This Nashville Warbler (above) was one of two still on Peak’s Island as of the 1st, and this Orange-crowned Warbler (below) was one of four or five still on the island. Orange-crowned Warblers are pretty hardy, but if the Nashvilles are still hanging on, they would be questioning their life decision this morning! Speaking of, best wishes, wherever you are, to the Virginia’s Warbler that has not been seen since the 11/29.
Well, winter set in rather quickly this week, didn’t it? And no doubt much to the chagrin of the many vagrants, “pioneers,” and “half-hardies” that we have been enjoying recently. Despite the widespread below-zero temperatures by week’s end, I still saw four species of warblers this week. But I won’t expect that next week. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.
2 continuing NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 3 Orange-crowned Warblers (at least 2 continuing), and 1 continuing COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, but no sign of the Virginia’s, Peak’s Island, Portland, 12/1 (with Jeannette. Photos above).
1 1st cycle Iceland Gull, Maine State Pier, Portland, 12/1 (with Jeannette).
1 ad. Red-shouldered Hawk, Ann St, Lisbon Falls, 12/4 (with Bill Thompson).
2 WILSON’S SNIPE and 4 Lesser Scaup, Lake Auburn, 12/4 (with Bill Thompson).
1 Fish Crow, Anniversary Park, Auburn, 12/4 (with Bill Thompson). 2-4 Fish Crows have been reliable here since April, including in the past few weeks.
1 Northern Flicker, our feeders in Durham, 12/4.
Scattered Evening Grosbeaks and Red Crossbills continue in the area this week as well.
The Peregrine Falcon pair of Lewiston-Auburn is back to frequenting their favorite winter perches, such as this rooftop tower near the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge. One of the pair had returned here after taking a run at a Bald Eagle.
I found Maine’s 4th or 5th Virginia’s Warbler on Peak’s Island on Monday, the 24th. Or at least I was confident that I did. I returned two days later to alleviate any lingering doubt, re-found it, saw it much better, and managed to photographed it! Many other birders have seen it through the 28th among a flock of other late/lingering warblers. Details below.
It was simply another incredible week of birding. Frustrated by not having found a mega-rarity since Monhegan (in an otherwise amazing fall for vagrants), I went to Peak’s Island on Monday. It worked! It was a six-warbler week for me, highlighted of course by the Virginia’s Warbler – a new state bird for me! My “Rarity Fever” is raging now! Here are my observations of note over the past eight days:
Evening Grosbeaks have become more regular locally this week, with single birds, mostly flyovers, here and there. Scattered 1 to a few Red Crossbills continue as well. Additionally, there was also a nice little surge in American Goldfinch and Pine Siskin numbers this week locally.
Plenty of the typical “late” migrants still around, such as Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, scattered Swamp Sparrows and Northern Flickers, Red-shouldered Hawk, etc.
1 Orange-crowned Warbler, Trout Brook Preserve, South Portland, 11/23.
Peak’s Island, 11/24: 1 almost-definite VIRGINIA’S WARBLER with 2 NASHVILLE WARBLERS (see below) on Seashore Ave, and 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT at Battery Steele.
1 NASHVILLE WARBLER, Commercial Street (near the cruise ship terminal), Portland, 11/26.
Back to Peak’s Island, 11/26: 1 VIRGINIA’S WARBLER (confirmed! Photo above) with 2+ NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 1++ Orange-crowned Warbler, and 1+ Yellow-rumped Warbler, Seashore Avenue. Complete details here:
4-5 NASHVILLE WARBLERS (4 continuing since being found by B. McKay et al on 11/26; I had a single bird at the other end of the hillside that was likely a 5th individual) and 1 Hermit Thrush, West Commercial Street, Portland, 11/28. This has been an insane fall for “late/lingering/pioneering/vagrant” Nashville Warblers here in Maine. Interestingly, this phenomenon appears to be rather widespread, as well above average numbers of NAWA are being seen along the Northeast coast as far south as Cape May this fall. Fascinating!
My best photo of the week was not of of the rarities, but I enjoyed this photo of one of four very cooperative Snow Buntings at Kettle Cove on the 23rd that I caught this one mid-stretch-break.
