The 2025 Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch came to a close on Thursday. It did not exactly end with a bang, but we had a great flight for the this late in the season on Monday, including a good movement of immature Broad-winged Hawks and Merlins, such as this one. It, and everything else that has passed over or by the summit for the last two weeks has only added to our record-breaking season.
After last week’s rarity insanity, this was a tamer, more “normal” week for mid-May. While several great songbird flights occurred this week, concentrations were few, but there were “new” birds arriving most every day. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.
Although not in Maine, this spiffy adult Sabine’s Gull was the icing on the cake of an incredible day in Head Harbor Passage, New Brunswick on 9/4 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends). An impressive concentration of gulls was led by 5,000-8,000 Bonaparte’s Gulls, 5,000 Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, and also including 20+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 20-30 Laughing Gulls (also Ring-billeds and Black-legged Kittiwakes). It was the best concentrations of birds we have experienced here in several years.
With our annual early fall weekend with friends to Washington County, a productive eight days of birding included the following observations of note:
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 9/3: 355 total migrants led by 105 Northern Parulas and 88 Cedar Waxwings, and also including a single BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Only my 4th morning flight record). Complete tally here.
4 Red-breasted Mergansers, Lubec Bar and Flats, 9/5 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends).
1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Roque Bluffs State Park, 9/6 (with Jeannette).
1 juvenile YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, Jones Creek, Pine Point, Scarborough, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
Our Durham property continues to impress during migration. Another week with at least 15 species of warblers detected in the yard, and highlights including Philadelphia Vireo on several days and a Brown Thrasher at our feeders 9/8-9.
Based on the progressing season, and my upcoming schedule, this was the last week I focused on shorebirds. As always, my peak shorebird season culminates with our visit down east. There are plenty of shorebirds left to enjoy (and count), but my final shorebird “high counts” report of the season – including a goodly 20 species this week – is as follows:
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 4 (2 ad with 2 juv), Pine Point, Scarborough, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
Black-bellied Plover: 8, Pine Point, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
Killdeer: 14, Crystal Spring Farm, Brunswick, 9/8.
Semipalmated Plover: 71, Pine Point, 9/10 (with Jeannette).
Whimbrel: 3, Lubec Bar and Flats, 9/5 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends).
Brandon Baldwin and Kevin Harding found this American White Pelican off Wharton Point in Brunswick on the 24th. My “lunchbreak chase” ended up taking a few extra hours, but it was more than worth it when a small group of us were treated to the bird flying right over our heads at the end of the Maquoit Bay Conservation Land trail. Luckily, it wasn’t any closer when it decided to lighten the load, as caught in action here.
It was an exceptional week of late summer birding. Once again motivated by shorebirds, I ran into quite a few other species of note while working the usual hotspots. My non-shorebird observations of note over the past 7 days included:
Common Nighthawks were on the move this week, while some other widespread migrants and frequent visitors to our Durham property included American Redstart and Yellow, Black-and-white, Magnolia, Tennessee and Cape May Warblers.
1 adult Little Blue Heron and 2+ Surf Scoters, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/21 (with Anniversary Day Birdwalk group).
2 FORSTER’S TERNS, 2 CASPIAN TERNS, and 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/23 (with Noah Gibb).
1 female LONG-TAILED DUCK and 2 Surf Scoters, Biddeford Pool Beach, Biddeford, 8/23 (with Noah Gibb).
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, 2 Cape May Warblers, etc, Old Town House Park, North Yarmouth, 8/24 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
1 AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/24. A State Bird for me, it was found about an hour earlier by Kevin Harding and Brandon Baldwin. After it was displaced by a passing airboat, I arrived at about 12:30 and relocated it on the rocky ledge at the southern end of the bay. Brandon and I cut the distance in more than half by walking out to the end of the Maquoit Bay Conservation Land trail. Although closer, the light was brutal, but a small group of us waiting until the tide had inundated the ledge. Then the pelican took off. First it started heading south, but circled back, passed directly overhead (see photo above) and then gained altitude high over Wharton Point before disappearing off to the north.
26 Surf Scoters, Maquoit Bay Conservation Land Trail, 8/24 (with Brandon Baldwin).
Meanwhile, fueled by a successful 19-species “shorebird mini-Big Day on 8/23 with Noah Gibb, my shorebird high counts for a total of 20 species this week were as follows:
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 2, Little Whaleboat Ledges, Casco Bay, 8/25 (with Birds of Casco Bay Boat Trip tour group).
