Two of the three Lesser Black-backed Gulls present at Hill’s Beach in Biddeford on the 8th included these two 3rd-cycle birds, seen here with a likely 4th cycle Herring Gull for a nice comparison.
Once again, I focused on shorebirds this week, and not surprisingly the non-shorebird highlights I encountered were while looking at said shorebirds. Meanwhile, passerine movement is really ramping up, with lots of early warblers like Yellow, American Redstart, and Black-and-white on the move. Some of the other migrants on our Durham property this week included Canada Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, Bobolink, and Barn Swallow.
3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (one 1st-summer; with Dan Gardoqui and two 3rd-summers arriving later), Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/8.
The adults of a lot of species of shorebirds are peaking now, and a growing number of juveniles are arriving, providing for some good numbers at a variety of locations. Shorebird high counts this week:
Black-bellied Plover: 86, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/8.
Killdeer: 21, Crystal Spring Farm, Brunswick, 8/5 (with Jeannette).
Semipalmated Plover: 150+, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/11 (with Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Tour group).
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1500+, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/8 (with Dan Gardoqui).
Short-billed Dowitcher: ~40, The Pool, 8/8 (with Dan Gardoqui).
Spotted Sandpiper: 2, multiple locations this week.
Solitary Sandpiper: 1, several locations this week.
Lesser Yellowlegs: 71, Walsh Preserve, 8/9.
“Eastern” Willet: 18, Pine Point, 8/11 (with Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Tour group).
“WESTERN” WILLET (FOY): 1, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/8.
Greater Yellowlegs: 12, Wharton Point, 8/6 (with Jeannette).
Tours and Events:
The 20th Anniversary Celebration Month is underway here at the store. All the details can be found here, including free raffles for dinner (get your tickets in soon; drawing on Wednesday!), 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 8/4, has been postponed until Sunday, 8/25. Call Seacoast Tours to see if any spaces have opened up.
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.
Tour itineraries are meant to be broken. Or is that “rules.” Well, those too.
We have offered some kind of “Bicknell’s Thrush Wekeend” tour for almost 15 years now. There was a hiatus for COVID, and last year – perhaps due to the uncertainty with travel planning – we pulled the plug on our weekend for the first time as registrations were slow to come in.
Therefore, for 2024, it was time to try something new and head into Northern New Hampshire for a new plan of attack. Two chances at Bicknell’s Thrush over the course of two days, with this one enigmatic bird the sole focus (well, at least until we see it) – that part of it had not changed. Everything else was new this year.
We assembled at 9:00am on Saturday, June 29th in Errol, New Hampshire. The itinerary? Well, never mind.
Several folks arrived to see their guide staring up at the sky and immersed in deep thought (you could smell the wood burning). It wasn’t raining, and it looked like we had a nice window of fair weather. But it was already 9:00am, and by the time we got up the mountain…
…but the forecast for tonight. And tomorrow morning.
…but it can’t be worth it to try for one of, if not the, most elusive of North American breeding songbirds in the middle of the day.
…and it’s getting warm.
…and there’s rain building to our west. The winds are picking up higher up.
…but let’s go for it!
So up the mountain we went. At least we would be trying. And that evening, with the risk of severe thunderstorms, we might not even have a chance to try. And the next morning didn’t look great.
But weather forecasts are fickle, especially up here in the mountains, so it’s hard to make plans. But it’s easy to look up and see what’s about to happen, or not. And when I looked up, my face didn’t get wet, so that’s the only forecast that’s dependable in these parts.
We raced up hill, arriving at about 3,000 feet and the realm of the Bicknell’s Thrush around 10:30, stopping for a Ruffed Grouse in the road escorting five chicks.
Southerly winds were increasing, blowing right up into and through our thrush territories. This was pointless. But hey, the rain was still across the valley. So we birded.
We heard the Fox Sparrow, spotted a couple of Blackpoll Warblers, and enjoyed the usual high-elevation species like Yellow-rumped Warblers and Dark-eyed Juncos.
Then, at the surprisingly late (or extremely early) time of about 11:15am, a Bicknell’s Thrush began to call. Over the next 15-20 minutes, we were treated to two birds counter-singing, and at least 3 or 4 birds calling. One bird silently flew across a clearing, as well seen as a thrush in flight can get. The two dueling birds darted between trees and occasionally paused in view of one or two people before melting back into the trees.