It’s been an extraordinary rarity season in Maine this fall. Perhaps it’s been the weather patterns, widespread drought, increasing use of neonicotinoid pesticides, or perhaps – according to a recent paper – geomagnetic storms!
But whatever it is, it’s made for an active month for vagrants here in Maine. Monhegan was epic at the end of September, October was pretty good on the mainland, and November has been exceptional. And, we still haven’t fully entered the rare-birds-at-feeders season, although there have already been quite a few noteworthy feeder visitors.
Personally, I’ve had a great fall, especially on Monhegan, and as you have read in my This Week’s Highlights blog (if you’re the one or two people who actually read it!), I’ve had quite a few notable finds, some fun chases, and overall great birding recently. But I hadn’t turned up a “mega” to add to the tally. On Monday, 11/24, I continued my search by taking a day to bird Peak’s Island, one of my favorite late fall birding destinations.
Arriving on the 7:45 ferry from Portland, I began my usual circuit, working around town to Picnic Point. The wrack line here always looks prime for a vagrant!
A short while later, at about 8:30am, I paused at one of my usual thickets on Seashore Ave, diagonally opposite the 5th Regiment Museum. There are always birds here, augmented by a dense tangle, some tall trees, and a few small feeders behind it.
On Monday, it was very active as usual, with numerous Northern Cardinals, a lot of House Finches, and other typical residents. Movement caught my eye in a stand of still mostly-still-leafed willow trees towards the back right of the thicket, approximately 25 yards from the roadside.
Three warbler-like birds were chasing each other. One appeared to be an aggressor, and I was hearing repeated short, high-pitched call notes that were either, or very similar to, Nashville Warbler. It’s been an extraordinary fall for “late” Nashville Warblers (although they are likely drift vagrants, mirror vagrants, or even reverse migrants rather than just behind schedule), so this was not too surprising. But three non-Yellow-rumped Warblers in one tree? That’s notable on November 24th!
The first bird I saw well was a bright, adult male-type Nashville Warbler (NAWA). The birds, still chasing each other and not sitting still, were not easy to see, but the second bird I got my binoculars on was rather confusing. I observed it for as long as I could, but the distance was just a bit too far.
A very drab Orange-crowned Warbler (OCWA) first came to mind, especially with the yellow undertail coverts, but the bird was really, really gray. A flat, cool, not at all yellowish or greenish gray. It was flicking its tail like a NAWA, but even more emphatically. It turned around, and I saw its breast, and there was a small amount of yellow there. Wait, what!? The patch was smaller and more isolated than a drab female Northern Parula, but there were no wingbars are at all, and it was too long-tailed.
I noted an eye-ring, but the distance made it hard to tell how bold it was, whether or not it was complete, or even if it was really white like a NAWA. I went for my camera, hoping to zoom in to see detail, but the birds were far too active and in too dense of a twiggy tree, so coupled with the distance, this was a complete fail.
Two birds departed to the right, but the bird of interest remained for another minute or three, calling very similarly to a Nashville Warbler, but quite emphatic. I then lost it, too.
By now, I was putting the pieces together and was under the suspicion that this was a Virginia’s Warbler, but I was not convinced. With all three birds departing as of 8:48, I opened up my Sibley app to refresh my memory (it’s been quite some time since I have seen a VIWA!) and listen to the call. The call recording on the app included two pitches of calls, the second of which was spot-on for what I was hearing from this very drab, gray, not-quite-Nashville warbler.
Hmm…but why didn’t I notice the yellow rump? Or was I just focusing on the rest of the bird? All of the views were so painfully brief, and I never saw the complete bird at one time.
About 10-15 minutes later, the trio returned: the adult male-type NAWA, a second, drab immature-female-type NAWA, and the likely VIWA. In a brief view, I noticed the all gray head, reminiscent of a female American Redstart, and confirmed the presence of yellow in the center of the breast.
The birds departed again, to the right, across Ryefield Street, but I only glimpsed one bird and it was likely the VIWA. I walked around the block, noticed a few feeders on New Island Avenue, but I did not find any warblers. Since they had returned to the original stand of willows three times now, I stood in place now, about a full hour after my original observation and I started sending out texts and scribbling notes.