Black-bellied Plover: 150+, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/23 (with Noah Gibb).
Killdeer: 26, Crystal Spring Farm, Brunswick, 8/21 (with Anniversary Day Birdwalk grpup).
Semipalmated Plover: 400, The Pool, 8/23 (with Noah Gibb).
Piping Plover: 1, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/23 (with Noah Gibb).
“Eastern” Willet: 3, The Pool, 8/23 (with Noah Gibb).
Greater Yellowlegs: 8, Royal River flats, 8/25 (with Birds of Casco Bay Boat Trip tour group).
An adult LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was a fun find for Jeannette and I this week at the Walsh Preserve in Freeport. It could have been closer, but this photo shows some of the pertinent identification features in the bird to the right including the larger size and very round shape, hunched back, and uniformly reddish tone throughout much of the undersides.
Despite being focuses on shorebirds this week, my most productive photo session were with Roseate Terns on Hill’s Beach on 7/30. This was my favorite shot, of a juvenile still hungry while its banded parent went out in search of more fish.
Shorebird season is in full swing, and since our return from our summer vacation, shorebirds have been my birding focus. As I often do at this time of year, I like to organize my weekly (or thereabouts) observations into a “high counts for the week” summary. This is really for my own organization of notes and allows me to quickly evaluate ebbs and flows across the summer, and across various years. To get a good sample, I need to hit at least one high tide and one low tide hotspot each week, along with one “grasspiper spot,” freshwater location, and “local hotspot.” I never accomplished that in any period in July before our trip, so I will start that pursuit this week. I hope you too find values from these brief syntheses.
This week’s non-shorebird highlights:
1 White-throated Sparrow, our property in Durham, 7/29. They don’t breed withing several miles of the property, and this was our first summer record. It was a molting adult. I think short-distance “molt migration” in songbirds of the Eastern Forest is under-appreciated (see, for example, recent spate of boreal warblers on offshore seabird islands).
1 1st-summer Lesser Black-backed Gull, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 7/30.
1 Black and at least 23 Surf Scoters, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/4.
Shorebird high counts this week:
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 3, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 7/30. Plus 1 at Pine Point on 8/1.
Black-bellied Plover: 44, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/4.
Killdeer: 32, Crystal Spring Farm, Brunswick, 8/4.
Semipalmated Plover: 343, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/1.
Piping Plover: 6, Biddeford Pool Beach, Biddeford, 7/30.
Whimbrel: 3, Pine Point, 8/1.
Ruddy Turnstone: 11, Hill’s Beach, 7/30.
Sanderling: 8, Hill’s Beach, 7/30.
Least Sandpiper: 40+, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/1.
Pectoral Sandpiper: 1, several locations this week.
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 800+, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 7/30.
Short-billed Dowitcher: 88, Hill’s Beach, 7/30.
Spotted Sandpiper: 3, Eastern Road Trail, 8/1.
Solitary Sandpiper: 1, our property in Durham, 7/29.
The 20th Anniversary Celebration Month has begun here at the store. All the details can be found here, including free raffles for dinner, a silent auction for conservation, and several chances to win a new pair of binoculars!
Birds of Casco Bay with Seacoast Tours, originally scheduled for this morning, has been postponed until Sunday, 8/25. Call Seacoast Tours to see if any cancellations have opened up any spaces.
Luckily for this Great Egret – showing off it’s high-breeding condition lime green lores – last week’s snow didn’t last long in Scarborough Marsh.
The massive “winter” storm of 4/3 through 4/5 produced heavy snow cover and drove a lot of birds to feeders, including those that are not usual feeder visitors. Numerous reports of American Robins eating offerings of dried mealworms, suet, and even some seed were received. At our home in Durham, I spent the snow day experimenting with getting Eastern Phoebes to eat dried mealworms, finally finding success by floating them in the slush at the edge of our pond.
Meanwhile, feeder-watching during the day on the 4th yielded 44 Dark-eyed Juncos (up from 22), and more Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles. By the next day, we had a new recent high of 4 Purple Finches and 6 Pine Siskins. Here at the store our 10 White-throated Sparrows continued, growing to 14 by week’s end. Two great nights of migration 4/8-9 and especially 4/9-10 saw many of these sparrows depart.
Away from feeders, my other observations of note over the past ten days included:
Red Crossbills continue to be widespread, with a highlight of 3 (including a fresh juvenile) feeding on the ground within 20-30 feet of the Saturday Morning Birdwalk group at Winslow Park on 4/6.
1 pair AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, Pine Point, Scarborough, 4/7.
