Tag Archives: Florida Lake Park

This Week’s Highlights, 4/19-4/25/2025.

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Back for yet another year, Jeannette and I refound the/one of the long-returning LITTLE EGRET X SNOWY EGRET HYBRIDS on the 20th at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth. It was nearly to the date that we relocated it here last year for the first time, and it really favors the tidal creek here at low and mid-tides. The long Little Egret-like neck plumes are highly suggestive of a Little, but they are coupled with some short, wispy neck plumes and yellowish lores indicative of Snowy Egret genes.\

The migratory floodgates opened this week, starting with a big flight Friday night into Saturday morning. Then, during the day, a huge hawk flight occurred. Furthermore, the weather of Friday through Saturday resulted in a small “overshoot” even where birds were facilitated further north than usual for the season, or at all. Locally, this resulted in several rather early dates for returning migrants.  Another great hawk flight on the 21st, and good passerine movements on several other nights made for an exciting and productive week of spring birding. A coastal sparrow-heavy fallout for the morning of the 25th yielded another large arrival of birds, with sheer numbers dominated by White-throated Sparrows. Here are my observations of note over the past seven great days, from a returning hybrid heron to a local first Patch record:

  • 35+ Palm Warblers, 30+ Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 20+ Ruby-crowned Kinglets, etc, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/19 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • Saturday was an extraordinary day at the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch. I was fortunate to be able to catch two hours of it, even if it was as the flight was waning. The record-shattering total of 2,712 migrant raptors crushed the old single-day record of 1,814 (5/3/2020). Today’s total was more than 700 birds more than we had for every previous day combined for this season to date. Not only that, but today’s tally eclipsed our two lowest SEASON totals 2,123 (2007) and 2,321 (2011)! 
  • 1 returning LITTLE EGRET X SNOWY EGRET HYBRID, Tidewater Farm, Falmouth, 4/20 (with Jeannette). Photo and details above.
  • 2 SANDHILL CRANES, Morgan Meadow WMA, Gray/Raymond, 4/21 (with Jeannette).
  • ~125 Palm Warblers, ~75 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 2 Pine Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 4/23.
  • 7 Brant, Wood Island (restricted access), Biddeford, 4/23 (with Bethany Woodworth’s UNE Ornithology class).
  • 1 COMMON GALLINULE (FOY), Florida Lake Park, 4/25 (with Noah Gibb and Stacey Huth). First flushed by Noah and Stacey. Was a real challenge to get a look at, but eventually it came out to an edge for a handful of minutes. My 170th species at Florida Lake!

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

  • 1 Blue-headed Vireo, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/19 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 BANK SWALLOW (quite early), Florida Lake Park, 4/19 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Barn Swallow, Florida Lake Park, 4/19 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, Morgan Meadow WMA, Gray/Raymond, 4/21 (with Jeannette).
  • 3 Black-crowned Night-Herons, Wood Island (restricted access), Biddeford, 4/23 (with Bethany Woodworth and UNE’s Ornithology class).
  • 1 Eastern Towhee Wood Island (restricted access), Biddeford, 4/23 (with Bethany Woodworth and UNE’s Ornithology class).
  • 1 Common Yellowthroat, Florida Lake Park, 4/25.
  • 1 Black-and-white Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 4/25.
Although Black-crowned Night-Herons have likely been around for a few weeks by now, these three at Wood Island in Biddeford on the 23rd were my personal first of the year.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

The Week 5 report can be found here.

Upcoming Tours (with Space Available):

  1. Birds on Tap Roadtrip – Warbler and Wort. Thursday, May 8.

Evergreen Cemetery, Capisic Pond Park, Orange Bike Brewing and TBA with our partners Portland Explorer (formerly Maine Brews Cruise).

 This Week’s Highlights, 3/29-4/4/2025.

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This Rusty Blackbird singing up a storm at Florida Lake Park on 4/2 has likely been present here since way back when I first saw it on 2/26! I don’t stop at Florida Lake very often this early in the season, but every time I have, he’s been in the same corner, often singing, making me think it’s the same individual.
Even now, it’s on the early side for Rusties.

