Tag Archives: spring migration

 This Week’s Highlights 5/2– 5/8/2026.

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It’s May, and May means Neotropical Migrants, like this stunning Scarlet Tanager that graced the
Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch on 5/5.

It’s May, and things are happening whether the weather wants it to or not! But finally, the migratory floodgates opened, with huge overnight flights Monday into Tuesday and Wednesday into Thursday. It’s on! The flood of new arrivals those days got things back closer to schedule, until the second half of the week, when progress slowed down once again. The warm weather ushered in by an extensive southwesterly flow all of the way down to the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic Bight from Monday night into Wednesday ushered in a wave of “southern overshoots’ around the state. Here, for example, is the wind map from mid-day on Wednesday, showing the extensive southwesterly flow originating way down in the Gulf of Mexico.

I didn’t try to chase any of the reports but was certainly monitoring my feeders and local patches with extra vigilance! Not surprisingly then, most of my observations of note over the past seven days were of the FOY variety.

  • 10 Lesser Scaup, 1 Blue-winged Teal, 10 Lesser Yellowlegs, etc, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 5/4 (with Jayden Mowry).
  • 10 species of warbler (FOY, finally), led by only 15-20 Yellow-rumped Warblers and 5+ Black-and-white Warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/5.
  • 66 Lesser Yellowlegs, etc, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 5/7.

My extensive (finally!) list personal “first of years” (aka “FOYs”) this week also included:

  • 6 SANDHILL CRANES, over I-295 at Exit 22, Freeport, 5/2 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Spotted Sandpiper, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/2 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Gray Catbird, feeders here at the store, 5/2.
  • 1 American Pipit, flying over our Durham property, 5/3.
  • 1 White-crowned Sparrow, feeders here at the store, 5/3.
  • 1 Northern Parula (finally! Quite late), Hinckley Park, South Portland, 5/4
  • 1 Solitary Sandpiper, Hinckley Park, 5/4.
  • 1 Nashville Warbler, Hinckley Park, 5/4.
  • 11 Vesper Sparrows, Kennebunk Plains, Kennebunk, 5/4.
  • 2 Prairie Warblers, Kennebunk Plains, 5/4.
  • 2 Marsh Wrens, Sanford Lagoons, Sanford, 5/4.
  • 2 Yellow Warblers, Sanford Lagoons, 5/4.
  • 1 Green Heron, Sanford Lagoons, 5/4.
  • 2 Bank Swallows, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 5/4 (with Jayden Mowry).
  • 1 LITTLE BLUE HERON, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 5/4 (with Jayden Mowry).
  • 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird, our feeders in Durham, 5/4.
  • 1 Baltimore Oriole, our feeders in Durham, 5/5.
  • 2 Northern Waterthrushes, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
  • 2 Black-throated Green Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
  • 1 Chimney Swift, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
  • 3 Common Yellowthroats, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
  • 1 Ovenbird, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
  • 1 Magnolia Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
  • 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Hidden Pond Preserve, Freeport, 5/5.
  • 1 Eastern Kingbird, Hidden Pond Preserve, 5/5.
  • 1 House Wren, Runaround Pond Road, Durham, 5/5.
  • 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler, Runaround Pond Preserve, Durham, 5/5.
  • 3 Least Sandpipers, Florida Lake Park, 5/6.
  • 3 Least Flycatchers, Old Town Hose Park, North Yarmouth, 5/7.
  • 4 Eastern Warbling Vireos, Old Town House Park, 5/7.
  • 5 Bobolinks, Old Town House Park, 5/7.
  • 1 American Redstart, Old Town House Park, 5/7.
  • 1 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, Old Town House Park, 5/7.
  • 1 Great-crested Flycatcher, our property in Durham, 5/7.
  • 3 Veeries, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/8.
  • 5 Black-throated Blue Warblers, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/8.
  • 1 Blackburnian Warbler, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/8.
Vesper Sparrows are “in” at the Kennebunk Plains.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch.

The 20th year of the project began on March 15th and will conclude on May 15th. The quickest and clearest way to view daily reports is by clicking on the Hawkcount link contained on the website link above. Meanwhile, we will continue to post weekly summaries on the News Page of our website. Here’s the Week 7 report.

Upcoming Tours (with space available).

Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! Warblers and Wort -THIS SUNDAY, SPACE AVAILABLE!

