I found Maine’s 4th or 5th Virginia’s Warbler on Peak’s Island on Monday, the 24th. Or at least I was confident that I did. I returned two days later to alleviate any lingering doubt, re-found it, saw it much better, and managed to photographed it! Many other birders have seen it through the 28th among a flock of other late/lingering warblers. Details below.
It was simply another incredible week of birding. Frustrated by not having found a mega-rarity since Monhegan (in an otherwise amazing fall for vagrants), I went to Peak’s Island on Monday. It worked! It was a six-warbler week for me, highlighted of course by the Virginia’s Warbler – a new state bird for me! My “Rarity Fever” is raging now! Here are my observations of note over the past eight days:
Evening Grosbeaks have become more regular locally this week, with single birds, mostly flyovers, here and there. Scattered 1 to a few Red Crossbills continue as well. Additionally, there was also a nice little surge in American Goldfinch and Pine Siskin numbers this week locally.
Plenty of the typical “late” migrants still around, such as Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, scattered Swamp Sparrows and Northern Flickers, Red-shouldered Hawk, etc.
1 Orange-crowned Warbler, Trout Brook Preserve, South Portland, 11/23.
Peak’s Island, 11/24: 1 almost-definite VIRGINIA’S WARBLER with 2 NASHVILLE WARBLERS (see below) on Seashore Ave, and 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT at Battery Steele.
1 NASHVILLE WARBLER, Commercial Street (near the cruise ship terminal), Portland, 11/26.
Back to Peak’s Island, 11/26: 1 VIRGINIA’S WARBLER (confirmed! Photo above) with 2+ NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 1++ Orange-crowned Warbler, and 1+ Yellow-rumped Warbler, Seashore Avenue. Complete details here:
4-5 NASHVILLE WARBLERS (4 continuing since being found by B. McKay et al on 11/26; I had a single bird at the other end of the hillside that was likely a 5th individual) and 1 Hermit Thrush, West Commercial Street, Portland, 11/28. This has been an insane fall for “late/lingering/pioneering/vagrant” Nashville Warblers here in Maine. Interestingly, this phenomenon appears to be rather widespread, as well above average numbers of NAWA are being seen along the Northeast coast as far south as Cape May this fall. Fascinating!
My best photo of the week was not of of the rarities, but I enjoyed this photo of one of four very cooperative Snow Buntings at Kettle Cove on the 23rd that I caught this one mid-stretch-break.
It’s been an extraordinary rarity season in Maine this fall. Perhaps it’s been the weather patterns, widespread drought, increasing use of neonicotinoid pesticides, or perhaps – according to a recent paper – geomagnetic storms!
But whatever it is, it’s made for an active month for vagrants here in Maine. Monhegan was epic at the end of September, October was pretty good on the mainland, and November has been exceptional. And, we still haven’t fully entered the rare-birds-at-feeders season, although there have already been quite a few noteworthy feeder visitors.
Personally, I’ve had a great fall, especially on Monhegan, and as you have read in my This Week’s Highlights blog (if you’re the one or two people who actually read it!), I’ve had quite a few notable finds, some fun chases, and overall great birding recently. But I hadn’t turned up a “mega” to add to the tally. On Monday, 11/24, I continued my search by taking a day to bird Peak’s Island, one of my favorite late fall birding destinations.
Arriving on the 7:45 ferry from Portland, I began my usual circuit, working around town to Picnic Point. The wrack line here always looks prime for a vagrant!
A short while later, at about 8:30am, I paused at one of my usual thickets on Seashore Ave, diagonally opposite the 5th Regiment Museum. There are always birds here, augmented by a dense tangle, some tall trees, and a few small feeders behind it.
On Monday, it was very active as usual, with numerous Northern Cardinals, a lot of House Finches, and other typical residents. Movement caught my eye in a stand of still mostly-still-leafed willow trees towards the back right of the thicket, approximately 25 yards from the roadside.
Three warbler-like birds were chasing each other. One appeared to be an aggressor, and I was hearing repeated short, high-pitched call notes that were either, or very similar to, Nashville Warbler. It’s been an extraordinary fall for “late” Nashville Warblers (although they are likely drift vagrants, mirror vagrants, or even reverse migrants rather than just behind schedule), so this was not too surprising. But three non-Yellow-rumped Warblers in one tree? That’s notable on November 24th!
The first bird I saw well was a bright, adult male-type Nashville Warbler (NAWA). The birds, still chasing each other and not sitting still, were not easy to see, but the second bird I got my binoculars on was rather confusing. I observed it for as long as I could, but the distance was just a bit too far.
A very drab Orange-crowned Warbler (OCWA) first came to mind, especially with the yellow undertail coverts, but the bird was really, really gray. A flat, cool, not at all yellowish or greenish gray. It was flicking its tail like a NAWA, but even more emphatically. It turned around, and I saw its breast, and there was a small amount of yellow there. Wait, what!? The patch was smaller and more isolated than a drab female Northern Parula, but there were no wingbars are at all, and it was too long-tailed.
I noted an eye-ring, but the distance made it hard to tell how bold it was, whether or not it was complete, or even if it was really white like a NAWA. I went for my camera, hoping to zoom in to see detail, but the birds were far too active and in too dense of a twiggy tree, so coupled with the distance, this was a complete fail.
Two birds departed to the right, but the bird of interest remained for another minute or three, calling very similarly to a Nashville Warbler, but quite emphatic. I then lost it, too.
By now, I was putting the pieces together and was under the suspicion that this was a Virginia’s Warbler, but I was not convinced. With all three birds departing as of 8:48, I opened up my Sibley app to refresh my memory (it’s been quite some time since I have seen a VIWA!) and listen to the call. The call recording on the app included two pitches of calls, the second of which was spot-on for what I was hearing from this very drab, gray, not-quite-Nashville warbler.
Hmm…but why didn’t I notice the yellow rump? Or was I just focusing on the rest of the bird? All of the views were so painfully brief, and I never saw the complete bird at one time.
About 10-15 minutes later, the trio returned: the adult male-type NAWA, a second, drab immature-female-type NAWA, and the likely VIWA. In a brief view, I noticed the all gray head, reminiscent of a female American Redstart, and confirmed the presence of yellow in the center of the breast.
The birds departed again, to the right, across Ryefield Street, but I only glimpsed one bird and it was likely the VIWA. I walked around the block, noticed a few feeders on New Island Avenue, but I did not find any warblers. Since they had returned to the original stand of willows three times now, I stood in place now, about a full hour after my original observation and I started sending out texts and scribbling notes.
