Category Archives: Week Reports

This Week’s Highlights, 4/19-4/25/2025.

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Back for yet another year, Jeannette and I refound the/one of the long-returning LITTLE EGRET X SNOWY EGRET HYBRIDS on the 20th at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth. It was nearly to the date that we relocated it here last year for the first time, and it really favors the tidal creek here at low and mid-tides. The long Little Egret-like neck plumes are highly suggestive of a Little, but they are coupled with some short, wispy neck plumes and yellowish lores indicative of Snowy Egret genes.\

The migratory floodgates opened this week, starting with a big flight Friday night into Saturday morning. Then, during the day, a huge hawk flight occurred. Furthermore, the weather of Friday through Saturday resulted in a small “overshoot” even where birds were facilitated further north than usual for the season, or at all. Locally, this resulted in several rather early dates for returning migrants.  Another great hawk flight on the 21st, and good passerine movements on several other nights made for an exciting and productive week of spring birding. A coastal sparrow-heavy fallout for the morning of the 25th yielded another large arrival of birds, with sheer numbers dominated by White-throated Sparrows. Here are my observations of note over the past seven great days, from a returning hybrid heron to a local first Patch record:

  • 35+ Palm Warblers, 30+ Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 20+ Ruby-crowned Kinglets, etc, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/19 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • Saturday was an extraordinary day at the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch. I was fortunate to be able to catch two hours of it, even if it was as the flight was waning. The record-shattering total of 2,712 migrant raptors crushed the old single-day record of 1,814 (5/3/2020). Today’s total was more than 700 birds more than we had for every previous day combined for this season to date. Not only that, but today’s tally eclipsed our two lowest SEASON totals 2,123 (2007) and 2,321 (2011)! 
  • 1 returning LITTLE EGRET X SNOWY EGRET HYBRID, Tidewater Farm, Falmouth, 4/20 (with Jeannette). Photo and details above.
  • 2 SANDHILL CRANES, Morgan Meadow WMA, Gray/Raymond, 4/21 (with Jeannette).
  • ~125 Palm Warblers, ~75 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 2 Pine Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 4/23.
  • 7 Brant, Wood Island (restricted access), Biddeford, 4/23 (with Bethany Woodworth’s UNE Ornithology class).
  • 1 COMMON GALLINULE (FOY), Florida Lake Park, 4/25 (with Noah Gibb and Stacey Huth). First flushed by Noah and Stacey. Was a real challenge to get a look at, but eventually it came out to an edge for a handful of minutes. My 170th species at Florida Lake!

My personal “first of years” this week also included:

  • 1 Blue-headed Vireo, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/19 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 BANK SWALLOW (quite early), Florida Lake Park, 4/19 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Barn Swallow, Florida Lake Park, 4/19 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, Morgan Meadow WMA, Gray/Raymond, 4/21 (with Jeannette).
  • 3 Black-crowned Night-Herons, Wood Island (restricted access), Biddeford, 4/23 (with Bethany Woodworth and UNE’s Ornithology class).
  • 1 Eastern Towhee Wood Island (restricted access), Biddeford, 4/23 (with Bethany Woodworth and UNE’s Ornithology class).
  • 1 Common Yellowthroat, Florida Lake Park, 4/25.
  • 1 Black-and-white Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 4/25.
Although Black-crowned Night-Herons have likely been around for a few weeks by now, these three at Wood Island in Biddeford on the 23rd were my personal first of the year.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

The Week 5 report can be found here.

Upcoming Tours (with Space Available):

  1. Birds on Tap Roadtrip – Warbler and Wort. Thursday, May 8.

Evergreen Cemetery, Capisic Pond Park, Orange Bike Brewing and TBA with our partners Portland Explorer (formerly Maine Brews Cruise).

This Week’s Highlights, 4/12-4/18/2025.

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This immature Snow Goose was a surprise to find in the marsh off of the Footbridge Beach Parking lot in Ogunquit on the 15th. Later, my client and I found it much closer (although heat shimmer and distance still confounded my phone-scoping attempts) off of the North Beach parking lot across the river.