It was an up and down week of weather, to say the least, but slowly but surely spring migration was progressing. Considering fairly limited time in the field this week, I had a decent early season slate of observations of note and  personal “first-of-years” over the past seven days:

  • Fox Sparrows at our feeders in Durham peaked at a goodly 6 on 3/30. 3 continue here at the store through week’s end.
  • 3 RUDDY DUCKS (FOY), 18 Lesser Scaup, 16 Greater Scaup, etc, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 3/31 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 1st cycle Iceland Gull, Whiskeag Trail, Bath, 4/1 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 continuing Rusty Blackbird (likely present here since 2/26; note and photo above), 1 Pied-billed Grebe (FOY), 2 Eastern Phoebes (FOY), and 1 Tree Swallow (FOY), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/2.
One of two Eastern Phoebes at Florida Lake Park on the 2nd, this one seemed to be contemplating its life choices with yet another spring snowstorm on its way.
  • 2 Rusty Blackbirds, our property in Durham, 4/3.
  • 8 Double-crested Cormorants (FOY), Mailley Park, Bowdoinham, 4/3.
  • 1 drake NORTHERN SHOVELER (FOY), Mouth of the Abby, Bowdoinham, 4/3.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

The Week 2 report can be found here.

Upcoming Tours:

Woodcocks Gone Wild re-scheduled for TOMORROW, Saturday, April 5th has not yet been cancelled. Updates will be posted here around mid-day tomorrow. The tour is sold out.

This Week’s Highlights, 2/22 – 2/28/2025

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These three female Greater Scaup appeared with the Mallard flock off of the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge between Lewiston and Auburn last week, and continued through the 25th

I had an excellent week of late-winter birding this week, with a nice mix of overwintering birds and some new, spring-like arrivals. Towards week’s end, birdsong from our resident species increased dramatically, and winter concentrations of waterfowl are beginning to disperse. But – at the risk of sounding a little corny – I have to say, showing people their first ever Harlequin Duck is always a winter highlight for me! It was also nice to have a tour run, and not postponed or cancelled due to weather. My observations of note over the past seven days included the following:

  • The single Fox Sparrows continues here at the store, and our one at our Durham feeders reappeared in the snow on the 27th after being absent for a few days.
  • At least 2 Turkey Vultures continue in the Cumberland-Freeport corridor of I-295. Part of the local overwintering flock (up to 15 total roosting in Brunswick at the peak), the first northbound migrants of spring are now arriving. This appears to now be a year-round species along Maine’s southern coast, as birds have overwintered locally for the last three years.
  • 1 drake GADWALL, Falmouth Town Landing, Falmouth, 2/22 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 4 Brant (FOY), Dyer Point, Cape Elizabeth, 2/23 (with Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Tour group).
  • 1 Merlin and 1 Horned Lark, Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth, 2/23 (with Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Tour group).
  • Full trip report here.
  • 1 Northern Shrike (FOY/3rd of winter), Bridge St, Newfield, 2/24 with Jeannette).
  • 1 RUSTY BLACKBIRD and 1 Winter Wren, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 2/24 (with Jeannette).
  • 2 continuing drake Green-winged Teal and 3 continuing female Greater Scaup, Anniversary Park – Bernard Lown Peace Bridge area, Auburn-Lewiston, 2/25 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 continuing hen AMERICAN WIGEON and 3 Barrow’s Goldeneyes (1 pair plus 1 immature male), Winslow Park, Freeport, 2/26.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

We’re only two weeks away from the start of our 19th season! Free and open to the public, we welcome Zane Baker back for his record 7th season as Official Counter. 9-5 every day, weather permitting. More information and a link to counts can be found here.

Upcoming Tours:

  1. Woodcocks Gone Wild: Saturday, March 29th.  Registration and more information is here.

This Week’s Highlights, 5/4– 5/10/2024

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This Ovenbird on our property paused for a moment as it enjoyed a snack it pulled from the leaf litter.

