Category Archives: Week Reports

This Week’s Highlights, 11/30– 12/6/2024

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There were very few birds along the Stud Mill Road east of Old Town on the 4th, but happily, one of them was this Northern Shrike.

A wintery week produced a very wintery slate of highlights, thanks in part to our trip north on our annual last-weekend-before-store-chaos overnight in Bangor. A push of facultative migrants with the arrival of snowcover was very evident this week as well. Here are my observations of note over the past 7 days:

  • 1 adult male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Broad Cove Preserve, Cumberland, 11/30 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 192 Ruddy Ducks, 40 Green-winged Teal, 2 American Wigeon, 1 Northern Pintail, 1 Northern Flicker, 2 Belted Kingfishers, etc, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 12/1. A distant raft may have been scaup.
  • 1 female Red-winged Blackbirds, feeders here at the store, 12/1.
  • 1 Merlin, Wyman Road, Benton, 12/2 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Double-crested Cormorant, Shamut Dam, Benton, 12/2 (with Jeannette).
  • 1+ Lapland Longspur, 86 Horned Larks, and 24+ Snow Buntings, River Road, Benton, 12/2 (with Jeannette). Another distant flock of 75+ Snow Buntings appeared to contain several more Lapland Longspurs.
  • 1 female Greater Scaup, Sebasticook Lake, Newport, 12/2 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Barrow’s Goldeneye (FOS), Stillwater River at University of Maine-Orono, 12/2 (with Jeannette).
  • 2 Canada Jays and 2 Evening Grosbeaks, Sunkhaze NWR, 12/3 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Northern Shrike, Stud Mill Road, Penobscot County, 12/3 (with Jeannette).
  • Amazingly devoid of birds, 5 hours of birding Sunkhaze-Stud Mill (walking trails plus driving) yielded only 9 species. The only finch were the two grosbeaks, and not surprisingly, the cone crop of spruce, fir, and Eastern White Pine was non-existent. 
  • 2 female Red-winged Blackbirds, our feeders in Durham, 12/4.
  • 3 Fox Sparrows, feeders at the store on 12/3 and continued through the end of the week. Jayden had 2 on Monday the 2nd here, with the third arriving the next day.
  • 20 Snow Buntings, Hunter Road Fields, Freeport, 12/5.
  • 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Saco Riverwalk, 12/6.

This Week’s Highlights, 11/23– 11/29/2024

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My photos of my highlights this week are not exactly worthy of a “cover shot,” so instead, here’s a Northern Mockingbird that posed nicely for me in Biddeford Pool on the 29th.

Winter seems to be settling in! The colder (seasonable, finally!) temperatures should produce another wave of rarities and “lingering/late” birds to find though, and that was the case for my observations of note over the past seven days.

  • 45 American Pipits and ~10 Horned Larks, Mayall Road, Gray/New Gloucester, 11/23 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 female BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, Village Crossings – Cape Elizabeth Greenbelt Trail, 11/24.
  • 1 Northern Shrike (FOS), feeders here at the store, 11/24.
  • 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Winter Wren, 2 Hermit Thrushes, etc, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 11/25 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 WILSON’S WARBLER and 1 “YELLOW” PALM WARBLER, Saco Riverwalk, 11/29.

If you stitch together all of my photos, you might be able to make one poor photo of a whole Wilson’s Warbler. Nonetheless, it was a nice surprise that added a splash of color to the week’s birding endeavors. Trust me, the snapshot of the Palm Warbler is much worse!

  • An above-average number of species such as Northern Flickers, Hermit Thrushes, and Swamp Sparrows still continue around the area.

This Week’s Highlights, 11/16– 11/22/2024

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After seeing the Spotted Towhee briefly a few times late in the morning on the 19th, Jeannette and I returned at the end of the day to see if we could see it better. That worked out perfectly, but the light was getting low for photos, as you can see here. See notes and musings below.

I enjoyed another great week of birding, searching for rarities, and catching up with perhaps an old friend! It’s been a great rarity season to date, and with a return to a more dynamic weather pattern, perhaps it’s only the start. 