1 pair Piping Plovers, Pine Point Beach, 4/7.
1 Winter Wren (FOS), our property in Durham, 4/9.
1 Hermit Thrush (FOS), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/10.
2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Florida Lake Park, 4/10.
1 Pine Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 4/10.
16 Palm Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 4/10.
2 Barn Swallows, Florida Lake Park, 4/10.
2 Yellow-rumped Warblers (FOS), Florida Lake Park, 4/10.
TOURS AND EVENTS:
1.Woodcocks Gone Wild – Now Saturday, 4/13
Due to the high winds and precip forecast for the evening of the 6th, we postponed our tour to the weather date of 4/13. There are no current openings, but a short waitlist if you would like to be added in case of cancellations. . Please call the store, 207-865-6000 to register.
2. Community Pizza Night at Maine Beer Company to support Feathers Over Freeport!
April 17: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Maine Beer Company – Freeport Join us for a Community Pizza Night to benefit Feathers over Freeport. Proceeds from a raffle along with 20% of all food sales from 4-8:00 p.m. will be donated to support the annual birdwatching and nature discovery weekend hosted by the Bureau of Parks and Lands. Park and event staff will host an activity & information table and be on hand to answer questions about birding, the Hawk Watch, and Feathers Over Freeport. Location: Maine Beer Company, in the Tasting Room, 525 US-1, Freeport, ME 04342.
3. Birds on Tap! Kick-off event at the Portland Beer Hub!
Thursday, April 25, 2024; 5:00 – 7:00pm. Free!
Join Birding Guide and owner of Freeport Wild Bird Supply Derek Lovitch, and Brew’s Cruise owner Zach Poole, for an exclusive gathering at the Portland Beer Hub to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Birds on Tap! and kick off our new tour lineup.
During this casual meetup, guests will mingle with other bird and beer enthusiasts, discuss the exciting lineup of upcoming Birds on Tap tours, and can enjoy flights of bird-themed local beers (for purchase).
It’s the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of birdwatching and craft beers. For a bit of fun, be prepared for some impromptu bird trivia and birding games.
It was a good week for Caspian Terns, and it’s always a treat to see one sitting still. This adult was on the Lubec Flats on the 4th.
A busy week of birding included our annual late summer/early fall trip to Washington County and a bunch of guiding, producing the following observations of note:
25-30 Common Nighthawks, over Chebeague Island in the mid-morning, 9/3 (with The Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust birdwalk group).
1 juvenile LITTLE BLUE HERON, 1 CASPIAN TERN, 1 Great Egret, 5 Surf Scoters, etc, Lubec Flats, Lubec, 9/4 (with Jeannette).
A relatively slow morning in Head Harbor Passage from Eastport on 9/5 (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, Jeannette, and friends) was most noteworthy for the continuing large numbers of COMMON MURRES. I tallied 109, but that seems very conservative. We only had 4 Razorbills and 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. Quiet time with just us and a Fin Whale more than made up for it though.
The afternoon whale watch on Eastport Windjammers to the same waters that day (with Beth Edmonds, Dan Nickerson, and Jeannette) yielded an adult LITTLE GULL, 3 CASPIAN TERNS, 1 late ARCTIC TERN, 2 Great Shearwaters, etc. Incredibly experience with 2 Fin Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, and 1 Minke Whale though.
We always enjoy our quality time with Black-legged Kittiwakes in the Head Harbor Passage area at this time of year.
2 American Pipits (FOF), Sanborn Cove, Machiasport, 9/6 (with Jeannette). Interestingly, we had pipits at a number of places throughout the day, with a high count of 22 at Addison Marsh, Addison.
1 Great Egret, Addison Marsh, 9/6 (with Jeannette).
1 Great Egret, Essex Marsh, Bangor, 9/6 (with Jeannette).
High count for warbler species in our Durham backyard this week was 11 on 9/7 (with Angela Woodside).
3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg, 9/8 (with clients from Texas).
Great whale-watching trumped the bird-watching again this week with 3 lunge-feeding Fin Whales off of Boothbay Harbor aboard Cap’n Fish’s Cruises on 9/8 (with clients from Texas). 3 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, 1 Great Shearwater, 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels and making it back to shore before the violent thunderstorms add to the success of the trip!
Meanwhile, my shorebird high counts this week were as follows. While reduced in diversity by a lack of visitation to southern Maine shorebird hotspots, Downeast yielded some excellent numbers and I found some uncommon species in unexpected places for a goodly total of 18 species (“shorebird season” is far from over!):
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 1, Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg, 9/8 (with clients from Texas).
