
  82. Baird’s Sandpiper
  83. Pectoral Sandpiper
  84. Purple Sandpiper
  85. Dunlin
  86. Buff-breasted Sandpiper
  87. Short-billed Dowitcher
  88. Long-billed Dowitcher
  89. Wilson’s Snipe
  90. American Woodcock
  91. RED PHALAROPE
  92. Laughing Gull
  93. Bonaparte’s Gull
  94. Ring-billed Gull
  95. Herring Gull
  96. Iceland Gull
  97. Lesser Black-backed Gull
  98. Glaucous Gull
  99. Great Black-backed Gull
  100. Common Tern
  101. FORSTER’S TERN
  102. DOVEKIE
  103. THICK-BILLED MURRE
  104. Razorbill
  105. Black Guillemot
  106. Rock Pigeon
  107. Mourning Dove
  108. Black-billed Cuckoo
  109. Yellow-billed Cuckoo
  110. Great Horned Owl
  111. Barred Owl
  112. Chimney Swift
  113. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  114. Belted Kingfisher
  115. Red-bellied Woodpecker
  116. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  117. Downy Woodpecker
  118. Hairy Woodpecker
  119. Northern Flicker
  120. Pileated Woodpecker
  121. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  122. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
  123. Alder Flycatcher
  124. Willow Flycatcher
  125. Least Flycatcher
  126. Eastern Phoebe
  127. Great Crested Flycatcher
  128. Eastern Kingbird
  129. Northern Shrike
  130. Blue-headed Vireo
  131. Warbling Vireo
  132. Philadelphia Vireo
  133. Red-eyed Vireo
  134. Blue Jay
  135. American Crow
  136. Fish Crow
  137. Common Raven
  138. Horned Lark
  139. Tree Swallow
  140. Northern Rough-winged Swallow
  141. Bank Swallow
  142. Cliff Swallow
  143. Barn Swallow
  144. Black-capped Chickadee
  145. Tufted Titmouse
  146. Red-breasted Nuthatch
  147. White-breasted Nuthatch
  148. Brown Creeper
  149. Carolina Wren
  150. House Wren
  151. Winter Wren
  152. Marsh Wren
  153. Golden-crowned Kinglet
  154. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  155. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
  156. Eastern Bluebird
  157. TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE
  158. Veery
  159. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH
  160. Swainson’s Thrush
  161. Hermit Thrush
  162. Wood Thrush
  163. American Robin
  164. Gray Catbird
  165. Northern Mockingbird
  166. Brown Thrasher
  167. European Starling
  168. American Pipit
  169. Bohemian Waxwing
  170. Cedar Waxwing
  171. Lapland Longspur
  172. Snow Bunting
  173. Ovenbird
  174. Louisiana Waterthrush
  175. Northern Waterthrush
  176. Black-and-white Warbler
  177. Tennessee Warbler
  178. Nashville Warbler
  179. Common Yellowthroat
  180. American Redstart
  181. Cape May Warbler
  182. Northern Parula
  183. Magnolia Warbler
  184. Bay-breasted Warbler
  185. Blackburnian Warbler
  186. Yellow Warbler
  187. Chestnut-sided Warbler
  188. Blackpoll Warbler
  189. Black-throated Blue Warbler
  190. Palm Warbler
  191. Pine Warbler
  192. Yellow-rumped Warbler
  193. Prairie Warbler
  194. Black-throated Green Warbler
  195. Canada Warbler
  196. Wilson’s Warbler
  197. YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
  198. Eastern Towhee
  199. American Tree Sparrow
  200. Chipping Sparrow
  201. Clay-colored Sparrow
  202. Field Sparrow
  203. LARK SPARROW
  204. Savannah Sparrow
  205. Nelson’s Sparrow
  206. Saltmarsh Sparrow
  207. Fox Sparrow
  208. Song Sparrow
  209. Lincoln’s Sparrow
  210. Swamp Sparrow
  211. White-throated Sparrow
  212. White-crowned Sparrow
  213. Dark-eyed Junco
  214. Scarlet Tanager
  215. SUMMER TANAGER
  216. Northern Cardinal
  217. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  218. BLUE GROSBEAK
  219. Indigo Bunting
  220. Dickcissel
  221. Bobolink
  222. Red-winged Blackbird
  223. Eastern Meadowlark
  224. Rusty Blackbird
  225. Common Grackle
  226. Brown-headed Cowbird
  227. ORCHARD ORIOLE
  228. Baltimore Oriole
  229. Pine Grosbeak
  230. House Finch
  231. Purple Finch
  232. White-winged Crossbill
  233. Red Crossbill
  234. Common Redpoll
  235. Pine Siskin
  236. American Goldfinch
  237. Evening Grosbeak
  238. House Sparrow
  239. SNOWY OWL, Brunswick Landing, 1/31/15.
  240. Purple Martin, Rossmore Road, Brunswick, 5/2/15.
  241. BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, Old Town House Park, North Yarmouth, 7/18/15.
  242. WHITE-EYED VIREO, Freeport Transfer Station/Hedgehog Mountain Park 10/10/15
  243. LITTLE EGRET, Tidewater Farm, Falmouth, 7/9/16.
  244. Upland Sandpiper, Bowdoin Sand Plains, 7/1/17
  245. GREAT BLACK HAWK, Deering Oaks Park, Portland, 12/1/18
  246. Vesper Sparrow, Wolfe’s Neck Center, Freeport, 10/9/21.
  247. CATTLE EGRET, Wolfe’s Neck Center, Freeport, 11/6/21
  248. HENSLOW’S SPARROW, Crystal Spring Farm, Brunswick, 7/9/22
  249. Olive-sided Flycatcher, Highland Rd, Brunswick, 8/27/22
  250. HUDSONIAN GODWIT, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 10/15/22.
  251. BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD, Private Property in Freeport, 11/26/22.
  252. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (finally!), Wolfe’s Neck Center, Freeport, 11/4/23.
  253. Stilt Sandpiper, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/10/24.
  254. RUFF, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 5/10/25.
  255. MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER, Grist Mill Park, Yarmouth, 11/8/25.

