Tag Archives: food

2025 Down East Adventures Tours and Trip Reports

1. Winter Waterbirds Workshop

~~February 9, 2025; 9:00am – 4:00pm~~ Cancelled due to multiple snowstorms!

Winter is a wonderful time for birding in Maine – at least when you are dressed appropriately! Colorful seaducks that breed in the high Arctic grace our shorelines – including all three scoter species and dapper Long-tailed Ducks, along with everyone’s favorite: striking Harlequin Ducks. Purple Sandpipers and Great Cormorants replace our summertime shoreline denizens. And if the winds are right, very sought-after alcids – including Dovekies and Thick-billed Murres – join our regular Black Guillemots and Razorbills. Black-legged Kittiwakes, Northern Gannets, and “white-winged” gulls add to the mix. In this workshop, we’ll hit a few of the prime viewing locations along Maine’s southern coast. But we won’t just be working on the checklist today. Instead, we’ll be focused on learning how to search for these birds – the how, when, and why – and how to identify them. We’ll learn about microhabitats, weather considerations, and seasonal timing to aid our search today and in the future. By visiting several seasonally-productive sites, we’ll compare similar species while taking time to savor the splashes of color offered by winter seaducks in an otherwise gray and white landscape.

To get an idea of what you may see when the tour returns in the winter of 2026, see the 2024 and 2023 trip reports.

2024 Down East Adventures Birding Tour Reports

2. Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop

May 4, 2025; 7:00 – 11:00am

*This Northern Parula was one of many ultra-cooperative warblers today. This was one of 10 parulas in a single cluster of willows on the shoreline of Capsic Pond Park during our 20205 workshop.*

Spirits seemed low when we met in such dense fog, but I was even more excited to explore the environs of Portland migrant traps, beginning with Evergreen Cemetery. After a slow start, with few warblers overhead in the Morning Flight, we encountered several very productive pockets of activity, including a great diversity of warblers. Many were down low, too, with just fantastic looks at species such as Yellow, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Nashville, and Black-and-white Warblers, along with great looks at Veeries and Least Flycatchers. A “herd” of about 75-100 White-throated Sparrows marched through the forest understory, and we stalked a Black-crowned Night-Heron and spotted a Merlin among many other species today.

Evergreen was good, but nearby Capisic Pond Park was just great! While there were fewer warblers in both quantity and diversity, the cool, drippy morning conditions kept everyone even lower here. We began with 10 Northern Parulas at eye level all around us in a blooming willow (photo above), had great looks at a Prairie Warbler, listened to Northern Waterthrushes, and marveled at Baltimore Orioles.

We then discussed the overnight migration and how the radar images suggested what we would see and not see today, and how the “poor” weather produced such great birding. In the end, we tallied a very respectable-for-the-date 15 species of warblers! Although the list was not the priority as usual in these workshops, it’s hard not to get excited about the diversity of warblers now arriving. While Northern Parula was our most abundant warbler today, the total warbler list – in very rough order of abundance- also included Black-and-white,Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Blue, Ovenbird, Magnolia, Chesnut-sided, Yellow, Nashville, Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Green, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, Pine, and the aforementioned Prairie. More importantly, perhaps, we worked on building our skills of recognizing each species and family so that our birding will be better and more successful on our own next time.

3. Shorebird Workshop

August 18, 2025; 8:00am – 4:00pm

*This juvenile Piping Plover was one of 12 species of shorebirds we had the chance to really study on our*
*Shorebird Workshop tour.*

Could we have had more of a perfect day? Temperatures topping out in the mid-70’s, a light breeze in the afternoon, and clear skies – considering the rain of early summer and the recent extreme heat, we could not have asked for better. And then we saw thousands of shorebirds!

With more than 35 species of shorebirds regularly appearing in Maine, this workshop was designed to appreciate the diversity and beauty of this fascinating family. We hit some of the marshes, beaches, and rocky roosts that shorebirds prefer at the peak of their migration. We focused on comparative experience, learning how to recognize each species both near and far. Starting with the basics, such as plover vs. sandpiper, we’ll work our way up to the identification quandaries such as the “peeps” and lone yellowlegs. We worked through species by species as we developed a “toolkit” to approach shorebird identification on your own, using a combination of habitat, shape, size, structure, behavior, and plumage to identify this wonderfully diverse and attractive group of birds.

By day’s end we tallied a decent 12 (and a half!) species of shorebirds, a little short of our unofficial goal of 15. We did see a couple of rarities but were also dogged by Peregrine Falcons and Para-gliders causing birds to disperse and/or take cover. But we had plenty of chances to study a nice array of species, often side-by side.

Beginning at Biddeford Pool Beach, we started with the basics and enjoyed watching Ruddy Turnstones bulldoze their way into the wrack line and picking out White-rumped Sandpipers from a mass of Semipalmated Sandpipers. A Baird’s Sandpiper at Great Pond was one of our most notable birds of the day, and not where we expected it.

At Hill’s Beach, there was a lot of disturbance today, but we had some good opportunities to study Piping vs Semipalmated Plovers, Sanderlings, spiffy Short-billed Dowitchers, and more. We then shifted to the Pool, where we studied silhouettes and practiced distant shorebird using mostly general impression of size and shape. It was here that we had our largest numbers of the day, with an estimate of 1600 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 300 Semipalmated Plovers, and 163 Black-bellied Plovers leading the way.

*Near or far, good light or bad, the general impression of size and shape, behavior, and more can be applied to identify shorebirds more readily than little nuances in some color or pattern.*

After our lunch break, we returned north to Scarborough Marsh, where I would usually start the workshop, but with very low water in the upper salt pannes due to the drought, we shifted the itinerary. But the incoming tide at Pine Point did not disappoint! We had some close studies of more Short-billed Dowitchers and better views of Black-bellied Plovers, and about 1200 Semipalmated Sandpipers were present. However, as they moved close and concentrated, a Peregrine Falcon came tearing in, flushing most of the birds. Then, it made a sudden burst of speed and a hard turn and before we knew it, there was one less Semipalmated Plover on the mudflat. While it was poor timing for our shorebirds workshop (let alone for that one particular plover!), it was an awesome show (well, for us anyway) and one that will not soon be forgotten.

Some birds finally returned to the mudflat, when a large (for the date) flock of Willets flew in, making their usual grand entrance. We were able to put our advanced shorebirds ID skills to work with the bigger, lankier, grayer one that we soon identified as a rare in Maine “Western” subspecies of Willet. It might have been beyond today’s goals, but it was a great lesson in using comparative tools.

A couple of upper marsh stops finally gave us a good, close comparison between Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, and a Lesser Yellowlegs that was close enough to study and enjoy, bringing a productive and successful day to a close.

4. Monhegan Birding Workshop

September 12-14, 2025

Our final Downeast Adventures birding workshop tour of 2025 spent 3 delightful days on Monhegan Island. Weather, geography, habitat, and migration ecology all combine to produce some remarkable birding opportunities at this special place. And even when it’s “slow” by lofty Monhegan standards, lots of learning experiences and workshopping opportunities would be at hand, often right out the front door of our hotel. Oh yeah, the food is sooo good, too!

As per the plan, we hit the ground running shortly after our arrival on the island. It took us an hour and 45 minutes to walk the ½ mile or so to our hotel as we encountered quite a few migrants, especially at my favorite starting spot along Wharf Road. We jumped head-first into aging and sexing fall warblers thanks to 3 different plumages exemplified by a trio of Cape May Warblers. American Redstarts, Northern Parulas, Yellow Warbler, and more introduced us to what birding Monhegan in the fall is all about.

