Tag Archives: Harpswell

This Week’s Highlights 11/13 – 11/20/2025.

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Six, somewhat-late American Pipits at Carrying Place Cove in Lubec were among the highlights of three days of dedicated rarity-searching in Washington County for our “weekend” this week. I was hoping for a wagtail though…or a Meadow Pipit.

I had a very busy week of birding, led by three days of searching for rarities in Washington County. Locally, my observations of note over the past eight days were as follows:

  • Scattered Red Crossbills continue in southern Maine, and Pine Siskins are increasing now.
  • 1 Orange-crowned Warbler and 1 “Western” Palm Warbler, Eastern Promenade, Portland, 11/13.
  • 1 Indigo Bunting, West Commercial Street, Portland, 11/13.
  • 1 Orange-crowned Warbler (my 10th of the season!), South Portland Greenbelt Pathway, 11/13.
  • 1 Rusty Blackbird, our property in Durham, 11/15.
  • 1 NASHVILLE WARBLER and a variety of marginally late migrants such as 2 Hermit Thrushes and a Chipping Sparrow, etc, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 11/20.

Jeannette and I visited Washington County 11/16-18, with our priority being all of those little places we see in the summer that “looks good for rarities” in the late fall Rarity Season. So finally, we made it happen. Unfortunately, one day of rain, one day of snow, and two days of very strong winds made bird-finding rather challenging. We would have much preferred these clear and calm days of the second half of the week!

Our notable observations included:

  • 3 continuing Gadwall, 18 American Wigeon, 8 Northern Pintail, 182 Green-winged Teal, etc, Sebasticook Lake, 11/16.
  • 1 BARN SWALLOW, Roque Bluffs State Park, 11/16.
  • 6 American Pipits, Carrying Place Cove, Lubec, 11/17 (photo above).
  • 1 4th-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull and 1 1st-cycle Iceland Gull, Mowry Beach, Lubec, 11/17.
  • 1 1st-cycle Iceland Gull, Lubec village waterfront, 11/17.
  • 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, Old Farm Point Park, Lubec, 11/17.
  • 4 Snow Buntings, Petit Manan NWR, 11/18.
  • 1 1st-cycle Icleand Gull, Bangor Waterfront Park, 11/18.
  • Locally unexpected/rare: 1 Tufted Titmouse in a mixed species foraging flock at Hamilton Cove Preserve on 11/17 and two Red-bellied Woodpeckers in Lubec on 11/17 (“downtown” and Old Farm Point Park). Meanwhile, Red-breasted Nuthatches were exceptionally abundant, while both Black-capped Chickadee and Golden-crowned Kinglets seemed above average. Every mixed species foraging flock had plenty of each of the big three.
  • Finches: American Goldfinches were fairly widespread, and scattered small numbers of Purple Finches were around, but since finches are often detected via flight calls, the weather – especially the strong winds – did not make it easy to detect them. We also spent less time in Boreal habitats on this trip than most. So, other than those two, our finch observations were sadly limited to only 1 Evening Grosbeak and 5 Common Redpolls (FOF), Hamilton Cove Preserve, 11/17; 2 Red Crossbills and 2+ Pine Siskins, Machias River Preserve, Machias, 11/18.
  • Frugivores: American Robins were the only widespread frugivore so far, including an ample vismig on 11/17 with snow falling. 8 Cedar Waxwings and a distant flock of about 30 likely Bohemian Waxwings at Old Farm Point Park on 11/17. We were disappointed to not run into any Pine Grosbeaks.

This Week’s Highlights 10/30 – 11/5/2025.

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This Orange-crowned Warbler was an “expected surprise” as we birded the Rarity Season nooks and crannies of Bailey Island in Harpswell on a Harpswell Heritage Land Trust tour this past Sunday.