I noticed that the recycling container at the house adjacent to the thicket had been taken in. Damn; I missed the homeowner! I needed to get closer to the thicket if the bird returns, but I am absolutely unwilling to trespass or enter yards without being invited/given permission. Many of you have understood this from my tours to Monhegan, but I stand by this elsewhere. But did it cost me today?
Happily, a short while later, the homeowner was in his yard and after a brief chat, allowed me to hang out in his backyard. It was now 10:28. He even brought me a comfy chair! I was so appreciative, now that I was camped out next to the willows, no warblers reappeared. I took another loop around the block, then returned to my chair. A single Evening Grosbeak dropped into the thicket, and I glimpsed what was almost certainly a Lark Sparrow within a House Sparrow flock, but I did not pursue it to confirm.
By 11:15, I was cold and needed to get a real walk in, so I departed, birding my usual circuit out to and through Battery Steele (found a Common Yellowthroat there) and otherwise enjoyed a rather birdy day on the island. A Hermit Thrush, a couple of Swamp Sparrows, a growing cadre of Red-necked Grebes offshore, and tons of Red-breasted Nuthatches in the woods. Song Sparrows were also unusually abundant.
I walked into town for lunch to go (the wraps at Unruly Girls’ Peaks Cafe are fantastic as always, but the hot chai was even more clutch!). I was back to the thicket at 1:36. The sun that broke through while I was far away had mostly been enveloped by clouds once, and the wind was picking up. Neither was particularly helpful. I departed at 2:25 to catch the 2:45 departure (I had planned on leaving before lunch!)
I was frustrated. I knew what I saw, but was bothered by what I did not see, and how unsatisfying and conclusive my views were. I felt confident that it was indeed a VIWA, but I don’t like birding by default or identification by the sum of all parts!
I thought about going back the next day but couldn’t. I must say, the oral surgery may have been less painful than having this bird get away!
I looked at guides, viewed photos online, and concluded there was little doubt that I had seen a VIWA. But the mind can play tricks on you, and memory can be affected by the post-observation studies, so it was bothering me. Jeannette asked if I was going to “count it?”
I didn’t know. So, on Wednesday morning, I decided to be a little late for work and go back to Peak’s Island. I couldn’t help it; I had to! Jeannette agreed.
Walking to the ferry terminal, I stumbled upon a Nashville Warbler on Commercial Street, near the cruise ship terminal, which I took as a good sign. 7:45 ferry, 8:05 arrival on the island, and I was to the thicket by 8:30, after a thorough check on Picnic Point on the way (the foggy conditions had me hoping to refind the bird on the wrack line like so many late-season insectivores find sustenance).
I stared at the thicket, but overall bird activity was much slower than two days prior. At 8:55, I began walking down Seashore, towards Maple Street. I soon heard warblers! I first heard a Yellow-rumped Warbler from quite some distance, but then heard NAWA, or NAWA-like, calls.
In the side yard of 66 Seashore, I found not three, but 5 warblers: 2 NAWA, a YRWA, and a drab Orange-crowned. Very drab. Hmm…could I have blown this mystery warbler? Was this all I had seen? No, no way! And then warbler #5 popped out: Virginia’s Warbler!!!!!
Between this yard, and the first yard on Maple Street a minute later, I had several perfect views at varying distances, and all field marks were observed. With a good look, there sure wasn’t any mistaking this bird!
Thin, slim warbler with a thin bill; bold but thin white eyering; cool gray upperparts with no wingbars, and here, you can just make out part of the yellow rump.Most of my views – and all of them on Monday – were like this: small parts of a small bird between twigs! Here, however, you can see the plain gray overall color, complete, thin eye-ring, and a hint of the yellowish undertail.
I followed the flock back towards the original thicket and willow trees, but I lost their tail. I decided to be responsible and head back for the 10:00 ferry and get to work. I also had left my Tylenol in the car. Besides, my job here was done! This is the 4th or 5th record for Maine, and the first away from Monhegan.
Addendum: Several friends arrived on the next ferry, and after a short while found the bird in the same area, often returning to the original thicket from Monday. I was so focused on identification of the VIWA that I probably didn’t take a full inventory of all of the warblers that were around. They had at least 4 OCWA now, 2-3 NAWA, 2 YRWA, and crushing views of the VIWA. The bird was seen by many through the afternoon. And thanks again to the homeowners who accepted my presence in their yard and invited others in later that day!
I also can’t help but wonder if there will be a “Patagonia Picnic Table Effect” as birders descend upon and follow this possibly-growing flock of unseasonable warblers. Could I be heading back to Peak’s soon? I’ll at least be able to grab another Mediterranean wrap this time.
12/1 UPDATE: The VIWA has not been seen since the afternoon of 12/29. Birders searched for it on 12/30 and had 1+ NAWA and 4 OCWA in the area. Today, Jeannette and I spent the morning looking for it to no avail. In the Seashore Avenue area, we had 2 NAWA and 2-3 OCWA. As we widened our search, Jeannette and I had a continuing COMMON YELLOWTHROAT in the same spot as last Monday and another OCWA, both near Battery Steele.
The Yarmouth MacGillivray’s Warbler has been hanging out since November 2nd, but its skulky nature makes it hard to photograph. The few fuzzy, out-of-focus photos I have obtained don’t do this gem justice, so I am “borrowing” these from Bill Thompson. Because he’s really, really good at this.
Rarity season continues, but I was a little more limited in my birding this week – other than a few “professional chases,” so I didn’t add to the roster of vagrants currently being seen. However, I did have some notable observations here and there over the course of the past seven days.
Sabattus Pond waterfowl on 11/7 including 341 Ruddy Ducks, 98 Green-winged Teal, 97 Lesser Scaup, 40 Greater Scaup, 6 American Wigeon, 3 Gadwalls, etc. 1 Rusty Blackbird was also present.
1 continuing MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER, Grist Mill Park, Yarmouth, 11/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group). Originally found on 11/2 by Noah Gibb and Stacey Huth, it had been present all week, and we had a great (and unusually efficient) visit with it on our birdwalk. It was the 255th all-time species encountered on our Saturday Morning Birdwalks!
Back to Grist Mill Park for the still-continuing MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER on 11/9 with my Birds on Tap Roadtrip! “Rarity Roundup” tour. We found it within seconds of our arrival on the entrance path, foraging for the second day in a row in a patch of cultivated Pink Turtlehead.