The migratory floodgates really opened this week, as expected, with the diversity of Neotropical migrants increasing dramatically. Days like the 7th and 8th are truly special, but any day birding – especially in May! – yields its own rewards. My observations of note over the past seven days also included:

  • 10 species of warblers (FOY) led by ~40 Yellow-rumped Warblers and 25+ Black-and-white Warblers, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/6 (with Jeannette).
  • 15 species of warblers (FOY) led by 100+ Yellow-rumped Warblers and 13 Black-and-white Warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/7.
  • 1 continuing TRICOLORED HERON (FOY), Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 5/7.
  • 15 species of warblers led by 50+ Yellow-rumped Warblers and 15-20 Black-throated Green Warblers, our property in Durham, 5/8.
  • 15 species of warblers led by 35+ Yellow-rumped Warblers and 20+ Black-and-white Warblers, our property in Durham, 5/10.

As is typical of early May, new arrivals were the headliners of most days of birding. Additional personal first-of-years this week also included:

  • 1 Yellow Warbler, Hidden Pond Preserve, Freeport (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • ~40 Chimney Swifts, over downtown Portland at dusk, 5/4 (with Jeannette).
  • 4+ Common Terns, Curtis Farm Preserve, Harpswell, 5/5 (with Harpswell Heritage Land Trust birdwalk group).
  • 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird, our property in Durham, 5/6.
  • 1 Cape May Warbler, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/6 (with Jeannette).
  • 5 Common Yellowthroats, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/6 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Solitary Sandpiper, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/6 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler, our property in Durham, 5/6.
  • 1 YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (a little early), Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/6 (with Jeannette).
  • 3 Least Flycatchers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/7.
  • 3 Magnolia Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/7.
  • 2 American Redstarts, Florida Lake Park, 5/7.
  • 1 Scarlet Tanager, Florida Lake Park, 5/7.
  • 1 Veery, Florida Lake Park, 5/7.
  • 1 Blackburnian Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/7.
  • Since I had not been in Scarborough Marsh in a few weeks, a number of personal first-of-years on 5/7 for me that have been present for a while now included Lesser Yellowlegs, Glossy Ibis, Willet, and Least Sandpiper, while more recent arrivals included 1 Least Tern (Pelreco Marsh) and 1 Spotted Sandpiper (Pelreco Marsh).
  • 1 Warbling Vireo, our property in Durham, 5/8.
  • 1 Wilson’s Warbler, our property in Durham, 5/8.
  • 2 Bobolinks, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 5/9 (with Dan Nickerson).
  • 3 Prairie Warblers, Bowdoin Sand Plain, Brunswick Landing, 5/9 (with Dan Nickerson).
  • 1 Canada Warbler, our property in Durham, 5/10.
  • 1 Lincoln’s Sparrow, our property in Durham, 5/10.

TOURS AND EVENTS:

Nothing like the splash of color from a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak at the feeding station to brighten a gray day in the backyard.

This Week’s Highlights, 5/13– 5/19, 2023

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I haven’t been carrying my camera much, and with only one working arm still, my photography has not been very successful. But this Gray Catbird posed nicely for me at Hinckley Park on the 19th.

I had a very busy week of programming, with two tours and some private guiding. With limited free time in between, I made the most of it with some excellent morning outings. Highlights included lots of migrants and more new arrivals, as well as uncommon local breeding birds.

My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 16 species of warblers led by 15+ American Redstarts and 10+ Black-and-white Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/14 (with Down East Adventures Spring Songbird Workshop tour group).
  • Unknown number in a small group of calling Red Crossbills, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/14 (with Down East Adventures Spring Songbird Workshop tour group).
  • 1 pair SANDHILL CRANES, 3 YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS, 1 LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, and 1 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/15 (with Jeannette.  That was a great morning!)
  • 30-40 Long-tailed Ducks, Stover’s Cove Preserve, Harpswell, 5/18 (with Harpswell Heritage Land Trust tour group).
  • 19 species of warblers, led by 14 American Redstarts and 9 Black-and-white Warblers, but also including 5+ Tennessee Warblers, etc, Hinckley Park, South Portland, 5/19. My best warbler morning of the season so far.
  • 4 Red Crossbills, Hinckley Park, 5/19.