After another complex and long-duration storm system put the brakes on migration from Friday night through Tuesday, there was a huge flight of birds into the area for Wednesday morning and a great hawk flight on Friday.  Here are my observations of note and new arrivals over the past seven days:

  • Our last Fox Sparrow at our home and here at the store departed the night of 4/15. Not seeing one on the 16th anywhere ended my streak of 120 consecutive days of seeing a Fox Sparrow when in Maine! Of course on appeared/reappeared at home on the 17th.
  • A sparrow fallout was experienced along the immediate southwestern coast of Maine on the morning of 4/15. I caught a small sample of it with 50-75 Savannah Sparrows, 150+ Dark-eyed Juncos, 30+ Song Sparrows, 1 Fox Sparrow, etc, at Beach Plum Farm in Ogunquit (with a client from New York).
  • 7 Harlequin Ducks and 12 Purple Sandpipers, Perkin’s Cove, Ogunquit, 4/15 (with client from New York).
  • 1 immature SNOW GOOSE, Footbridge Beach parking lot, Ogunquit, 4/15 (with client from New York). Relocated later from the North Beach parking lot. Photo above.
  • The large rafts of several hundred (mostly) Greater and (at least a few) Lesser Scaup, along with White-winged Scoters, continues this week at Wharton Point in Brunswick, at least through 4/17.

My personal “first of years” this week also included:

  • 2 Palm Warblers, our property in Durham, 4/13.
  • 10 Broad-winged Hawks, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 4/16.
  • 3 Yellow-rumped Warbler (FOS), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/17.
  • 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Florida Lake Park, 4/17.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

The Week 4 report can be found here.

Upcoming Tours (with Space Available):

  1. Birds on Tap Roadtrip – Warbler and Wort. Thursday, May 8

    Evergreen Cemetery, Capisic Pond Park, Orange Bike Brewing and TBA with our partners Portland Explorer (formerly Maine Brews Cruise).

    2. Field Identification and Natural History of Birds: Spring Migration at Eagle Hill Institute.

    A week-long immersive skill-building seminar for beginning and intermediate birders based in Steuben.

    This Week’s Highlights, 4/5-4/11/2025.

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    Some Greater Yellowlegs (usually males) can look very dainty, and at this time of year have a virtually all-dark bill, suggesting Lesser Yellowlegs. Luckily, this one called to confirm, which is always helpful at this season when breeding plumage is often not fully developed.

    There were not a lot of days this week that felt like spring, but spring birding was in full swing this week, at least when I was actually out in the field. Rare and once-rare waterfowl led the way once again, with an increased appearance of new arrivals of a wider range of species as well. Here are my observations of note and new arrivals over the past seven days:

    • Three Fox Sparrows continued at our home feeders in Durham through week’s end, while at least 1 continues here at the store as well.  
    • 1 continuing Brown Thrasher, 450+ Greater with a few Lesser Scaup, 350+ White-winged Scoter, 3 Swamp Sparrows, etc, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 4/5 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
    • 1 Eastern Phoebe at the store on 4/6 – feeding on dried mealworms from within the starling-proof bluebird feeder. This was a first for me. They rarely eat mealworms, let alone dried mealworms, and I have never seen them enter a restricted-space feeder.
    • 1drake “EURASIAN” GREEN-WINGED TEAL, Mouth of the Abby, Bowdoinham, 4/7 (with Jeannette. Perhaps the same individual I found here on 3/27 with Bill Thompson.
    • An incredible 44 Gadwall in the salt pannes at the Eastern Road Trail, Scaborough Marsh, on 4/9. This is likely a new state record high count.