2014 MonhegZEN Birding Fall Migration Weekend Trip Report

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Philadelphia Vireo wrasslin’ a Fall Webworm.

Ninety-seven species of birds, including 16 species of warblers. Yellow-headed Blackbird, Lark and Clay-colored Sparrows, and Dickcissel from the mid-west. Blue Grosbeak from the south. Kettles of Peregrine Falcons, clouds of Yellow-rumped Warblers, good food, great beer, and fantastic camaraderie. Yup, it’s another installment of our annual “MonhegZEN Birding Fall Migration Weekend.”

There are few places in the entire Northeast that I would rather be in fall, especially during the peak of migrant diversity. Our annual tour takes places to coincide with the last waves of warblers, first waves of sparrows, peak of raptors, and the beginning of “Rarity Season.” Check, check, check, and check…and it was hot! In fact, I believe I received the first ever complaint of a room at the Trailing Yew being “too warm in the morning.” Of course, “complaint” is used loosely here, for the record. But it was an unusually warm weekend, and although the birding was not epic by Monhegan standards, great diversity was thoroughly enjoyed – as was the weather (well, at least until the boat ride home a day after the tour ended!).

Two Red-necked Grebes just outside of the harbor were a nice way to start the trip on Friday, as were plenty of Northern Gannets, several Common Loons, and glass-calm seas on our way across. Arriving at 10am via the Hardy Boat from New Harbor, we hit the ground running, and after dropping our bags off to be taken to our inn, we immediately began to bird. Two vocal, dogfighting Peregrine Falcons got us started, and we soon spotted the single continuing Dickcissel. That’s how I like to get things started!