My personal FOY’s this week once again included a mix of “they’ve been around for a while but I haven’t been in the habitat,” regular and on-time arrivals, a few species that have been slow to arrive given our abnormal spring weather pattern, and even an oddly early arrival or two.

  • 4 Magnolia Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/13 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, Florida Lake Park, 5/13 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group. Exceptionally early; likely my earliest record by at least several days if not over a week).
  • 1 Lincoln’s Sparrow, Florida Lake Park, 5/13 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Blackburnian Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/13 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 3 Red-eyed Vireos, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/14 (with Down East Adventures Spring Songbird Workshop tour group).
  • 2 Tennessee Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/14 (with Down East Adventures Spring Songbird Workshop tour group).
  • 1 Cape May Warbler, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 5/14.
  • 1 House Wren, Hidden Pond Preserve, Freeport, 5/16 (with clients from Maine).
  • 1 male Indigo Bunting, our feeders in Durham, 5/17.
  • 10+ Bobolinks, Old Brunswick Road, Durham, 5/18.
  • 8 Blackpoll Warblers, Hinckley Park, 5/19.
  • 3 Swainson’s Thrushes, Hinckley Park, 5/19.
  • 1 Black-billed Cuckoo, Hinckley Park, 5/19.

TOURS AND EVENTS:

This Week’s Highlights, 4/15-21/2023

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For the third week of April, this is not a very impressive report – especially in terms of new arrivals! However, we were in Boston for three days cheering on Jeannette in the Boston Marathon (she did great…Go Jeannette!) and well, now I have frozen shoulder. So, field time remains woefully limited.  Nonetheless, I had some observations of note (in Maine) over the past seven days:

  • ~40 Yellow-rumped Warblers (FOY), 40+ Palm Warblers, 8 Pine Warblers, etc, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/15 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 3 EVENING GROSBEAKS, our feeders in Durham, 4/19-20.

My other personal FOY’s this week also included:

  • 2 Swamp Sparrows (FOS), Florida Lake Park, 4/15 (with Saturday Morning birdwalk group).
  • 1 Pied-billed Grebe, Morgan Meadow WMA, 4/21
  • 1 LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, Morgan Meadow WMA, 4/21.
  • 1 Broad-winged Hawk, over I-295, Yarmouth, 4/21 (with Jeannette. Finally! I have really been missing spending time at the Brad!)

TOURS AND EVENTS:

Next weekend (April 29-30) is the 13th Annual Feathers Over Freeport that we sponsor with public and private partners at Bradbury Mountain and Wolfes Neck Woods State Parks. We have a full slate of events all day, each day once again, plus a Thursday night (4/27) kick-off presentation at Patagonia in Freeport!

The entire schedule and more information can be found here. All events are free with park admission.

This Week’s Highlights, May 21-27,2022 (including 3 days on Monhegan)

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This Sandhill Crane was more than a little shocking as it arrived on the island and flew right over several us eating lunch before landing on the shoreline. It was a most unexpected “island-bird” for me,
and a real special treat for my client.

If I was going to top last week’s spectacular week of migration, it was going to require a visit to Monhegan. And Monhegan definitely delivered, even if the largest number of birds this week moved over the weekend, before I arrived on the island. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.

  • 17 species of warblers, led by 16 Common Yellowthroats and 9 American Redstarts, but also including 5 Bay-breasted Warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/21 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (FOY), Florida Lake Park, 5/21 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 15 species of warblers, led by 11 Common Yellowthroats and 8 Yellow-rumped Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/22 (with clients from Maine).
  • 10 Common Nighthawks (FOY), our yard in Pownal, 5/22.
  • ~40 Short-billed Dowitchers, flying high over our Pownal yard on 5/22 (with Jeannette). Interestingly, the third record for our yard of high spring migrants.