What an incredible week of birding in Maine! Rarity Season is off to a roaring start, and notable birds are being reported around the state. As usual, I spent as much time as I could bird-finding. OK, I chased a little, too, because ‘tis the season! While I didn’t add to the list of Megas this week, I encountered a number of notable seasonal observations, especially “late/lingering/pioneering” migrants. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days:

  • 4 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 18 Pectoral Sandpipers, 18+ White-rumped Sandpipers, 12 Semipalmated Plovers, 2 Snow Buntings (first of fall), 1 American Tree Sparrow (FOF), 4 Great Egrets, etc, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 10/30.
  • 18-21 continuing RED KNOTS, 10 White-rumped Sandpipers, etc, Ferry Beach, Scarborough, 10/30.
  • 1 1st cycle Iceland Gull (first of fall), Trundy Point, Cape Elizabeth, 11/1 (with Bill Thompson).
  • 1 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and 1 Lesser Yellowlegs with 14 Greater Yellowlegs, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 11/1 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Fox Sparrow (FOF), our property in Durham, 11/1-3.
  • 1 NORTHERN PARULA, 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, 1 Blue-headed Vireo, etc, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 11/2 (with Harpswell Heritage Land Trust tour group).
  • 1 continuing MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER, Grist Mill Park, Yarmouth, 11/3 (with Jeannette and m.obs). Found on 11/2 by Noah Gibb and Stacey Huth, this western vagrant was typical for members of its genus during migration. In other words, it was wicked hard to photograph, even when it popped out into the open. Over the course of an hour, Jeannette and I enjoyed some fantastic views, but they were all fleeting, and too quick for her camera! It continues through at least today, 11/5.
  • 1 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, 11/3, Grist Mill Park, Yarmouth, 11/3. First spotted by Jeannette and I, a few people glimpsed it and then several others independently relocated it later. Interestingly, we saw it fly across the river, almost exactly where we watched the MacGillivray’s cross several hours later. Both happily, came back, suggesting birds are foraging in a wide area here, which suggests the need for patience when seeking the MACW! Two fly-over Evening Grosbeaks there as well were my FOF.
  • 18 Evening Grosbeaks and 2+ Red Crossbills, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 11/5.

Our Last Tour of 2025 still has some space remaining, speaking of rarity season!

  • Birds on Tap℠ – Roadtrip! Rarity Roundup

​November 9, 2025; 8:00am – 3:00pm

Portland Explorer (formerly Maine Brews Cruise) and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are excited to continue our collaboration for six very special outings in 2025. 

These unique, relaxed birding and beer-ing adventures that you have come to love combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with visits to sample the delicious creations of some of our favorite local breweries. These tours are a perfect introduction to birding and/or craft beer, and a great opportunity to travel with significant others, friends, and family that have interest in one topic, while your interest is primarily in the other (for now!). Seasonal birding hotspots and great local beer – a perfect combination, and we’ll even do all of the driving!

Early November is a fantastic time of year in Maine for vagrants – birds normally seen in far-off places.  Due to a combination of weather patterns, changing seasonal food resources, falling temperatures, and other factors – some of which are not completely understood – birds that may have ended up in Maine by “accident” begin to concentrate at the coast in “migrant traps” and “hotspots.”  In other words, this is the time of year to expect the unexpected.  

​A traditional “Rarity Roundup” involves teams of birders heading out on a given day during rarity prime time, looking for species that are not supposed to be around. And in honor of that tradition, that’s exactly what we are going to do on this unique tour. We may “chase” a rarity (go to see something that has already been found, aka “twitch”) or we might choose a destination known for rare birds in an attempt to find one of our own. Or perhaps, we’ll do both!

​Anything between Portland and Kittery is fair game, and we might not even know where we will head until we are on the bus and the latest rare bird alert is received. For those who love adding a bird to your Life or State List, and/or basking in the thrill of discovery, well then this is the tour for you! In between seeing great birds, we’ll discuss the complex factors that are involved in delivering rarities to an area, and how we go about finding them.

​After about 3-4 hours of birding, depending on drive time, we will be transported to two of our great local producers to sample their offerings and learn their styles.

Recent Highlights, 11/18 – 11/25, 2023

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In last week’s report, I complained about the dearth of vagrants in Maine this November, but that changed dramatically this week. Several rarities around the state included Maine’s first confirmed Spotted Towhee that I found at Fort Foster in Kittery on 11/19. A Prairie Warbler,  1-2 “Western” Palm Warblers, 1 Gray Catbird, 1 Hermit Thrush, Type 12 Red Crossbills, and 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet were also present that day.

Photos from myself and Luke Seitz, as well as observation notes and some information are all here:

Maine’s First Confirmed Spotted Towhee at Fort Foster!