Although we did find a Yellow-breasted Chat (frustrating as usual, although at least everyone saw twigs moving), the bird of the day was definitely Peregrine Falcon. A bona fide kettle of 8 were soaring overhead at lunch time, and a steady parade of birds was passing overhead throughout the day. There was a lot of swirling as well, however, which made tabulating an actual count of Peregrines impossible. We know we had at least a dozen birds, but likely multiple times that. Some birds were clearly hunting, but most were probably rising high on the thermals and then soaring off to the south, using the light headwind to efficiently move out to sea, and likely not making landfall until Cape Cod!

Unexpectedly, very light southwesterly winds shifted to west overnight, and as a result, we had a very good arrival of birds to the island. Yellow-rumped Warblers – as expected for the date – dominated, with a conservative estimate of 250 birds observed, with many dozens in the air over the Trailing Yew at sunrise. Three Cape May Warblers, including a couple at the edge of the Yew were the highlight of dozen species of warblers we recorded today. The immature male Dickcissel continued in his favorite seed pile, and we had a fly-by Yellow-billed Cuckoo over the Ice Pond. Unfortunately, a short time later, it was found dead below a nearby window, not just sobering our sighting, but punctuating the fact that up to a billion birds a year meet their death at windows each year – and that’s just in the US!

Good diversity and good (but not, by Monhegan standards, great) numbers made for a fun day of birding, but it was definitely a lot more relaxing once we finally caught up with the Yellow-headed Blackbird! This immature male (a lot of folks were calling it a female, but the blackish body, extent of yellow, face pattern, and every-so-slight touch of white on the wing point to this as being a male) had been present for about 4 days, but since it was a “State Bird” for me, and a “Life Bird” for several, it was obviously a priority.

But on Monhegan, you can only do so much to chase most rarities. In fact, more often than not, you have to simply relax and let the rarities come to you! I call this my “MonhegZEN Migration Birding Weekend” not for any existential reasons – or mandatory meditation or yoga – but simply because we (try) to kick back, focus on the bird(s) in front of us, and let good things happen.

But yeah, we wanted to see this bird, and after missing it by about 5 minutes on a brisk, pre-breakfast (but don’t worry, post-coffee!) walk, the MonhegZEN kicked in. A friend spotted the bird as it flew overhead, alighting nearby in the center of town. Good looks were had by all (I apparently said, “Oh, thank God,” in response to the bird’s arrival, feeling as much relief as joy, apparently!) but about a half hour later, we had even better views as it perched atop a spruce along Dock Road.

We were then able to more thoroughly enjoy the unseasonably warm day, watching Peregrines, and sorting through migrants. Oh, and a relative abundance of Monarch butterflies was heartening.

The largest Fringed Gentians I have seen.

Bald Eagle on the Outer Ducks as some of the participants took the short afternoon cruise around the island.

Great Cormorant and Harbor Seal.

A moderate-strong flight developed on clear and calm skies overnight, but come sunrise, the morning flight over the Yew was a little less busy than Saturday. Nonetheless, there were plenty of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Pine Siskins, and noticeable increases in Cedar Waxwings overhead and White-throated Sparrows in the woods and brush. Although overall numbers of birds were lower today, diversity was fantastic, and our trip list grew with the likes of Tennessee Warblers, a Warbling Vireo (I always wonder if these late Warblings out here are all “180-degree misoriented vagrants” as opposed to simply “lingering/late” birds – the local breeders on the mainland are long gone by now afterall), and we finally caught up with the Lark Sparrow that was visiting the seed with the Dickcissel.

Lark Sparrow with Dickcissel – a classic Monhegan juxtaposition.

Tennessee Warbler

Red-eyed Vireo coughing up a cherry stone; phone-scoped image.

We found a female Blue Grosbeak in the marsh behind the grocery store, and we enjoyed another short visit from the Yellow-headed Blackbird (minutes after Jeannette, arriving on the mid-day boat with Sasha, walked away of course).