There weren’t photography opportunities, but everyone was more than satisfied with the sum of their views. And it was a tremendous auditory performance. Overall, it was actually a pretty good show, and really demonstrated the behavior of this fascinating bird. And since this is more than just a tick and run” tour, the birds’ behavior was instructional and of keen interest.
And after all being satisfied, the rain arrived.
We enjoyed a leisurely and delicious lunch, and then set out for a little more birding. Making up for the change of plans in the morning, we took a walk and a drive through some boreal habitats, but rain was becoming steadier now. We heard and saw a few common birds, but it was just some good quality time in the afternoon woods, absorbing our phytoncides. When the rain arrived in earnest, we called it quits and went to check in at our hotel.
The original plan was to have an afternoon break, early dinner, and then head up the mountain at dusk to take advantage of the evening activity of the thrush. Instead, we had a relaxing dinner, many of us enjoyed a beer or glass of wine, and we just chatted. Good conversation was enjoyed by all, and the rain kept falling.
At one point, the rain let up and I began to ponder a run up the mountain. Just in case the thought became serious, a downpour arrived. Dessert was ordered.
We were back in our hotel rooms at about the time I had planned to be on the mountaintop, so I didn’t know what to do with myself! I think I was stressed about having nothing to stress about. When a tour is solely dedicated to one species, a trip is a failure without that one species. But we already had our quarry, and if it was raining in the morning, oh well. And if it wasn’t, we would just go enjoy the bird some more. I think I had the longest and best night of sleep I can recall while leading a Bicknell’s Thrush weekend!
Well, it wasn’t that long. A “civilized” 5:30am departure from the hotel (thanks to our success the day before) found us free of the rain that was forecast, and there were even a few breaks of sun. It was rather breezy atop the mountain, and in almost two hours, we only had a couple of calls from Bicknell’s Thrushes. A simple continental breakfast was served from the back of my Subaru.
However, we had a Canada Jay (likely the last youngster in a family group that passed just downhill from us) in plain view, and spent some quality time with the local breeders like Blackpoll Warbler. Then, much to my disbelief, the second-most wanted bird on the tour (according to an unofficial survey), began to call very close to us. Could it be? I had to be mistaken. But not much else sounds like a Black-backed Woodpecker!
Then, with jaws dropping to the ground, it proceeded to fly overhead of us, heading up the mountain where it called a few more times. That was not something I was expecting – not just the species, but such a great look at it in flight (I can only recall one other time that I had seen one overhead) and far removed from the deep and dark bogs most of the local birds prefer.
Between yesterday’s thrush luck and today’s woodpecker fortune, not to mention another mountaintop visit devoid of the forecast rainfall, we were just ecstatic.
And then this happened…
You get a photo, and you get a photo, and you get a photo!
Wow. Just wow.
And it was on a snag that I had just declared, “if this bird comes out, it’s going to perch here.” Most people thought I was joking.
The thrush didn’t. Now, I wish I could always control birds like this, but especially with this species, I have really come to know them and their behavior. To me, it did look perfect for one to sit on. But no, I did not expect it to be sitting on it, singing up a storm, about 30 seconds later. It truly is better to be lucky than good.
And it sat there for long enough to take your camera down, adjust your settings, and return to firing away. It was even there long enough for your dumbfounded guide to remember he had his camera with him for a change. My panicked photos did not do the bird justice, so I will let everyone else’s speak for themselves.
There wasn’t much left to do up here, so we began our trek downhill.
A Mourning Warbler cooperated nicely.
Then, returning to our cars a (the?) family group of Canada Jays returned and came to check us out. Kathy’s granola bar was clutch here as two adults had a snack, with 2-3 dusky juveniles looking on, learning the ways of the Camp Robber.
And then Kathy exclaimed “there’s a Bay-breasted!” and we all looked up to see a stunning male singing from a roadside fir right over our heads.
We heard or saw at least another 5 Mourning Warblers on the way down, glimpsed a busy Lincoln’s Sparrow (a Sharp-shinned Hawk passed overhead precluded a better observation, however), and took some time to enjoy and identify butterflies – even skippers (OK, only Bill actually identified said skippers) – and plants.
White Admiral
Round-leafed Sundew.
But as the winds began to gust, more rain was approaching, and ATVers were becoming overwhelming, we left the mountain and headed to Colebrook for a relaxed, celebratory luncheon as the rain began to fall and before we headed our separate ways.
