Name: Maine Audubon Bird Alert
Date: August 19, 2005
Area: State of Maine
Number: (207) 781-2332
Compilers: Steve Pollock and Kay Gammons
Transcriber: Maine Audubon (www.maineaudubon.org )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
York County
One hundred or more CHIMNEY SWIFTS were seen in York.
At Drakes Island in Wells there were 40 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 12
BONAPARTE'S GULLS, and 8 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.
Scarborough Marsh Area
On Winnock's Neck there were 14 GLOSSY IBIS, 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER, WHIMBRELS,
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, RUDDY TURNSTONES, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 2 LEAST
SANDPIPERS, and a PEREGRINE FALCON. On Eastern Road there were 700
shorebirds including: 30 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 4 STILT SANDPIPERS, 8
PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, and 15 WILSON'S PHALAROPES. Birding at Pelreco can be
hard due to the height of the vegetation, but it appears to be full of peeps
and LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Also seen were MARSH WREN, hatch year LITTLE BLUE
HERON, SNOWY EGRET, a couple of GLOSSY IBIS, two GREEN HERONS, and a female
SCARLET TANAGER. At Pine Point there was a Western WILLET in with many other
WILLETS on the 12th. Seen at Pine Point in the past week were HUDSONIAN
GODWIT, 6 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 10 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 1 RED KNOT, 10
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 30 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 100+ SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 15
LEAST SANDPIPERS, 2 SANDERLINGS, 2 PIPING PLOVERS, 5 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 40+
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 5 WHIMBRELS, 4 COMMON TERNS, 15 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and
1 OPSREY with a fish. Seen around the marsh were: 2 PECTORAL SANPIPERS, a
STILT SANDPIPER, one lone EASTERN PHOEBE, 1 LITTLE BLUE HERON, 2 GREAT BLUE
HERONS, GLOSSY IBIS - many flocked and flying, 1 TRICOLORED HERON, 2 GREAT
EGRETS, SNOWY EGRETS, and TREE SWALLOWS.
On Stratton Island there was a BLACK TERN and an immature LITTLE GULL on the
15th.
Greater Portland and Western Maine
At Evergreen Cemetery in Portland there were: 1 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHTHERON, 1
AMERICAN REDSTART, 1 EASTERN WOOD-PEEWEE, and a RED-EYED VIREO.
EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were seen at the Dragon Fields, just south of
Portland-Falmouth line, on the 13th. SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and scattered flocks
of fall-plumaged BOBOLINKS were in fields. HOUSE WREN, BROWN CREEPER, and
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHERS were in the edge of the woods and a resident
RED-TAILED HAWK was soaring across face of "Portland Canyon" (Dragon
Concrete quarry).
Migrants in a yard in Falmouth included: 1 YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, 1
SCARLET TANAGER, 2 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, 3
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, 1 NORTHERN FLICKER, 2 RED-EYED VIREOS, and 1
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. Sixty four birds were banded at Gilsland Farm
Audubon Center in Falmouth on the 18th. Highlights included: OVENBIRD,
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, BLACK and WHITE, CHESTNUT-SIDED, and CANADA WARBLERS,
15 FLYCATCHERS including 2 LEASTS and 1 YELLOW-BELLIED, 5 RED-EYED VIREOS,
plus lots of regular breeding birds and young. On the 17th two
RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS flew over the center, calling back and forth.
A camping trip on the banks of the Magalloway River in Wilson Mills yielded
a lot of nice birds around the campsite. Highlights included: BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER, 3 or 4 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, and 3 or 4 BARRED
OWLS really got "cookin".
Midcoast
A MERLIN was seen in Brunswick.
A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO and two EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were seen in Bath.
At the Weskeag Marsh in South Thomaston there were over a thousand
shorebirds. Highlights include: 1 STILT SANDPIPER, 1 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER,
3 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, and a MERLIN.
Central Maine
There were 20-40 BARN SWALLOWS in Richmond.
At Messalonskee Lake in Belgrade there were 2 adult SANDHILL CRANES with one
young. Also seen were 3 WOOD DUCKS, 9 RING-NECKED DUCKS, and a few OSPREYS.
Two SANDHILL CRANES were seen in Smithfield and two were also reported from
the back fields near Cobbosseecontee Stream.
In Dixmont there were 4 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS on the 12th and on the 14th there
was a pair of EVENING GROSBEAKS.
There was a GREEN HERON and a BALD EAGLE in Hamden on the 14th.
A NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew over the Mattamiscontis Stream in T2 R8 NWP on
August 13, and an AMERICAN BITTERN flew over on August 14.
On August 14, 25 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS flew over Orono.
Eastern Maine
Among the several hundred SURF SCOTERS and COMMON EIDERS that are
congregating in Machias Bay and Little Bay several birds of note were
observed: a basic plumage RED THROATED LOON, a LONG-TAILED DUCK and an
alternate plumage RED-NECKED GREBE. For public access to this area: take
Route 191 south off Route 1 in East Machias, proceed down Route 191 towards
Cutler. From the Machiasport town line sign go 2 miles and there will be a
small dirt road on the right hand (south) side. This is a clamming access
road. There will be sign declaring whether or not the flats are open or
closed. These flats are on Little Bay. This road is difficult to discern and
is the only public access to the area.