I noticed that the recycling container at the house adjacent to the thicket had been taken in. Damn; I missed the homeowner! I needed to get closer to the thicket if the bird returns, but I am absolutely unwilling to trespass or enter yards without being invited/given permission. Many of you have understood this from my tours to Monhegan, but I stand by this elsewhere. But did it cost me today?
Happily, a short while later, the homeowner was in his yard and after a brief chat, allowed me to hang out in his backyard. It was now 10:28. He even brought me a comfy chair! I was so appreciative, now that I was camped out next to the willows, no warblers reappeared. I took another loop around the block, then returned to my chair. A single Evening Grosbeak dropped into the thicket, and I glimpsed what was almost certainly a Lark Sparrow within a House Sparrow flock, but I did not pursue it to confirm.
By 11:15, I was cold and needed to get a real walk in, so I departed, birding my usual circuit out to and through Battery Steele (found a Common Yellowthroat there) and otherwise enjoyed a rather birdy day on the island. A Hermit Thrush, a couple of Swamp Sparrows, a growing cadre of Red-necked Grebes offshore, and tons of Red-breasted Nuthatches in the woods. Song Sparrows were also unusually abundant.
I walked into town for lunch to go (the wraps at Unruly Girls’ Peaks Cafe are fantastic as always, but the hot chai was even more clutch!). I was back to the thicket at 1:36. The sun that broke through while I was far away had mostly been enveloped by clouds once, and the wind was picking up. Neither was particularly helpful. I departed at 2:25 to catch the 2:45 departure (I had planned on leaving before lunch!)
I was frustrated. I knew what I saw, but was bothered by what I did not see, and how unsatisfying and conclusive my views were. I felt confident that it was indeed a VIWA, but I don’t like birding by default or identification by the sum of all parts!
I thought about going back the next day but couldn’t. I must say, the oral surgery may have been less painful than having this bird get away!
I looked at guides, viewed photos online, and concluded there was little doubt that I had seen a VIWA. But the mind can play tricks on you, and memory can be affected by the post-observation studies, so it was bothering me. Jeannette asked if I was going to “count it?”
I didn’t know. So, on Wednesday morning, I decided to be a little late for work and go back to Peak’s Island. I couldn’t help it; I had to! Jeannette agreed.
Walking to the ferry terminal, I stumbled upon a Nashville Warbler on Commercial Street, near the cruise ship terminal, which I took as a good sign. 7:45 ferry, 8:05 arrival on the island, and I was to the thicket by 8:30, after a thorough check on Picnic Point on the way (the foggy conditions had me hoping to refind the bird on the wrack line like so many late-season insectivores find sustenance).
I stared at the thicket, but overall bird activity was much slower than two days prior. At 8:55, I began walking down Seashore, towards Maple Street. I soon heard warblers! I first heard a Yellow-rumped Warbler from quite some distance, but then heard NAWA, or NAWA-like, calls.
In the side yard of 66 Seashore, I found not three, but 5 warblers: 2 NAWA, a YRWA, and a drab Orange-crowned. Very drab. Hmm…could I have blown this mystery warbler? Was this all I had seen? No, no way! And then warbler #5 popped out: Virginia’s Warbler!!!!!
Between this yard, and the first yard on Maple Street a minute later, I had several perfect views at varying distances, and all field marks were observed. With a good look, there sure wasn’t any mistaking this bird!
Thin, slim warbler with a thin bill; bold but thin white eyering; cool gray upperparts with no wingbars, and here, you can just make out part of the yellow rump.Most of my views – and all of them on Monday – were like this: small parts of a small bird between twigs! Here, however, you can see the plain gray overall color, complete, thin eye-ring, and a hint of the yellowish undertail.
I followed the flock back towards the original thicket and willow trees, but I lost their tail. I decided to be responsible and head back for the 10:00 ferry and get to work. I also had left my Tylenol in the car. Besides, my job here was done! This is the 4th or 5th record for Maine, and the first away from Monhegan.
Addendum: Several friends arrived on the next ferry, and after a short while found the bird in the same area, often returning to the original thicket from Monday. I was so focused on identification of the VIWA that I probably didn’t take a full inventory of all of the warblers that were around. They had at least 4 OCWA now, 2-3 NAWA, 2 YRWA, and crushing views of the VIWA. The bird was seen by many through the afternoon. And thanks again to the homeowners who accepted my presence in their yard and invited others in later that day!