As for this new Bicknell’s Thrush Weekend itinerary (with and without necessary audibles), well, I think you can assume we’ll see you here again next year!
One of the many stunning Baltimore Orioles that performed for us on our visit to Capisic Pond Park in Portland during May’s “Warblers and Wort” tour.
Join us for the much-anticipated return of the Birds on Tap series, a unique collaboration between Maine Brews Cruise and Freeport Wild Bird Supply. In 2024, we’re excited to bring back these special birding and beer tours, perfectly blending nature exploration and craft beer tasting.
These unique, relaxed birding and beer-ing adventures that you have come to love combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with approachable opportunities to sample the delicious creations of some of our favorite Maine breweries. These events are a perfect introduction to birding and/or craft beer, and a great opportunity to enjoy our favorite pastimes with significant others, friends, and family that have interest in one topic, while your interest is primarily in the other (for now!). Educational, enjoyable, and eye-opening, our unique Birds on Tap series enters its 10th Year!
Seasonal birdwatching meets Portland Maine’s finest craft beverages–all with the convenience of being chauffeured!
We’re offering three tours this year, with each trip report being posted here.
Warblers and Wort, May 25th.
May means warbler migration, and the destination for Warblers and Wort visited two of Maine’s most famous springtime migrant traps, Portland’s Evergreen Cemetery and nearby Capisic Pond Park. Oases in the urban jungle, featuring water sources and a mix of various habitats, help concentrate migrant birds that found themselves in or over the city come sunrise. After migrating all night, tired travelers look for refuge: food, water, and shelter, and urban greenspaces are absolutely critical for refueling.
Beginning at Evergreen Cemetery, we confirmed our suspicions from the overnight radar images that it was going to be a slow morning for migration. But wow, it was slow! We enjoyed some good looks at Red-eyed Vireos and lots of Gray Catbirds, practiced our birding by ear, and discussed urban ecology, but I had seen (not) enough.
We then ventured over to Capisic Pond Park, where our luck instantly changed. While passage migrants were still few, it was downright pleasantly birdy. And birdy with vivid colors from some of our most beautiful birds. Blinding Baltimore Orioles were everywhere as expected, but we had some great quality time with battling males and affectionate pairs. We had lots of great views of male and female Yellow Warblers and the range of plumage variation in American Redstarts. Great looks at Warbling Vireos were enjoyed, but orioles kept distracting us! Northern Cardinals refused to be ignored.
In addition to a couple of Wilson’s Warblers and an uncooperative Magnolia Warblers, passage migrants included the world’s worst look at the awesome Mourning Warbler as it darted down the trail, never to be seen again, but also one of the best looks you’ll ever get at a Cape May Warbler as a female foraged in the grass and low branches of a grove of Eastern White Pine. You don’t often look down on a Cape May Warbler!
We saw a lot of birds well at Capisic today, using even the most common birds to hone our identification skills while taking the time to appreciate the beauty of even some of the most common birds around us. For example, we became intimately familiar with how Common Grackles are anything but black birds! This particular individual stood out because of the perfect lighting showing off it’s glossy, structural colors, but also the unusual white flecks in the head caused by some limited leucistic feathers.
After struggling to see birds at Evergreen, we struggled to leave Capisic on time! It was a lot of fun, but it was time for the second half of the tour as we made the short trip across town to the Bayside neighborhood. Our first stop on the beverage portion of the tour was Freedom’s Edge Cider. After observing migrant birds in the crabapple trees at Capisic, it was only appropriate to enjoy cider, as the creation of hard cider was what led to the creation and diversity of crabapple trees! Focusing on the traditional, drier range of ciders, we began our tasting with their flagship “Original,” a nicely balanced semi-dry cider with a crisp finish. The unfiltered, modern “The Juice” was a touch sweeter thanks to the concentration of sugar via the freezing and thawing of the apples. I definitely picked up musty grape in the “Marc de Marquette,” a very flavorful cider aged over Marquette grapes. And finally, we were able to pick our own fourth sample. I am a sucker for maple, so I went for the “Pick Your Own” (coincidentally and appropriately) that complemented our birds of spring with flavors of spring in Maine: maple syrup and strawberries. The flavors were subtle, but the maple was really evident on the nose. However, the “Sweet Mullet,” a delicious cider steeped with mulling spices seemed to be the crowd favorite.