On August 11, there were about 2,200+ shorebirds at Mill Creek in
Machiasport including: 1,600 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 35 LEAST SANDPIPERS,
20 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 1 WESTERN SANDPIPER, 1 STILT SANDPIPER, 100
SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 150 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 2 RED KNOTS, 3 RUDDY
TURNSTONES, 250 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 1 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, 20 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, 35 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 75 RING-BILLED GULLS, 50 BONAPARTE'S
GULLS, 25 HERRING GULLS, 1 MERLIN, and 4 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. {This is
a great location to view shorebirds 2 1/5 hours before high tide (for about
45 minutes) and 2 1/4 hours after high tide. They are the last flats to be
covered on the upper Machias/East Machias Rivers and the first to open up.
It is a pre-roost on the incoming tide. To reach Mill Creek, it is about 2.4
miles or so down Route 92 from Rt. 1 in Machias. It is the first location
where Machias Bay begins to open up next to the road. It can also be reached
from East Machias by following signs off of Route 1 to Machiasport. Cross
the Rim Road Bridge (over the East Machias River) turning right onto Route
92 at the stop sign. Travel down the hill about 1/4 mile and you will pass
over a causeway. Park as soon as you cross the causeway. There is a group
of small trees (several Black Locusts, a Norway Maple and two White Pines)
next to a small unoccupied house. The pre-roost is behind the house (about
50 feet away). It is also a good place for small gulls as well as large
larids in the fall-winter. Hang around if you arrive early and no flats or
very few flats are open. They will arrive! They also keep arriving for at
least an hour. Many hang around but others move upriver. On the incoming
tide, hang around if there are fairly wide expanses of exposed mudflats. The
birds arrive from upriver as they are moved out of feeding areas. There is
another pre-roost on the opposite side of the river (about 1/3 miles
upriver). Those birds usually stop here although they sometimes fly by.}
The Penobscot Valley Chapter Audubon trip to Washington County had a few
nice treats this past weekend. There were dozens of BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES
roosting on Sail Rock at West Quoddy Head and many more between Eastport and
Campobello. A staggering number of BONAPARTE'S GULLS were in the channel,
with a conservative estimate of 10,000 individuals. Also seen were a couple
of NORTHERN GANNETS and GREATER SHEARWATERS.
On Wed Aug 10, 2005 in Huntley Brook Flowage (Lewey Lake), Indian Township
there was a WESTERN SANDPIPER, two SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, about 30 RING-NECKED
DUCKS (six young broods), 6 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 3 COMMON LOONS, 1 AMERICAN
BITTERN, several BLACK DUCKS, 2 HOODED MERGANSERS, 1 BALD EAGLE, SWAMP
SPARROWS, and 1 GREEN-WINGED TEAL. The RING-NECKED DUCK broods were very
young (some riding on the backs of females). These were probably the result
of renesting due to the wet May and early June.
Northern Maine
While birding the area north of Moosehead and Seboomook a birder found a
female adult and a juvenile BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER just before Mile 3 on
the Budworm Brook Road. At Mile 6 of the Brailey Brook Road (off the 490
Road) there were four GRAY JAYS and at the bottom end of the 490 Road, just
before it returns to the Golden Road there were four more GRAY JAYS.
AMERICAN KESTRELS were common in the clear cuts, and SHARP-SHINNED HAWK,
RED-TAILED HAWK, and NORTHERN HARRIER were also seen.
On the paper company roads east of Baxter State Park a birder found GRAY
JAYS with a juvenile, BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS with a juvenile,
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER and OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER all within a couple
hundred yards of each other. In addition, there were RED-EYED VIREO and
BLUE-HEADED VIREO sitting on the same branch a foot apart from each other,
plus juvenile MAGNOLIA WARBLERS and a BLACKBURNIAN. Another BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER was further down the road.
Upcoming Audubon Trips
Bald Eagles of Merrymeeting Bay
Merrymeeting Bay, at the confluence of the Androscoggin and Kennebec rivers,
is a gathering spot for one of the largest concentrations of bald eagles in
Maine. Attracted by the rafts of migrating waterfowl that stop to forage in
this inland tidal bay each fall, the eagles are readily seen from a boat.
When Maine Audubon first began running this trip in the mid 1970s, sighting
one or two eagles was all that could be expected. Since then, however, the
bald eagle population has rebounded from the devastating effects of
pesticide poisoning, and recent trips have seen as many as 36 eagles! Our
boat leaves from Boothbay Harbor, crosses Sheepscot Bay to the Sasanoa
River, then travels up the Kennebec to Merrymeeting Bay. If weather and tide
permit, we will return to Boothbay via the mouth of the Kennebec. These
sheltered tidal waters of midcoast Maine offer some of the most pleasant and
scenic cruising to be found anywhere-plus excellent wildlife watching.