2 Fish Crows, Anniversary Park, Auburn, 11/10 (with Jeannette).
1 Rusty Blackbird and 2 Red Crossbills, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 11/12.
1 BOHEMIAN WAXWING (first of fall), over the store with American Robins, 11/12.
Although there was a previous state record, few if any of us were expecting to have the chance to see a Willow Ptarmigan ever again in Maine. Fewer of us expected to see one taking refuge on a lawn chair, as this one did in the Small Point area of Phippsburg in late August.
It’s once again time for my annual Predictions Blog, where I view into my crystal binoculars and attempt to forecast some of the “new” birds to grace the State of Maine – and then my own personal state list – in the coming year.
I was busy this year. Lots of birding tours here in New England, vacations to the Dominican Republic and the Gaspe of Quebec, a scouting trip through the Gulf of Maine, an even further diminished interest in “chasing” when I am actually home, and a lot more time spent casually birdwatching on our property – more and more my time is spent observing whatever is in front of me, instead of searching for rarities. I didn’t even spend much time at Sandy Point this fall, although weather had a lot to do with that.
There are several reasons for this change of motivation, but that’s a blog for another day. I did put in some concerted effort during a wild fall “rarity season,” but for the most part, my yard list in Durham was the only real priority. A Yellow-throated Vireo on the intriguing date of 7/21 was our 153rd species here since we purchased the property a little more than 4 years ago. Not a bad start! A Gray Catbird that showed up today, January 2nd, as I wrote this, is our first winter record (of course), and a good sign for productive yard birding in the new year!
Two species were added to Maine’s list this year, a Ferruginous Hawk at the Auburn Airport on July 14th and an Anhinga in Somerville for 6 days in July. I saw neither. Both times we were in Quebec. I think it’s a sign.
While Ferruginous Hawk was only marginally on my radar, Anhinga had been relegated to the Honorable Mentions list as northern reports have really dried up for a spell. I was wrong.
So, neither of the first state records were on my list, but I will do a little reshuffling to add two recent splits to the list: Scopoli’s Shearwater and European Herring Gull.
Scopoli’s Shearwater – recently split by most authorities from Cory’s Shearwater – likely has already occurred here. I saw at least one set of photos from this past summer that looked good to me, but the identification is a challenge, and we’re only learning how to identify them semi-reliably in the field (study up!). But I have little doubt that if we looked at every past photo of Cory’s Shearwater that has been taken in Maine, coupled with renewed scrutiny of the pattern on the underwing of the outer primaries of recent and future birds, that this will soon be confirmed in Maine.
Likewise, “American Herring Gull” (that’s our bird) and “European Herring Gull” are now separate species. European Herring Gull is another cryptic species that has also likely already occurred here, but it is another challenging, cutting-edge identification made more challenging by the extensive variation exhibited by our bird. Add to this Vega Gull from Asia, hybrids, and well…my Gull ID Workshop is open for registration (although I will not yet dive down the rabbit hole of American vs European Herring Gull…we’ll spend more time with Herring Gull vs “damn seagull.”
So here’s my list of the Next 25 Species to be found in Maine:
Scopoli’s Shearwater
Neotropical Cormorant
European Herring Gull
Black-chinned Hummingbird
California Gull
Limpkin
Gray Heron
Bermuda Petrel
Graylag Goose
Little Stint
Audubon’s Shearwater
Common Shelduck
Anna’s Hummingbird
Heerman’s Gull
Common Ground-Dove
Allen’s Hummingbird
Spotted Redshank
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Ross’s Gull
Black-capped Petrel
Lesser Nighthawk
Dusky Flycatcher
Painted Redstart
Hooded Oriole
White Wagtail
As for me in 2024, I did add four species to my personal State List: Willow Ptarmigan (not on list), Tropical Kingbird (Honorable Mention), American White Pelican (#2), and Common Gull (#24).
The most surprising was the second state record of Willow Ptarmigan that Jeannette and I were lucky enough to catch up with in a private backyard in Phippsburg on August 28th. After being seen on Cliff Island in early May, it miraculously appeared in Phippsburg in a yard of a home that the friend of a birder was house sitting for! Then it showed up in a nearby yard where limited access was granted. Jeannette and I were in the right place at the right time when news broke, and were among the first to try out the arrangements and see then bird. Unfortunately, a couple of days later, the ptarmigan likely fell victim to an owl.
A Tropical Kingbird at the Skelton Dam Boat Launch in Dayton was found by a dog-walker and birdwatcher at the end of June, but news finally made it to the birding community in the middle of July, and I raced down to see it on the 18th. It has been on and off the Top 25 list for many years, but I’ve left it off for the last few. No complaints though, as the second modern, and third overall, state record was chaseable this time.
Later in the year, the birding community lost a great one with the passing of Davis Finch. Years ago, I would see Davis and Denny Abbott at a rarity, and they would be among the first people I would call when I found one (yup, we used to only call people to alert them to rarities!). Davis and I had a tradition where my final words as we were departing was always “See you at the ____” and pick a rarity. In fact, that might have even been the inspiration for this annual blog. This tradition became even more meaningful when I once left with “See you at the Ash-throated Flycatcher!” And a short time later, I found an Ash-throated Flycatcher (at the Saco Riverwalk, the second state record in November of 2006). Davis and Denny were the first to know, and I’ll never forget Davis saying “why the heck were you birding this dump?” as he offered congratulations on the find – a state bird for all (it has been cleaned up a lot since then and it has become a significant birding hotpsot). While there were plenty of other birds mentioned in between, for the last few years, it was always “see you at the Tropical Kingbird!” I heard someone say he was driven to Dayton to see the kingbird. I hope this is true…he really wanted that bird!
Moving on, I finally caught up with an American White Pelican on 8/26, conveniently close to home/work. Following a Saturday Morning Birdwalk, Kevin Harding and Brandon Baldwin stopped by Wharton Point in Brunswick on their respective ways home and found the pelican. They called the store (yup, phone calls still work), and I dropped what I was doing to head over. The bird was really far by the time I arrived, so Brandon and I walked down the Maquoit Bay Conservation Land trail for a closer look. A little while later, as other arrived, the pelican flew right over our heads for an incredible view!
And finally, after Common Gulls were found in Eastport in February and on Matinicus Rock in September, Evan Obercian found one much more conveniently located at the Samoset Resort in Rockland on Halloween. I was finally able to sneak away four long days later, getting to enjoy the bird on November 3rd.
Of course, I missed more than I saw, both with travel and a lessening interest in chasing. I missed a total of four Franklin’s Gulls (#1): Seapoint Beach in Kittery on 6/30, Hill’s Beach in Biddeford on 7/22, Sewall Beach on MDI on 9/14, and one in Wells on 9/15. I’ll catch up with these notorious one-day/hour wonders some day in Maine!