May 10, 2026; 8:00am – 2:00pm

Portland Explorer (formerly Maine Brew Bus) and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are excited to continue our collaboration for 3 very special outings in 2026. 

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!

We’re bringing back the “Mother’s Day Special” in 2026, with a return to Portland on one of our most popular annual itineraries. May means warbler migration, and the destination for Warblers and Wort will hit two of Maine’s most famous springtime migrant traps, Portland’s Evergreen Cemetery and nearby Capisic Pond Park. Two oases in the urban jungle, featuring water sources and a mix of various habitats, help concentrate migrant birds that found themselves in or over the city come sunrise. After migrating all night, tired travelers look for refuge: food, water, and shelter, and urban greenspaces are absolutely critical for refueling.  

Warbler diversity will rapidly be increasing, over 15 species possible by the middle of May, depending on the progression of the season. Other species, such as sparrows, raptors, and other Neotropical Migrants such as orioles and tanagers are also on the move, increasing our chances of seeing a diversity of species. If the cemetery’s apples and cherries are blooming, we may be in for quite a treat as these are absolute magnets for hungry migrants.  Meanwhile, most trees have yet to fully leaf out, making them easier to spot! 

It’s sometimes hard to leave Evergreen on a busy spring morning, but if we do, it will be for the very short trip over to Capisic Pond Park, where we’ll continue to seek migrants of all shapes and sizes.

​After about 3 hours of birding, we will be transported to two of our great local producers to sample their offerings and learn their styles. Our brewery destinations are subject to change, but the current plan is to visit Foundation and Rising Tide Brewing Company.

 This Week’s Highlights 3/28– 4/3/2026.

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This unreasonably confiding American Woodcock kindly posed for pictures as it foraged along the side of the road during our Saturday Morning Birdwalk on the 28th. “My bird” was not nearly as cooperative during our
Woodcocks Gone Wild program the following night.

Despite the often less than spring-like weather, spring migration made slow but steady progress this week. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days:

  • 400+ Scaup off of the Maquoit Bay Conservation Land in Brunswick were mostly too far to sort through, but a single drake Lesser was among about 30 close Greaters on 3/28 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 450 Greater (mostly) with some Lesser Scaup, Ferry/Western Beaches, Scarborough, 3/29.
  • 2 American Oystercatchers (FOY) with about 25 Purple Sandpipers, Ferry Beach, Scarborough, 3/29. I don’t think I have ever seen these two species standing next to each other! (with Maine Conservation Voters birdwalk group).

These phone-scoped photos don’t really do the scene justice!

  • 4-6 American Woodcocks, private property in Durham, 3/29 during our annual “Woodcocks Gone Wild!” tour. 4 were displaying all evening, but our close bird seemed to be occupied elsewhere. Only some folks saw it in flight once, or it or another bird zipping by, as he never came into his platform this evening, much to the dismay of everyone present – especially me!

My other personal “first of years” (aka “FOYs”) this week included:

  • 5 Piping Plovers, Scarborough Beach State Park, 3/29 (with Maine Conservation Voters birdwalk group).
  • 1 Northern Flicker (FOS), Brown’s Point Road, Bowdoinham, 3/30 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Tree Swallow, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 3/30.
  • 1 Fox Sparrow, our property in Durham, 3/31.
  • 1 Eastern Phoebe, our property in Durham, 3/31.
  • 1 RUSTY BLACKBIRD, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/1.
  • 4 Double-crested Cormorants, Yarmouth Town Landing, 4/1.
  • 3 Ospreys, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 4/2.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch is Underway!

The 20th year of the project began on March 15th. The quickest and clearest way to view daily reports is by clicking on the Hawkcount link contained here. Meanwhile, we will continue to post weekly summaries on the News Page of our website. Here’s the Week 2 report.

Upcoming Tours.

Portland Explorer (formerly Maine Brew Bus) and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are excited to continue our collaboration for 3 very special outings in 2026. 

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!

This brand-new itinerary takes us to the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal in the peak of northbound raptor migration. Now in its 20th year, this research project by Freeport Wild Bird Supply tallies an average of 4,180 migrating birds of prey each spring from the summit!