Ruddy Turnstone: 1, flying 10 miles off of Boothbay Harbor, 9/8 (with clients from Texas). Odd sighting of a single juvenile bird circling the boat repeatedly in hazy conditions where the mainland was not visible.
Sanderling: 24, Popham Beach State Park, 9/8 (with clients from Texas)
This juvenile Marbled Godwit continues at Hill’s Beach in Biddeford, making a nice addition to my “Shorebird Big Day” effort on Tuesday.
After being thwarted by weather on a couple of days recently, I conducted a “Shorebird Big Day” on Tuesday the 22nd. I birded between Sanford and Brunswick, seeking shorebirds from near-dawn to dusk. My goal was “at least 20” species of shorebirds, so I was happy to finish my day with 22 species. Needless to say, that day dedicated to shorebirding produced the majority of my high counts this week:
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 6 adults, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 8/22 (with Luke Seitz).
Black-bellied Plover: 126, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/22.
A nice list of non-shorebird highlights this week also included:
At least 12 species of warblers have been in our yard daily this week, with a high count of 15 on the 24th. A Tennessee Warbler that I spotted while conducting our Bird Safe Open House birdwalk on the 19th was our 141st yard species.
Common Nighthawks have been on the move all week, with nightly sightings. My high counts included 16 over the Bates Mill in Lewiston on the 19th (with Dan and Renee Klem) and 244 in an hour over Wharton Point in Brunswick on the 23rd.
1 continuing proposed TRICOLORED HERON X SNOWY EGRET X SMALL WHITE EGRET SP(P) HYBRID, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough marsh, 8/20.
3 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, Green Point WMA, Dresden, 8/21 (with Jeannette).
1 ad. Lesser Black-backed Gull, Hill’s Beach, 8/22 (with Luke Seitz)
Continuing mid-summer scoter Hat Trick off Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/22 (with Luke Seitz): 2 White-winged Scoter, 2+ Surf Scoters, 75-100 Black Scoters.
2 continuing adult RED-NECKED GREBES, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 8/22 (with Luke Seitz).
The amazing run of ultra-rare raptors in Maine continued with the all-too-short visit of a Eurasian (Western) Marsh Harrier last week. First found on North Haven on 8/25, it was then relocated the next day in Weskeag Marsh. I finished a tour that morning and raced eastward to South Thomaston. After waiting only 20 minutes (others had been waiting nearly 5 hours), it appeared and put on a show for about 30-45 minutes. After a reappearance the next morning, it has disappeared up birders up and down the East Coast are on high alert!
After returning from our summer vacation to New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island (see link)…
154 Snowy Egrets, 106 Green-winged Teal, etc, etc, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/28.
1 continuing proposed TRICOLORED HERON X SNOWY EGRET X SNOWY EGRET hybrid, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/28.
7 continuing WHITE IBIS in non-exhaustive search, Harbor Road, Wells, 8/30 (with Jeannette).
6 SANDHILL CRANES (two pairs with one juvenile each), Mayall Road, Gray/New Gloucester, 9/1.
SANDY POINT MORNING FLIGHT (FOY), 9/2: 482 total individuals including 2 DICKCISSELS and 20 species of warblers. Complete tally here.
And my shorebird high counts over these past ten days included some fine tallies but much reduced diversity, mostly due to recent heavy rains filling the best high-marsh salt pannes:
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 2 ad, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/28.
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1,000++, Weskeag Marsh, South Thomaston, 8/26. Honorary mention of 45-500 at Wharton Point on 8/27 – my highest tally here in years (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
Short-billed Dowitcher: 24, Pine Point, 8/28.
Spotted Sandpiper: 2, Sebago Lake State Park, 8/25.
Solitary Sandpiper: 1, several locations this week.
Greater Yellowlegs: 15, Weskeag Marsh, South Thomaston, 8/26.
Just a very small part of an impressive feeding frenzy of Double-crested Cormorants and Snowy Egrets that were at Pine Point in Scarborough on the 25th.
Here are three of the incredible 26 White Ibis that were found in Webhannet Marsh in Wells beginning on August 10th when one was photographed. I was able to see them in the late morning on the 11th, as the number grew. Most interestingly, we observed them eating Green Crabs (such as the one on the left)! Well, we know we have enough of those invasive species around, so maybe we just need more White Ibis!
All. The. Shorebirds. And rare wading birds! Here are my observations of note over the past seven days:
1 TRICOLORED HERON (my first pure TRHE of the year), Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/9 (with Jeannette).