I also can’t help but wonder if there will be a “Patagonia Picnic Table Effect” as birders descend upon and follow this possibly-growing flock of unseasonable warblers. Could I be heading back to Peak’s soon? I’ll at least be able to grab another Mediterranean wrap this time.
12/1 UPDATE: The VIWA has not been seen since the afternoon of 12/29. Birders searched for it on 12/30 and had 1+ NAWA and 4 OCWA in the area. Today, Jeannette and I spent the morning looking for it to no avail. In the Seashore Avenue area, we had 2 NAWA and 2-3 OCWA. As we widened our search, Jeannette and I had a continuing COMMON YELLOWTHROAT in the same spot as last Monday and another OCWA, both near Battery Steele.
It might be Rarity Season, but never forget to take your time to enjoy and appreciate our common resident birds! This Red-breasted Nuthatch was on our feeders in Durham on the 15th. There are a lot more in the area this fall than last winter, perhaps due to the lack of Eastern White Pine cones, especially to our north.
Rarity Season continues to be hot. Some dedicated rarity-searching plus some casual birding, yielded the following observations of note over the past 7 days. Swinging for the fences, however, I felt like Aaron Judge in the MLB post-season: lots of strikeouts and no home runs, but at least I went down swinging.
1 Evening Grosbeak, Cedar Pond Road, Durham, 11/15.
Not surprisingly given the mild weather to date, there are a lot of half-hardies around, such as Hermit Thrushes and Swamp Sparrows which I encountered in a number of places this week. Scattered Red-winged Blackbirds and small flocks of Common Grackles continue as well as is now usual in mid-November.
Here’s the world’s worst photo of the Orange-crowned Warbler that appeared at Sandy Point on Tuesday. I drew an outline around it to (maybe) help you find it. It was my 8th ever here.
My non-Sandy Point observations of note over the past seven days included:
I do like a good storm system. Especially as Rarity Season is now upon us! So besides our desperately-needed rain, I was anxious for this weekend’s weathah in the hopes it will set up some action for my favorite time in the birding year.
The winds turned east on Thursday (10/20), and strengthening easterly winds, scattered showers, and developing fog minimized the migration overnight into Friday morning. It was hard to tell from the radar is there was some limited, low movement, which would be indicative of the sparrows that move this time of year. Florida Lake Park was slow in the morning, though, and nothing new was under our feeders at home or at the store, however.
During the day on Friday, a shortwave moved out of the Ohio Valley, and overrunning precipitation fell during the day. By dark, however, that low was deepening and strengthening, and overnight, it tapped tropical moisture, leading to torrential rains, isolated thunderstorm, and by far our best soaker in at least 6 months: 3-6 inches of rain fell over the area! Southeasterly winds turned back to the east before going calm with thickening fog by morning.
Fog and a little drizzle on Saturday morning was all that our Saturday Morning Birdwalk had to contend with on our outing to Wolfe’s Neck Farm; it does seem like there are more Laughing Gulls around later this year than I can ever remember (just the warm weather or are these related to Hurricane Mathew?).
The low slowly moved into the Canada, with an onshore flow (I had hoped for more southwesterlies) throughout the day. On the backside of the system, winds shifted to the west overnight while more rain and showers continued from the afternoon through the first half of the night. Winds were howling west by the morning, and the air definitely felt seasonable for a change.
With the storm system pulling away to the north…
…and the temperatures falling (and even some snowfall was seen in the mountains!) it’s time to really go birding!
On Sunday, Phil McCormack and I headed over Peak’s Island, a place I really want to spend more time searching in the fall. Afterall, it’s a mere 15-minute ferry ride, there are a variety of interesting habitats, and the maritime climate tempers the onset of the seasons a little more. In other words, it looks good for rarities! (And you know I need to seek them somewhere other than Portland now!)