The aforementioned Anhinga and Ferruginous Hawks were not on my Top 25 list, nor was the Mountain Bluebird that was on Monhegan in early May – before twice-daily ferry service had begun. I did take a day trip with a friend for the heckuva it six days after it was last seen. There was also a Brown Booby (#6) that wasn’t chaseable on Seal Island in August, but had we not been in Quebec twice, it would have been a truly incredible birding year for me in Maine. Oh well, a weekend with friends and 100,000 Northern Gannets more than made up for it.
So with those hits and misses, my updated list of the Top 25 Next State Birds for Me is now:
Franklin’s Gull (will this finally be the year?)
Neotropic Cormorant
Brown Pelican
California Gull
Brown Booby
Crested Caracara
Slaty-backed Gull
Boreal Owl
Calliope Hummingbird
Graylag Goose
Cerulean Warbler
Gull-billed Tern
Pacific Golden-Plover
Limpkin
Wood Stork
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Yellow Rail
Scopoli’s Shearwater (undoubtably after further review of photos!)
Virginia’s Warbler
Western Wood-Pewee
Red-necked Stint
European Herring Gull
Gray Heron
Heerman’s Gull
Well there ya have it, let’s see what 2025 brings, at least when it comes to rare birds in Maine.
I think it’s about time for another Pacific Golden-Plover to show up here in Maine. This juvenile was photographed in Hawai’i.
Monhegan’s third Ash-throated Flycatcher was found by Ken and Sue Feustel on Monday, September 30th. 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):
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.
Lincoln’s Sparrows have been quite common in our yard all week, offering ample photo ops.
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 14th – 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 20th. More info here.
The only thing sweeter than seeing a first state record is when you find it yourself! This Spotted Towhee that I found in November at Fort Foster in Kittery was #4 on my list of next birds for Maine.
It’s once again time for my annual Predictions Blog, where I view into my crystal binoculars and attempt to forecast some of the “new” birds to grace the State of Maine – and then my own personal state list – in the coming year.
It was another great year for “mega” rarities in Maine. Whether it’s more birders and better communication, a climate in crisis, neonicotinoid pesticides effecting navigation, and more – or likely, all of the above – more really strange birds are ending up in really strange places – Maine definitely included. Four new species showed up in Maine in 2023, plus a first state record whose photos surfaced from 2022. I also had another pretty good year, despite much reduced birding as I recovered from shoulder surgery and a series of setbacks thereafter coupled with a record-busy year for tours and private guiding.
Last winter, recovering from shoulder surgery, I spent a lot of time watching our feeding station, quantifying those ebbs and flows, and paying a lot of attention to behavior. From dominance hierarchies in junco flocks to a case of Sharp-shinned Hawk cannibalism, dedicated feeder-watching (in a house designed to maximize it!) was a great way to pass the time stuck indoors. I recounted many of my observations in blogs earlier this year, especially these two:
Once up and about, I found myself forgoing birding mornings afield – especially in the fall – to just enjoy migration through our property in Durham and build our rapidly expanding yard list. Having moved in last fall, it was exciting to see the seasons change. Fall migration was particularly productive, and I found myself not wanting to bird anywhere else before work. Some great yardbirds over the year included a Snow Goose on 3/27, three different Mourning Warblers (one each in May, June, and September), an American Bittern for the day on 8/28, and a Dickcissel on 9/1. The yard was already approaching 150 species by year’s end.
Furthermore, I put more effort than ever into birding Androscoggin County in general, and while I didn’t find any rarities in the county this year, I did spend lots of quality time at Sabattus Pond and in search of patches for future birding focus – I didn’t find any of those, either, but I did get to know my new home county a lot better. In other words, when I did get out birding this year, I put a lot more focus on staying close to home – this less carbon-intensive mode of birding is what I believe the future of birding is (eg the “5 Mile Radius” list, which is all the birds seen within a five mile radius of one’s home) anyway, and I plan on keeping this focus for 2024.
But back to the rarities. Let us start as usual with a look at last year’s prognostications and see how I did.
Of the five new species for Maine, three were in my Top 12. I found Maine’s first confirmed Spotted Towhee at Fort Foster in Kittery on November 19th (and continued obligingly through the end of the year). This long-overdue addition to the state’s list was #4 on my predictions list.
Right behind it at #5 was the Hammond’s Flycatcher found on Monhegan in October. I’ve felt flycatchers were going under-detected in Maine for a while, and therefore they have been prevalent on my predictions lists. Then, a photograph from Mount Desert Rock from August of 2022 was reanalyzed and showed a Western Flycatcher (as it is once again rightly called, with Pacific-sloped and Cordilleran finally “lumped” back together), which was #12 on my list.
That strange date for a vagrant flycatcher is rather remarkable, as was the other addition to the list from the MDI region when a Red-footed Booby was photographed in Lamoine in July of this year. This tropical sulid didn’t even make my honorable mention list.
And finally, just before the clock was about to strike twelve, a remarkable Hepatic Tanager was found in Stockton Springs! While it was on my radar due to several well out of range records, it did not qualify for my Honorable Mentions list. It was the icing on the cake to another exceptional year of birding in Maine.
With three birds from the 2023 List off the board, I’ll do some reshuffling. A possible Gray Heron was photographed in Scarborough Marsh on the Portland CBC in December, but the photos – although very suggestive – were inconclusive. A search the next day didn’t turn anything up, but I hope others remain on the lookout. Nonetheless, it was suggestive enough to bump Gray Heron up from my Honorable Mention list into the Top 25, that is for sure. Lewis’s Woodpecker, Dusky Flycatcher, and White Wagtail are making their debut in the rankings while I’ve dropped Black-tailed Gull out of the Top 25 as North American records seem to have dried up.
As we found out when we saw this Gray Heron while vacationing on Prince Edward Island in 2022, they are not always easy to pick out of a crowd, as we looked through a lot of Great Blue Herons during our search for this long-staying individual. Hopefully, our view in Maine will be a little better, like this one Jeannette photographed in Norway.