  • 1 continuing Red-throated Loon, 287 Ruddy Ducks, 363 total Lesser+Greater+too distant Scaup, ~75 Snow Buntings, 2 Northern Pintails, 1 American Wigeon, etc, etc, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 11/17 (with Dan Nickerson).
  • ~100 Snow Buntings and 1+ Horned Lark, Plains Road, Turner, 11/17 (with Dan Nickerson).
  • 1 American Pipit, Pearl Road, Turner, 11/17 (with Dan Nickerson).
  • 1 YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, Beach Plum Farm, Ogunquit. 11/19 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 continuing SPOTTED TOWHEE, 1 continuing “Western” Palm Warbler, and 1 Pine Warbler, Seapoint Beach, Kittery, 11/19 (with Jeannette). Is this the same Spotted Towhee as I found last year at nearby Fort Foster? If so, did it return from a summer on breeding grounds? If yes, did it fly back to the actual breeding range of Spotted Towhees (likely near where it was born) or did it continue its navigational mistake and spend the summer distant from any potential mates? Or, has this bird been present locally since last winter? Considering its secretive nature and the amount of dense thickets with no birders between Fort Foster and Seapoint Beach, this is plausible as well. In fact, it being a different bird seems like the least likely scenario! Like all vagrants, it tends to produce more questions than answers, which is what makes vagrancy so fascinating! Photo above.
  • 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet and 1 Winter Wren, Fort Foster, Kittery, 11/19 (with Jeannette).
  • 30 Snow Buntings, Goranson’s Farm, Dresden, 11/21.
  • 1 Winter Wren, Green Point WMA, Dresden, 11/21.
  • 1 BALTIMORE ORIOLE, private property in Richmond, 11/21. A nice surprise bonus during a yard consultation appointment. Homeowner reports it has been present for three days.
  • An above-average number of species such as Northern Flickers, Hermit Thrushes, Swamp Sparrows, and Red-winged Blackbirds continue around the area.

This Week’s Highlights, 11/9 – 11/15/2024

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It might be Rarity Season, but never forget to take your time to enjoy and appreciate our common resident birds! This Red-breasted Nuthatch was on our feeders in Durham on the 15th. There are a lot more in the area this fall than last winter, perhaps due to the lack of Eastern White Pine cones, especially to our north.

Rarity Season continues to be hot. Some dedicated rarity-searching plus some casual birding, yielded the following observations of note over the past 7 days. Swinging for the fences, however, I felt like Aaron Judge in the MLB post-season: lots of strikeouts and no home runs, but at least I went down swinging.

  • 1 continuing MARBLED GODWIT, 8 Black-bellied Plovers, etc, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 11/9 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Gray Catbird, Topsham Riverwalk, 11/9 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1-2 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, 1 Gray Catbird, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, etc, Peak’s Island, 11/10.
  • 1 Fox Sparrow (first of season), our Durham property, 11/12-13.
  • 1 RED-THROATED LOON, 137 Ruddy Ducks, 22 Green-winged Teak, 17 Lesser Scaup, 3 Greater Scaup, etc, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 11/14.
  • 20 Horned Larks, Rte 136, Durham, 11/15.
  • 1 Evening Grosbeak, Cedar Pond Road, Durham, 11/15.
  • Not surprisingly given the mild weather to date, there are a lot of half-hardies around, such as Hermit Thrushes and Swamp Sparrows which I encountered in a number of places this week. Scattered Red-winged Blackbirds and small flocks of Common Grackles continue as well as is now usual in mid-November.

Recent Highlights, 11/3 – 11/8/2024 – plus notes from 10/29-30

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I usually miss at least one “Mega” rarity whenever I go away, so I was pretty pleased that this Common Gull – found on 10/31 by Evan Obercian at the Samoset in Rockland – stuck around until we returned. I was able to see it on 11/3.  It took a while, but when it eventually spread its wing, the species/subspecific ID became certain. Separated by the abundant Ring-billed Gulls by the smaller size, slightly darker back, and thin bill, we can rule out the West Coast Short-billed Gull by the length of the bill and the wing pattern. Separation from Kamchatka Gull is more challenging, but it wasn’t particularly dark, the head was lightly flecked with brown, and there’s a relatively distinct bill band. According to Ayyash (2024), the shorter gray tongues on the outer primaries, the large P9 window that connects with the large P10 window, and little to no white at the end of the tongue on P8 all suggest Larus canus canus (and not Kamchatka Gull). 