And with my Rarity Fever stoked, a productive morning of scouring the southern 1/3rd of the island yielded the seasonal rare-but-regular stuff that makes one keep coming back: A Clay-colored Sparrow, a Yellow-breasted Chat, and an Orange-crowned Warbler (my second of the season). Add to that single Nashville and Palm Warblers among a total of 6 species of warblers, a fly-by flock of 57 Brant, 8 lingering Red-winged Blackbirds, a good Northern Gannet flight, a Merlin, and recently arrived Red-necked Grebe and 9 Red-breasted Mergansers and you can see why I will be birding here more and more (my once a fall needs to become at least 3-4 visits each season, me thinks). Not the best photo of a Clay-colored Sparrow (can you find it?) that I have taken!
There wasn’t any migration visible on the radar overnight, but there were southwesterly winds – the direction that can help facilitate the arrival of vagrants to the Northeast. But with winds once again rapidly increasing during the day on Monday, the detection of birds was limited. However, Jeannette and I enjoyed a visit to a particularly productive patch of private property in Cape Elizabeth, where a Blue Grosbeak and a Clay-colored Sparrow that I found last week continued. Dark-eyed Juncos increased to 100+ and White-throated Sparrows were up to 50. Other sparrows had decreased, as expected, but there were still 75 or so Song Sparrows, 6 Chipping, and 2 White-crowned, along with about ten each of Swamp and Savannah. Singleton Indigo Bunting and Common Yellowthroats were both getting late.
With the low pressure system still spinning over the Maritimes, and another shortwave disturbance rotating through, winds remained gusty through the night. Despite the preferred northwest wind (slowly becoming west through the night) there were just not a lot of migrants willing to deal with the winds and likely resultant turbulence overnight. And the winds were gusty and increasing by dawn once again.
I was in Harpswell for the morning, leading a birdwalk for the Curtis Library as part of their fall reading series. Mitchell Field, a true hotspot at this time of year, was our destination, but it was anything but hot from a temperature perspective! However, there were a bunch of Yellow-rumped Warblers and a few flocks of migrant Common Grackles easily eclipsed 1,000 – a sign that it wasn’t just the birders who were thinking that it’s finally starting to feel like winter is approachintg! Migrant Turkey Vultures (10), Sharp-shinned Hawks (4), and a trickle of Northern Flickers were also winging it south.
Despite the wind, I poked around a couple of other spots on the peninsula since I was down there, with Stover’s Point yielding a 3 Horned Larks, a “Yellow” Palm Warbler, and 9 Black-bellied Plovers among others. But it was windy!
Winds died down a little overnight, finally, and with it, some birds took to the air. For the first time in seven days, there was at least a moderate flight underway. Here’s the 10pm radar image for example, which shows a strong flight underway:
But by 1:00am, the flight was already rather light, suggestive of the short-distance migrants of the season making a little bit of progress, but for the most part, more birds departing than arriving:
And therefore, Sandy Point wasn’t as great as I had hoped for on Wednesday morning. However, I still enjoyed a respectable morning flight for this time of year. A total of 444 individuals of 22 species were led by 262 American Robins and 82 Common Grackles, but also included my first Fox Sparrow of fall, my 3rd Orange-crowned Warbler of the season (and only the 6th Sandy Point record), and this very tardy (or perhaps, “reverse” or 180-misoriented) migrant Prairie Warbler.
Strong northwest to northerly winds continued through the day, but they are finally expected to lighten up overnight. The current forecast looks good for a big flight tonight, and, if the winds stay more northwest – or at least north – than northeast by morning, I might get a “big one” at Sandy Point.
I sure hope so, as I haven’t had a lot of great mornings there this year, between all of my time on Monhegan, our recent quick trip to Cape May, and the overall lack of cold fronts this entire fall. The good news is that it seems to be changing now, and at the very least, a more active weather pattern should not only bring some more rainfall, but some good winds for producing good birding. While weather doesn’t necessarily cause vagrancy of fall migrants, winds certainly facilitate their arrival in far-off places.
Hopefully, the onset of cooler weather and more north and northwesterly winds will usher them to the coast and concentrate them in those seasonal hotspots that I will be hitting hard in the coming weeks. Also, this series of strong low pressure systems could in fact displace some birds, or at least get birds that are still on the move a littler further northeast (I am of course, drastically over-simplifying the mechanisms of vagrancy here). At the very least, the little bit of snow to our north and west, colder nights, and the end of our growing season – and resultant greatly diminished numbers of insects and other food sources – should help those patches that get better when the weather turns towards winter.
Maine Birding Field Notes 