Tag Archives: Walsh Preserve

Recent Highlights, 8/5 – 8/11/2024

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Two of the three Lesser Black-backed Gulls present at Hill’s Beach in Biddeford on the 8th included these two 3rd-cycle birds, seen here with a likely 4th cycle Herring Gull for a nice comparison.

Once again, I focused on shorebirds this week, and not surprisingly the non-shorebird highlights I encountered were while looking at said shorebirds. Meanwhile, passerine movement is really ramping up, with lots of early warblers like Yellow, American Redstart, and Black-and-white on the move. Some of the other migrants on our Durham property this week included Canada Warbler, Eastern Kingbird, Bobolink, and Barn Swallow.

Non-shorebird highlights this week:

  • 1 juvenile BLACK TERN, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/5 (with Jeannette).
  • 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (one 1st-summer; with Dan Gardoqui and two 3rd-summers arriving later), Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/8.

The adults of a lot of species of shorebirds are peaking now, and a growing number of juveniles are arriving, providing for some good numbers at a variety of locations. Shorebird high counts this week:

  • Black-bellied Plover: 86, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/8.
  • Killdeer: 21, Crystal Spring Farm, Brunswick, 8/5 (with Jeannette).
  • Semipalmated Plover: 150+, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/11 (with Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Tour group).
  • Piping Plover: 6, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/8.
  • Whimbrel: 2, Pine Point, 8/11 (with Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Tour group).
  • STILT SANDPIPER (FOY): 1 adult, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/9. Still present at low tide on 8/10 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group – All-time Saturday Morning Birdwalk Species #253!)
The All-Time Saturday Morning Birdwalk List
  • Sanderling: 14, Hill’s Beach, 8/8 (with Dan Gardoqui).
  • Least Sandpiper: 73, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/5 (with Jeannette).
  • White-rumped Sandpiper: 1, Hill’s Beach, 8/8 (with Dan Gardoqui) and Yarmouth Town Landing, 8/10 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • Pectoral Sandpiper: 5, Eastern Road Trail, 8/5 (with Jeannette).
  • Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1500+, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/8 (with Dan Gardoqui).
  • Short-billed Dowitcher: ~40, The Pool, 8/8 (with Dan Gardoqui).
  • Spotted Sandpiper: 2, multiple locations this week.
  • Solitary Sandpiper: 1, several locations this week.
  • Lesser Yellowlegs: 71, Walsh Preserve, 8/9.
  • “Eastern” Willet: 18, Pine Point, 8/11 (with Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! Tour group).
  • “WESTERN” WILLET (FOY): 1, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/8.
  • Greater Yellowlegs: 12, Wharton Point, 8/6 (with Jeannette).

Tours and Events:

Derek’s Birding This Week: 9/11-17, 2021

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Philadelphia Vireos have been particularly conspicuous this week at Sandy Point, especially because of their propensity for stopping by the trees right next to “my office” as they contemplate crossing.

I didn’t get out birding much this week, other than at Sandy Point (see tallies here), and when I did, it was mostly just enjoying the local, regular passerine migrants.

In fact, my only observation of note was a good evening at the Walsh Preserve in Freeport on 9/14 with Jeannette, where a great late-season array of shorebirds included:
1 juv. LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, 1 juv Dunlin (FOF), 76 Lesser Yellowlegs, etc,

Meanwhile, limiting most of my outings to local dog-walking patches and our two yards (home and the store), afforded the opportunity to enjoy lots of up-close migrants this week, including a Nashville Warbler that has been frequenting our dripper at home. Unfortunately, the LARK SPARROW that Will and Jeanne had here at the store on Monday, 9/13, has not returned.

Comparing my notes to last year, the first stages of the “super flight” of irruptives over the winter was already prevalent in these parts with many more Red-breasted Nuthatches and Purple Finches than normal, and the first Pine Siskins of the season. This year, Purple Finches have been in short supply so far, Pine Siskins have been virtually non-existent, and migrant Red-breasted Nuthatches have been limited (although it seems we had a good breeding season locally).  Also at this  time last year, a massive early flight of Dark-eyed Juncos and well-above normal numbers of White-throated Sparrows were around, likely signaling a low year of seed productivity.  This year, those species are around in more seasonable numbers so far this season