Tag Archives: spring

This Week’s Highlights, 5/26 to 6/2, 2023

This first summer male Blue Grosbeak was present on Monhegan for at least a week, and unexpectedly, was flycatching for seaweed flies in shoreline rocks for most of the time, including the two days we looked at it with my Monhegan Spring Migration Weekend tour group.

With 5 days on Monhegan and one (half) day offshore, I enjoyed a lot of great birds this week. My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 1 Mourning Warbler, our property in Durham, 5/26 (Yard Bird #137!)
  • Monhegan Island with our Monhegan Spring Migration Weekend Tour group (full trip report and photos to come).

Daily:

  • Impressive numbers of Red Crossbills swirling around the island and tough to quantify, including many juveniles. High counts of largest flock(s) in the mid-20’s.  Three WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were present each day at least through the end of the weekend. Rare for the island, a pair of HOUSE FINCHES appeared on the 27th and continued through the end of our stay.  Here are my group’s other daily highlights.

5/26:

  • 11 Bay-breasted Warblers (FOY)
  • 1 Cape May Warbler (FOY)
  • 1 female Evening Grosbeak
  • 1 Black-billed Cuckoo
  • 1 continuing ORCHARD ORIOLE
  • 1 Philadelphia Vireo (FOY)

5/27:

  • 1 continuing male DICKCISSEL
  • 1 continuing female/imm male SUMMER TANAGER
  • 1 female ORCHARD ORIOLE
  • 1 Olive-sided Flycatcher (FOY)

5/28:

  • 9 GLOSSY IBIS – circled the island early in the morning but did not land. My 225th Island Bird!
  • 1 probable immature male PURPLE MARTIN
  • 1 continuing 1st-year male BLUE GROSBEAK
  • 1 immature BROAD-WINGED HAWK
  • 1 continuing male DICKCISSEL

5/29:

  • 1 pair ORCHARD ORIOLES
  • 1 continuing SNOWY EGRET – Jeannette and I finally caught up with it for my 226th Island Bird!
  • 1 continuing 1st year male BLUE GROSBEAK
  • 5/30 (With Jeannette):
  • 1 continuing male ORCHARD ORIOLE
  • 1 Field Sparrow
  • Did not try to catch up with continuing rarities, although two quick checks did not turn up the Dickcissel or the Blue Grosbeak.
  • The Zeiss Pelagic with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises out of Boothbay Harbor, 6/2. This special mini-pelagic, sponsored by Zeiss Optics visited Eastern Egg Rock before heading 20 miles offshore. Trip report to come, but for now, the highlights:

1 Razorbill at Eastern Egg Rock

1 COMMON MURRE (between Eastern Egg Rock and Murray Hole)

350-400 total Wilson’s Storm-Petrels (FOY)

12 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES

  • TOURS AND EVENTS:

I’ll see you next week at the Rangely Birding Festival! Most (but not all) tours are sold out, but everyone can join me for the free and open to the public Birds on Tap! Event at Parkside and Main (beverages not included)!

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

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

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

My observations of note over the past seven days included:

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

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

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

TOURS AND EVENTS:

This Week’s Highlights, 5/6 – 5/12, 2023

With my guiding season now in full swing, I have no choice but to be out in the field a lot, regardless of my shoulder situation. And with much finer weather and some good nights of especially Saturday and Thursday nights, the arrivals of migrants caught up to the date quite rapidly. Many new arrivals – as well as a lot of personal first-of-years since I had not been getting out much – resulted in a nice long list of highlights for me -and my clients – over the past 7 days. 

My observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 10 Greater Yellowlegs, our property in Durham (thanks to a flood in our field), 5/5 diminishing to 3 by 5/7.
  • 250-300++ White-throated Sparrow in impressive fallout, Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 1 female Red Crossbill, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 10 species of warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain). This tied my latest date for reaching 10 species at one place in one morning for the first time of the season.
  • 1 WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (looking very out of place) and a pair of RUDDY DUCKS, Sanford Lagoons, Sanford, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 drake Northern Shoveler, Dunstan Landing, Scarborough Marsh, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 pair LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, Morgan Meadow WMA, Gray/Raymond, 5/11 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/11 (with clients from Spain and Maine).