We’re all about the new and different on these Roadtrips, and our second stop was the very new (opened about 3 months ago) Argenta Brewing, Portland’s first lager-only brewery. Their delightfully named “Generic American Lager” had all the crushability and cleanliness of a traditional American Lager, but with a focus on Maine-grown ingredients. Learning the difference between lagers and ales while discussing topics ranging from glassware to bird conservation, we also learned all about Portland’s newest brewery. We were able to choose our second (very!) generous pour, and I joined others in the “Dark Lager” which had those nice roasted chocolate and malty flavors but with the lighter body and clean finish of a lager.
And with that, our first Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Came to an end, but it’s not the last one in 2024, and definitely not the last one in years to come. It was good to be back on the road, and the combination of introductory birding with an introduction to Maine’s finest craft beverages is a recipe that has not lost its luster after a COVID-years hiatus.
Shorebirds and Steins, Aug 11.
We began our introduction to shorebirds with the basics, such as plover verses sandpiper, before moving into great depth such as yellowlegs vs Willet. Shape, size, and especially bill size and length are among the “bigger picture” tools we have to learn our shorebirds, such as with some close Willets – the “tringas of the 90’s steroid era in baseball.”
The original BoT Roadtrip! in 2015, our most popular tour returned to Scarborough Marsh at prime time for a good variety of migrant shorebirds. We learned how to identify our common species and searched a bit for the rare.
Birding began at Pine Point as the tide just began to flow. And as the mudflats were slowly inundated, a nice diversity of shorebirds soon appeared, and with each inch of incoming water, many of the birds moved closer and closer.
In Jones Creek, we were able to closely study the eastern subspecies of the Willet, later in close proximity to the closely related Greater Yellowlegs. And wow, did these two yellowlegs put on a show! Demonstrating their entertaining, aggressive feeding style that is highly suggestive of the species, they chased baitfish through the shallows. They were eventually so satiated that they sat down within about 15 feet of us and allowed for close looks at their bill structure and color without any straining through the scope. One spiffy Black-bellied Plover was joined by several dozen more in all stages of molt, and two awesome Whimbrels dropped in for the duration of our stay, nicely demonstrating the wide differences in shape and bill structure of our sandpipers.
Short-billed Dowitchers demonstrated their sowing-machine feeding technique – helpful as feeding style is an important part of the shorebird identification toolkit. But before we got that far, we started with the basics of plover vs sandpiper, nicely demonstrated by a flock of 150+ Semipalmated Plovers and 100+ Semipalmated Sandpipers that were concentrated before us by the incoming tide.
Two additional stops at the outskirts of the marsh gave us a sample of a different micro-habitat at high tide, yielded some Lesser Yellowlegs for our shorebird list, and gave us more looks at non-shorebirds, such as Great and Snowy Egrets, Glossy Ibis, and much more.
Then it was time to head over to Nonesuch River Brewing, where owner Michael and his wife Kristen graciously greeted us with a sample of their Summer Session – a nice light, refreshing welcome. We then enjoyed sips of their summery and bright Mojito IPA with lime and mint, followed by their Solstice hefeweizen with a little bit of ginger prickliness and hint of lemon. As we enjoyed those beverages, we thoroughly enjoyed an all-in tour in the brewhouse, learning the basics of brewing, and some of the house techniques to make Nonesuch such a popular brewery. I saw several four-packs of Mojito return to the bus with us, and the location can’t be beat for a post-Scarborough Marsh celebratory toast!
Returning to Portland, our second beverage destination was the newly expanded home of Blue Lobster Urban Winery. Once again, we felt privileged to get the tour from the owner and winemaker! Chris walked us through the winemaking process, the rational for canning it, and the history of the company. We began with a taste of their Tightline cider, a very dry cider made from local apple juice and wild yeast from the winery. Their sparking Rose was up next: very lightly carbonated with a strong strawberry nose but just a slight sweetness on the palate. Bayside Blend red was nice and dry, as I prefer my reds.
Chris then treated us to a special surprise – a barrel tasting, where we were privileged to be the first member of the public to sample an upcoming bottle release that has been conditioning for two years, and was made from grapes grown on 121 year-old vines in California. This was a special wine, and it was absolutely delightful. Our only complaint was we couldn’t buy any yet! Last but not least, we tried their blueberry infused red, with Syrah and merlot grapes infused with Maine blueberry juice. Especially after Chris suggested making a spritzer or Sangria with it, multiple four-packs were purchased to go.