It’s November, and that means “Rarity Season” and unlike recent Novembers, Rarity Season is off to a roaring start. Here are my observations of note over the past 6 days. Below, see the trip report for our 7-day birding cruise that included time in Maine waters.

  • Although I chase even less frequently these days, I did make time to go see one of the two COMMON GULLS at the Samoset in Rockland on 11/3. Photos and discussion above. Additionally, I caught up with the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT that was found there that day, although I blew the photos.  A “Western” Palm Warbler, several American Pipits, and 4 Horned Larks were also present.
  • 1 Pine Warbler, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 11/5 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 RED-EYED VIREO and 6 American Tree Sparrows (FOF), Trout Brook Preserve, South Portland, 11/7.
  • Biddeford Pool environs, 11/8:
  •             1 BALTIMORE ORIOLE
  •             1 PRAIRIE WARBLER
  •             1 “Ipswich” Savannah Sparrow
  •             1 Rusty Blackbird
  •             2 Lapland Longspurs
  •             2 Greater Yellowlegs, 22 Black-bellied Plovers, and 26 Dunlin.
  •             2 Northern Pintails
  •             4 Hermit Thrushes and 1 Swamp Sparrow, etc.
  • Our Durham property is much quieter overall these days, but a few Red-winged Blackbirds have been around, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet was present 11/5-6, our first Pine Siskin of the season at home visited on 11/5 and increasing daily since, and Dark-eyed Junco numbers have continued to grow. At least one each of Swamp and Savannah Sparrow continue.

TRIP REPORT

Last week, Jeannette and I boarded a Princess Cruises ship in New York City to unofficially survey for rarities and things like Great Skua. The entire trip report is here, but our highlights from Maine specifically included:

Gulf of Maine Pelagic Birding by Cruiseship, Oct-Nov 2024.
  • 1 RED-EYED VIREO, 2 Orange-crowned Warblers, 2 Field Sparrows, etc, Eastern Promenade, Portland, 10/29. Yes, we took a cruise only to go home!
  • Passerine FALLOUT, 10/30. Awoke to birds on deck before dawn. 16.5 nautical miles southeast of Mt. Desert Rock. 12 species of passerines, led by 8++ Yellow-rumped Warblers but also including 1 Rusty Blackbird, 1 “Ipswich” Savannah Sparrow, 1 Snow Bunting, and perhaps most surprisingly, 7 European Starlings. Another birder on board photographed a Pine Warbler.
  • Very little time was spent in daylight in Maine waters, unfortunately, but we did have a couple of Northern Fulmars in Maine waters very early on the 30th.

Recent Highlights, 10/17- 10/24/24

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A big thank you to the homeowners for alerting us to the presence of this very late hummingbird that arrived in a Durham yard on the 20th. We always put an alert in our store’s newsletters about late hummingbirds, and we try to get photographs to confirm their identity as many late season hummingbirds turn out not to be Ruby-throats. This one, however, was indeed a very late Ruby-throated, confirmed with the shape of the outer primaries on the folded wing.

Despite weather often feeling more like summer, it was a great week of autumn birding. Perhaps my last morning flight visit of the season to Sandy Point, a trip to a private island in Casco Bay, a late hummingbird to chase, a day off to do some birdfinding, and time on our property all combined for a very productive eight days of birding. Here are my observations of note.

  • Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/17: 351 individuals of 25 species, led by 114 Yellow-rumped Warblers but including a goodly October 17th total of 7 species of warblers. Full list here:
Sandy Point Morning Flights: September – October, 2024.
  • 1 Pine Siskin (first of fall), here at the store, 10/18.
  • 1 Field Sparrow and 1 Horned Lark, House Island (private; restricted access), Portland, 10/20 (With Birds on Tap – The Boat Trip! tour group). Trip report here.
Birds on Tap Roadtrips are Back in 2024! (And Tour Reports Thereof)
  • 3 Common Yellowthroats, 2 imm White-crowned Sparrows (FOF, finally), 1 Field Sparrow, etc, Private property in Cape Elizabeth, 10/22.
  • 1 “INTERIOR” NELSON’S SPARROW (FOY), Crescent Beach State Park, Cape Elizabeth, 10/22.
  • 1 Orange-crowned Warbler, Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth, 10/22.
  • 1 subvirgatus Nelson’s Sparrow, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 10/22.
  • 1 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, private home in Durham, 10/21 (with Jeannette). After receiving an email about a hummingbird coming to a feeder on 10/20, we made arrangements to visit to get confirmation photographs. Surprisingly, given the date, it was indeed a Ruby-throat. See photos above.
  • Highlights on our Durham property included at one or more Lincoln’s Sparrows continuing through at least 10/18, two EVENING GROSBEAKS (FOF) and a Field Sparrow on 10/21, and a late PRAIRIE WARBLER on the 24th.

Recent Highlights, 10/10- 10/16/24

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Diving ducks and fall foliage at Sabattus Pond – it’s really October now!

Pelagics, waterfowl, morning flights, and more. It was a great week of October birding! Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.

  • Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/10: 285 individuals of 26 species, led by 116 Yellow-rumped Warblers.
  • Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/11: 385 individuals of 21 species, led by 204 American Robins.
  • Full list for both here:
Sandy Point Morning Flights: September – October, 2024.
  • 1 Vesper Sparrow and 1 Orange-crowned Warbler, Wolfe’s Neck Center, Freeport, 10/11.
  • 1 Lesser Yellowlegs and 1 Pectoral Sandpiper with 28 Greater Yellowlegs, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 10/12 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 6 Long-tailed Ducks (first of fall), 1 Red-breasted Merganser (first of fall locally), 2 Dunlin, 2 Osprey, 12 Black-bellied Plovers, 200+ Surf Scoters, 73 Laughing and 18 Bonaparte’s Gulls, etc, Casco Bay, 10/13 (with Birds of Casco Bay boat tour group).
  • Highlights from a, uh, “challenging” half-day pelagic out of Boothbay Harbor on 10/14 included 1 Northern Fulmar and 2 Common Murres. Full trip report and some photos here:
Boothbay ½-day Pelagic Trip Report, 10/14/2024
  • 1 late Solitary Sandpiper, 226 Ruddy Ducks, 140 Lesser Scaup, 79 Greater Scaup, and 4 Buffleheads (FOF), etc, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 10/16.
  • Highlights from the yard this week include a dawn American Woodcock on 10/11 and 3 Rusty Blackbirds and 120+ White-throated Sparrows on 10/15.

UPCOMING TOURS:

There’s still one space open on our Birds on Tap! – The Boat Trip! To House Island in Casco Bay on Sunday, October 20th. More info here, included an updated itinerary. This is going to be a really special trip!

Recent Highlights, 10/3– 10/9/24

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One of at least 15 Cory’s Shearwaters observed from a Cap’n Fish’s Cruises Whale Watch last week, showing the dark outer primaries on the underwing, making for a rounded end to the white of the underwing coverts, separating it from the recently-split Scopoli’s Shearwater.

October is my favorite month of birding in Maine, and this past week showed why. A great diversity of birds are on the move, and my past seven days featured everything from pelagics to yard birds. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.