Neotropical Cormorant
Black-chinned Hummingbird
California Gull
Limpkin
Gray Heron
Bermuda Petrel
Graylag Goose
Little Stint
Audubon’s Shearwater
Common Shelduck
Anna’s Hummingbird
Heerman’s Gull
Common Ground-Dove
Allen’s Hummingbird
Spotted Redshank
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Ross’s Gull
Black-capped Petrel
Lesser Nighthawk
Elegant Tern
Dusky Flycatcher
Painted Redstart
Hooded Oriole
White Wagtail
Common Scoter
Personally, I added 5 new species to my own Maine State List this year, despite relatively limited birding and a less concentration on rarities in general. Three days after my shoulder surgery, however, Jeannette loaded me into the car and took me down to Timber Point in Biddeford for a Common Ringed-Plover, which was #10 on my predictions list. Can’t say it was my most comfortable twitch, however. Medication helped.
In June, I raced down with Jess Costa between tours to see the Loggerhead Shrike at the Kennebunk Plains, which was my 399th species in Maine (recently relegated to my honorable mentions lists as they have become increasingly rare anywhere out of their contracting range).
So for #400, I said it had to be “the Tufted Puffin or self-found” – I wasn’t going to chase anything else. With several sporadic sightings in June and July, and with numerous boat tours scheduled in July, I had high hopes. With an observation at Eastern Egg Rock on July 9th, and with a tour there scheduled the next afternoon with our partners Cap’n Fish’s Cruises, I was getting excited. And to hedge the bet, I hopped aboard their morning Eastern Egg Rock trip, and as we approached the island in the fog, a large, dark, puffin stood towering over the local residents! “TUFTED PUFFIN!!!” I exclaimed. No microphone was necessary. And this was #400.
With so few sightings – all being one-minute wonders – in the previous years, I hadn’t elevated this to my personal Top 25, but that’s OK – it was just as sweet.
A Purple Gallinule (honorable mention) in the North Maine Woods near Moosehead Lake in October was beyond my chasing range, but when another – or perhaps, the same bird – appeared at a small park in Kennebunk, I was on my way!
The absurdity of the locale and ease of viewing simply forced me to go back for another look a week later with Dan Nickerson…after dipping on a nearby Western Wood-Pewee as Luke Seitz struck again. Making that miss worse was the reason I didn’t chase it on its day of discovery: we were on lockdown during the manhunt after the tragic Lewiston mass shooting. My state list was just not a priority I will readily admit.
Of course, the aforementioned Spotted Towhee, which was #15 on my list was a welcome self-found addition.
And finally, Evan Obercian and I paid a visit to the Hepatic Tanager in Stockton Springs on New Year’s Eve, bringing 2023 to a close.
Of course, I missed a few rarities this year, too! Although I only “dipped” on one chase (the pewee), I was simply unavailable to chase anything else, such as the Kirtland’s Warbler (unlisted) on Seal Island in September (can’t get there from here!). And I just didn’t have the time to chase Hammond’s Flycatcher (#14) on Monhegan. Meanwhile, the Red-footed Booby (unlisted) was a one-day wonder, and of course I missed a couple of Franklin’s Gulls (#2) as usual. Notorious one-day wonders, there was one on September 24th passing Schoodic Point, and one on November 18th at Long Sands Beach. I was going to “end up” at Long Sands the next day at the same time and tide, but my birding outing began and ended with my towhee find at Fort Foster. This rare but regular transient is officially my nemesis in the state!
But the one that really stings was missing out on Crested Caracara once again. I was birding with clients in Spurwink Marsh in late May when a friend texted me that he had one (the one?) flying over his house…we were no more than 2-3 miles away! Thankfully, my clients were game for a little searching, so we spent some time looking before having to move on. The caracara then resurfaced a couple of other times in the Mid-Coast, near Belfast, but I was on Monhegan or with a tour group elsewhere. So close!
Last year, I also predicted that my #400 would come from my Top 25 list. But Tufted Puffin wasn’t on it, so I was wrong about that. Forgive me if I wasn’t upset, however.
I did some reshuffling (it’s just a matter of time before I finally find or catch up with a Franklin’s Gull, right? RIGHT!?), and therefore my forecast for my next 25 species on my personal Maine list reads as follows:
Franklin’s Gull
American White Pelican
Neotropic Cormorant
Brown Pelican
California Gull
Brown Booby
Crested Caracara
Slaty-backed Gull
Boreal Owl
Calliope Hummingbird
Graylag Goose
Cerulean Warbler
Gull-billed Tern
Pacific Golden-Plover
Limpkin
Wood Stork
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Yellow Rail
Virginia’s Warbler
Western Wood-Pewee
Virginia’s Warbler
Gray Heron
Common Gull
Heerman’s Gull
It’s about time for me to finally see a Franklin’s Gull in Maine.
But really, who knows what might show up these days? For example, I am sure that no one had Red-flanked Bluetail on their Next Birds in New Jersey list, but one showed up in a random inland neighborhood in early December. It continued through year’s end, and it was awfully nice of it to remain at least through December 26th, when we just happened to be in the area for Christmas. In fact, it was only 24 minutes away from my Mom’s house. A bonus Christmas gift!
Bring it on, 2024. But less injuries and other birding-limiting events, please. I also have a goal of finding a rarity in Androscoggin County away from Sabattus Pond or our property! Will it be on this list?
On Sunday, November 19th, 2023, I found Maine’s first confirmed Spotted Towhee at Fort Foster Park in Kittery. Fort Foster is one of my favorite birding locations, especially in fall “rarity season.” I’ve been lamenting the complete dearth of vagrants found in Maine during the month of November so far, and so I set out for the southern York County coast that morning in hopes of changing that.
It didn’t take long.
A little more than an hour after I arrived at the park, slowly birding the warm, sunny edges of a chilly morning, I encountered a pocket of activity as I was turning off the main coastal trail and up the slight hill towards the Small Pier Pavilion. A tardy “WESTERN” PALM WARBLER that I encountered earlier had flown this way with a Yellow-rumped Warbler, and these two birds were at the edge along with several resident species including Black-capped Chickadees and Northern Cardinals as well as migrants including Golden-crowned Kinglets and White-throated Sparrows.
As I approached the top of the rise, I noticed a towhee sitting in the sun at the edge of one of two fairly large Eastern Red Cedars. Since I had my camera at the ready since it’s rarity season afterall, I immediately grabbed it. Although I was assuming it was just a late Eastern Towhee (not unreasonably rare in a mild fall even at this date), it was a nice photo – towhees don’t sit still in the sun often enough! The bird was facing directly at me, so all I could see was its black hood, rufous sides, and white belly.
As I focused through my viewfinder, the bird shifted slightly, showing just enough of its side to reveal large white spots on it’s wing! A vagrant Spotted Towhee! Incredible!
