while not finding any mega-rarities!
For the first time in 20 years, I cancelled my Monhegan Fall Migration Weekend Tour due to ferry cancellations and forecasted weather. While the precip and the strongest winds held out through most of Saturday, it was the right call. Instead, I took full advantage of the “extra” weekend here on the mainland, including three near-full days of storm-related birding. While the storm overall was a bit of a dud, ornithologically-speaking, it did result in some decent birding and several observations of note over the past seven days, including the following:
- Notables in our Durham property this week included 7 species of warblers including 2 Tennessee on 9/26; a Bay-breasted Warbler on 10/1; and daily Lincoln’s Sparrows continue.
- 1 Marsh Wren, Florida Lake Park, 9/26.
- 1 Cory’s Shearwater and 35 Northern Gannets in 1.5 hours of seawatching at Dyer Point, Cape Elizabeth, between 3:10 and 4:40 on 9/26 as the storm got crankin’
- 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth, 9/26.
- 1 pair Gadwall and 1 continuing early drake Ruddy Duck, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 9/27.
- 4 Sandhill Cranes (3 ad and 1 juv), Mayall Road, Gray/New Gloucester, 9/27.
- Jayden Mowry and I then met up for a couple of hours in the afternoon on the Eastern Road Trail in Scarborough Marsh, yielding our best birding of the day: 1 “INTERIOR” NELSON’S SPARROW with 3 Saltmarsh Sparrows, 1 “Atlantic” Nelson’s Sparrow, and 6+ unidentified “sharp-tailed” sparrows; 3 juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Pectoral Sandpipers, 1+ White-rumped Sandpiper, 15 Dunlin, etc, etc. It was delightfully productive as we once again got soaked.
- 1 3rd cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull, Pemaquid Point; 1 Common Tern, Pemaquid Beach Park; and 94 Laughing Gulls at Fort Pemaquid, 9/28 while not relocating the Franklin’s Gull seen earlier in the day (with Jeannette).
- Highlight from a delightful day of storm birding with Jeannette on 9/29 included a northbound flock of 500-600 Tree Swallows swirling through Dyer Point, Cape Elizabeth in the early morning; 1 slighty-truant Yellow Warbler at Crescent Beach State Park; a goodly 48 Pectoral Sandpipers, 4 Saltmarsh Sparrows, 1 “Atlantic” Nelson’s Sparrow, and 8 Unidentified “sharp-tailed sparrows” along Eastern Road; and more, but still no storm-driven rarities.
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 9/30:
With cloudy skies and virtually no wind, only a light flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning.
- 6:37-9:00am
- 59 F, cloudy, calm to a hint of North.
- 67 Unidentified
- 65 Blackpoll Warblers
- 54 Yellow-rumped Warblers
- 20 Northern Parulas
- 15 Blue Jays
- 10 White-throated Sparrows
- 7 Palm Warblers
- 7 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
- 7 Chipping Sparrows
- 6 Black-throated Green Warblers
- 4 American Robins
- 4 Golden-crowned Kinglets
- 4 Black-throated Blue Warblers
- 3 American Pipits
- 3 Tufted Titmice (all crossed after only 3 false starts)
- 3 Black-and-white Warblers
- 2 Swamp Sparrows
- 2 Red-eyed Vireos
- 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- 1 Rusty Blackbird
- 1 Tennessee Warbler
- 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
- 1 Merlin
- 1 Swainson’s Thrush
- 1 Northern Flicker
- 1 Baltimore Oriole
- 1 Nashville Warbler
- 1 Osprey
- 1 White-breasted Nuthatch
- 1 DICKCISSEL
- 1 Blue-headed Vireo
- X Common Yellowthroats
Total= 296
*Family group of 4 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS continue.
- 2 molting juvenile STILT SANDPIPERS, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 9/30.
Upcoming Tours With Space Available:
I’ll just leave last year’s trip report right here. Don’t miss out this time!
Join the crew of Seacoast Tours and Derek Lovitch from Freeport Wild Bird Supply on a special tour of the islands and waters of Casco Bay. We’ll explore the inner islands of Freeport, Brunswick and Harpswell as we search for eagles, migrant waterfowl, and an occasional seal basking in the sun on the ledges of hidden coves. We’ll focus on the common resident and migratory water and shoreline birds of the region while keeping an eye out for recently arrived wintering seaducks.
During our previous outings in which we became the first birding groups ever on the island, we found oodles of Yellow-rumped Warblers, other migrants, and learned about the island’s ecology. But we were also captivated by Captain Pete, who guided us through the historic fort, sharing a wealth of historical knowledge and fascinating stories. Once again, we’ve been granted special permission to come ashore and scour the island here in the peak of fall migration. We’ll follow well-maintained trails through the island’s mosaic of open habitats, scrub, and young woods. These are great habitats to search for a variety of migrants, and perhaps even a rarity!