26 WHITE IBIS, Webhannet Marsh, Wells, 8/11. 29 were present earlier, but I had to settle for “only” 26. Either way, wow…A flock of White Ibis! Rapidly expanding up the Eastern Seabird, this was just a matter of time.
Shorebird high counts this week, with many species now peaking:
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 2 ad with 1 juv, Upper Green Island, Casco Bay, 8/12 (with Seacoast Tours and private tour group). Is this a family group from Ram Island, or perhaps another pair is now breeding further up the bay?
Black-bellied Plover: 62, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/8 (with client from NY).
Killdeer: 5, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 8/7 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop Group).
Semipalmated Plover: 300+, Pine Point, 8/7 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop Group).
Whimbrel: 2, Pine Point, 8/8 (with client from NY).
Ruddy Turnstone: 1, 8/7 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop Group).
STILT SANDPIPER: 9 (great count!), Eastern Road Trail, 8/8 (with client from NY) and 8/9 (with Jeannette).
Sanderling: 34, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/7 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop Group).
Least Sandpiper: 75+, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/8 (with client from NY).
Spotted Sandpiper: 4, Sebago Lake State Park, 8/11.
Lesser Yellowlegs: 64, Royal River, Yarmouth, 8/12 (with Seacoast Tours and private tour group).
“Eastern” Willet: 8, Pine Point, 8/7 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop Group).
“WESTERN” WILLET (FOY): 3 juv, Hill’s Beach, 8/7 (with Down East Adventures Shorebird Workshop Group).
Greater Yellowlegs: 24, Royal River, Yarmouth, 8/12 (with Seacoast Tours and Private Tour Group).
WILSON’S PHALAROPE: 1 molting juv, Eastern Road Trail, 8/8 (with client from NY). Phone-scoped video here: https://fb.watch/ePAQA03F_3/
Well, it wasn’t a rare bird, but I really liked this photo of a Ring-billed Gull from Sebago Lake Park on 8/11. In came to check out if I was going to have a snack after my weekly dip in the lake.
I found this 1st summer Little Gull on Hill’s Beach in Biddeford on 6/19. It was among about 40-50 Bonaparte’s Gulls and hunkered down against the wind. This was my first in southern Maine in quite a few years.
Breeding season is upon us, and Maine’s seabird islands are in full effect – even when they don’t have a Tufted Puffin. I did find a Little Gull, however, and that was fun; I really like Little Gulls! My observations of note over the past seven days included the following:
Biddeford Pool shoreline and neighborhood, 6/19: 1 1st summer Great Cormorant, 3 Black Scoters, 1 pair Surf Scoters, and 1 likely-late migrant Magnolia Warbler.
1 first-summer LITTLE GULL and 1 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 6/19 (photos above).
3 Semipalmated Sandpipers and 14 Black-bellied Plovers, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 6/19.
Belgrade PURPLE MARTIN colony, 6/21: Jeannette and I counted at least 25 occupied nests holes, which I believe would be a recent record high of this venerable colony.
1 Red Crossbill, Downeast Sunrise Trail, Machias, 6/21 (with Jeannette).
15-20 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, Cutler Harbor to Machias Seal Island with Bold Coast Charter Co, 6/22 (with Paul Dioron, Bill Thompson, and Jeannette).
1 pair NORTHERN GANNETS, displaying and early-courtship behavior, Machias Seal Island with Bold Coast Charter Co, 6/22 (with Paul Dioron, Bill Thompson, and Jeannette).
1 Greater Yellowlegs, Machias River Causeway, 6/22 (with Jeannette). High-flying and heading south, was this our first migrant of “fall?” or just an over-summering bird heading to a roost?
2 Red Crossbills (Typ1 10 fide Matt Young), 1 Bay-breasted Warbler, Palm Warblers, etc, Cutler Coast Maine Public Reserve Lands, 6/23 (with Jeannette).
1 pair AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, Egg Rock off Petit Manan peninsula, with Acadia Nature Tours puffin trip to Petit Manan Island (with Doug Hitchcox, Jeannette, et al). No Tufted Puffin.
After a couple of failed nesting attempts followed by a 2-3(?) year hiatus, a male Northern Gannet has been hanging out and “prospecting” on Machias Seal Island again this year. Recently, he has attracted the attention of a 4th-cycle, presumed female. We were lucky enough to view them outside of our blind during a tour there on 6/22. This was just a quick snapshot with my phone. Jeannette has over a thousand photos to sort through!