By the time we reconvened after a lunch break, the insanely gorgeous weather with bright sun and very little breeze encouraged birds to take to the shadows. A sky constantly abuzz with Merlins didn’t help either, although we enjoyed it. While passerine activity had slowed dramatically, we enjoyed a light hawk migration with a couple of Northern Harriers and a few American Kestrels, while the Merlins and 1-2 Sharp-shinned Hawks further diminished the activity in the trees and shrubs. We took the time to visit the east side of the island, sample the different habitat types of the island, and discuss food plants for birds and native insects. The butterfly, dragonfly, and insect-watching was excellent on this unseasonably warm afternoon, and we worked on learning the connection between birding and bird habitat.

On Saturday morning, we learned why there were so many birds around Friday morning, but few in the air at sunrise. But there were definitely “new” birds around, suggesting at least a light arrival of birds overnight had occurred, including two vociferous Dickcissels. I made the decision to try and track down a Blue Grosbeak that had just been reported, but unfortunately, it did not wait for us. We did have an immature male Orchard Oriole, however, which was a treat, and we spent more time studying Cape May Warbler plumages.

On such gorgeous days, a lot of newly-arrived migrants simply depart the island as part of their morning redetermined migration flights (yes, we discussed this more thoroughly among many topics of avian and general ecology discussed throughout the weekend). In fact, the second half of our morning was very slow, but we did enjoy a couple of adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and we kicked up a very uncommon Marsh Wren. But warblers were few, and Merlins remained a’plenty. Red-breasted Nuthatches were very abundant however – demonstrating what an irruption looks like, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were unusually widespread for the date.

*We filled the time between birds looking at all other walks of life. American Dagger Moths caterpillars were particularly plentiful.*

The afternoon was spent with a couple of impromptu workshops, such as an introduction to gull identification as I attempted to enlighten the group about how manageable it is to understand the basics of this group of fascinating species. The avian highlight, however, was the thrilling chase of a Solitary Sandpiper by two Merlins right over our heads! The Merlins would gain some height, dive, and close the distance, only for the sandpiper to take another evasive maneuver. The sandpiper tried to gain elevation to stay above the diving Merlins, but they were getting closer! Then, the sandpiper made one quick turn, ascended, and took off to the north, leaving the hungry Merlins to mosey back down to the treeline to see if the marsh had something much slower to offer. We bid the sandpiper farewell and good luck as we thanked the Merlins for a most entertaining performance!

It was another very light migration overnight Saturday into Sunday, but unlike the previous day, we hit a wonderful early-morning wave. One sunny edge captivated us until it was time to hustle back for breakfast: Several American Redstarts, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped Chickadees, Common Yellowthroats, and Norther Parulas had joined together, punctuated by repeated views of a most cooperative Least Flycatcher. Every time we tried to move long, a new species appeared. A fly-over Greater Yellowlegs. A flycatching Eastern Wood-Pewee. And finally, a Brown Thrasher that popped out right in front of us.

I was thrilled to have this sample of “what Monhegan can be like” at this season for those who fought the urge to stay in bed. Post-breakfast was once again much slower, but we hit a few pockets of birds, as well a finding a Mourning Warbler which is always fun – and challenging – in fall migration. We watched and listened to territorial Carolina Wrens in a double-duet song battle, encountered a flock of 4-6 Red-eyed Vireos working on Fall Webworms, and spent more quality time with the island’s once-again-ubiquitous Ring-necked Pheasants. And of course, we made time to sample the stunning Acadian Forest habitat of the island’s interior and to take in the view from the lighthouse.

Another delicious lunch and then a slow meander to the ferry brought our visit to a close. On the ferry ride back, a few more Northern Gannets were seen, and plans to return to this extraordinary island were already in the works!

(2026 Birding Tours with Down East Adventures will be posted soon!)

Are There Actually Fewer Birds at Feeders in the Winter of 2023-24?

2 Replies

Using our Durham yard as a case study, I wanted to check to see if there were indeed fewer birds this winter than last year, as some (but no longer a majority) of folks have continued to mention to us at the store.

Stuck at home last winter while recovering from shoulder surgery, our feeding station provided my primary source of entertainment. I occupied my time with mugs of tea and enjoying the activity, and occupied my mind with figuring our exact counts, keeping tallies, and watching behavior closely. I wrote about my counts and observations in a pair of blogs, the first one is here, and the second one is here.

This past fall, everyone saw a very slow fall at feeders in Maine, and throughout the East, as discussed here. That was changing for a lot of people – but not all, by December, which I talked about in this follow-up blog.

In January, a series of strong storms, unseasonable heavy rain and flooding, a few cold spells, and eventually, by month’s end, solid snowcover helped change the narrative. Winter food resources were being consumed, ground-feeders were being forced out of the woods, finches were moving about, and so on. Furthermore, I believe that those strong storms knocked a lot of cones – especially those of Eastern White Pine – to the ground where they were subsequently consumed and/or buried.

At least here at our feeders in Durham, a slow start to the winter was a thing of the past, as we were filling almost all of our feeders daily by the end of January. Some impressive tallies included over 70 American Goldfinches and over 50 Dark-eyed Juncos at the end of the month.

American Goldfinches have been absolutely ravaging Nyjer at our home this winter. Fresh Nyjer makes all of the difference!

While some factors remain true from the fall – an abundance of natural food overall, relatively limited snowcover, low movement of irruptive species, etc – clearly most people were reporting to the store that things were “back to normal” or “tons of birds all of the sudden,” and so on. Our seed sales more than doubled by the end of January from what they were at the beginning of the month (by overall poundage).

Just how “normal” have things returned to, and what anomalies are out there? While our home in Durham is only two years old, and we’re a long way away from baseline data or long-term averages, we can at least compare February of 2024 to February of 2023. And since I had nothing better to do last winter, I already had some data to compare to.

So, for the last 10 days (not including the two that we were out of town for), I have once again returned to the window for dedicated sessions of feeder-watching and counting. Like last year, I used the standard methodology of using “high counts” (maximum number of individuals seen at any one time, unless they were readily identifiable as being different), and I was sure to count for at least one hour a day each day.

February 5 – February 15 (minus 2/12 and 2/13).

*Species*	Average per day 2023	Average per day 2024	Difference
Wild Turkey	0.2	0	-0.2
Mourning Dove	13.5	26.5	+13
Sharp-shinned Hawk	0.4	0.2	-0.2
American Goshawk	0	0.1	+0.1
Red-bellied Woodpecker	1	1	Same
Downy Woodpecker	2.4	2.9	+.5
Hairy Woodpecker	2	2	Same
Pileated Woodpecker	1	0.1	-0.9
Blue Jay	7.8	3.0	-4.8
American Crow	0.7	0	-0.7
Black-capped Chickadee	7.4	2.9	-4.5
Tufted Titmouse	4	3	-1
White-breasted Nuthatch	2	1.4	-0.6
Red-breasted Nuthatch	0.7	0	-0.7
Brown Creeper	0.4	0	-0.4
Carolina Wren	0.9	1	+0.1
European Starling	1.1	2.7	+1.6
Eastern Bluebird	4.4	3	-1.1
House Finch	2.1	0	-2.1
Purple Finch	0.5	0.3	-0.2
Pine Siskin	0	0.2	+0.2
American Goldfinch	26.6	46.8	+20.2
American Tree Sparrow	8.0	4.2	-3.8
Dark-eyed Junco	16.6	30.3	+13.7
White-throated Sparrow	2	2.3	+0.3
Song Sparrow	0	0.9	+0.9
Northern Cardinal	5.2	3.8	-1.4
Total individuals/day	110.9	138.6	+27.7

*Addendum: I guess I should have continued the study for a few more days! By 2/17, we had a whopping 72 Dark-eyed Juncos and an increase to 13 American Tree Sparrows, and by the next day,
the American Goldfinch flock returned to well over 60 birds!*

Every year is different, and every yard is different. Controlling here for time and place, we can make some comparisons however. It was much colder in this period last year, with an average morning low of 19.6. This year, the average morning low for the ten days was 23.9 and there is a lot less snow on the ground, even after the fresh inch and a half Friday morning; there were three light snowfall events during the “study period” last year.