The eagle was present and accounted for on the way in.

Trap day is coming!

Due to my schedule, the official weekend tour was only three days this year (instead of the usual four), so most of the group departed on the 3:15 ferry back to New Harbor. Al stayed until the 4:30 Port Clyde boat, and his bonus time (three leaders: me, Jeannette, and Kristen Lindquist who assisted me throughout the weekend as I added a second leader when I added a 9th participant – I, and my clients, prefer a small group, especially on Monhegan!) was partially spent watching a few of us struggle with the identity of a dull warbler who really did not want to give us a good look. It was eventually determined to be an immature female Pine Warbler (actually, quite a good warbler out here), and when Jeannette, Kristen, and I saw it later that afternoon in good light, its ID was much more readily apparent.

The always-successful “MonhegZEN Birding Fall Migration Weekend” had officially come to a close, but the birding continued for Kristen, Jeannette, and I. Another hot (80-degrees on the last weekend of September on Monhegan!) and somewhat quiet afternoon relegated our birding to the porch of the Monhegan Brewing Company. Their new delectable DIPA and Pale Ale was thoroughly enjoyed, as was “Brewery Pewee” (a single lingering Eastern Wood-Pewee that was a daily feature of our Brewery List…OK, we didn’t actually keep a brewery list this time, but if we did…and no, this was not my first visit to the brewery on the weekend – it is an important destination for the full MonhegZEN Birding experience) capped the end to a fine and productive day.

After dinner, the three of us walked to and from the dock (a big school of fish, presumably Herring (?) attracted by the lights provided the post-dinner entertainment), but the mere four migrant call notes heard overhead foreshadowed the very light flight overnight that saw many more birds depart than arrive on a diminishing southwesterly wind.

In fact, the skies were nearly devoid of birds undergoing “morning redetermined migration” or “morning flight” come Monday morning, and although there were still plenty of Pine Siskins and Cedar Waxwings overhead, the skies were the quietest that they had been all weekend. But there was little doubt more White-throated Sparrows arrived overnight, and there was not a shortage of Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Rusty Blackbird.

We slowly added a few species to the checklist, including the Clay-colored Sparrow that we had spent all weekend trying to catch up with. The Dickcissel and Blue Grosbeak were present and accounted for as well, and a Prairie Warbler was a nice addition. But as northeast winds began to pick up, we decided to head into the woods. Cathedral Woods offered scattered Golden-crowned Kinglets and more White-throated Sparrows, but our primary destination was this “Fairy House,” or more accurately, palace, that was not to be missed.

It was definitely worth the walk, and made even more so by how strong easterly winds were blowing (hmm, that water is looking a little choppy) upon our return to town. It was simply too windy to bird – and rather chilly – after lunch, so we relaxed with a coffee, and then later – just because we “had to” have one more DIPA… err, check of the Brewery Pewee.

The day’s birding was slow, and we had not been able to relocate the Yellow-headed Blackbird…until the literal last minute. The boat was loaded, and we were hustling to the dock, when we asked two birders what they were looking at in the yard of one of the first houses uphill on Dock Rd. “The Yellow-headed Blackbird.” Of course.

And it was, let’s say, confiding, as it walked around the lawn and in some weedy patches a mere 10-15 feet from the gawkers. Sasha even saw it (I would have had a great photo over her head, with her ears up and her face focused on the bird had my phone not just run out of power) – her 127th life bird! It was an exciting way to finish the trip, but the excitement was actually yet to come.

“How high are the seas running?” I asked as we boarded the boat. “6-8 feet or so, they’ah sure comin’ up fast today. It’s gonna be a wet ride.” Uh-oh; was that last beer a good idea? While Sasha has only been on a boat a few times, she has never been “tested,” but we thought it was best to keep her outside. Plus, a hot and stuffy cabin was the last place any of us wanted to be in high seas, so we donned our raingear and moved outside. We were amply warned about splash-over, but none of the four of us wanted to head inside.