My other observations of note over the past eight days included the following:

  • 1 Great Egret, Fore River from I-295S, South Portland, 11/19.
  • 1 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and 1 White-rumped Sandpiper, Seapoint Beach, Kittery, 11/19.
  • 1 HOUSE WREN, 1 BLUE-HEADED VIREO, 1 Northern Flicker, and 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 11/21 (with Jeannette).
  • Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 11/23: 415 Ruddy Ducks, 383 Common Mergansers, 256 Mallards, 168 active mixed scaup, 105 Greater Scaup, 70 American Black Ducks, 63 Hooded Mergansers, 41 Buffleheads, 5 Ring-necked Ducks, 4 Common Goldeneyes, 2 continuing American Wigeon, 2 continuing KILLDEER, 2 Lesser Scaup, 1 continuing AMERICAN COOT, 1 American Pipit, etc.

Meanwhile, at our feeders in Durham, a nice uptick in sparrow activity including up to 14 Dark-eyed Juncos, 4 continuing White-throated and 1-2 continuing Song Sparrows, with our first American Tree Sparrow arriving on 11/22. 30+ American Goldfinches and 1-2 Purple Finches continue daily, but this week, we only had Pine Siskins in the woods and not at the feeders.

ISSUES and ADVOCACY:

The amazing birding and migration site – especially for fall “morning flights” – in the Mid-Coast is once again under direct threat. Birders need to help convince the state to find an alternative location for a massive new port and its infrastructure. Our most significant places of concentration for migratory birds need to be protected. Here is our Statement in Opposition to a New Port on Sears Island in Searsport.

This Week’s Highlights, 5/20 to 5/25, 2023

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This reported Little Blue Heron x Snowy Egret Hybrid in Spurwink Marsh of Cape Elizabeth may add to the mix of ultra-rare hybrid herons that have been occurring annually since 2012 in the Greater Scarborough Marsh area. Or does it? See below.

The last cadre of migrants are arriving, and the late spring “rarity season” is now upon us. With new arrivals, breeding birds on territory, and the expectation of the unexpected, it was a great week of birding for me as I head out to Monhegan Island with our annual tour group.

My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 1 continuing reported LITTLE BLUE HERON X SNOWY EGRET HYBRID, Spurwink Marsh, Cape Elizabeth, 5/22 (with Jeannette, et al). Present since 5/16, this would be the first record of this hybrid combination in Maine, and one of the few ever. Or, is this just a funky 1st or second summer Little Blue Heron that is showing oddly dark legs? Plus if it is truly a hybrid with a small white heron, I am not sure how we would rule out Little Egret (or a hybrid that includes Little Egret) as the other half of the mix, especially with the long-ish-looking dual wiry plumes. Furthermore, some folks have raised doubts about even the potential of mixed parentage here. While clearly different from the TRICOLORED HERON X SMALL WHITE EGRET SPP hybrids that have been in Scarborough Marsh since 2012, I hypothesized about the possibility of Little Blue joining the mix(es) in my 2021 article in North American Birds. I saw the bird again on the 23rd with clients, and obtained better photos than the evening before. Unless of course, my fascination with the hybrid herons of Maine is clouding my judgement here? (Edited for clarity and for minimizing definitives*)

The bicolored bill and blue-gray lores looks fine for Little Blue Heron, but the bill seems a little longer and thinner. The two wiry plumes on the back of the head also look longer and wispier than a Little Blue – could it suggest that the small white egret that’s 50% of its blood (we think) is actually a Little Egret…or the Little Egret x Snowy Egret hybrid…or…

The extra bushy plumes suggestive of Snowy is evident here, and are the soles of the feet a little yellowish? Other photos show the blakcish legs better than this, and 1st summer Little Blue Heron should have uniformly yellow-green legs, especially if still this white.

Also very Snowy/Little-like are the bushy plumes on the foreneck. When it shook, I also observed some whispy white plumes on the back…neither of these should be so fluffy and obvious in a pure Little Blue Heron, especially in its first summer.