Clearly, there are plenty of birds at our feeders at least! And, contrary to conventional wisdom, we actually have more birds overall than last year! The dearth of feeder birds from the fall is no longer true for us. Similar conclusions can be reached from comparing data on our feeder birds at the store, and from conversations with friends and customers. Therefore, I believe the overall pattern fits what many are observing throughout the area.

As discussed in the aforementioned feeder blogs from the fall, Black-capped Chickadees are in low numbers. I saw 4.5 fewer per day at the feeders than last year. This goes with the idea that our local residents were not augmented by irruptives from points north, but also suggests that they did not have a great breeding season. Same for Red-breasted Nuthatch and Blue Jays.

But native sparrows are in larger numbers than last year, especially Dark-eyed Juncos (and elsewhere, like our store, significantly more White-throated Sparrows with a new winter record of 24 on 2/16). My guess is because the mild fall, abundant seeds from a productive growing season, and benign start to the winter kept those around to be pushed to feeders as the season wore on.

And yes, there are indeed a lot of goldfinches around! But very few other finches – at least at feeders. I am not sure where these European Starlings came from, however, and I’m not overly pleased by it!

Raptors are another part of the equation. This time last year, we had more consistent presence from two different Sharp-shinned Hawks. This winter, we only recently confirmed the presence of a single Sharp-shinned Hawk (seen on 2/15 and 2/16, but she likely took a Mourning Dove on the 14^th). There was also an all-too brief fly-through of an immature American Goshawk on the 6^th. Also this winter, a Red-tailed Hawk has been more frequent around the feeding station, but its focus is primarily the squirrels and voles. So we’ve had enough native predator presence both years that it shouldn’t be a huge factor in comparing feeder counts.

There you have it. 2024 does not have fewer birds at feeders compared to the same period in 2023, at least not in our yard as a single case study. With continued improvement of our yard’s habitat (most of which was put on hold this year due to my shoulder issues) planned, we would hopefully be increasing our yard’s carrying capacity, as feeders remain only a supplement and a relatively small percentage of a bird’s diet, even in the depths of winter.

Next winter, we also might not find a single Eastern White Pine cone in the entire state, and a lot fewer Red Oak acorns and Balsam Fir cones. And if that’s true to our north, perhaps this will increase the amount of irruptives around the area. But we’ll see! And maybe I’ll repeat this exercise next year, if I can force myself to sit still long enough!

Last winter, we had a male Red-bellied Woodpecker nearly every day, while this winter it has only been this female. We hope they find each other!

2023 Down East Adventures Birding Tours.

5 Replies

Freeport Wild Bird Supply is very excited to partner with Down East Magazine’s Down East Adventures for our third year. In 2023, we are expanding our offerings to include two exclusive overnight trips, along with our popular ½- and whole-day targeted workshops. Focused on skill-builder rather than list-building, there will be plenty of “life birds,” but also more knowledge and education about birds, habitats, birding, and much more about the natural world.

The full list of upcoming tours can be found here. At the conclusion of each tour, I’ll post the trip report here.

Winter Waterbirds Workshop, January 15.

This Purple Sandpiper was about as cooperative as it gets for us at Sohier Park in York. Later, it was joined by its friends (photo below). This is really a lovely shorebird when viewed as well and as close as we experienced.

Extremely strong winds and very high seas presented a challenge as we sought out wintering waterbirds along the southern York County Coast. We worked hard to find sheltered water where we could observe birds well, but when we did find that secluded cove, peninsula lee, or rivermouth, we were treated to incredible looks at many of the birds we had hoped for.

We looked down on Red-breasted Mergansers at Perkin’s Cove, and you’ll never be closer to a Common Loon than we were at the Ogunquit Rivermouth. We checked a few more locations than I usually need to on this tour, but our most productive spot was the southern shoreline of Sohier Park at The Nubble. There, we were treated to close views of Black and White-winged Scoters, Harlequin Ducks, and a most-cooperative flock of Purple Sandpipers. We then ended the day at hidden Abbott’s Pond, where we enjoyed a break for the wind, close comparisons to study details between Mallards, American Black Ducks, and hybrids thereof.

Meanwhile, a group of 8 or so Black-legged Kittiwakes were feeding off of Short Sands Beach, and a stunning adult Iceland Gull passed by at The Nubble. Unfortunately, the seas were just a little too rough to find any alcids today, but we knew they were out there!

Spring Migrant Songbirds Workshop, May 14.

This stunning Blackburnian Warbler nicely demonstrated the value of blooming oak trees for seeing warblers in the middle of May.

Four hours later we had not left Evergreen Cemetery in Portland…a very good sign. There was just no need to move along, the birds kept coming to us. In the end we tallied a respectable 16 species of warblers, even though growing a list was not our goal. What made this workshop successful, however, was how well we saw just about all of the warblers and other songbird migrants throughout the morning.

Warblers were a highlight of course, including repeated quality time with favorites such as American Redstart and Black-and-white Warblers, the two most plentiful migrants this morning. We also enjoyed great looks at several Chestnut-sided Warblers, Magnolia Warblers, and Northern Parulas, with fantastic studies of Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Yellow Warbler, and Wilson’s Warbler. We also saw two newly-arrived Tennessee Warblers which aren’t always easy to get looks at. There was a good amount of song this morning, so we had chances to listen and learn many of these species as well.

Shortly after hearing a Red-eyed Vireo and my describing it as “high up and often hard to see,” we found one in the lower branches of a nearby oak, and watched it sing, forage, and do all things vireo for almost 10 minutes! Likewise, after hearing distant Ovenbirds, we had two walking around right in front of us! Beginning with a view of a Veery on the ground in the open, we saw it again as the walk ended, only a few feet in front of us for another great view and chance to observe and study.

During the morning, we chatted about migration, habitat, and the process of building the necessary toolkit to build birding skills. Finishing the walk with a quick overview of some references (we had too many birds to leave much time for anything more), we recapped a very productive and instructive morning of spring birding.

Rangeley Birding Workshop, June 6-8.

Our first overnight tour together, the Rangeley Birding Workshop was based at Bald Mountain Camps in Oquossoc, nestled on the shore of Mooselookmeguntic Lake. Common Loons greeted us, but so did the rain. June of 2023 was one of the rainiest Junes on record in Maine, and we were very thankful for the wood stoves in each cabin!

Our first morning, 6/7, began at Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary, with lots of singing Blackburnian Warblers. A large flock of Red Crossbills flew over, two Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were heard clearly and then glimpsed, and a variety of common warblers were detected. A confiding pair of Canada Jays was the highlight – as they often are – but even the common warblers were tough to see today, so we focused on practicing our birding by ear skills.

Enjoying our delicious boxed lunches at the Rangeley Waterfront Park, with more Common Loons offshore, we delved into an impromptu gull workshop, using each age class of Ring-billed Gull as an introduction to molt, feather topography, and identification. A 3^rd-cycle Herring Gull kindly dropped in for comparison as well. In inclement weather, we take advantage of whatever learning opportunities the birds are willing to provide!

After lunch, we poked around the Mingo Spring Birding Loop, with good looks at the likes of Least Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, and Dark-eyed Juncos among others. But as rain returned, we called it a day and settled in to dry out in front of our stoves instead of an afternoon of lake-watching from the BMC property. And dinner was absolutely delicious!

Day 2 began with a brief walk around the BMC property (American Redstart, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, etc) followed by a foray over to the famous birding destination of Boy Scout Road, looking to build on the identification toolkit we worked on the previous day. We parked half the cars at one end and then walked the length of the road, birding along the way. But it was rather quiet here too – the ongoing story of June 2023. We did have some more Red Crossbills, a fantastic view -finally – of a Blackburnian Warbler, several Alder Flycatchers, and once again more Canada Jays. But this time, it was a family group of a pair with 2 juveniles in tow!