    My personal “first of years” this week also included:

    • 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (first of spring), here at the store, 4/5.
    • 3 Piping Plovers, Pine Point Beach, Scarborough, 4/9.
    • 14 Great Egrets, total in Scarborough Marsh, 4/9.
    • 18 Greater Yellowlegs, total in Scarborough Marsh, 4/9 (see photo above).
    • 51 Glossy Ibis, total in Scarborough Marsh, 4/9.
    • 1 “Ipswich” Savannah Sparrow, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 4/9.
    • 1 Pine Warbler, Powell Point Preserve, Freeport, 4/10.
    • 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, our property in Durham, 4/11.
    • 2 Chipping Sparrows, our property in Durham, 4/11.

    Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

    The Week 3 report can be found here.

    Upcoming Tours (with Space Available):

    Evergreen Cemetery, Capisic Pond Park, Orange Bike Brewing and TBA with our partners Portland Explorer (formerly Maine Brews Cruise).

    A week-long immersive skill-building seminar for beginning and intermediate birders based in Steuben.

    Caption: While there have been a few nights with decent songbird migration so far this year, the night of the 10th-11th was the first one with a sizeable enough flight to be clearly detectable on the overnight NEXRAD radar. It’s on!

     This Week’s Highlights, 3/29-4/4/2025.

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    This Rusty Blackbird singing up a storm at Florida Lake Park on 4/2 has likely been present here since way back when I first saw it on 2/26! I don’t stop at Florida Lake very often this early in the season, but every time I have, he’s been in the same corner, often singing, making me think it’s the same individual.
    Even now, it’s on the early side for Rusties.

    It was an up and down week of weather, to say the least, but slowly but surely spring migration was progressing. Considering fairly limited time in the field this week, I had a decent early season slate of observations of note and  personal “first-of-years” over the past seven days:

    • Fox Sparrows at our feeders in Durham peaked at a goodly 6 on 3/30. 3 continue here at the store through week’s end.
    • 3 RUDDY DUCKS (FOY), 18 Lesser Scaup, 16 Greater Scaup, etc, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 3/31 (with Jeannette).
    • 1 1st cycle Iceland Gull, Whiskeag Trail, Bath, 4/1 (with Jeannette).
    • 1 continuing Rusty Blackbird (likely present here since 2/26; note and photo above), 1 Pied-billed Grebe (FOY), 2 Eastern Phoebes (FOY), and 1 Tree Swallow (FOY), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/2.
    One of two Eastern Phoebes at Florida Lake Park on the 2nd, this one seemed to be contemplating its life choices with yet another spring snowstorm on its way.
    • 2 Rusty Blackbirds, our property in Durham, 4/3.
    • 8 Double-crested Cormorants (FOY), Mailley Park, Bowdoinham, 4/3.
    • 1 drake NORTHERN SHOVELER (FOY), Mouth of the Abby, Bowdoinham, 4/3.

    Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

    The Week 2 report can be found here.

    Upcoming Tours:

    Woodcocks Gone Wild re-scheduled for TOMORROW, Saturday, April 5th has not yet been cancelled. Updates will be posted here around mid-day tomorrow. The tour is sold out.

    Recent Highlights, 3/15-3/21/2025.

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    It wasn’t a very photogenic week, but I did snap this phone-scoped shot of a Bald Eagle feasting on a Red-breasted Merganser through the fog off Eastern Road on the 20th.

    Spring made only slow progress this week, but some early migrants and other new arrivals, along with a few seasonal highlights were among my observations of note over the past seven days:

    • Our overwintering Fox Sparrow at home in Durham was joined by a second on the 15th. 1-2 continued through the week’s end. Meanwhile, the overwintering Fox Sparrow here at the store continued through 3/16. With more migrants moving around now, I’ll forgo further Fox Sparrow reports. But it was quite nice to have birds overwinter at both of our feeding stations this year – a first for us at either location.
    • 3 BARROW’S GOLDENEYES (1 pair and 1 female), Winslow Park, Freeport, 3/15 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
    • 5 Wood Ducks (FOS), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 3/16.
    • 2 American Woodcocks (FOY), our property in Durham, 3/16.
    • 1 pair Gadwall, 14 Northern Pintail (FOS), 10 American Wigeon, 75 Green-winged Teal, etc, Mouth of the Abby, Bowdoinham, 3/18 (with Jeannette).
    • 1 Northern Saw-Whet Owl (FOY), our property in Durham, 3/19. Yard Bird #155!
    • 2 Savannah Sparrows (FOS), 34 Lesser Scaup, 3 Northern Pintails, etc, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 3/20.
    • 14 Gadwall, Pelreco marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 3/20.

    Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

    The 19th season of the Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch started last weekend. Free and open to the public, we welcomed Zane Baker back for his 7th season as Official Counter. 9-5 every day, weather permitting. The first week was highlighted by a great first day and two Black Vulture sightings.

    Daily counts will be posted here and weekly summaries will be posted here.

    Upcoming Tours:

    Woodcocks Gone Wild: Saturday, March 29th. Call for waitlist.

    Recent highlights, 3/1-3/14/2025.

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    Don’t panic – this wasn’t in Maine!  But it was my bird photo highlight over the past two weeks. This Boreal Owl was spotted a short distance north of Duluth along the famous North Shore Road on the first day of a visit there with friends on March 1st. I don’t usually chase birds out of state, but this winter has been incredible for Boreal (and Great Gray) Owls and we just couldn’t resist any longer!  Photos from this, and other recent trips, are currently being posted regularly to the store’s Facebook page.

    After a quick last-minute trip to Duluth, Minnesota for a birding weekend with friends (Boreal and Great Gray Owls!), Jeannette and I did our usual pre-hawkwatch long weekend and used it to visit friends in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Green Jay fix and other Lower Rio Grande specialties!). In between and thereafter, it’s been mostly catching up at the store and life, but in some free moments, I had a few observations of note, including the vanguard of spring migration.

    • Our overwintering Fox Sparrow here at the store continued through week’s end, although it has become much more sporadic at the feeders.  
    • Our Fox Sparrow at home in Durham continues as well, often singing in the morning.
    • 1 Red-winged Blackbird (FOS), our feeders in Durham on 3/5. Increased to 3 on the 6th. 20-25 by the 12th, etc.
    • 1 Common Grackle (FOY), our feeders in Durham, 3/12.
    • 3 Brown-headed Cowbirds (FOY), our feeders in Durham, 3/12.
    • There was a nice little arrival of Song Sparrows to the area on the morning of the 12th.
    • 1 probable CACKLING GOOSE, Rte 136, Durham, 3/12. Among 600+ Canadas, I had to reposition for a better and confirming view and shortly thereafter all geese were flushed by an eagle. Subsequent searches failed to relocate the suspect bird.  
    • 4 Fish Crows (FOY), Anniversary Park, Auburn, 3/13.
    • 1 Killdeer (FOY), Thornhurst Farm, North Yarmouth, 3/13.

    Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

    The 19th season of the Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch starts tomorrow! Free and open to the public, we welcome Zane Baker back for his 7th season as Official Counter. 9-5 every day, weather permitting.

    Daily counts will be posted here and weekly summaries will be posted here.

    Upcoming Tours:

    1. Woodcocks Gone Wild: Saturday, March 29th. One space remains; call for waitlist.

    This Week’s Highlights, 2/22 – 2/28/2025

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    These three female Greater Scaup appeared with the Mallard flock off of the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge between Lewiston and Auburn last week, and continued through the 25th

    I had an excellent week of late-winter birding this week, with a nice mix of overwintering birds and some new, spring-like arrivals. Towards week’s end, birdsong from our resident species increased dramatically, and winter concentrations of waterfowl are beginning to disperse. But – at the risk of sounding a little corny – I have to say, showing people their first ever Harlequin Duck is always a winter highlight for me! It was also nice to have a tour run, and not postponed or cancelled due to weather. My observations of note over the past seven days included the following:

    • The single Fox Sparrows continues here at the store, and our one at our Durham feeders reappeared in the snow on the 27th after being absent for a few days.
    • At least 2 Turkey Vultures continue in the Cumberland-Freeport corridor of I-295. Part of the local overwintering flock (up to 15 total roosting in Brunswick at the peak), the first northbound migrants of spring are now arriving. This appears to now be a year-round species along Maine’s southern coast, as birds have overwintered locally for the last three years.
    • 1 drake GADWALL, Falmouth Town Landing, Falmouth, 2/22 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
    • 4 Brant (FOY), Dyer Point, Cape Elizabeth, 2/23 (with Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Tour group).
    • 1 Merlin and 1 Horned Lark, Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth, 2/23 (with Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Tour group).
    • Full trip report here.
    • 1 Northern Shrike (FOY/3rd of winter), Bridge St, Newfield, 2/24 with Jeannette).
    • 1 RUSTY BLACKBIRD and 1 Winter Wren, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 2/24 (with Jeannette).
    • 2 continuing drake Green-winged Teal and 3 continuing female Greater Scaup, Anniversary Park – Bernard Lown Peace Bridge area, Auburn-Lewiston, 2/25 (with Jeannette).
    • 1 continuing hen AMERICAN WIGEON and 3 Barrow’s Goldeneyes (1 pair plus 1 immature male), Winslow Park, Freeport, 2/26.

    Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

    We’re only two weeks away from the start of our 19th season! Free and open to the public, we welcome Zane Baker back for his record 7th season as Official Counter. 9-5 every day, weather permitting. More information and a link to counts can be found here.

    Upcoming Tours:

    1. Woodcocks Gone Wild: Saturday, March 29th.  Registration and more information is here.

    This Week’s Highlights, 2/15 – 2/21/2025

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    The waterfowl concentration in the open stretch of river between downtown Lewiston and Auburn continues to grow. On Thursday, Dan Nickerson and I had over 1700 ducks of 9 species, most of which were here, off of the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge.

    Most of my birding time this week was spent driving to and from Montreal to not see a Boreal Owl on Monday and Tuesday, but away from that sojourn, my observations of note over the past seven days still included the following:

    • The single Fox Sparrows continue here at the store and at our feeders at home in Durham.
    • Speaking of feeder birds, last weekend, I posted a blog comparing feeder bird counts at our home in Durham to roughly the same ten-day period over the past two years. You can find that here:
    Winter Feeder Bird Comparison, 2025 Edition.
    • At least 2 Turkey Vultures continue in the Cumberland-Freeport corridor of I-295.
    • 3+ Horned Larks, Hemand Farm, Minot, 2/17 (with Jeannette).
    • The stretch of Androscoggin River in downtown Auburn and Lewiston continues to be exceptionally productive. Another uptick in waterfowl this week was evident, with at least 1500 Mallards now just downriver of the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge. There, on 2/20, Dan Nickerson and I teased out a drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL and 3 female Greater Scaup. A hen Bufflehead continues as well. Then, upriver at the Auburn Riverwalk, a second GREEN-WINGED TEAL (likely the continuing bird present since at least 1/30 and a drake WOOD DUCK, present in the area since at least 1/13 and at this location since 1/30.
    • 1 Hermit Thrush, North River Road, Auburn, 2/20 (with Dan Nickerson).

    Upcoming Tours:

    1. Birds on Tap – Roadtrip “Harlequins and Hops!” scheduled for 2/2 was postponed until this Sunday, February 23rd. A few spaces are still open for the new date, and the weather looks great!

    This Week’s Highlights, 2/8 – 2/14/2025

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    Present for several years at Timber Point in Biddeford, this stunning RED-SHOULDERED X RED-TAILED HAWK HYBRID is often seen soaring or in the distance, at least during my infrequent visits here. Bill Thompson and I went to look for it on the 11th, and were treated to a great show from it!