After a gentle 1-mile climb through the woods, looking and listening for migrant and resident songbirds, we’ll arrive at the summit and join the project’s Official Counter. Derek will discuss the history and methodology of the project, as the counter points out migrating raptors. Derek will lead us through the basics of hawk identification to give us a hawkwatch primer, and then if the migration action allows, we’ll sit back and enjoy the show until it is time to depart (the walk down is a steep ¼ of a mile on a wide, well-worn trail with rocks and roots and some steps; hiking sticks are suggested if you use them). This is the only Hawkwatch Workshop program that FWBS will be offering this year, so this is a tour you won’t want to miss!

After about 3 hours of birding, we will be transported to two of our great local producers to sample their offerings and learn their styles. Our brewery destinations are subject to change, but the current plan is to visit Maine Beer Company and Goodfire Brewing.

This Week’s Highlights, 5/17-5/22/2025.

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This immature male Orchard Oriole was singing up a storm – when we wasn’t being chased by a territorial male Baltimore – at tiny, but often-productive – Lake Grove Park in Auburn on the 18th.

A sneaky good flight overnight Saturday into Sunday made for a tremendous day of birding: it took me over three hours to leave my yard! The rest of the week, however, was very slow by mid-May standards, with the exception of a very surprising morning At Fort Foster on Friday. My observations of note over the past six days before I head off to Monhegan with my tour group included the following:

  • 17 species of warblers, led by 38+ American Redstarts and 16 Black-throated Green Warblers, our property in Durham, 5/18.
  • 1 Louisiana Waterthrush, Papermill Trail, Lisbon, 5/18.
  • 1 immature male ORCHARD ORIOLE, Lake Grove Park, Auburn, 5/18.
  • 1 Lesser Scaup, Pine Point, Scarborough, 5/20.
  • 19 species of warblers, led by 27+ American Redstarts and 19 Yellow Warblers, but also including 8+ Bay-breasted Warblers, Fort Foster, Kittery, 5/22.
  • 120 Brant (impressive flock for Maine!) and 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Fort Foster, 5/22.

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

  • 1 Indigo Bunting, our property in Durham, 5/18.
  • 1 Bay-breasted Warbler, our property in Durham, 5/18.
  • 1 Swainson’s Thrush, Papermill Trail, Lisbon, 5/18.
  • 8+ Common Nighthawks, our property in Durham, 5/18.
  • 3 YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS, Morgan Meadow WMA, Gray/Raymond, 5/19 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Tennessee Warbler, our property in Durham. 5/20.
  • # Least Tern, Pine Point, Scarborough, 5/20.
  • 3-4 Saltmarsh Sparrows, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 5/20.
  • 1 Black-billed Cuckoo, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/21.

Upcoming Tours (with space available):

Rangeley Birding Festival, June 5-8

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

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The 2025 Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch came to a close on Thursday. It did not exactly end with a bang, but we had a great flight for the this late in the season on Monday, including a good movement of immature Broad-winged Hawks and Merlins, such as this one. It, and everything else that has passed over or by the summit for the last two weeks has only added to our record-breaking season.

After last week’s rarity insanity, this was a tamer, more “normal” week for mid-May. While several great songbird flights occurred this week, concentrations were few, but there were “new” birds arriving most every day. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.

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

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

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

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

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

Upcoming Tours (with space available):

Rangeley Birding Festival, June 5-8

This Week’s Highlights, 5/3-5/9/2025.

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This female Cerulean Warbler at Evergreen Cemetery on 5/6 was the first in Maine for just about every birder who raced to see it! Thanks to Bill for the photo!

Wow! What a week! Although I was out of town for the huge flight Friday night into Saturday morning, my birding with a tour group on an almost-as-productive Sunday morning made up for it. Then, with an upper level low locked into place, migration ground to a halt throughout most of the rest of the week. However, a trickle of new arrivals appeared, and an impressive array of rarities were found around the state. I did a lot more chasing than usual this week (including a personal “state bird”, but a self-found rarity on Friday was a perfect way to put the icing on the cake of a tremendous week of spring birding! My observations of note over the past seven days included the following:

  • 15 species of warblers (FOY) between Evergreen Cemetery and Capsic Pond Park, with Northern Parula the most numerous at both, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 2-3 Louisiana Waterthrushes, Suckfish Brook Conservation Area, Falmouth, 5/5 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 continuing BLACK-NECKED STILT, Spurwink Marsh, Cape Elizabeth, 5/6 (with Bill Thompson). Well, since we were out chasing together, we figured we might as well visit this elegant rarity found by John Lorence on 5/3.
  • The continuing CERULEAN WARBLER at Evergreen Cemetery on 5/8 with my Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Warblers and Wort! Tour group. I don’t generally take photos while guiding groups, but I took a few of this bird…and completely wiffed on them!
  • After all this “twitching,” I was due to find my own rarity, and did so on 5/9 with an adult breeding plumage female RUFF (REEVE) at Walsh Preserve in Freeport. There are only about 10 previous records for Maine.