Nice species of shorebirds, three beers, 4 wines, and 1 cider -now that’s a well-rounded Birds on Tap – Roadtrip!
Birds on Tap – The Boat Trip! Rare Birds and Island Exploration.
Yellow-rumped Warblers were the dominant species, not surprisingly given the date and island’s habitat, but the number present today was still most impressive. This one is nicely showing off its namesake.
The final Birds on Tap event of 2024 was a special one indeed. This day, we not only took to the water for the first time in the series, but we were able to visit the private House Island and its historic Fort. In fact, we were the first birding tour ever on the island! But this trip was not just about the birds.
We began with some birding, walking the trails and checking all of the nooks and crannies the island and fort had to offer. Yellow-rumped Warblers were simply everywhere, with dozens popping up with limited pishing, and countless others darting around. A few Song and White-throated Sparrows were here and there, and 1-2 Northern Mockingbirds were perhaps delineating winter territories on the island.
Surf Scoters and Common Eiders were offshore, a pair of Common Ravens flew by, and then, in the cemetery, we found an uncommon migrant: a single Field Sparrow.
We also learned about the food resources of the island, such as native Arrowwood Viburnum and especially the Northern Bayberry that all of these Yellow-rumped Warblers depend on and the invertebrates that can be found in the wrack line on the tiny beach.
Pete then expertly guided us into and through the historic Fort Scammel and the history of House Island. The first English settlement in Maine, it was the only island with a house on it, hence the name of the island. While primarily used for drying cod, fishing operations continued through 1907, when the buildings became part of an immigration station that operated until 1931. On the other half of the island, Fort Scammel was constructed in 1808. Four years later, it became Maine’s only coastal defense fort to fire a shot in aggression when it fired on a British privateer in the War of 1812.
The fort was upgraded in 1840 and again in 1870, when a concrete cap was added, and it was insulated with dirt and sand. While the fort was obsolete by the Spanish-American War, anti-aircraft guns were placed here in World War 1, and in WWII, anti-submarine nets were stored here. Pete guided us through its corridors, described the cannon placement and usage, and we checked out the gunpowder magazines. We learned about the Battle of Portland Harbor, the furthest north battle of the Civil War, and we even found a roosting Big Brown Bat. Even though this was my second visit to the Fort, I was still in awe of the handiwork and the pristine condition.
Wait, what year is this?
Then it was Tom’s turn to take over, and on such an insanely beautiful day, we took advantage of the comfy chairs above the parade ground for some more Portland history…but this time, it was the history of craft beer in the area. While Orange Bike is one of Portland’s newest breweries, this gluten-free brewery was developed with the help of Alan Pugsley – one of the Godfathers of the Maine craft beer movement. Starting with a refreshing and crisp pilsner, we also paid homage to a classic style.
Few beers say Portland more than Allagash White, and this was up next. The flagship of Maine’s largest brewer, its countless national and international accolades helped put Portland, Maine on the beer map. Speaking of, our next beer was Bissell’s flagship The Substance, one of the pioneers of the “New England IPA,” the hazy, juicy regional endemic that has since colonized the world.
A Horned Lark called as it unfortunately departed the island as we sampled our last beer, Mast Landing’s famous Gunner’s Daughter. A peanut-flavored stout rich in coffee, chocolate, and peanut butter notes, this was a perfect example of how creative modern beer has become.
While it was all-too-soon time to depart the island, our special tour was far from over. With such a gorgeous day (it was in the low 70’s with very little wind), Captain Pete decided to take a little ride out to the mouth of Portland Harbor. We motored past Chief Whitehead…
…and over to Ram Island Light, where Great Cormorants lined the old walkway. We compared their shape and size to the smaller, more common Double-crested Cormorants we passed on our way back inshore, while taking the time to enjoy the view, more Common Eiders and Surf Scoters, and scattered Black Guillemots.
A Gray Seal ushered us into the dock on our return.
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.
Barrow’s Goldeneyes will be departing soon, so I needed to get my fill while I still can. This pair (left) was with 17 Common Goldeneyes and a drake Hooded Merganser at Anniversary Park in Auburn on the 20th.
A very busy couple of weeks precluded much birding away from our yard recently. Luckily, the feeder-watching was excellent, as were my few dedicated outings over the past ten days.
1 Red Crossbill, over our yard in Durham, 2/15.
1 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, over Richmond Island from Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth, 2/19 (with Paul Doiron, Kristen Lindquist, and Jeannette).
