Tag Archives: Dresden

This Week’s Highlights, 5/10-5/16/2025.

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.

  • 1 continuing RUFF (REEVE), Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 5/10 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 ORCHARD ORIOLE (FOY), 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, etc, Green Point WMA, Dresden, 5/13 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 immature male ORCHARD ORIOLE, feeders here at the store, 5/14.
  • 1 continuing hen CANVASBACK, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, Biddeford, 5/15.

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

  • 1 Bobolink, Thornhust Farm, North Yarmouth, 5/10 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Red-eyed Vireo, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/12 (with Jeannette).
  • 2 Spotted Sandpipers, Florida Lake Park, 5/12 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Canada Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/12 (with Jeannette).
  • 2 Green Herons, Green Point WMA, Dresden, 5/13 (with Jeannette).
  • 7 Short-billed Dowitchers, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 5/13 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Scarlet Tanager, our property in Durham, 5/14.
  • 1 Blackpoll Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/14.
  • 4 Laughing Gulls, East Point, Biddeford Pool, Biddeford, 5/15.
  • Numerous Common Terns, Biddeford Pool environs, 5/15.
  • 2 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 5/15.
  • 5 Roseate Terns, East Point/Ocean Ave, Biddeford Pool, 5/15.
  • 26 Ruddy Turnstones, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 5/15.
  • 2+ Semipalmated Plovers, The Pool, 5/15.
  • 82 Black-bellied Plovers, The Pool, 5/15.
  • 150 Semipalmated Sandpipers, The Pool, 5/15.
  • 4 Marsh Wrens, Cobboseecontee Lake Causeway, 5/16.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

The Week 8 report can be found here. The report for the final week, finishing on Thursday, can be found here.

Upcoming Tours (with space available):

Rangeley Birding Festival, June 5-8

Recent Highlights, 3/22-3/28/2025.

This adult Red-shouldered Hawk didn’t look very pleased about the snowfall on Monday as it
hunted voles in our yard in Durham.

As is often the case in March, waterfowl and new arrivals dominated my observations of note over the past seven days.

  • 6 Lesser Scaup with ~600 Greater Scaup, 400-450 American Black Ducks, 200-250 White-winged Scoters, 2 American Wigeon, 1 Ring-necked Duck, etc, Maquoit Bay Conservation Land, Brunswick, 3/22 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • Fox Sparrows at our feeders in Durham peaked at an impressive 5 on 3/24.
  • 1 Rusty Blackbird, 6 Horned Larks, 1 pair Northern Pintails, etc, North River Road, Auburn, 3/25.
  • 4 SANDHILL CRANES (FOY), Upper Street, Turner, 3/25.
  • 1 imm. American Goshawk (FOY), Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 3/25.
  • 1 Rusty Blackbird, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 3/26.
  • 1 “EURASIAN” GREEN-WINGED TEAL (FOY) and 2 Wilson’s Snipe (FOY), Mouth of the Abby, Bowdoinham, 3/27 (With Bill Thompson; photos).
  • 1 “EURASIAN” GREEN-WINGED TEAL, Green Point WMA, Dresden, 3/27 (with Bill Thompson; photos).
  • 1 first-cycle Iceland Gull, Front Street Boat Launch, Bath, 3/27 (with Bill Thompson).
  • 8 Fish Crows, Bath Landfill, 3/27 (with Bill Thompson).
  • 1 Snowy Egret (FOY), Wharton Point, Brunswick, 3/27 (with Bill Thompson).
  • Total of at least 31 Bald Eagles around Merrymeeting Bay on 3/27 (with Bill Thompson).

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

The Week 1 report can be found here.

Upcoming Tours:

  • NO BIRDWALK, Saturday 3/28 due to the winter storm.
  • Woodcocks Gone Wild scheduled for TOMORROW, Saturday, March 29th has been postponed due to the weather until Saturday, April 5th. Call for waitlist.