***5/26 am edits: The more I think about and study this bird, the less sure I am. It bothers me that the lores and bill are spot on for a Little Blue. But would color develop further when in high breeding, which it won’t reach until next year? Could this just be a super-shaggy-looking Little Blue? Howver, the legs are black or blackish, which is not a characteristic of Little Blue Heron at any age. There seem to be too many anomolous features here to dismiss it as just another splotchy 1st-summer Little Blue. Perhaps, as the summer goes on, and more adult-like characteristics develop, a true pattern and its presumptive ID will become apparent. Hope it sticks around in the same area!**

  • 1 BLACK-NECKED STILT, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho). First spotted by one of my clients as we were split up and scanning both sides of the marsh for sharp-tailed sparrow activity. Awesome find, Ralph! Here’s a lousy, one-armed phone-scoped photo of the bird in the distance.
  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Garcelon Bog Preserve, Lewiston, 5/25.

With the advancement of the season, my personal “FOY’s” this week were limited, as expected in late May, but many of our latest-arriving breeders are showing up on territory now.

  • 1 Alder Flycatcher, Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, 5/21 (with Harpswell Heritage Land Trust tour group).
  • 1 MOURNING WARBLER, Long Reach Preserve, 5/21 (with Harpswell Heritage Land Trust tour group).
  • 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee, our property in Durham, 5/22.
  • 1 Common Nighthawk, over Bayside neighborhood of Portland, 5/22 (with Jeannette).
  • 3+ Saltmarsh Sparrows, Scarborough Marsh, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho).
  • 2+ Nelson’s Sparrows, Scarborough Marsh, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho).
  • 7 RED KNOTS, Pine Point, Scarborough, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho).
  • 3 Short-billed Dowitchers, Pine Point, 5/23 (with clients from Maine and Idaho).

TOURS AND EVENTS:

This Week’s Highlights, 4/22-28/2023

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As is often the case with prolonged cool, wet spells in early spring, Yellow-rumped (and Pine) Warblers descended on feeders. By week’s end, at least 14 were devouring suet, nuts, mealworms, and jelly in our yard in Durham.

Migration ground nearly to a halt for most of the week with a persistent onshore flow and lots of precipitation. Wednesday and Thursday nights, however, saw some good flights of passerines, with hawks moving once again on Thursday and Friday.  My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 1 female Evening Grosbeak, our feeders in Durham, 4/22.
  • 21 RUDDY DUCKS (FOY), 5 Horned Grebes, 33 Lesser Scaup, 6 Greater Scaup, etc, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 4/23.
  • 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Long Point Road, Harpswell, 4/24 (with Jeannette).

My other personal FOY’s this week also included:

  • 1 Blue-headed Vireo, Riverfront Woods Preserve, Yarmouth, 4/22 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group)
  • 2 Barn Swallows, Lisbon Falls waterfront, 4/23.
  • 1 “Eastern” Willet, Land’s End, Bailey Island, 4/24 (with Jeannette).
  • 2 Snowy Egrets, Tidewater Farm Preserve, Falmouth, 4/28.

TOURS AND EVENTS:

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

This Week’s Highlights: October 15 -21, 2022

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I spent a lot of time looking at sparrows this week, as I love to do in October. This snappy immature White-crowned Sparrow was at Wolfe’s Neck Center on the 16th.

My observations of note over the past seven days included the following:

  • 1 continuing HUDSONIAN GODWIT, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 10/15 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group; the 247th all-time Saturday Morning Birdwalk species!). Observed at closer range later from the Maquoit Bay Conservation Land.
  • 1 Indigo Bunting, Wolfe’s Neck Center, Freeport, 10/16.
  • Incredibly morning at Bailey Island, Harpswell with Jeannette on 10/17: 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, 1 CAPE MAY WARBLER, 1 Blue-headed Vireo, 1 Red-eyed Vireo.  6 total species of warblers; 7 species of sparrows. 400+ Dark-eyed Juncos, 200+ Yellow-rumped Warblers, 150+ White-throated Sparrows, 150+ Song Sparrows, etc, etc.
  • 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, our yard in Durham, 10/17.
  • 1 Red Crossbill, our yard in Durham, 10/19.
  • 353 Ruddy Ducks, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 61 Lesser Scaup, 18 Greater Scaup, etc, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 10/20.
  • 2 EVENING GROSBEAKS, 1 Common Yellowthroat, 50+ Swamp Sparrows, etc, Old Town House Park, North Yarmouth, 10/21.
I whiffed on phone-binning an Orange-crowned Warbler at Bailey Island on the 17th as I apparently followed the wrong bird. Turned out the other bird was this tardy Blue-headed Vireo, however.