And then it began to rain. Again. A lot. But I give this group credit – they soldiered on! Of course the rain began in earnest when we were as far from either set of cars as possible, so there wasn’t really a choice, but still, spirits remained high and the birding continued. A pair of Hooded Mergansers, a singing Palm Warbler, and a Spotted Sandpiper were among the last birds of the outing, before the water had penetrated our clothing and it was time to call it a day and hope for better conditions next year!

Shorebirds Workshop, August 10.

The best way to learn shorebirds is to see them in their preferred habitats, feeding, moving, and mixing with other species, such as these Short-billed Dowitchers (a sandpiper) and Semipalmated Plovers here at Hill’s Beach in Biddeford.

An absolutely perfect day of summer weather (finally!) greeted us for this annual favorite outing. And the only thing better than the weather this day was the birding! Recent insane rainfalls have led to very high water in many of our favored high-tide, upper-marsh locales, so we focused on tidal habitats including beaches and mudflats, altering our usual routine from the start.

Beginning in Biddeford Pool, we introduced shorebirds with several Spotted Sandpipers along Ocean Avenue before jumping into the mixed species flock on Biddeford Pool Beach on the outgoing tide. There we estimated over 1,250 Semipalmated Sandpipers and 200 Semipalmated Plovers as we learned the basics of shorebird (sandpiper vs. plover) identification and began to work our way up to teasing out a couple of White-rumped Sandpipers and Ruddy Turnstones from the masses. 2 Killdeer in flight overhead were our only two of the day.

Kicking off our shoes to spend the rest of the morning on the sandflats of Hill’s Beach, we compared a Piping Plover to the many (400+) Semipalmated Plovers and 30 Black-bellied Plovers. A single juvenile Least Sandpiper was out of place on the beach, but offered a perfect opportunity to closely study the differences in shape, size, and overall structure to the 150 or so Semipalmated Sandpipers that were scattered about. 59 Short-billed Dowitchers gave us the chance to really observe shape and feeding styles, practicing identifying these birds both near and far.

Over at The Pool, a distant “Western” Willet joined 7 “Eastern” Willets, as we advanced into subspecific identification just briefly before stopping for lunch as the tide began to roll in.

The afternoon was spent at Scarborough Marsh, where our first two stops offered little (other than a calling Greater Yellowlegs to at least practice our shorebirding by ear) due to the very high water in the salt pannes from the recent rains. Pine Point more than made up for it on the rapidly incoming tide, however, with one heck of a shorebird show: 1500-2000 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 400-500 Semipalmated Plovers, a few more Short-billed Dowitchers and White-rumped Sandpipers, better looks at “Eastern” Willets, and the icing on the cake: a cooperative Whimbrel – our 13^th species of shorebird for the day.

Practicing with our identification tool kit, we tested ourselves on finding the uncommon species among the masses, and took a moment or three to simply sit back and enjoy the show. Now that we know how approachable shorebird identification really is, we can more fully appreciate these most marvelous migrants!

Monhegan Birding Workshop, September 23-25.

Northern Gannets and two Green-winged Teal flying with 6 Surf Scoters from the ferry and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull greeting us upon our arrival seemed like a great sign for what would be a bird- and fun-filled weekend on the Migration Mecca of Monhegan.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the slowest (for both species and diversity) fall weekends I have ever experienced on the island. That being said, a big list wasn’t our goal. It was to learn birds – their ID, their migration ecology, and everything else that makes the island so special for birds and birders. And this is not tour guide spin: a slower day is better for that as we had ample opportunity to view almost everything we encountered, study them, discuss them, and luckily, what the island failed to provide in quantity, it certainly delivered in quality of observations.

On each day, we would find pockets of warblers here and there, but we kept coming back to one particular willow and a nearby thicket that constantly hosted 4-5 Cape May Warblers (photo above), 4 Yellow Warblers, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and a smattering of others. The Cape Mays put on a clinic: all four plumages from pale, 1^st-fall female, to bright and spiffy adult male were on display.

Over the first day and a half, we took what the island offered, besides exceedingly pleasant weather! There was the hen Green-winged Teal feeding within three feet of us, fly-over Rusty Blackbirds in the morning, and Great Cormorants on the cliffs on an afternoon short hike to name a few highlights. The skies were punctuated by the occasional migrant Peregrine Falcon and the constantly-hunting Merlins.

Granted, we were really just looking at birds to fill the time between the incredible meals at the Monhegan House!

On our final morning, a good migration overnight produced a new arrival of birds for the “morning flight;” the concepts and nuances thereof were topics of regular discussion.

The group’s high spirits earned them a great morning, with a taste of what Monhegan birding has to offer. There were American Pipits and Yellow-rumped Warblers in Morning Flight, a flock of 10 truant Bobolinks circling around, an immature male Belted Kingfisher displaying to a very-uninterested female, more Cape May Warblers, and a surprising fly-by Wilson’s Snipe.

At one point we had four juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawks dogfighting, exemplifying the difference in sizes of male vs female raptors. And the workshopping continued with Great and Double-crested Cormorants side-by-side, migrant raptors including several Northern Harriers, and more species before breakfast than we had most of the previous weekend! Speaking of breakfasts, goodness, they were good as well.

We finished up with a gull workshop on the shoreline, opening eyes to just how easy most gulls are most of the time. The advanced course was the fly-by 1^stwinter Lesser Black-backed Gull amongst Herring Gulls on the ferry ride back! And yes, we looked at butterflies, too!

The first of the 2024 Down East Adventures tours are already booking, with more to be announced soon. And since these Down East Tours fill up fast, don’t forget we offer a wide range of other tours, as well as private guiding services.

St. Vincent and St. Lucia (with a quick stop in Barbados), Feb 2016!

4 Replies

23a_edited-2
St. Lucia Parrot.

Awoken by the light and warmth of the sun, I could muster little more than to roll over, push the curtains aside, and look at the tiny brown bird sitting on the fence. My lifer Barbados Bullfinch! Jeannette staggered to the window to glimpse it as well. We then went back to sleep for a couple more hours.

Those extra two hours did little to alleviate our exhaustion, but hey, at least we saw our bullfinch! The only endemic landbird on Barbados (as well as an endemic subspecies of Carib Grackle, which we also saw out the window), this was the reason for our layover here. A layover that was supposed to be 24 hours, including some time to explore and a get a full night’s rest. Instead, we had 10 hours on the island. And by the time we finally got out of bed for real, it was only about 5 hours – and that included getting to and waiting at the airport.

See, our trip from Maine was anything but smooth. During the second half of the Super Bowl, our early am flight from Portland to JFK in New York was cancelled, and everything was re-booked for two full days later. That was not going to work. So Jeannette spent the better part of the half on hold, and eventually getting us on a flight the next afternoon, and rebooking our JFK-Barbados flight.

Jet Blue ostensibly cancelled that early am flight due to weather, but that was complete B.S. There was nothing more than some wet snow at JFK that next morning, and snow didn’t reach Maine until after noon. There would not have been any interference with that 5:20am flight.

But there was a storm coming, so we were worried about our 3:10pm flight out of Portland. Instead of chancing it, we took the 6:30am Concord Trailways bus from New York City (a newer service, under better circumstances, this was actually a very pleasant experience and one we would consider again…especially at only $69 per person each way). 6 hours later, we walked a mile to a subway station for the E train, and took the E to the Airtrain. While on the Airtrain, a text message alerted us to the arrival of our original flight to Barbados. Salt in the wounds. Moments later, the Airtrain was evacuated when someone left a bag on board.

Finally arriving at the airport, we had 8 hours to explore. 8 hours is a lot in an airport terminal. Anyway, at least we were there, and our 9:30 pm flight out of JFK left with only a minor delay, and we were on our way.

We arrived on Barbados at 3:30am, cleared customs, and then got a cab to our Christ Church guesthouse where we were supposed to spend the night. We had alerted them to our delay, but when our cab dropped us off and sped away, no one was to be found. We knocked, and knocked some more, and finally got someone to pick up the phone. We crawled into our room at about 5:00am.