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

  • 2 Yellow Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 8 Black-throated Blue Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 2 Wood Thrushes, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 3 Magnolia Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 4 Chestnut-sided Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 2 Great-crested Flycatchers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 2 American Redstarts, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 2 Northern Waterthrushes, Capisic Pond Park, Portland, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 7 Chimney Swifts, Capisic Pond Park, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
  • 1 White-crowned Sparrow, feeders here at the store, 5/4.
  • 2 Lincoln’s Sparrows, Suckfish Brook Conservation Area, Falmouth, 5/5 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Warbling Vireo, our yard in Durham, 5/5.
  • 16 Willets, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 5/6.
  • 18 Least Sandpipers, Eastern Road Trail, 5/6.
  • 1 Eastern Kingbird, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/6 (with Bill Thompson).
  • 1 LITTLE BLUE HERON, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 5/6 (with Bill Thompson).
  • 1 Blackburnian Warbler, Rte 136 powerline cut, Durham, 5/7.
  • 1 Wilson’s Warbler, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with Birds on Tap Roadtrip! tour group)
  • 2 House Wrens, Capisic Pond Park, 5/8 (with Birds on Tap Roadtrip! tour group).
  • 2 Blue-winged Teal, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 5/9.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

The Week 7 report – in which we broke the all-time season record – can be found here.

Upcoming Tours (with space available):

Rangeley Birding Festival, June 5-8

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

The Week 5 report can be found here.

Upcoming Tours (with Space Available):

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

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

Recent Highlights, 3/15-3/21/2025.

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It wasn’t a very photogenic week, but I did snap this phone-scoped shot of a Bald Eagle feasting on a Red-breasted Merganser through the fog off Eastern Road on the 20th.

Spring made only slow progress this week, but some early migrants and other new arrivals, along with a few seasonal highlights were among my observations of note over the past seven days:

  • Our overwintering Fox Sparrow at home in Durham was joined by a second on the 15th. 1-2 continued through the week’s end. Meanwhile, the overwintering Fox Sparrow here at the store continued through 3/16. With more migrants moving around now, I’ll forgo further Fox Sparrow reports. But it was quite nice to have birds overwinter at both of our feeding stations this year – a first for us at either location.
  • 3 BARROW’S GOLDENEYES (1 pair and 1 female), Winslow Park, Freeport, 3/15 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 5 Wood Ducks (FOS), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 3/16.
  • 2 American Woodcocks (FOY), our property in Durham, 3/16.
  • 1 pair Gadwall, 14 Northern Pintail (FOS), 10 American Wigeon, 75 Green-winged Teal, etc, Mouth of the Abby, Bowdoinham, 3/18 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Northern Saw-Whet Owl (FOY), our property in Durham, 3/19. Yard Bird #155!
  • 2 Savannah Sparrows (FOS), 34 Lesser Scaup, 3 Northern Pintails, etc, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 3/20.
  • 14 Gadwall, Pelreco marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 3/20.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch

The 19th season of the Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch started last weekend. Free and open to the public, we welcomed Zane Baker back for his 7th season as Official Counter. 9-5 every day, weather permitting. The first week was highlighted by a great first day and two Black Vulture sightings.

Daily counts will be posted here and weekly summaries will be posted here.

Upcoming Tours:

Woodcocks Gone Wild: Saturday, March 29th. Call for waitlist.

Recent Highlights, 3/2– 3/10/2024

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We birded Rhode Island for a couple of days this week, and found this Pink-footed Goose, about the 7th or 8th ever recorded in the state as we drove through Middletown!