This Week’s Highlights, April 9-15, 2022.

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This stunning male Indigo Bunting really brightened up a wet and dreary morning on Bailey Island on Tuesday. Rather than just a very early migrant, this bird is more likely part of an “overshooting” vagrancy event that brought several southern birds to Maine in the past week.

I had relatively few things scheduled this week, so I took full advantage to spend a little extra time in the field – it might be July by the time I get a week this open again!  While I definitely “swung for the fences” a few times in my pursuit of finding rare birds, I enjoyed a really great week of birding overall.

My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 1 Northern Goshawk, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 4/10.
  • 1 Red Crossbill, Waterboro Barrens Preserve, Waterboro, 4/11 (with Jeannette).

But my highlight was experiencing a fallout along the southern York County coast on 4/14, led by Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Golden-crowned Kinglets, but also including goodly tallies of Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creepers, White-throated Sparrows, Northern Flickers, and especially Hermit Thrushes. I also totaled 10 sparrow species on the day, several first-of-years, but alas, none of the hoped-for rarities. I summarized the event briefly in this post.

And my list of personal “first of years” and other new arrivals this week really showed the progression of the season.

  • 2 Hermit Thrushes, Winslow Park, Freeport, 4/9 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 7 Pam Warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/10.
  • 2 Swamp Sparrows (FOS), Florida Lake Park, 4/10.
  • 16 Wilson’s Snipe, Highland Road, Brunswick, 4/10.
  • 5 RUDDY DUCKS, Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, 4/10.
  • 1 Barn Swallow, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 4/10.
  • 1 INDIGO BUNTING, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 4/12 (with Jeannette. See photo and note above).
  • 1 Savannah Sparrow, Bailey Island, 4/12 (with Jeannette).
  • 7 Broad-winged Hawks, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 4/12 (with Jeannette)
  • 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Florida Lake Park, 4/13.
  • 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers (FOS), Florida Lake Park, 4/13.
  • 1 drake Blue-winged Teal, Spring Brook Farm, Cumberland, 4/13.
  • 1 Chipping Sparrow, feeders here at the store, 4/13.
  • 1 Field Sparrow, Fort Foster, Kittery, 4/14.
  • 1 Eastern Towhee, Fort Foster, 4/14.
  • 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Fort Foster, 4/14.
  • 1 pair GADWALL (FOS), Seapoint Beach, Kittery, 4/14.
  • 1 Dunlin (FOS), Seapoint Beach, 4/14.

And finally, the first event of this year’s extended Feathers Over Freeport celebration is Wednesday, 4/20 at Maine Beer Co. A portion of the proceeds of every food purchase will directly support the weekend’s events! I’ll be joining park staff to answer questions about our local state parks, local birding, and the Feathers Over Freeport Weekend.  For more information, visit: www.maine.gov/feathersoverfreeeport

This Week’s Highlights, 2/16-18, 2022.

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This spiffy adult Black-headed Gull surprised me at Wharton Point on the 17th. The bird was so pink on the breast that I nearly had a heart-attack when this is the first thing that caught my eye.

Returning from vacation late on Tuesday night, it was right back to work. But a limited time out and about on Thursday morning followed by a full-day of private guiding on Friday produced several highlights:

  • 1 adult BLACK-HEADED GULL, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 2/17 (photo above).
  • THE STELLER’S SEA-EAGLE, Rte 127 bridge between Arrowsic and Georgetown, 2/18, 10:45 to 12:30pm (with clients from Delaware). While searching for it earlier – as well as while watching it  and birding elsewhere thereafter – the number of Bald Eagles in the air today was impressive. We had at least 25 over the course of the day. But many were pairs in courtship flight. It made we wonder if the recent unpredictable movements of the Steller’s was related to increased territoriality in our local, abundant Bald Eagles.  Here’s a distantly-phone-scoped-with-wind-driven-scope-shake-and-cold-hands for what it’s worth.
  • 1 drake and 2 hen BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, Doughty Cove, Brunswick/Harpswell, 2/18 (with clients from Delaware).
  • 3 Turkey Vultures, over downtown Bath, 2/18 (with clients from Delaware).
  • 3 Turkey Vultures, over the store here in Freeport, 2/18.