And to think I almost blew this…if I didn’t go for my camera for “just” a nice shot of an Eastern Towhee, perhaps I wouldn’t have looked at it long enough to see its diagnostic wings and back. That was a close one! (That one twig right across the face though!)
Knowing that hybrids between the two towhees (formerly known collectively as “Rufous-sided Towhee”) have occurred out of range, I knew I needed some better views and more photos. Over about 10 minutes, I observed and photographed the bird in the cedars, having it drop down once into the brush only to return to the cedar, perhaps as a result of some gentle pishing.
During this second photo session, a Cooper’s Hawk flew overhead, and all of the activity in this pocket dove for cover and remained silent (9:28am). As birds slowly returned to the edge, the towhee did not. A late Hermit Thrush that was also in the cedars reappeared, but the towhee did not.
As I waited, I sent out some text messages and checked my photos. Within about 45 minutes, Maili Waters and Luke Seitz arrived, and we began a thorough search, slowly increasing our search radius. It took until about 12:15 before Maili and Luke finally relocated the towhee on the other side of the very large and dense thicket. Luke’s excellent photos showed a more complete view of the wing and back, crucial field marks for confirming the bird’s identity.
I was on the other side of the park, searching for the towhee and whatever else might have been present, turning up a very late PRAIRIE WARBLER, a Gray Catbird, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet – all good birds for the date. It took me a while to get to where Luke and Maili were, and we were soon joined by Doug Hitchcox and Matthew Gilbert.
We waited for about 30 minutes before the need for water and lunch finally got the best of me, and I headed out. I was halfway to Kittery Center when Noah Gibb spotted the bird once again at the original location. It was here, in the two cedars, that numerous observers were able to see the bird early in the morning the next day as well.
Returning home and in discussion with Luke, Maili, and Evan Obercian, we confidently ruled out any suggestion of a hybrid. The amount of white in the primaries had us a little wary, for example, but the National Geographic Guide to the Birds of North America nicely shows the regional variation with Spotted Towhees, including the more extensive white “slash” on the primaries of the Great Plains subspecies – the expected source of vagrants to the East.
Big white spots on each scapular, two complete wingbars (one bold on the greater coverts and one more subtle bar on the median coverts), the spotted-streaked back mantle, and the extensively white undertail are all consistent with a phenotypically pure Spotted Towhee – Maine’s first, and a long-overdue addition to our state’s list. In fact, this was #4 on my “Next Birds for Maine” predictions list. But as always, it’s always better find than to chase!
This Purple Gallinule graced tiny Rogers Pond Park in Kennebunk on the 20th, and I could not resist the chase!
The last few have been tough for me. It’s October in Maine – my favorite month of birding, as I have opined about before. The weather went from unusually warm and benign to pleasantly normal and unsettled. But in between, there were those glorious fall days of crisp mornings, colorful leaves, and migrants everywhere.
Over the winter as I slowly recovered from shoulder surgery, I used my one good arm to enjoy morning vigils at the active feeding station, which I chronicled here and here. I kept track of daily ebbs and flows, and paid even greater attention to behavior, such as the winter’s-long Sharp-shinned Hawk drama at the feeding station.
While it’s been a long year of near-constant pain and discomfort, it has also been a very busy year and we had one of the most successful tour seasons in our company’s history, despite the near-constant rain. I battled through some tours but did my best to remain positive and productive.
Pain was building in my “good” arm all summer, constantly doing all the work the left, surgically repaired but then frozen shoulder was still unable to accomplish. My September trip to Monhegan for Down East Adventures was the most challenging yet.
For the first time in my career (around 30 years of guiding in some shape or form), I had to hire a replacement for a tour. Thankfully, my good friend and amazing birder Evan Obercian was able to cover our 18th annual Monhegan Fall Migration Weekend for me. I could barely get in and out of my recliner – I was not going to be able to walk around all day and show people birds!
The duration of this intense pain lasted far longer than I had expected, despite various combinations of medicines and therapies, but I mostly remained on “Injured Reserve’ (I feel like I am injured often enough to be an Offensive Lineman for the Patriots!) Meanwhile, October birding was at its finest, and birds were streaming through. Our Durham yard was absolutely bursting with birds on most mornings through, but my birding was limited to a short walk up and down the driveway.
Our September diversity of warblers slowly petered out into waves of Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers in early October, with Ruby-crowned Kinglets bitterly scolding from all edges. Our fields and meadows were chock full of sparrows, with a productive breeding season for Song Sparrows soon augmented by flights of Swamp, the return of White-throated, more Song, and a surprising amount of Lincoln’s Sparrows.
Some other highlights during the peak of my limitations included a Philadelphia Vireo viewed from my recliner on 10/1 and a truant Scarlet Tanager spotted from the same position on the 5th. Happily, by the morning of the 7th, I was actually able to take a little walk with bins and that yielded a nice array of migrants including 2 Blue-headed Vireos, a presumed-continuing Scarlet Tanager, a new wave of Yellow-rumped Warblers and especially Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and an increase in Swamp, Savannah, and Song Sparrows in our field.
Meanwhile, my usual morning texts with Evan and Dan Nickerson as we monitored the ebbs and flows of migration helped to keep me abreast of what was happening beyond the yard. Our feeders in Durham were busier than what most people were experiencing this fall, but this is always a time of plenty. For me, unfortunately, my limitation was holding my head upright and using binoculars, so daily counts and monitoring were out of the question – no chance to attempt another Sandy Point Morning Flight, despite some great conditions on several mornings.
I was kept busy with a writing project, correspondence and planning for the store, and on the morning of the 8th, Jeannette and I boarded a plane for a trade show in Missouri. After a 5-year hiatus, we really needed to get back to reinvigorate our offerings and see if there were any revolutionary developments.
Flying into Kansas City, Jeannette and I enjoyed a couple of days off before the trade show, and then a day upon our return. We visited with a friend, checked out some breweries and indulged in the best of Kansas City BBQ, and of course, did a little birding. Finally feeling well enough to carry binoculars for a bit, we spent the morning of the 9th birding in Kansas (Spotted Towhees and Franklin’s Gulls!) and at least a couple of hours of each morning of our trip. A big overnight flight resulted in a very productive morning at the Lowe Conservation Area in Mexico, for example, with large number of Yellow-rumped Warblers and impressive numbers of Lincoln’s Sparrows among many others.