It was about 7:30 when I looked out the window, and by the time we made it outside (sans coffee, so it was really a struggle! And thank goodness we travel with Cliff Bars) we had just little more than an hour to wander. But Barbados Bullfinch was as common and conspicuous as promised, and so were the grackles. And Bananaquits – one of our favorite birds in the world.

A short walk fueled by a Coca-Cola from a little shop provided just a glimpse into the island’s town avifauna, such as zippy Black-faced Grassquits, stunning Green-throated Caribs, and ubiquitous Gray Kingbirds.
1_edited-1 Our Barbados guest house.

1a_edited-1 With bullfinch habitat right out the door.

2a_edited-2 Caribbean Elaenia

2b_edited-2

Barbados Bullfinch.

2c_edited-2 Green-throated Carib.

2d_edited-2 Carib Grackle

3_edited-1 View of Kingstown from Grenadine Hotel.

But before we knew it, we were back at the airport. 40 minutes after departure we were back on the ground – and back on schedule – in St. Vincent, the first of our two primary destinations of our trip. We were kinda awake on the cab ride to our hotel, the Grenadine House, on the outskirts of Kingstown. An early dinner, and then early to bed. It was a much needed night of rest.

Unfortunately, we had another snafu, as our birding guide for the day had to postpone because the truck she was going to be using for the day broke down. Luckily, we had two full days on the island, so we just rescheduled for the next day.

This turned out to work to our advantage, as we awoke to pouring rain in the morning. Once again, we went back to bed.

Finally revived, we took a walk to the nearby botanical gardens. We were finally birding for real (read: awake), and enjoyed reacquainting ourselves with some of the common birds of the region, including Grenada Flycatcher, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, and Scaly-naped Pigeons. And the spiffy all-black St. Vincent race of the Bananaquit – one of our favorite birds just got even better!

The afternoon was spent wandering the markets and shops of Kingstown, adding a few species to our fledgling island list along the waterfront, such as migrant Barn Swallows and resident Brown Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds.
4_edited-1
5_edited-1 Cannonball Tree flower.

6_edited-2 St. Vincent Bananaquit.

6a_edited-2 Gray Kingbird

7_edited-1 St. Vincent Parrot captive breeding program.

8_edited-1

Day 3, 2/11:
Lystra Culzac-Wilson (one of the island’s two birding guides) picked us up early in the morning, and by 6:00 we were already on the trail. Shortly after sunrise, from an overlook, we had spotted our quarry: St. Vincent Parrots! At least 15 in all, with pairs and family groups (pairs plus a youngster from the previous year) squawking from nearby hillsides, flying from ridge to ridge, and feeding in trees across the valley. It was cloudy, and the light was still low, and most of the birds were far, so photography was a challenge.

However, Jeannette managed a couple of shots of a close fly-over, and we did enjoy great views as the birds flew around. Wow. What a bird! (Yeah, I know, our pictures don’t do it justice.)

Moseying along the nearby Vermont Nature Trail, Purple-throated Caribs were our next lifer – big, gorgeous, stunning hummers. The endemic subspecies of House Wren finally showed itself, and we saw regional endemics like Lesser Antillean Bullfinch and Lesser Antillean Tanager for the first time since we visited Grenada 7 years ago.

But the endemic and Endangered Whistling Warbler eluded us, so we were off to the other side of the island to search for it. On some seemingly-random trail (accessed by crossing some farm fields and cattle pasture) in the Montreal area (yes, we traveled from Vermont to Montreal, but had to pass through Mesopotamia to do it!), we hiked up yet more stairs (there are a lot of stairs on trails in St. Vincent, we found) and after quite some effort, Lystra whistled a Whistling Warbler into our vicinity, and after a couple of glimpses, I was treated to a stunning view as this shy little bird popped out in the open for a moment just where I happened to be looking. Unfortunately, Jeannette wasn’t looking in the same exact place, so she only caught a fleeting glimpse. Lystra worked hard for us though.

Our lifer Brown Tremblers a’ trembling were anything but fleeting, as near the bottom of the trail three birds put on quite a show. The “chocolate thrasher-wren” was one of our most-wanted non-endemics (but limited to the Lesser Antilles) of the trip, so it was nice to get a good show.
9_edited-1 9a_edited-2 St. Vincent Parrots!

10_edited-1 11_edited-1

Day 4, 2/12.
Since Jeannette wasn’t completely satisfied with her Whistling Warbler, we decided to try again at the Vermont Nature Trail. We glimpsed a few more parrots, had some better looks at Purple-throated Carib, but unfortunately only heard a single Whistling Warbler. We knew it was time to give up when several busloads of cruise ship passengers arrived on the trail, quite a few clearly out of their element and voicing their displeasure about things like steps, mud, and the pleasantly few mosquitoes.

Back in Kingstown, we finally twitched some delectable curried goat at Stoplight 2 restaurant, on Lystra’s recommendation. As you know, food is second only to birds when we travel, and it’s a local place off the tourist route (well, what there was for a tourist route here) that we love to find.

Also, unlike most tourists, we prefer mass transit, and although we did need a cab to get to the Vermont Trail in the morning, the afternoon was spent traveling strictly by mini-bus. Cheap, easy, a great way to see the towns, meet the people, and especially here (as in Grenada), listen to some local beats.

A short trip to Villa Beach was a change of scenery from the rainforest, and added several birds to our paltry island list, including Royal Tern, Brown Pelican, Osprey, and Belted Kingfisher. A walk into the village of Villa Flat added Tropical Mockingbird, and since we were on the island’s dry side, most of the Bananaquits had yellow-bellies. Undoubtedly, the extra melanin was a benefit in the wet environs, where it likely helps protect the feathers from mold or lice or something.

The Friday afternoon-evening streets of Kingstown were hopping, so after a couple more Harouns (the local endemic lager), we foraged for dinner, finding a great little barbeque stand near the harbor, where we enjoyed a little local flavor – both food wise and conversation. Actually, talking with the grillmaster was a lot of fun and provided that view into local life that you don’t get at a sterilized resort. I do think we were officially “liming,” which is an art form of relaxation and conversation that is practiced like a religion in the Caribbean. Oh yeah, and the BBQ pork was outstanding – perfectly succulent, tender, and the sauce hit every note.
12_edited-1 12a_edited-2 14_edited-1 Curried Goat at Stoplight2 Restaurant.

15_edited-1 Villa Beach

16_edited-1 17_edited-1 Kingstown BBQ

Day 5, 2/13.
We felt our return to the Vermont Nature Trail the prior day in the hopes of improving Jeannette’s view of the Whistling Warbler precluded exploration of more of the island and its habitats. However, despite the temptation to go further afield, we decided to take it easy (despite having also missed the endemic subspecies of Brown-throated Solitaire which apparently had not yet begun to sing; we never heard a peep from a single one while in the forest), and just return to the Botanical Gardens, a short walk away, for some relaxed birding and photography.

A single Little Blue Heron was the only “new” bird for us (our 38^th species on the island), but we had great looks at all of the local flycatchers, including Yellow-bellied Eleanias and Grenada Flycatcher. We were also very surprised to spot a Lesser Antillean Tanager so low, and at the back of the gardens, we flushed a hunting Common Black-hawk, which also came as a surprise to us at the outskirts of the city.

We then went into town for lunch once again (the food at the Grenadine House was quite good, but as usual, we prefer to be even more local in our dining). Our disappointment that our new BBQ friend wasn’t open yet was alleviated when I turned on my “food-dar” and found a fried chicken stand down a waterfront alley, which turned out to be the best piece of fried chicken we have ever had. It was thoroughly coated with what tasted like more spices than flour, and each bite was packed with flavor.

We really could have used another day on the island, but once again, we were back at an airport, and this time, we were heading to St. Lucia. Rich (for its size) in endemics, and with an impressive conservation ethic (compared to most of the region), this island has always been very high on my list. And it did not disappoint.