1 continuing hen COMMON EIDER SPP BOREALIS and 6 BARROW’S GOLDENEYES (4 drakes, 2 hens), Winslow Park, Freeport, 2/21. Barrow’s usually peak here at the end of February.
FEEDER BIRDS UPDATE:
There was a widespread dearth of feeder birds in most yards throughout the region this past fall. While a few people are still mentioning a lack of feeder birds this winter, many others are telling us they are seeing a lot of birds now. At our home in Durham, this winter our feeders have been very busy. But just how busy is it, and how does that compare to last winter? I did some feeder watching and counted a bunch of birds to find out.
After the 16th, activity remained strong, with another surge of Dark-eyed Juncos bringing the total to a high count of 72 on the 17th, along with an increase to 13 American Tree Sparrows. A new peark of 70++ American Goldfinches was reached on 2/21. And our first Red-winged Blackbird of the year appeared in the snow on the 23rd.
Meanwhile, here at the store, the 24 White-throated Sparrows at the feeders 2/16 was a new all-time high count for the winter season for us here.
Taking the long road to Augusta for an appointment last week, I checked a few open sections of river, including here at the Gardiner Waterfront Park where a group of 16 Common Mergansers were present. Such a snappy bird!
We’ve been busy catching up from our winter vacation, but I did see a few observations of note over the past ten days.
Our feeders In Durham continue to be exceeding active, with at least 70 American Goldfinches and over 50 Dark-eyed Juncos leading the way this week. We’ve also seen increases to 6 American Tree Sparrows, 3 White-throated Sparrows, and a returning two Song Sparrows among all of the resident species. A single Pine Siskin joined the goldfinches on 2/2.
1 hen BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, Bernard Lown Peace Bridge, Lewiston/Auburn, 1/30.
The long-staying hen American Wigeon offered a good, close study as part of the Winter Waterbird Workshop with Down East Adventures tour that I conducted on the 14th.
While I didn’t get as far afield as last week, I enjoyed a productive six days of birding, especially for early January! Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.
Our feeders in Durham have been incredible, led by a growing flock of Dark-eyed Juncos that peaked at 41 on 1/8 and 40+ continuing American Goldfinches. There was a big movement of sparrows after the weekend snow storm, with flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows common and widespread in the area, along with an increase in American Tree Sparrows. During Tuesday’s snowfall, a careful inventory during the snowfall on the 16th yielded 127 individuals of 16 species, led by 41 American Goldfinches and 37 Dark-eyed Juncos.
At least one Turkey Vulture still continues in the I-295 corridor between Cumberland and Freeport.
1 DOVEKIE, Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth, 1/13. Patch Bird #198! Healthy fly-by apparently turning around upon seeing the bridge, then turning northeast and following the Cousin’s Island shoreline. I lost it in the fog, but presumably rounding the island to return to sea. A Black Guillemot to the south of the bridge was one of my few ever from this location.
1 continuing female American Wigeon, York Duck Pond (Abbott’s Pond), York, 1/14 (with Down East Adventures Winter Waterbirds Workshop tour group).
Small number of Red Crossbills, Bear Mountain, Hartford, 1/15 (with Jeannette). Mostly single fly-overs and one small heard-only group, so quantification was impossible.
Barrow’s Goldeneyes returned to the Androscoggin River this week, with a pair below the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge between Auburn and Lewiston on the 12th. Early morning shadows were challenging for photos, so I was happy with this great comparison shot of an intermingled pair each of Barrow’s and Common Goldeneyes.
While I didn’t get as far afield as last week, I enjoyed a very productive week of birding, especially for early January! Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.
Our feeders in Durham have been incredible, led by a growing flock of Dark-eyed Juncos that peaked at 41 on 1/8 and 40+ continuing American Goldfinches. There was a big movement of sparrows after the weekend snow storm, with flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows common and widespread in the area, along with an increase in American Tree Sparrows.
2 drake and 1 hen BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, Winslow Park, Freeport, 1/6 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
Still fascinated by the warbler flock in Ogunquit Beach after my visit there last week, Jeannette and I went back down on 1/8. Unfortunately, we only had a short look at the brighter CAPE MAY WARBLER and 1 “WESTERN” PALM WARBLER. One Yellow-rumped Warbler spent almost the entire time we were there in and around the sewage tank, eating the little flies along its edge. The Cape May and Palm just briefly waved through the nearby trees. I would have thought that anything still alive would have been in the tank the whole time on that cold morning, as was the single Yellow-rump. Interesting.