The long list of my personal FOY’s this week also included:

  • 1 Ovenbird, Florida Lake Park, 5/6 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Common Yellowthroat, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 1 Nashville Warbler, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 3 Chimney Swifts, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 2 Yellow Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 1 American Redstart, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 1 Green Heron, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 1 Prairie Warbler, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/8 (with client from Spain).
  • 20+ Field Sparrows, Kennebunk Plains, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 3 Vesper Sparrows, Kennebunk Plains, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 Eastern Meadowlark, Kennebunk Plains, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 2 Solitary Sandpipers, Sanford Lagoons, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 Spotted Sandpiper, Sanford Lagoons, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 Least Tern, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 30+ Common Terns, Pine Point, Scarborough, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 4-6 ROSEATE TERNS, Pine Point, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 Eastern Kingbird, Dunstan Landing, Scarborough Marsh, 5/8 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 Northern Waterthrush, Florida Lake Park, 5/9.
  • 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/9.
  • 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow (finally, extremely late for my first of the year, and this one was not due to lack of visitation of its habitats), Florida Lake Park, 5/9.
  • 1 Veery, Florida Lake Park, 5/9.
  • 1 Cliff Swallow, Florida Lake Park, 5/9.
  • 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird, our yard in Durham, 5/9.
  • 1 White-crowned Sparrows, feeders here at the store, 5/10.
  • 14 Least Flycatchers, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/11 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 2 Great Crested Flycatcher, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/11 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 3-4 YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS, Morgan Meadow WMA. 5/11 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 Scarlet Tanager, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/11 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 Warbling Vireo, Durham River Park, Durham, 5/11 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 Bank Swallow, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/11 (with clients from Spain and Maine).
  • 1 Wood Thrush, our property in Durham, 5/12.
  • 1 Canada Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/12.
  • 1 Wilson’s Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/12.

TOURS AND EVENTS:

This Week’s Highlights: 4/8-14, 2023

Our first tour of the season, a roadtrip for work, lots of new arrivals, and more good feeder-watching,  but the highlight of the week for me was the awesome congregation of Ring-necked Ducks at Corinna Marsh.

  • Evening Grosbeaks continued at our feeders in Durham, with 5 on 4/8 and 2 on 4/9.
  • Great performance by American Woodcocks (at least 5-6) including one landing in the open before dusk during our “Woodcocks Gone Wild!” Tour at Pineland Farms on 4/8.
  • 1 Evening Grosbeak, Shawmut Dam, Fairfield, 4/10.
  • Incredible concentration of _576_ Ring-necked Ducks on the partially-open Corrina Marsh, Corrina, 4/10.

Personal first-of-years and new arrivals:

  • 1 Brown Thrasher, our feeders in Durham, 4/8 (Yard Bird #126!)
  • 1 Osprey, Highland Road, Brunswick, 4/9 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Savannah Sparrow, Highland Road, Brunswick, 4/9 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Corinna Marsh, Corinna, 4/10.
  • 2 SANDHILL CRANES, Corinna Marsh, 4/10.
  • 1 Palm Warbler. Bangor Waterfront Park, 4/10.
  • 1 Chipping Sparrow, our feeders in Durham, 4/13.

Tour and Events:

  • Saturday Morning Birdwalks return tomorrow, 4/15! As always, meet at the store at 8:00am for a carpool to a local park.
  • Join us at Maine Beer Company on Wednesday, April 19th for their monthly Community Pizza Night to support Feathers Over Freeport!  20% of food sales between 4:00 and 8:00pm will be donated to the upcoming event. https://mainebeercompany.com/visit-us/calendar/community-pizza-night-5
  • Speaking of Feathers Over Freeport, Community Pizza Night at MBC is the first of two pre-event events leading up the fun-filled weekend. For a full schedule, see: http://www.maine.gov/feathersoverfreeport

This Week’s Highlights: 4/1-7, 2023

Three Evening Grosbeaks at our feeders in Durham on the 3rd was a highlight this week; they were our first here this year.