Our hour-long taxi ride crossed through the middle of the island, and deposited us at our quaint and quiet little guesthouse, Peace of Paradise (aka “Lorraine’s’). Lesser Antillean Bullfinches, Antillean Crested Hummingbirds, and Bananaquits (100% yellow-bellied on this island) greeted us, which were more welcome than whom we shared our bedroom with(The next day we learned that Sun Spiders were completely harmless. Nonetheless, we were thankful for the bug netting over the bed at night…even if I may have become a bit ensnared in it as I stumbled to the restroom in the middle of the night).

19_edited-2 19a_edited-2 Black-faced Grassquit

19b_edited-2 Grenada Flycatcher.

20_edited-1 Best fried chicken ever!

21_edited-1 22_edited-1 “Lorraine’s” Peace of Paradise, St. Lucia.

23_edited-1 Our bedroom Sun Spider.

Day 6, 2/14:
With a larger roster of endemics, and with two sides of the island to seek them on, we hired local birding guides for two days to hedge the bet. While we can’t really afford to hire a guide for every day of a trip, we also wouldn’t really want to as we like to also learn and explore on our own. However, we ALWAYS hire local guides for a day or two, for several reasons.

Obviously, they are LOCAL and therefore know the spots better than reading someone’s trip report <ahem>. We certainly could have gotten to the Vermont Nature Trail on St. Vincent without Lystra, but we could never have known the best places to stop and the prime patches to search. We also never would have found that back-up trail near Montreal (nor did I have any interest in renting a car and taking on those roads!). We want to see these endemics, and we never want to leave feeling we “need” to come back (wanting to come back is another story) because we missed something. We also want to learn more about the birds, the habitat, the plants and animals, the places to eat lunch, and what life is really like in the places we visit. Some of our best experiences with guides haven’t even been about the birds, such as eating street food in Port of Spain, Trinidad or getting a tour of our guide’s mother’s garden in Grenada.

Most importantly, however, after we leave, these guides are the ones who will make sure these birds exist for the next visitor. Protecting the birds and places they love, and that provide the income for them and their families, are how these special places and special species will have a chance to survive. Without supporting the local economy, too many of the remaining natural areas we want to protect will fall to development, agriculture, and other ways for an economy to be developed or sustained.

St. Lucia has a great infrastructure (much wider and safer-seeming roads than we saw on St. Vincent, for example) to get around, and it wasn’t hard to discover online that the Des Cartier Rainforest Trail was the place to go. Nonetheless, we looked forward to our time there with our local guide and dark and early (checking clothes and footwear for snoozing Sun Spiders), we met our guide, Vision, who, along with Adams (who we would spend time with the next day), make up Wildlife Ambassadors, the upstart nature tour company of the island.

Our first stop was in fact the Des Cartier trail, and it wasn’t long before Vision pointed out our first St. Lucian endemic (and one of the more challenging and endangered ones), the St. Lucia Black Finch.

And that’s when our life list really began to blossom (at least from an island), as in rapid succession, we added St. Lucia Oriole, Antillean Euphonia, St. Lucia Parrot, Pearly-eyed Thrasher, Scaly-breasted Thrasher, Lesser Antillean Flycatcher, and St. Lucia Pewee (split by most everyone except the AOU). And unlike on St. Vincent, we lucked into some great views and photo opportunities of the local parrot.

Our luck continued with great views of two more lifers, Rufous-throated Solitaire and St. Lucia Warbler. The song of the solitaire was other-worldly, and the charismatic (and common) little warbler would become one of our favorite birds of the trip.

Earlier, I mentioned how local guides are so important for conservation, and after we exited the forest, our next stop was a perfect example of this. The Aupicot Wetlands was an old coconut estate that the local guides have gained access to and are working to protect. With future plans for an ecotourism destination of some sort, for now, they have got the local landowners to reduce the impact of local fisherman and protect the habitat. And because of this effort, it was teeming with birdlife, even though a very dry season was quickly drying out the shallow pond. Migrant Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Semipalmated Plovers were joined by migrant Blue-winged Teal and American Wigeons. Great and Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons were joined by single Green and Great Blue Herons, and we identified a spiffy Little Egret among the flock. A couple of Common Gallinules joined a little “cover” of coots – both resident the-species-formerly-known-until-very-recently-as-Carribean-Coots and presumed migrant, small-shielded “American” American Coots.

After a check of some of the environs around the Hewanorra International Airport (migrant Solitary Sandpipers and some of the only Eared Doves on the island), we dined on chicken curry and chicken pelau among Carib Grackles on the beach at The Reef Beach Café.

Next up was the southern tip of the island, with the second highest lighthouse in the world. More importantly, however, there were Red-billed Tropicbirds below.

Back in Prasline, Vision had one more trick up his sleeve, eventually pulling out our lifer Endangered White-breasted Thrasher from some roadside scrub, along with a couple of Lesser Antillean Saltators – our 12^th lifer of the day!

23b_edited-2 St. Lucia Parrot pair.

24_edited-1 24a_edited-2 Little Egret, Aupicot Wetlands.

25_edited-1

26_edited-1

Day 7, 2/15:
We really cleaned up the day before, but we had a few more birds to search for – and more of “someone else doing the work” – as Vision picked us up dark and early for a drive to the island’s northeastern side. There, we met up with his colleague, Adams, and three other visiting birders from the States to pile into one high-clearance, 4WD vehicle for the rough and treacherous road to dry native forest in Grand Anse.

A most fruitful Mango tree (pun intended!) yielded our next lifer, the Gray Trembler, plus better looks at St. Lucia Oriole and several Lesser Antillean Saltators. The forest yielded oodles of St. Lucia Warblers, at least two pairs of St. Lucia Black Finches, a whopping 7+ White-breasted Thrashers, and a pair of ultra-cooperative Lesser Antillean Flycatchers.

Bridled Quail-Doves were giving us fits though, as this shy and reclusive bird was not making it easy for us. Adams worked hard, and we stalked at least 5 different birds. Mostly, they were glimpsed by one or two people as they flew across a gully or flushed straight away. Eventually, I saw one (in flight) well enough to count, but Jeannette was still looking for more than a shadow. I had a decent look at one on the ground as we returned to the vehicle and Vision (rejoining us after a quick vehicle repair) spotted one, but Jeannette is still waiting for her satisfactory view.

Back up the hill and in Vision’s roomy van, the group headed towards the water, arriving at Pigeon Island National Landmark. We ate chicken rotis as we watched Royal Terns and Brown Boobies.

At Gros Islet Bay, Vision was excited to point out the first island record of Great Black-backed Gull, a 1^st winter bird that he found here in December. While there was some disagreement over its identification, he and Adams had become convinced by a visiting birder that it was in fact a Great Black-backed Gull. Just on a quick impression of overall shape and size, I thought otherwise, so we pulled around for a closer view.

And as I suspected, it was a Lesser Black-backed Gull, and an impromptu gull workshop explained why. I felt bad, however, as I was afraid I had burst the bubble of a rarity, and I took a lifer off my guide’s list. But then Vision assured me it was quite alright – Lesser Black-backed Gull was also a first record for the island and a life bird for himself! (I’ll be submitting a write-up to Vision, Adams, and the regional editor for North American Birds, so feel free to shoot me an email if you too would like a copy of the report)

Sandwich Terns and a handful of Ruddy Turnstones were new for our triplist, and we finished up with yet another high-note: an urban Cattle Egret rookery teaming with adults, juveniles, and sprinkled with Snowy Egrets, a family of Common Gallinules, and a confiding Green Heron (hmm… I think I know which hotel, and which rooms, we want to stay at next time!).