    Another cold and wintery week with a continuing active weather pattern limited time in the field for me, but the feeder-watching was great. I’ll have a blog about it in the coming days. But for now, here are my observations of note over the past seven days:

    • The single Fox Sparrows continue here at the store (since 12/21) and at our feeders at home in Durham since early December. Both were frequent at the feeders this week as snow piled up.
    • At least 2 Turkey Vultures continue in the Cumberland-Freeport corridor of I-295.
    • 1 female American Wigeon, Winslow Park, Freeport, 2/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
    • 1 Hermit Thrush and 8 Sanderlings, etc, Reid State Park, Georgetown, 2/10 (with Jeannette).
    • 1 Hermit Thrush, 4 Horned Larks, 1 Northern Harrier, 5 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 4 locally-surprisingly-rare Harlequin Ducks, Biddeford Pool, 2/11 (with Bill Thompson).
    • 1 continuing (for several years) RED-SHOULDERED X RED-TAILED HAWK HYBRID, Timber Point, Biddeford, 2/11 (with Bill Thompson). Photos above. This was my best photo session and quality time with the bird over the years, allowing for detailed study and extensive photographs, especially by Bill. See phone-scoped photos above. This really rare bird is quite gorgeous. The RSHA-like banded tail has an orange-red wash in the white stripes on the uppersides while the underside has as diffuse, partial RSHA pattern. The underparts have a dull orange blush and/or fine barring (strongest on the underwing) like RSHA, with a diffuse RTHA’s belly band. The head and bill size and shape seemed more RSHA-like, and the powered flight was very much like a RSHA. Such a cool bird!
    • 1 THICK-BILLED MURRE, Fortunes Rocks Beach, Biddeford, 2/11 (with Bill Thompson). His photo:

    Upcoming Tours:

    1. Due to the weekend’s forecast, the Gull ID Workshop has been cancelled.

    2. Our Birds on Tap – Roadtrip “Harlequins and Hops!” scheduled for 2/2 was postponed until Sunday, February 23rd. A handful of spaces are now open for the new date.

    This Week’s Highlights, 2/1 – 2/8/2025

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    This Greater White-fronted Goose has been making the rounds in Greater Portland this winter, most recently hanging out along Shoreline Drive in Falmouth, where I stopped by to visit it on the 2nd.

    It sure feels and looks like winter out there now, but there are still quite a few “lingering” species to add to our usual winter mix. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days:

    • The GRAY CATBIRD that has been at our feeders since January 2nd was last seen on February 2nd. Hopefully it has just moved on as Winterberry and other fruits in and around our property have been exhausted.
    • 1 Fox Sparrow (continuing since early December) continue at our feeders in Durham.
    • 1 Fox Sparrow (since 12/21) continues here at the store through week’s end as well.
    • 1-2 Turkey Vultures continue in the Cumberland-Freeport corridor of I-295.
    • 10 Greater Scaup, Falmouth Town Landing, 2/2.
    • 1-2 Swamp Sparrows, Tidewater Preserve, Falmouth, 2/2.
    • 1 continuing GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, Shoreline Drive, Falmouth, 2/2. Refound at this location by Lauren diBaccari and Alex Lamoreaux on 1/30.
    • 1 drake Barrow’s Goldeneye and 45 Dunlin, Back Cove, Portland, 2/7.
    • 4 Greater Scaup, Eastern Promenade, Portland, 2/7.
    • 1 drake Green-winged Teal, Mill Creek Cove, South Portland, 2/7.

    Upcoming Tours

    1.Winter Waterbirds Workshop with Down East Adventures: THIS SUNDAY, February 9 POSTPONED. New date TBA.

    2. Gull Identification Workshop: Freeport, Saturday, February 15, 2025 (1:00-4:00pm) and Part II in Portland: Sunday, February 16, 2025 (8:00am-12:00pm).

    3. Our Birds on Tap – Roadtrip “Harlequins and Hops!” scheduled FOR 2/2 was postponed due to the dangerously cold weather until Sunday, February 23rd. A handful of spaces are now open for the new date.