Three days on Monhegan with a client from India on 5/23 through 5/25 yielded 91 species and 18 species of warblers.  Monday was incredible, with lots of diversity, lots of quality, and just incredible looks at everything. Blackpoll Warblers were by far the dominant migrant each day, as expected. Here are our daily highlights:

5/23:

  • 1 SANDHILL CRANE – I almost dropped my hand pie as this came cruising over the Trailing Yew, circled the meadow, and landed on the shoreline at a tidepool where observed by almost everyone on the island – birders and bird-curious alike.  Photos above.
  • 1 immature, I believe continuing, BROAD-WINGED HAWK.
  • 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo (FOY)
  • At least 4-5 Black-billed Cuckoos, including this incredible observation of such normally shy birds!
  • 1 imm. male ORCHARD ORIOLE
  • 1 EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL (FOY, and a self-found island bird from my bedroom!)

5/24:

  • 1 continuing SANDHILL CRANE. In the meadow in early morning before reportedly being observed later flying toward the mainland.
  • 1 imm. male Orchard Oriole
  • 1 continuing EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL (with client, Kristen Lindquist, Bill Thompson, and Jess Bishop).
  • 1 leucistic (and nearly pure-white but with normal bare parts) Herring Gull.

    5/25:
  • 1 female ORCHARD ORIOLE
  • 1 Green Heron (FOY)
  • 1 Wood Thrush

Our first pelagic with our partners Cap’n Fish’s Cruises out of Boothbay Harbor will run on Monday, June 6th. It includes a visit to Eastern Egg Rock and chumming deeper offshore.  Info here: https://www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com/pelagics

I found a Northern Parula building a nest at Florida Lake Park last week, and was enthralled
with watching its progression.

This Week’s Highlights, May 7 – May 12, 2022.

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This stunning Prothonotary Warbler headlined my best warbler day of the spring so far when I found it at Florida Lake Park early in the morning on the 12th. Details below. This photo does not do the Swamp Canary justice!

It was another slow week of migration. This week, high pressure dominated, and a northerly to easterly flow continued essentially unabated from Saturday through Thursday.  Winds were at least light enough at night that some birds fought the unfavorable conditions and “new” birds arrived almost every day, just never in large numbers. But it remains slim pickings, especially at migrant traps this week. Even on Thursday morning (more calm winds overnight allowed a few more birds to proceed) – my best day of the spring so far – numbers at Florida Lake were still very low for the date. The quality more than made up for it, however!

My observations of note over the past six days included:

  • 10 species of warblers in one place for the first time this spring – finally – but led by only 14 Yellow-rumped Warblers and 8 Black-and-white Warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/7 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1-2 continuing Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, private property in Durham, 5/9 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 continuing Louisiana Waterthrush, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/11.
  • 1 PROTHONOTARY WARBLER among 15 species of warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/12, led by ~25 Yellow-rumped Warblers and 9+ Black-and-white Warblers. The PROW was my 169th all-time species at the park!  I first found it along the base of the long dike at the north edge of the pond, as it belted out a song within about 8-10 feet from me. Foraging in low shrubs along the pond edge, in perfect light, I was of course without my camera. I did get some identifiable video and a recording of the song with my phone, before taking off in a sprint to the parking lot. I returned with my camera and eventually refound the bird when it sang again from the small wooded island in the lake (photo above), just as Noah Gibb arrived. It then flew right past me as it disappeared into the woods. It reappeared a short while later on the island and was seen by several more people. I am still kicking myself, however, for leaving the camera in the car when it was so close.  Such a stunning bird deserves a better photo.
If the owlet is asleep and doesn’t know you are even there, you are a safe distance away!
Great Horned Owl chick at an undisclosed location.

And my list of personal “first of years” this week also included the following:

  • 1 Veery, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/7 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Nashville Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/7 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/7 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Lincoln’s Sparrow, Florida Lake Park, 5/7 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Northern Waterthrush, Florida Lake Park, 5/7 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Baltimore Oriole, our yard in Pownal, 5/7.
  • 1 Yellow Warbler, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 5/8.
  • 4 Common Terns, Wharton Point, 5/8.
  • 1 Great-crested Flycatcher, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 5/8.
  • 4 Warbling Vireos, Green Point WMA, Dresden, 5/9 (with Jeannette).
  • 3 Least Flycatchers, Green Point WMA, 5/9 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Eastern Kingbird, Green Point WMA, 5/9 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Spotted Sandpiper, Green Point WMA, 5/9 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, private property in Durham, 5/9 (with Jeannette).
  • 2 Blackburnian Warblers, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 5/10.
  • 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/11.
  • 1 Magnolia Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/12.
  • 1 Wilson’s Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/12 (with Noah Gibb).
For much of Tuesday afternoon, it was just me and Hawkwatch Junco at the summit of The Brad.