Vision dropped us off at our final lodging of the trip (speaking of ending on a high note), Fond Doux Plantation and Resort. A heavily-vegetated eco-lodge with its own cocoa plantation (and fruit trees, and garden that provided much of the food for the restaurant), we were surrounded by Scaly-breasted Thrashers and hummingbirds in our little cottage. Yup, we were definitely on vacation now!
27_edited-1 27a_edited-2 St. Lucia Oriole

27b_edited-2 St. Lucia Warbler.

27c_edited-2 White-breasted Thrasher

27d_edited-2 Lesser Antillean Flycatcher

28_edited-2 Adams and Vision.

29_edited-1 29a_edited-1

Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1st St. Lucia Record!

29b_edited-2 30_edited-1 30a_edited-2 Juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron.

30b_edited-2 Green Heron.

30c_edited-2 Cattle Egrets.
30d_edited-2

Day 8, 2/16.
Jeannette out did herself finding this place, as it was a real birder’s paradise (without trying). A St. Lucia Oriole surprised us on a pre-breakfast walk, and at breakfast, we were joined by dining Lesser Antillean Bullfinches. Two bold pairs not only picked up scraps, but they also foraged on the table while we were eating. One even landed on Jeannette’s water glass and took a sip!

This was pretty awesome, and the biologists in us had to have some fun, too, so we conducted a little “food preference study,” a video of which we posted to our store’s Facebook page.

After a long and educational breakfast full of lots of fresh fruit and good coffee (finally!), we decided to explore the island by mini-bus. We took the bus from Fond Doux into the town of Soufriere, then got a connection to the big city of Castries.

Small city parks hosted Zenaida Doves, Carib Grackles, Rock Pigeons, Gray Kingbirds, Shiny Cowbirds, Black-faced Grassquits, Bananaquits, and American Kestrels, while walking the path along the harbor yielded Snowy Egrets and Little Blue Herons, Magnificent Frigatebirds, and a couple more Green-throated Caribs. But after lunch, some shopping for spices, hot sauce, and a couple of souvenirs, we had enough of city life (and crowds of cruise ship passengers) and took the bus back to the quieter town of Soufriere.

Laughing Gulls (our first of the trip) were right where Vision told us they would be, and bacon-wrapped fried plantains at Petit Peak restaurant which we enjoyed with a couple of afternoon Pitons (the endemic beer) need to become “a thing.” Also, you couldn’t beat the view of Petit Piton for the enjoyment of your Piton beer.

After a little walk, we decided to have dinner at Water Front De Belle View because I wanted some more curried goat and I was desperate for a good callaloo soup (the one at Fond Doux was just too salty). I wholeheartedly recommend both here.

We grabbed one of the last mini-buses back to Fond Doux, and called it a night.
31a. 31b. Bullfinch male Female (top) and Male (bottom) Lesser Antillean Bullfinches joining us for breakfast.

30e_edited-2 Scaly-breasted Pigeon.

34_edited-1 Castries.

Day 9, 2/17.
We squeezed in a little more birding by hopping on the bus and taking it uphill from Soufriere to the Bouton Gap. A short, but steep and muddy hike brought us to a series of small overlooks and passed through some productive edge habitat.

We were out in search of our last likely lifer of the trip, Lesser Antillean Swift, but with frequent downpours and low clouds, we were not holding out much hope for high-flying aerial insectivores. So we were forced to content ourselves with a couple of looks at fly-by St. Lucia Parrots, lots of St. Lucia Warblers, cooperative St. Lucia Pewees, and our best view yet of a Pearly-eyed Thrasher. And then, between a break in the rain, several dozen swifts were on the move, heading into the valley below, affording us very good views from above and below. It was my 20^th lifer of the trip (19 for Jeannette and she remained unsatisfied with her quail-dove shadows).

We found some great vegetarian Jamaican-style patties from a food truck on the streets of Soufriere, before we hopped on a bus once again for the short ride back to Fond Doux. There, we finally took the plantation tour that we have been trying to find time (or lack of heavy rain) for, enjoyed some good views and nice looks at Purple-throated Caribs, St. Lucia Warblers, and another Pearly-eyed Thrasher. The grounds turned out to be more extensive, and with more less-disturbed forest than we thought, so had we a little more time, no doubt we could have picked up a few more “yard birds” of note.

Our last night of vacation, it was time for our splurge dinner, and so we headed over to Boucan Resort – “the chocolate hotel” – where everything on the menu of their fine restaurant had cacao incorporated in it some way. Sometimes themes like this come across as gimmicky and forced, but that was most definitely not the case here. From the cocktails to the amuse bouche to each entrée – and of course, dessert! – were incredibly well-conceived and perfectly executed. In fact, when all was said and done, Jeannette and I both agreed it was one of the top 3 or 5 meals we have ever had. Anywhere. So yeah, good way to finish a trip!
38_edited-1

39_edited-1 39a_edited-2 Antillean Crested Hummingbird

39b_edited-2 St. Lucia Pewee.

39c_edited-2 Antillean Crested Hummingbird

40_edited-1 41_edited-1.1 Our cottage at Fond Doux.

41a_edited-2 Purple-throated Carib

42_edited-1.2 Dinner at Boucan. 44_edited-2

Day 10, 2/18.
We awoke to heavy rain, and rain that didn’t quite let up as quickly as we would have liked. Therefore, we dallied a bit, fed more bullfinches at breakfast, and eventually had a break in the rain to walk up a nearby side road towards a Nature Trail that was recommended for its birding, and especially its views of the two Pitons. A Gray Trembler, lots of St. Lucia Warblers, and a couple of good looks at Mangrove Cuckoos suggested we probably should have done this sooner as well. In fact, the birding was good enough, and combined with waiting out a few downpours under trees, we made it to the entrance of the trail just as we had to turn around.

Jeannette worked on photographing Antillean Crested Hummingbirds and both Green-throated and Purple-throated Caribs from the porch of the office at Fond Doux as we waited for Adams, who surprised us with an offer of a ride to the airport in exchange for a discussion about developing their ecotourism business. With the third employee now on board, Wildlife Ambassadors has the potential to become a force in birding and nature tourism on the island, and this could be a very good thing for birds and bird conservation here. The Aupicot Wetlands and their protection is a perfect example, as both resident and migratory birds (including some of “our” birds from North America) are rapidly losing safe refugia in the Lesser Antilles. Even better, unlike some islands, they don’t shoot everything that lands here.

We were happy to add our limited travel dollars to the cause – money will talk; when these places are financially worth protecting, they are much, much easier to protect – but also happy to offer some advice and suggestions on everything from websites and Facebook, to tour amenities. We certainly wish Adams and Vision well, and look forward to keeping in touch and seeing what they accomplish in the future.

We also made a quick stop to see if any Grassland Yellow-finches were present near the airport, squeezing in a few more minutes of birding before we began the long trip home. But alas, it was smooth and easy, and nothing like our trip south!
44a_edited-2 Scaly-breasted Thrasher.

45_edited-1 Fond Doux. At least I finally looked at the pool!

45a_edited-2 Green-throated Carib

45b_edited-2 Purple-throated Carib.

Trip/Island List (* life bird).