Unfortunately, Sasha was not happy with the vibration on the stern, so we headed upstairs to the exposed top deck. 6-8ft seas? No, they were still growing; more in the 8-10ft range now…by far (actually, well more than double) the highest seas I have ever experienced on a Monhegan crossing. But it was surface chop, and not a deep, rolling swell, so it was actually kind of fun. Except for Sasha and except when a series of waves crashed over the boat and smacked into the four of us. I have never seen our tough dog look so miserable, and frankly, soaked to the bone, none of us were all that comfortable anymore. If any of my group had regrets about leaving on Sunday, I can assure you: be glad! It seemed like forever (OK, it was about an hour) before we passed into the lee of the outermost islands. But don’t worry, in between troughs and huddling over Sasha, I kept my eyes open as much as possible for skuas!

That was a wild ride, and very un-MonhegZEN! But once in the sheltered bay and harbor of Port Clyde, we couldn’t help but laugh with the crew. Seas like this are rare – and rarely do they come up so darn quickly – so please do not think that this is part of a Monhegan birding experience! In fact, glass-calm seas were enjoyed by every member of the group on their return trip on Sunday. I guess we might have stayed just one day too long this time.

Actually, no, we just regretted not staying just one day longer!

Kristen and I tabulated the final day’s checklist on the drive to dinner, bringing my four-day total to 99 species, including this final non-tour day. My 4-day weekend tour averages 102 species of birds, so this was just a little below average (this year’s tour officially ended on Sunday with 93 species, which is just below my 3-day average of 95 species).

Here’s the complete, daily checklist. These numbers only represent what our group observed, making no attempt to actually judge the number of birds (at least the common ones) on the island, or summarize the sightings of others and does not include birds tallied on the boat ride across either way.