While searching, we had 100+ Sanderlings on the beach, two continuing Northern Harriers and 8 Snow Buntings in the marsh, and in the Ocean Avenue neighborhood leading to the footbridge, we had 1-2 fly-over Red Crossbills and 1 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD while checking feeders in hopes of relocating the warblers.
Cape Elizabeth with Dan Nickerson on 1/11: 1 2nd Cycle LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and a few Razorbills at Dyer Point; 1 DOVEKIE at Two Lights State Park; 1 Swamp Sparrow on Private Property, and 1600-2000 Black Scoters between Dyer Point and Kettle Cove.
1 pair BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, Bernard Lown Peace Bridge, Auburn/Lewiston, 1/12.
1 immature Great Cormorant, North River Road Boat Launch, Auburn, 1/12.
+/- 130 Mixed scaup, Lake Auburn, 1/12. Actively feeding, but Lesser continue to greatly outnumber Greater in the flock, as expected on freshwater in winter.
At least one Turkey Vulture continues in the I-295 corridor between Cumberland and Freeport this week.
UPCOMING TOURS.
Winter Waterbirds Workshop with Down East Adventures. Sunday, January 14th. Info here.
No Birdwalk, Saturday, 20th.
No Birdwalk, Saturday, 27th.
Gull Identification Workshop. Saturday, February 3rd and Sunday, February 4th. Info here.
This Hepatic Tanager was a shocking discovery in Stockton Springs. I caught up with it on 12/31 to bring my 2023 birding year to a close. Such a lousy phone-scoped photo of such an amazing bird, though!
Happy New Year List Everyone (for those who keep one)! Rarities abound as we finish 2023 and begin 2024, and I caught up with a few of them this week, and, even more satisfying, found a few “good birds” of my own.
1-2 Red Crossbills continue in and around our Durham property this week. I need to work on finding breeding activity.
At least two Turkey Vultures continue in the I-295 corridor between Yarmouth and Freeport through week’s end.
I finished 2023 off with a bang, visiting the HEPATIC TANAGER on Station St in Stockton Springs on 12/31 (with Evan Obercian). Photo above.
1 male Red-winged Blackbird, Rte 127, Arrowsic, 1/1 (with Jeannette).
2 REDHEADS, 3 AMERICAN COOTS, 4 RUDDY DUCKS, 1 Long-tailed Duck, about 50 Lesser and 25 Greater Scaup, etc, Chickawaukee Lake, Rockport, 1/1 (with Paul Doiron, Kristen Lindquist, and Jeannette).
1 Northern Flicker, Thompson Meadow Road, Rockland, 1/1 (with Paul Doiron, Kristen Lindquist, and Jeannette).
Jess Costa and I went down to Ogunquit Beach on 1/4. to look at the unprecedented mixed-species warbler flock that has been in and around the dunes and wastewater treatment plant here. I glimpsed what “had to be” the TOWNSEND’S WARBLER, but between the two of us, we saw the two CAPE MAY WARBLERS, 1 TENNESSEE WARBLER, 2 “WESTERN” PALM WARBLERS, 1 PINE WARBLER, and 3-4 Yellow-rumped Warblers well. However, my interest was observing the flock as a whole, especially what they were eating, what the range of the flock was, and whether the birds were exhibiting “normal” niche differentiation. Unfortunately, we only had two encounters with the whole wave in 3 hours, and periods of up to 45 minutes went by without seeing a warbler anywhere in the dune line. Where else are they going? The lack of sun that day made the edge less inviting, but they still seemed to have disappeared from the pine forest. Were they heading into a neighborhood or across the marsh? I have more questions than answers after the visit, so I might have to find time to go back! We also had one Red Crossbill, 1 MERLIN, two Northern Harriers, etc.
1 drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, 64 Lesser Scaup, 19 Greater Scaup, 1 Red Crossbill, etc, Lake Auburn, 1/5 (with Dan Nickerson)
2024 PREDICTIONS LIST BLOG NOW POSTED!
After an 11th-hour addition and requisite updates, my famous-ish Predictions Blog is now ready for viewing. In this annual post, I attempt to forecast the next 25 species to appear in Maine, as well as predict what the next 25 species I personally will see in the state. I also summarize the new species added to Maine’s list in 2023, as well as my own personal highlights and new species.
Maine Birding Field Notes 