Barbados:

Barbados Bullfinch*
Zenaida Dove
Carib Grackle
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Black-faced Grassquit
Cattle Egret
Caribbean Elaenia
Bananaquit
Shiny Cowbird
Gray Kingbird
Green-throated Carib
Common Ground-Dove
Rock Pigeon
Scaly-naped Pigeon
Antillean Crested Hummingbird

St. Vincent:

Cattle Egret
Magnificent Frigatebird
Bananaquit
Black-faced Grassquit
Rock Pigeon
House Sparrow
Shiny Cowbird
Gray Kingbird
Common Ground-Dove
Antillean Crested Hummingbird
Broad-winged Hawk
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Grenada Flycatcher
Scaly-naped Pigeon
Green-throated Carib
Eared Dove
Great Egret
Barn Swallow
Carib Grackle
Brown Booby
Spotted Sandpiper
Common Black-Hawk
St. Vincent Parrot*
House Wren
Black-whiskered Vireo
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch
Lesser Antillean Tanager
Purple-throated Carib*
Smooth-billed Ani
Whistling Warbler*
Brown Trembler*
Green Heron
Royal Tern
Brown Pelican
Osprey
Belted Kingfisher
Tropical Mockingbird
Little Blue Heron

St. Lucia:

Royal Tern
Cattle Egret
Zenaida Dove
Rock Pigeon
Carib Grackle
Gray Kingbird
Common Ground-Dove
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch
Bananaquit
Antillean Crested Hummingbird
Green-throated Carib
Spectacled Thrush
Scaly-naped Pigeon
Mangrove Cuckoo
St. Lucia Black Finch*
St. Lucia Oriole*
Purple-throated Carib
Antillean Euphonia*
Pearly-eyed Thrasher*
St. Lucia Parrot*
Broad-winged Hawk
Scaly-breasted Thrasher*
Lesser Antillean Flycatcher*
St. Lucia Pewee*
Rufous-throated Solitaire*
St. Lucia Warbler*
American Kestrel
Greater Yellowlegs
Great Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Green Heron
American + Caribbean Coots
Little Egret
American Wigeon
Blue-winged Teal
Common Gallinule
Yellow Warbler
Lesser Yellowlegs
Semipalmated Plover
Osprey
Eared Dove
Solitary Sandpiper
Shiny Cowbird
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Red-billed Tropicbird
Caribbean Eleania
Lesser Antillean Saltator*
White-breasted Thrasher*
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Spotted Sandpiper
Tropical Mockingbird
House Wren
Gray Trembler*
Black-whiskered Vireo
Bridled Quail-Dove*
Brown Booby
Magnificent Frigatebird
Barn Swallow
Sandwich Tern
Ruddy Turnstone
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Laughing Gull
Lesser Antillean Swift*

36_edited-1 Enjoying a Piton in Soufriere, overlooking Petit Piton.

Where to Eat Lunch when Birding York County

A Vermont and Montreal Roadtrip In Photos

6 Replies

Jeannette and I made a run for the border in our annual pre-hawkwatch roadtrip getaway. We’ll be covering Katrina’s days off at the Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch through the end of the season. Then, my guiding season kicks off in full force through early July. In other words, it’s a good time for us to get a little break.

This year’s destination was a visit with family in Vermont, followed by a few days in Montreal. I had not been to Montreal before – no excuse for that, really – so this was a good incentive to head (mostly) west. Sure, the weather could have been a little more seasonable, but we enjoyed a really great trip nonetheless.

While this trip wasn’t necessarily a “birding trip,” we obviously were going to do some birding. And there were a few “goodies” around that, if nothing else helped guide us in fruitful directions. First up was the Northern Hawk Owl that has been spending the winter in Waterbury, Vermont. Since we had to pass through the intersection that the bird has been frequenting on the way to see the fam, I don’t think this counts as a chase, does it?

Although most hawk owls are notoriously tolerant of people, this bird was ridiculous! People were walking back and forth on a trail right below it, and it didn’t care.

Then, spotting something of interest, it dove through the line of admirers, and landed in the snow. It scuffled around for a bit, and then came up with a White-footed/Deer Mouse, which is proceeded to devour on a nearby snag…in clear view of everyone. Returning to its original perch, it flew between two photographers, right at head-level!

The lighting and the proximity were so good that I believe these are the best phone-scoped photos that I have ever taken!

After visiting friends and family, we departed the next day. Of course, we couldn’t help but stop at the hawk-owl once again. “Let’s just drive past this Northern Hawk Owl,” said no one, ever.

After lunch in Burlington…

…we dipped down to Charlotte to board the ferry over to Essex, NY. With such extensive ice on the lake, the only open water is limited to the ferry channels. Ducks have concentrated in this narrow band of open water, including some very good birds. The Tufted Duck being seen here was nothing more than an excuse to take the ferry, and we are very glad we did.
This was a great little “mini-pelagic!” In fact, after we took the car across to NY, we hopped back on as round-trip passengers to have another look. Good thing we did, because as we began the half-hour journey back to Vermont, the Tufted Duck was right in front of the bow! And Jeannette “nailed” it, I think it’s safe to say.

In addition to the Tufted, impressive numbers of Common Goldeneyes and both Greater and Lesser scaup were enjoyed and extensively photographed. Mallards, American Black Ducks, a small number of Common Mergansers and Buffleheads, 3 Ring-necked Ducks, 2 female Long-tailed Ducks, and 1 White-winged Scoter (the latter three only in New York, and the final two being good birds for the season here) were also present, and early in the third leg, we spotted a female Barrow’s Goldeneye among the masses for a nice addition to my paltry Vermont state list. Jeannette very nicely augmented here library of waterfowl –especially flight – photos, and this fun little ride turned out to be a real highlight of the entire trip.

How many species can you identify in this photo?

A quick stop to look for coffee in Plattsburgh, NY resulted in what was perhaps the best cupcake we have ever had (a butter cream-iced tres leches cupcake at Delish), and eventually we made our way across the border and arrived in Montreal in the evening.

The next morning, we walked from our downtown hotel to Parc du Mont Royal, the expansive park in the heart of the city. There’s been a Black-backed Woodpecker here all winter, but we did not know exactly where. We did find a grove of Scotch Pine that had the classic sign of foraging Black-backs, but we didn’t see it…or much else, really. Just like at home, deciduous-dominated forests are awfully quiet right now.

After lunch, we visited the Botanical Gardens, including their impressive Insectarium and extensive greenhouse biomes. Stealing the show, however, was the free-flying butterfly (and some moths) exhibit.

A stroll around Olympic Park…

…Was followed by dinner, at a place with 30 kinds of poutine on the menu: Poutine la Banquisse!

The next day, another walk at Parc du Mont Royal (which was actually less birdy than our first visit) …

…was followed by exploration of Old Montreal and the OldPort. Unfortunately, the weather had taken a turn for the worse.

The storm was fully upon us…

…as we ventured out for our “splurge” dinner of the trip at the famous Au Pied de Cochon. Because we didn’t have enough poutine the night before, we shared the intriguing and tasty fusion of a poutine temaki, and the duck carpaccio. Entrees were outstanding as well, with Jeannette getting primal with a Bison rib as I went all in with what may have been the best sandwich I have ever eaten – and by far the most expensive! With 10 grams of truffles and an apparent three pounds of butter, this was not your everyday grilled cheese!

The snow was piling up as we departed the restaurant…

…and about 8 inches had accumulated by morning. Now that we actually knew where to look for the Black-backed Woodpecker at Mont Royal, it turned out it was rather east to find after all!

Before hitting the road, we took a walk around Ile Sainte-Helene, which was actually quite birdy; the birdiest place in the city during this short visit. In addition to the usual woodland residents, goodly numbers of Cedar Waxwings and American Robins were present. Waterbirds in the fast-moving river were limited to four Common Mergansers and a single Common Loon, however.

It was a long and slow drive home, in large part due to the heavy snow in the mountains. With about two feet in some places, a few of the passes in northern New Hampshire and Maine were a little interesting. I think it’s safe to say it was a good idea to have taken our Subaru on this road trip!

Back to work early in the morning on Friday, we were very pleased to be greeted at the store by some Red-winged Blackbirds. The hawkwatch is underway, with a goodly 38 birds on the first day (6 Red-shouldered Hawk!), spring is definitely here…even if, once again, it doesn’t feel like it!

	Wally Sumner on This Week’s Highlights, 12/6 –…
	Derek on This Week’s Highlights 11/29 –…
	Kris on This Week’s Highlights 11/29 –…
	Derek on Virginia’s Warbler on Peak’s I…
	This Week’s Highligh… on Virginia’s Warbler on Peak’s I…

Maine Birding Field Notes

Trip Reports, Essays, Rare Bird Reports, and More from Derek Lovitch's and Freeport Wild Bird Supply's birding in Maine and beyond.