When we returned late on the 13th, much had changed here in Maine – a week is a long time in fall migration! I was finally back to work, leading the Saturday Morning Birdwalk once again on the 14th. If only to prevent me from snapping my head up in response to an unfamiliar flight call, I was still sporting a neck brace and quite a bit of discomfort. However, the birding helped ease the pain. In fact, it was an exceptional outing full of sparrows, a massive arrival of Pine Siskins, a late Nashville Warbler, and a Great Blue Heron hunting voles.
I birded our Durham property on the morning of the 15th, noting the changes since we departed. While truant House Wren and Indigo Bunting continue, gone are the last of our Gray Catbirds. There were still a lot of Song Sparrows, but fewer Swamp and more Savannah in our field. A Dark-eyed Junco and a few fly-over Pine Siskins have arrived, and a flock of about 100 Common Grackles briefly visited a patch of wet woods. Warblers, however, were now limited to a healthy smattering of Yellow-rumped only. A Rusty Blackbird and our first two immature White-crowned Sparrows arrived on the 17th, and the morning of the 20th was particularly birdy – Pine Siskins are here now.
Our annual Fall Boothbay Mini-Pelagic on the 16th went off without a hitch, with great weather and sea conditions. However, few seabirds were to be found, despite a lot of ground covered. The passerine list – including sparrows 28 miles offshore – was fascinating, however. But it felt more like being at Sandy Point than at sea!
It was a short trip, but I actually went birding on my own for a few hours on the 18th, visiting Sabattus Pond. Waterfowl numbers are increasing, with decent tallies including 140 Ruddy Ducks, 113 Lesser Scaup, 75 Greater Scaup, 3-5 Green-winged Teal, 2 Buffleheads (first of fall), and 1 each of Ring-necked Duck and Surf Scoter.
And finally, today was our last boat trip of the year – our Birds of Casco Bay with Seacoast Tours right here in Freeport. A casual 2.5-hour cruise produced an abundance of newly arrived Surf Scoters, 9 Red-breasted Mergansers, a surprising 15 truant Laughing Gulls, and a rather tardy Osprey.
And with my birdfinding so limited, I jumped at the chance to do a little bird-chasing. After my tour, I raced down to Kennebunk where a vagrant Purple Gallinule was found this morning. Interestingly, this is the second in Maine at the moment, with one continuing in the even more surprising location in a small pond in the North Maine Woods not far from Moosehead Lake!
It was in the open when I arrived, and I enjoyed some prolonged quality time with it by myself and with just a few others at we watched it feed on crabgrass and at least one large earthworm. Oddly, it remained loyal to a small patch of grass under a powerline, away from the water.
As I continue to slowly feel better, I’ll be trying to get out more. Unfortunately, there will not be any more visits to Sandy Point for the morning flight for me this year, but there are plenty of birds to see everywhere else. Sabattus Pond season is upon us, and Rarity Season is about to ramp up. It’s an amazing time to be in the field, and I will do my best to get out there and report back. Stay tuned for trip reports, birding summaries, and I am sure, a few “highlights” too!
This reported Little Blue Heron x Snowy Egret Hybrid in Spurwink Marsh of Cape Elizabeth may add to the mix of ultra-rare hybrid herons that have been occurring annually since 2012 in the Greater Scarborough Marsh area. Or does it? See below.
The last cadre of migrants are arriving, and the late spring “rarity season” is now upon us. With new arrivals, breeding birds on territory, and the expectation of the unexpected, it was a great week of birding for me as I head out to Monhegan Island with our annual tour group.
My observations of note over the past seven days included:
1 continuing reported LITTLE BLUE HERON X SNOWY EGRET HYBRID, Spurwink Marsh, Cape Elizabeth, 5/22 (with Jeannette, et al). Present since 5/16, this would be the first record of this hybrid combination in Maine, and one of the few ever. Or, is this just a funky 1st or second summer Little Blue Heron that is showing oddly dark legs? Plus if it is truly a hybrid with a small white heron, I am not sure how we would rule out Little Egret (or a hybrid that includes Little Egret) as the other half of the mix, especially with the long-ish-looking dual wiry plumes. Furthermore, some folks have raised doubts about even the potential of mixed parentage here. While clearly different from the TRICOLORED HERON X SMALL WHITE EGRET SPP hybrids that have been in Scarborough Marsh since 2012, I hypothesized about the possibility of Little Blue joining the mix(es) in my 2021 article in North American Birds. I saw the bird again on the 23rd with clients, and obtained better photos than the evening before. Unless of course, my fascination with the hybrid herons of Maine is clouding my judgement here? (Edited for clarity and for minimizing definitives*)
The bicolored bill and blue-gray lores looks fine for Little Blue Heron, but the bill seems a little longer and thinner. The two wiry plumes on the back of the head also look longer and wispier than a Little Blue – could it suggest that the small white egret that’s 50% of its blood (we think) is actually a Little Egret…or the Little Egret x Snowy Egret hybrid…or…
The extra bushy plumes suggestive of Snowy is evident here, and are the soles of the feet a little yellowish? Other photos show the blakcish legs better than this, and 1st summer Little Blue Heron should have uniformly yellow-green legs, especially if still this white.
Also very Snowy/Little-like are the bushy plumes on the foreneck. When it shook, I also observed some whispy white plumes on the back…neither of these should be so fluffy and obvious in a pure Little Blue Heron, especially in its first summer.
***5/26 am edits: The more I think about and study this bird, the less sure I am. It bothers me that the lores and bill are spot on for a Little Blue. But would color develop further when in high breeding, which it won’t reach until next year? Could this just be a super-shaggy-looking Little Blue? Howver, the legs are black or blackish, which is not a characteristic of Little Blue Heron at any age. There seem to be too many anomolous features here to dismiss it as just another splotchy 1st-summer Little Blue. Perhaps, as the summer goes on, and more adult-like characteristics develop, a true pattern and its presumptive ID will become apparent. Hope it sticks around in the same area!**
1 BLACK-NECKED STILT, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho). First spotted by one of my clients as we were split up and scanning both sides of the marsh for sharp-tailed sparrow activity. Awesome find, Ralph! Here’s a lousy, one-armed phone-scoped photo of the bird in the distance.
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Garcelon Bog Preserve, Lewiston, 5/25.
With the advancement of the season, my personal “FOY’s” this week were limited, as expected in late May, but many of our latest-arriving breeders are showing up on territory now.
1 Alder Flycatcher, Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, 5/21 (with Harpswell Heritage Land Trust tour group).
1 MOURNING WARBLER, Long Reach Preserve, 5/21 (with Harpswell Heritage Land Trust tour group).
1 Eastern Wood-Pewee, our property in Durham, 5/22.
1 Common Nighthawk, over Bayside neighborhood of Portland, 5/22 (with Jeannette).
3+ Saltmarsh Sparrows, Scarborough Marsh, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho).