  • Pelagic highlights from a Cap’n Fish’s Cruises Whale Watch out of Boothbay Harbor on 10/4: 4 NORTHERN FULMARS (including one dark morph), 4 ATLANTIC PUFFINS, 14-15 Cory’s Shearwaters (most seen and/or photographed well enough to see full dark outer primaries on the underwing; see above), 6 Red-necked Phalaropes, and one BROWN CREEPER landing on a person on the top deck about 14 miles off of Damariscove Island (photo below). My complete list is posted here.
  • 1 Baltimore Oriole and 1 Nashville Warbler, Wolfe’s Neck Center, Freeport, 10/5 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/6: 140 birds of 18 species led by 60 Yellow-rumped Warblers. Total tally here.
  • 1 Rusty Blackbird, 1 Nashville Warbler, and 1 Pied-billed Grebe, Capisic Pond Park, Portland, 10/9 (with clients from New York).
  • 20-30+ Cory’s Shearwaters off East Point and Ocean Ave, Biddeford Pool, 10/9. Some just beyond Beach Island in good afternoon light to see dark outer primaries. 15 minutes of counting produced 18 individuals from East Point, all moving north, with 1-3 in view with almost every quick scan thereafter. Good sign for Monday’s pelagic! (with clients from New York).
  • 7 American Oystercatchers and 1 Horned Grebe (first of fall), Ocean Avenue, 10/9 (with clients from New York).
  • 1 American Redstart, Elphis Pond, Biddeford Pool, 10/9 (with clients from New York).
  • Highlights from our Durham property this week included the arrival of the first few Dark-eyed Juncos, a Rose-breasted Grosbeak on 10/4, continuing multiple Lincoln’s Sparrows, Nashville Warbler on 10/8, and another or the same Indigo Bunting on 10/9.
  • And here’s my complete trip report from my Monhegan tour and visit on September 27 through October 1st.
2024 Monhegan Fall Migration Weekend Trip Report

UPCOMING TOURS:

  • Our annual half-day pelagic with our partners Cap’n Fish’s Cruises out of Boothbay Harbor is on Sunday, October 14th – a nice, late date that should put us more in the season of things like Great Skua, and you can be sure we’ll be studying Cory’s Shearwaters hard to find a Scopoli’s! More info and link to registration is here. See notes above from my 10/4 outing.
  • 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.
Join us on Monday’s pelagic and maybe a Brown Creeper will land on you!

Recent Highlights, 9/26– 10/2/24

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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 continuing female Dickcissel

7 Baltimore Orioles

  • 9/28 (with Monhegan Fall Migration Tour group):

1 continuing Dickcissel

1 female Mourning Warbler

1 Clay-colored Sparrow

2 Pine Warblers

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.

Recent Highlights, 9/19– 9/25/24

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This molting juvenile (into 1st winter) Stilt Sandpiper was one of a goodly 8 that were in the salt pannes along the Eastern Road Trail through Scarborough Marsh on the 19th.

With numerous nights of clear and calm conditions, or northerly winds, migration continued in earnest almost every night this week. Meanwhile, a couple of days of onshore winds have helped push record numbers of Lesser Black-backed Gulls to the Maine coast. My observations of note over the last week were as follows:

  • It was a big week of sparrow migration as well. For example, we had an estimated 100 each of Song and Savannah Sparrows, 25 Swamp Sparrows, etc, at Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport on our Saturday Morning Birdwalk on the 21st.
  • 8 juvenile/1st winter STILT SANDPIPERS and 1 juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 9/19.
  • An incredible 42 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (all but 4 were adults);1 adult presumptive LESSER BLACK-BACKED X HERRING GULL HYBRID (perfectly intermediate in all characteristics); 1 ad with 1 juvenile CASPIAN TERN; and 1 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg, 9/20.
  • 1 Snowy Egret, Auburn Riverwalk, 9/22.
  • Highlights from morning birding on our Durham property this week included near-daily Philadelphia Vireo, continuing Indigo Buntings, multiple Lincoln’s Sparrows daily beginning on 9/19, the arrival of Palm Warblers on the 21st, a late YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO on 9/22, a bog arrival of Swamp Sparrows on 9/24, and late-ish Scarlet Tanager and Magnolia Warbler on 9/25.

Five of the 38 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Popham Beach on the 20th.

UPCOMING TOURS:

Our annual half-day pelagic with our partners Cap’n Fish’s Cruises out of Boothbay Harbor is only 2 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.