Species: 9/26,9/27,9/28,9/29

Wood Duck: 1,0,3,2
Mallard: 4,15,15,15
Mallard x American Black Duck: 0,1,0,0
American Black Duck:0,2,0,0
Common Eider: x,x,x,x
White-winged Scoter: 1,0,0,0
Ring-necked Pheasant: 4,1,3,2
Double-crested Cormorant: x,x,x,x
Great Cormorant: 0,2,2,2
Red-necked Grebe: 2,0,0,0
Common Loon: 3,0,0,0
Northern Gannet: 15,50,20,50
Great Blue Heron: 1,1,1,1
Osprey: 1,8,5,2
Bald Eagle: 1,1,2,2
Northern Harrier: 1,0,0,2
Sharp-shinned Hawk: 1,4,6,3
American Kestrel: 0,2,2,1
Merlin: 4+,6+,10,6
Peregrine Falcon: 12++,10+,10+,8
Semipalmated Plover: 0,1,0,0
Greater Yellowlegs: 0,0,0,1
Ring-billed Gull: 0,0,0,2
Herring Gull: x,x,x,x
Great Black-backed Gull: x,x,x,x
Black Guillemot: x,x,x,x,
Mourning Dove: 4,4,4,3
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO: 0,1,0,0
Belted Kingfisher: 0,0,1,1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: 0,2,0,0
Unidentified Hummingbird:0,0,0,1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: 2,12,15,4
Downy Woodpecker: 0,1,2,2
Northern Flicker: 10,12,10,20
Eastern Wood-Pewee: 0,3,1,1
Least Flycatcher: 1,2,1,0
Eastern Phoebe: 0,0,3,5
Blue-headed Vireo: 0,0,0,3
Warbling Vireo: 0,0,1,0
Philadelphia Vireo: 1,0,3,3
Red-eyed Vireo: 12,25,30,30
Blue Jay: 4,11,11,6
American Crow: 4,4,4,4
Common Raven: 0,2,2,3
Black-capped Chickadee: x,x,x,4
Red-breasted Nuthatch: 4,12,15,35
White-breasted Nuthatch: 1,0,0,0
Brown Creeper: 0,1,1,2
Carolina Wren: 5,6,8,7
Winter Wren: 0,0,1,3
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 6,8,12,25
Ruby-crowned Kinglet: 3,20,20,6
Swainson’s Thrush: 0,2,1,0
American Robin: 1,5,4,1
Gray Catbird: x,x,4,5
Northern Mockingbird: 1,0,1,0
European Starling: 10,12,12,8
American Pipit: 0,6,2,1
Cedar Waxwing: 40,40,80,50
Black-and-white Warbler: 1,1,1,3
Tennessee Warbler: 0,0,3,0
Nashville Warbler: 2,0,2,1
Common Yellowthroat: 10,6,x,x
American Redstart: 3,3,2,0
Cape May Warbler: 0,2,1,0
Northern Parula: 1,2,3,2
Magnolia Warbler: 0,3,1,1
Yellow Warbler: 0,1,1,1
Blackpoll Warbler: 1,6,5,4
Black-throated Blue Warbler: 0,0,1,1
Palm Warbler: 0,6,3,7
PINE WARBLER: 0,0,1,0
Yellow-rumped Warbler: 40,250,200,175
Prairie Warbler: 0,0,0,1
Black-throated Green Warbler: 4,10,3,1
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT: 1,0,0,0
Scarlet Tanager: 1,0,0,0
Eastern Towhee: 1,0,0,0
Chipping Sparrow: 7,9,8,9
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW: 0,0,0,1
LARK SPARROW: 0,1,0,0
Savannah Sparrow: 0,9,6,2
Song Sparrow: x,x,x,x
Lincoln’s Sparrow: 1,0,2,1
Swamp Sparrow: 0,1,3,3
White-throated Sparrow: 8,20,100,100
White-crowned Sparrow: 0,3,4,3
Dark-eyed Junco: 0,10,6,10
Northern Cardinal: 2,3,4,4
Rose-breasted Grosbeak: 0,2,3,1
BLUE GROSBEAK: 0,0,1,1
Indigo Bunting: 2,1,1,1
DICKCISSEL: 1,1,1,2
Bobolink: 0,1,0,1
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD:0,1,1,1
Rusty Blackbird: 0,4,4,4
Common Grackle: 0,6,6,8
Baltimore Oriole: 1,2,3,1
Purple Finch: 0,2,8,6
Pine Siskin: 0,80,50,40
American Goldfinch: 2,2,4,4

Daily Total: 58,72,81,79 Total: 97

Ring-necked Pheasants – the only “countable” ones in Maine!

Cedar Waxwings.

Beautiful nightly sunsets free with price of admission.

“Washington County in August” Tour, 2014

	Winter Feeder Bird S… on Why There are No Birds at Your…
	Winter Feeder Bird S… on Why There Are Not (or, maybe t…
	Winter Feeder Bird S… on Winter Window Watching Part…
	Winter Feeder Bird S… on A Month of Birding Out the…
	Eunice Miller on This Week’s Highlights 1/24–…

Maine Birding Field Notes

Trip Reports, Essays, Rare Bird Reports, and More from Derek Lovitch's and Freeport Wild Bird Supply's birding in Maine and beyond.

Category Archives: Private Guiding and Tours

Birds on Tap – Monhegan!

Birds on Tap – Monhegan!

Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Surf And Suds! 2/28/16

The 2015-16 Winter SnowBird(er) Contest is Underway!

Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Ducks and Draughts! 11/15/15.

“Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Shorebirds and Beers!” Trip report, 8/2/15

Birding By Schooner Trip Report, 2015

June 2015 Month in Review

The All-Time Saturday Morning Birdwalk List

2014 MonhegZEN Birding Fall Migration Weekend Trip Report

“Washington County in August” Tour, 2014