2+ Nelson’s Sparrows, Scarborough Marsh, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho).
7 RED KNOTS, Pine Point, Scarborough, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho).
3 Short-billed Dowitchers, Pine Point, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho).
TOURS AND EVENTS:
Our June 2ndZeiss Pelagic is sold out, but we are starting a waiting list in case there are any late cancellations. Please email the store at info@freeportwildbirdsupply.com to get on it.
OK, so it was technically first seen in 2021, but Steller’s Sea Eagle was the bird of the year. Or was it? It’s suffice to say, however, that my only photos of it from 2022 were not my photos of the year! Here it is in Georgetown on February 18th.
It’s once again time for my annual Predictions Blog, where I view into my crystal binoculars and attempt to forecast some of the “new” birds to grace the State of Maine – and then my own personal state list – in the coming year.
Well, well, well, what a year of birding 2022 was here in Maine! Four new species were added to the all-time state list this season, and one of them was a complete shock. Let’s take a look at last year’s prognostications and see how I did.
Barolo Shearwater was added to the state list based on a 2021 photo by Doug Gochfeld from well offshore in the Northeast Channel, according to the Maine Bird Records Committee. That was #21 on my predictions list for Maine’s next birds.
A Masked Booby (on my honorable mentions list) at Mount Desert Rock in August was perhaps a sign of things to come – it or another may have been photographed off Monhegan in late September.
Also on my honorable mention list was Broad-tailed Hummingbird that graced a Freeport yard from November 5th through December 23rd. The details and the full story can be found on my blog, here. One could make the argument that this should have made the cut, as it has been long-overdue to be identified in New England.
Since the now-world-famous Steller’s Sea Eagle arrived at the tail end of 2021, it was not technically a new record in 2022. However, just about everyone saw it for the first time this year, and 2022 was definitely the year of the Steller’s Sea Eagle.
Shockingly, however, there was some debate about whether or not that was the bird, or even the raptor, of the year! Seriously. Since Steller’s Sea Eagle have bred on the continent and have been seen on several occasions in Alaska (and then “our bird” which was seen from Texas to Canada), one could argue that the raptor of the year was actually the Eurasian Marsh-Harrier that was discovered on North Haven on 8/25 and then found the next day at Weskeag Marsh in Thomaston (where it remained for less than 3 days). This was only the second record ever for the entire continent! The same bird resurfaced at the Troy Meadows in northern New Jersey in early November, but this is an incredible bird for North America. However, I would argue that the worldwide rarity of the Steller’s (only about 4,000 individuals) trumps the marsh-harrier, as it is quite common through much of the Old World. (These are the things birders like to argue about over pints of beer)
And no, the Eurasian Marsh-Harrier was most definitely not on my predictions list!
So with four new records only one of which was on my list, it’s obvious that predicting vagrancy is getting even more challenging. Climate change, land-use changes, rising and falling populations, perhaps even pesticide contamination or electromagnetic pollution is all conspiring to put odd birds in weird places. And, there are more birders looking, and much better communication.
While I would love to be “right” about my forecasts, we can now truly expect the unexpected, and one could argue almost any bird capable of flight (or long-distance swimming) could become Maine’s latest big twitch. But, if only for tradition’s sake, I’ll take a stab at my Next 25 Birds for Maine forecast:
A Black-chinned Hummingbird is overdue for Maine, but unless it’s an adult male with his purple throat in good light, it’s likely going to take banding and measurements to identify (like this year’s Broad-tailed).
I’ve added Heerman’s Gull to the list thanks to a growing number of Eastern Seaboard records – most of which are likely the same individual moving up and down the coast, although it seems like a longshot to make it this far north. Limpkin also debuts after an incredible irruption in 2022 with extralimital records from as far north as Michigan and New York. Was this a one-off due to some drastic change in water or food levels in its limit range in Florida, or is this another sign of the “new normal” of tropical birds venturing northward? To make room, I’ve dropped Kelp Gull out of the Top 25 for now.
Heerman’s Gull, San Diego, CA, August 2011.
Personally, I added an incredible six birds to my own state list this year. I even predicted two of them: The flock of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks in Camden that I twitched on 5/2 were #7 on my personal next list, while the flock of White Ibis in the Webhannet Marsh in Wells on 8/11 were #14 on my list.
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.
The Sage Thrasher at Gilsland Farm was the first in line on my honorable mentions list, as it was long overdue for Maine to get it’s second. Likewise, the two Henslow’s Sparrows in Brunswick (7/6) and the now-famous Freeport Broad-tailed Hummingbird were both on my honorable mentions list, but had not cracked the top 25 just yet.
Sage Thrasher
Henslow’s Sparrow
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Out of the blue was the aforementioned Eurasian Marsh-Harrier, which I happily got to see in Weskeag Marsh on 8/26. As Maine stakes its claim as the Raptor Rarity Capital of North America, I would not have wanted to miss this shocker.
As usual, I missed plenty of rarities too, although I was unable to chase many of them for various reasons (6 for 6 on chases this year is incredible…although it does help make up for all the times I did not see the Steller’s Sea Eagle!). American White Pelican (Grand Isle, 7/5; #1) and Franklin’s Gull (Sabattus Pond, 5/22; #3) are officially nemesis birds now. Other unchaseable potential state birds included Common Gull (Eastport, 2/17-23; honorable mention), Sandwich Tern (Mount Desert Rock, 7/6; honorable mention), and Western Wood-Pewee (banded at Riverpoint, Falmouth, 9/7; honorable mention).
As I approach the 400 species milestone, it’s not getting any easier, although I should hit the mark this year, based on current vagrancy trends! That’s my first prediction. As for what bird it will be, I believe it will be one of these 25. Although, nowadays, anything seems possible!
American White Pelican
Franklin’s Gull
Neotropic Cormorant
Brown Pelican
California Gull
Brown Booby
Slaty-backed Gull
Boreal Owl
Calliope Hummingbird
Common Ringed Plover
Graylag Goose
Cerulean Warbler
Gull-billed Tern
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Spotted Towhee
Pacific Golden-Plover
Wood Stork
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Yellow Rail
Ross’s Gull
Virginia’s Warbler
Common Shelduck
Common Gull
Heerman’s Gull
Brown Pelican records are increasing in the northeast. It’s just a matter of time for one to fly by me! San Diego, CA, August 2011.
Maine Birding Field Notes 