This Week’s Highlights, 1/22-28, 2022

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While we didn’t see the Steller’s Sea-Eagle in two full days of searching this week, we did enjoy some great birds and photo ops during our search. I spotted this Barred Owl alongside a road on Southport Island as it emerged from a roosting cavity in the late afternoon on the 25th and Jeannette got some photos out the car window.

It was another great week of winter birding for me! Unfortunately, we had friends visiting for three days and the Steller’s Sea-Eagle was not seen on any of them. In fact, it has not been seen since Monday morning, 1/24 in the Boothbay area. I joined them for two days of searching, and we did have several birds of note as we scoured the area thoroughly. Meanwhile, with the deep freeze continuing, river ice is building up and so it was a great week to see Barrow’s Goldeneyes – one of my favorite winter birds in Maine.

  • 6 (!) BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, Winslow Park, Freeport, 1/22 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group). This is my highest count in at least 4-5 years here.
  • 1 continuing adult female BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, Bernard Lown Peace Bridge, Auburn, 1/23.
  • 2 first-winter Iceland Gulls, Auburn Riverwalk, 1/23.
  • 1 adult Peregrine Falcon, Upper Street, Turner, 1/23 – I rarely see them away from downtown L-A in Androscoggin County, especially in winter. I would have assumed this was one of those Lewiston birds but I had just left the pair looking content in downtown. Not that I drive faster than a Peregrine, mind you.
  • 1 Turkey Vulture, Drake’s Island, Wells, 1/24 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Horned Lark, Parson’s Beach, Kennebunk, 1/24 (with Jeannette).
  • 18+ Razorbills, Spruce Point Inn, Boothbay, 1/25 (with Tom Reed, Emily Wilmoth, and Jeannette).
  • 1 pair BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, Doughty Cove, Harpswell, 1/27 (with Tom Reed, Emily Wilmoth, and Jeannette).
  • 1 SNOWY OWL, Land’s End, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 1/27 (with Tom Reed). This was a really incredible and memorable sighting. In the desperate searching for the Steller’s Sea-Eagle, I was following a very distant eagle (it was a Bald) out over the bay to our east when I called out “I think I have an owl!” Materializing out of the distance and heat shimmer, it took a while for us to identify it as a Snowy Owl. We followed it for several minutes as it finally came closer and passed by, landing on the backside of Jaquish Island. This was only my second-ever Snowy Owl observed in apparent “visible migration,” or at the very least, making a long diurnal water crossing. 
  • 1 drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE and 1-2 Yellow-rumped Warblers, Bailey Island, 1/27 (with Tom Reed and Emily Wilmoth).
  • 21 Sanderlings, Reid State Park, 1/27 (with Tom Reed and Emily Wilmoth).

NOTES: Due to the posting of a blizzard warning for tomorrow, we are canceling the Saturday Morning Birdwalk and we expect to be closed for the day. Stay tuned to our store’s Facebook page for any updates.

Another good photo op while not seeing a sea-eagle was this cooperative Black Guillemot having lunch off the Maine State Aquarium on 1/25. Can anyone identify the fish?

This Week’s Highlights, 12/11-17

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Despite taking photos of all four species of warblers along the Saco Riverwalk on 12/4, the only photo even marginally useful was this mediocre one of the continuing “Western” Palm Warbler. What I do like about it, however, is that it caught the “tail flick” in action.

It was a tough week in the Maine birding world with the loss of an icon, but she would have been upset with me if I didn’t get out to do any birding this week. My observations of note over the past seven days were as follows:

  • 1 Snowy Owl, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 12/11.
  • 1 Lapland Longspur with 12 Snow Buntings, Day’s Landing, Biddeford Pool, 12/12 (with client from Georgia).
  • 1 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (FOS), Wood Island, Biddeford Pool, 12/12 (with client from Georgia).
  • 16 Northern Pintails, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 12/12 (with client from Georgia).
  • 2 Snowy Owls, Biddeford Pool neighborhood, Biddeford, 12/12 (with client from Georgia).
  • 1 Pine Warbler, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 12/13 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 continuing NASHVILLE WARBLER, 1 continuing ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, 1 continuing “WESTERN” PALM WARBLER, and 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, Saco Riverwalk, 12/14.
  • Scattered single Turkey Vultures throughout the week.