This Week’s Highlights, April 23-29, 2022.

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Palm Warblers were on the move this week, although concentrations remain low.

Persistent winds from unfavorable directions precluded a big push of migrants this week, but the season is slowly progressing. There were a couple of decent nights of migration this week, on Sunday and Monday nights. My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (FOY), our yard in Pownal, 4/23.
  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cape Elizabeth Greenbelt Trail, 4/25 (with Jeannette).
  • 40 Purple Sandpipers, Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth, 4/25 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, private property in Durham, 4/27.
  • 2 pairs of Gadwall, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 4/29.

And my list of personal “first of years” this week also included the following:

  • 1 Laughing Gull, Winslow Park, Freeport, 4/23 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 House Wren, here at the store, 4/23.
  • 1 early CLIFF SWALLOW, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 4/23.
  • 1 Blue-headed Vireo, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/24.
  • 1 RUSTY BLACKBIRD, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/29.
  • 1 Willet, Dunstan Landing, Scarborough Marsh, 4/29.
  • 1 LITTLE BLUE HERON, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 4/29.

And don’t forget, this weekend is Feathers Over Freeport! With the weather of the past three days in particular, it should be a great weekend for migrants!

Carolina Wren from the Saco Riverwalk on Sunday.

Derek’s Birding This Week, 5/8-14/2021

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It’s warbler season! This obliging Northern Parula was in the canopy surrounding the
Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch on May 14th. You know the hawkwatching season is coming to a close when there are more species of warblers around the summit than migrant hawks tallied overhead!

My highlights over the past seven days included the following:

  • 12 species of warblers led by 40-60 Yellow-rumped Warblers and 10 Black-and-white Warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk Group).
  • 17 species of warblers, led by 30+ Yellow-rumped and 9 Common Yellowthroats, Florida Lake Park, 5/11.
  • 1 Rusty Blackbird continues at Florida Lake Park through week’s end; regular in early May here.
  • 1 Warbling Vireo, our yard in Pownal, 5/14 (Yard Bird #131!)
  • 18 species of warblers led by 40+ Yellow-rumped and 19 Common Yellowthroats, Florida Lake Park, 5/14.
  • 1 Evening Grosbeak (with Noah Gibb) and 4 Lesser Yellowlegs (my 164th Patch Bird here!), Florida Lake Park, 5/14.

It’s on! My personal first-of-years and new spring arrivals included:

  • 1 Magnolia Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 American Redstart, Florida Lake Park, 5/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Least Flycatcher, Florida Lake Park, 5/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Lincoln’s Sparrow, Garcelon Bog Conservation Area, Lewiston, 5/9.
  • 2 Bank Swallows, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, Pownal, 5/9.
  • 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, here at the store, 5/9.
  • 1 Great-crested Flycatcher, Florida Lake Park, 5/10.
  • 1 Solitary Sandpiper, Florida Lake Park, 5/10.
  • 14 American Pipits, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 5/10.
  • 1 Eastern Kingbird, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 5/10.
  • 1 Spotted Sandpiper, Florida Lake Park, 5/11.
  • 1 Wilson’s Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/11.
  • 1 Blackpoll Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/11.
  • 1 “WESTERN” Palm Warbler – rare but fairly regular in spring, Florida Lake Park, 5/11.
  • 2 Prairie Warblers, Hidden Pond Preserve, Freeport, 5/11.
  • 1 Swainson’s Thrush, Hedgehog Mountain Park, Freeport, 5/12.
  • 3 Bobolinks, Hedgehog Mountain Park, 5/12.
  • 1 Wood Thrush, Florida Lake Park, 5/14.
  • 2 Canada Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/14.
  • 2 Cape May Warblers, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 5/14.