It didn’t feel like it on most days this week, but spring was still in the air. My observations of note over the past seven days included the following:

  • 3 male Evening Grosbeaks, our feeders in Durham, 4/3.
  • 1 Pine Warbler (FOY), Brown’s Point Road, Bowdoinham, 4/4.
  • I enjoyed a fantastic visit to the Mouth of the Abby in Bowdoinham on 4/4. The tally:
    • 1 drake “EURASIAN” GREEN-WINGED TEAL
    • 1 drake “EURASIAN” X “AMERICAN” GREEN-WINGED TEAL HYBRID
    • 269 American Black Ducks
    • 264 Green-winged Teal
    • 90 Canada Geese
    • 28 Mallards
    • 13 Wilson’s Snipe (FOY)
    • 11 Common Mergansers
    • 6 Ring-necked Ducks
    • 4+ Mallard x American Black Duck hybrids
    • 2 American Wigeon
    • 2 Common Goldeneyes
    • 2 Buffleheads
    • 2 Lesser Scaup
    • 1 pair NORTHERN SHOVELERS (FOY)
    • 1 pair Blue-winged Teal (FOY)
  • 1 Hermit Thrush (FOS), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/5.
  • 2 male Evening Grosbeaks, our feeders in Durham, 4/7.

Now that I am back in the field and at work a little more, my feeder-watching at home is just a little less frequent. However, as you can see above, we had some good visitors this week. For continued weekly updates, you can follow “Feeder Watching Friday” posts each Friday on our store’s Facebook page.  This week was certainly interesting at the feeding station.

Tour Notes:

Our annual “Woodcocks Gone Wild!” trip at Pineland Farms was rescheduled to Saturday, 4/8 and we are a go. More info here.

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

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

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

My observations of note over the past six days included:

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

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

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

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

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, April 2-8, 2022.

A distantly-phone-scoped photo of a drake Eurasian Wigeon does not do this spiffy bird justice!

A few “good” ducks, an increasing roster of new arrivals, and a successful tour were my sightings of note over the past seven days:

  • 12 NORTHERN SHOVELERS (one of my highest Maine counts), Maquoit Bay Conservation Land, Brunswick, 4/2 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 continuing drake EURASIAN WIGEON, Route 136, Durham, 4/7 (photo above). Originally found by N. Gibb on 4/3.

New Arrivals this week:

  • 2 Pied-billed Grebes (FOY), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/3 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • 5 Tree Swallows (FOY), Morgan Meadow WMA, 4/4 (with Jeannette).
  • 8 Great Egrets (FOY), Scarborough Marsh, 4/4 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • 1 Snowy Egret (FOY), Scarborough Marsh, 4/4 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • 1 Greater Yellowlegs (FOY), Scarborough Marsh, 4/4 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • 1 Double-crested Cormorant (FOS), Scarborough Marsh, 4/4 (with Levi Burford and Katrina Fenton).
  • Big arrival of more Eastern Phoebes and Song Sparrows in particular night of 4/5-6.
  • 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (FOY), private property in Durham, 4/7 (with Jeannette).

This Week’s Highlights, March 12-18, 2022.

The 16th Annual Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch got off to a great – and mild – start this week. Not surprisingly, most of my birding time this week was spent on the mountain. For more information about the project, visit: https://www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com/post/the-bradbury-mountain-spring-hawkwatch-gets-underway-tuesday-3-15

My personal highlights over the past seven days were as follows, mostly new spring arrivals as expected for the middle of March:

  • 1 pair American Wigeon, Thornhurst Farm, North Yarmouth, 3/12 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 pair Northern Pintail, Riverbank Park, Westbrook, 3/14 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 NORTHERN GOSHAWK (FOY) and 4 Red-shouldered Hawks (FOY), Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 3/15.
  • 1 Fox Sparrow (FOY) and 1 Northern Flicker (FOS), Bradbury-Pinelands Corridor Trail, Pownal, 3/18.

Derek’s Birding This Week, 3/20-26/2021

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

  • up to 6 Fox Sparrows now in our yard, through week’s end.
  • 1 Northern Saw-whet Owl (FOY), our yard in Pownal, 3/20.
  • 19 Northern Pintails (FOY), Mouth of the Abby, Bowdoinham, 3/22 (with Jeannette).
  • 4 Fish Crows (FOY), downtown Brunswick, 3/23 (with Andrew Sharp).
  • 1 Eastern Meadowlark (FOY), 1+ Snow Bunting, and 7 Horned Larks, Brunswick Landing, 3/23 (with Andrew Sharp).
  • 10 Ring-necked Ducks (FOS), Mouth of the Abby, Bowdoinham, 3/22 (with Andrew Sharp).
  • 6 American Woodcocks (FOY), Private Property in Pownal, 3/23 (with Andrew Sharp and Jeannette).

This Week in Finches:

  • Red Crossbill: 4 (Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 3/21).
  • Common Redpoll High Count This Week: ~15 (Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 3/20).