Despite 4 days of birding out of state during this period, I had a handful of observations of note here in Maine over the last nine days, including the vanguard of spring migrants. They included:

  • The first significant influx of Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackles arrived this week, and waterfowl are definitely on the move. Scattered Red Crossbills continue, including around our Durham property and around the store area this week.
  • 4 drake and 2 hen BARROW’S GOLDENEYES continue, Winslow Park, Freeport, 3/2 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Fox Sparrow (FOY), our yard in Durham, 3/8.
  • 1 pair GADWALL (FOY), 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Red Crossbill, etc, Broad Cove Preserve, Cumberland, 3/9 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 3 American Woodcocks (FOY), our property in Durham, 3/9.
  • Total of 12 Killdeer (FOY) from several locations around the “Greater Yarmouth Goose Fields, 3/10.
  • 1 pair Northern Pintail, Thornhurst Farm, North Yarmouth, 3/10.

TOURS AND EVENTS:

Only a four spaces remaining for April 6th’s “Woodcocks Gone Wild.”  This year, we are requesting pre-registration for the first time, with evening-of walk-ups only if we have extra space; sorry for the inconvenience. You can register here.

BRADBURY MOUNTAIN SPRING HAWKWATCH

We get underway for the 18th season on Friday, March 15th. We’ll be welcoming Zane Baker back for his record-shattering 6th season! All the pertinent information, and link to daily counts, can be found here.

This Week’s Highlights, 4/29-5/5, 2023

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We enjoyed a great turnout of hawkwatchers and hawks for my hawkwatch workshop at Bradbury Mountain on the 29th as part of the 13th Annual Feathers over Freeport weekend of events.

 In case you were wondering, the meteorological term for this week is “yuck.” However, despite the weather, some birds were pushing through. The storm also pushed a wreck of Red and Red-necked Phalaropes to the coast, and with reports of some very early arrivals and vagrant southern birds, there seems to be a rather widespread displacement/overshoot event caused by this massive and stubborn upper-level low rotating over the great lakes. I didn’t get out very much to help prove or disprove this, but I did have some decent birding this week. While migrants overall made very slow gains, I did have my best morning of spring so far this year…right in our yard!

My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 1 Evening Grosbeak, Bowie Hill Road, Durham, 5/1 (with Jeannette).
  • 3 Lesser Scaup, Sabattus Pond, 5/1.
  • 6 species of warblers led by 50+ Yellow-rumped and 5-10 Palm, but also including 3 Pine, 2 Black-and-white (FOY), 1 Black-throated Green (FOY), and 1 Northern Parula (FOY), our property in Durham, 5/2. After corresponding with other local birders, I believe this was a localized, light fall-out caused by an isolated, dense fog bank that was centered around Lewiston-Auburn. Florida Lake Park, only about 9 miles away to the southeast, was nearly devoid of migrants for example (fide N. Gibb).
  • 1 Red Crossbill, Littlefield Woods Preserve, Chebeague Island, 5/4 (with Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust tour group).
  • 7 Evening Grosbeaks, our feeders in Durham, 5/5.

My other personal FOY’s this week also included:

  • 1 Greater Yellowlegs, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 4/30.
  • 1 Black-bellied Plover, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 4/30.
  • 1 RUSTY BLACKBIRD, our property in Durham, 5/2 through present.
  • 6 Lesser Yellowlegs, Rte 136, Durham, 5/2
  • 1 Least Sandpiper, Rte 136, Durham, 5/2
  • 1 Baltimore Oriole, our feeders in Durham, 5/2 through present.
  • 2 Gray Catbirds, feeders here at the store, 5/3 through present.
  • 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Chebeague Island, 5/4 (with Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust tour group).
  • 5 Laughing Gulls, Indian Point Preserve, 5/4 (with Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust tour group).
  • 3 Eastern Towhees, Indian Point Preserve, 5/4 (with Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust tour group).
  • 1 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, Indian Point Preserve, 5/4 (with Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust tour group).
  • 1 Great Egret, Cousin’s River Marsh, Yarmouth/Freeport, 5/4 (yeah, it’s been a while since I have been to Scarborough Marsh!)

TOURS AND EVENTS:

Our next tour with space available (next weekend’s Songbird Workshop with Down East Adventures is sold out) is pair of ½ day tours with the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust.

This Week’s Highlights, 4/15-21/2023

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

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

My other personal FOY’s this week also included:

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

TOURS AND EVENTS:

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

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