From Boothbay Harbor
Saturday, September 10 (weather date September 11)
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Led by Dick Anderson, Bob Bittenbender
$40/member, $50/nonmember
Limited to 125 participants
For reservations contact trips@maineaudubon.org or 207-781-2330 ext. 215
Date: August 19, 2005
Area: State of Maine
Number: (207) 781-2332
Compilers: Steve Pollock and Kay Gammons
Transcriber: Maine Audubon (www.maineaudubon.org )
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
York County
One hundred or more CHIMNEY SWIFTS were seen in York.
At Drakes Island in Wells there were 40 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 12
BONAPARTE'S GULLS, and 8 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.
Scarborough Marsh Area
On Winnock's Neck there were 14 GLOSSY IBIS, 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER, WHIMBRELS,
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, RUDDY TURNSTONES, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 2 LEAST
SANDPIPERS, and a PEREGRINE FALCON. On Eastern Road there were 700
shorebirds including: 30 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 4 STILT SANDPIPERS, 8
PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, and 15 WILSON'S PHALAROPES. Birding at Pelreco can be
hard due to the height of the vegetation, but it appears to be full of peeps
and LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Also seen were MARSH WREN, hatch year LITTLE BLUE
HERON, SNOWY EGRET, a couple of GLOSSY IBIS, two GREEN HERONS, and a female
SCARLET TANAGER. At Pine Point there was a Western WILLET in with many other
WILLETS on the 12th. Seen at Pine Point in the past week were HUDSONIAN
GODWIT, 6 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 10 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 1 RED KNOT, 10
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 30 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 100+ SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 15
LEAST SANDPIPERS, 2 SANDERLINGS, 2 PIPING PLOVERS, 5 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 40+
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 5 WHIMBRELS, 4 COMMON TERNS, 15 LEAST SANDPIPERS, and
1 OPSREY with a fish. Seen around the marsh were: 2 PECTORAL SANPIPERS, a
STILT SANDPIPER, one lone EASTERN PHOEBE, 1 LITTLE BLUE HERON, 2 GREAT BLUE
HERONS, GLOSSY IBIS - many flocked and flying, 1 TRICOLORED HERON, 2 GREAT
EGRETS, SNOWY EGRETS, and TREE SWALLOWS.
On Stratton Island there was a BLACK TERN and an immature LITTLE GULL on the
15th.
Greater Portland and Western Maine
At Evergreen Cemetery in Portland there were: 1 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHTHERON, 1
AMERICAN REDSTART, 1 EASTERN WOOD-PEEWEE, and a RED-EYED VIREO.
EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were seen at the Dragon Fields, just south of
Portland-Falmouth line, on the 13th. SAVANNAH SPARROWS, and scattered flocks
of fall-plumaged BOBOLINKS were in fields. HOUSE WREN, BROWN CREEPER, and
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHERS were in the edge of the woods and a resident
RED-TAILED HAWK was soaring across face of "Portland Canyon" (Dragon
Concrete quarry).
Migrants in a yard in Falmouth included: 1 YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, 1
SCARLET TANAGER, 2 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, 3
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS, 1 NORTHERN FLICKER, 2 RED-EYED VIREOS, and 1
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. Sixty four birds were banded at Gilsland Farm
Audubon Center in Falmouth on the 18th. Highlights included: OVENBIRD,
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, BLACK and WHITE, CHESTNUT-SIDED, and CANADA WARBLERS,
15 FLYCATCHERS including 2 LEASTS and 1 YELLOW-BELLIED, 5 RED-EYED VIREOS,
plus lots of regular breeding birds and young. On the 17th two
RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS flew over the center, calling back and forth.
A camping trip on the banks of the Magalloway River in Wilson Mills yielded
a lot of nice birds around the campsite. Highlights included: BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER, 3 or 4 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, and 3 or 4 BARRED
OWLS really got "cookin".
Midcoast
A MERLIN was seen in Brunswick.
A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO and two EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were seen in Bath.
At the Weskeag Marsh in South Thomaston there were over a thousand
shorebirds. Highlights include: 1 STILT SANDPIPER, 1 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER,
3 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, and a MERLIN.
Central Maine
There were 20-40 BARN SWALLOWS in Richmond.
At Messalonskee Lake in Belgrade there were 2 adult SANDHILL CRANES with one
young. Also seen were 3 WOOD DUCKS, 9 RING-NECKED DUCKS, and a few OSPREYS.
Two SANDHILL CRANES were seen in Smithfield and two were also reported from
the back fields near Cobbosseecontee Stream.
In Dixmont there were 4 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS on the 12th and on the 14th there
was a pair of EVENING GROSBEAKS.
There was a GREEN HERON and a BALD EAGLE in Hamden on the 14th.
A NORTHERN GOSHAWK flew over the Mattamiscontis Stream in T2 R8 NWP on
August 13, and an AMERICAN BITTERN flew over on August 14.
On August 14, 25 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS flew over Orono.
Eastern Maine
Among the several hundred SURF SCOTERS and COMMON EIDERS that are
congregating in Machias Bay and Little Bay several birds of note were
observed: a basic plumage RED THROATED LOON, a LONG-TAILED DUCK and an
alternate plumage RED-NECKED GREBE. For public access to this area: take
Route 191 south off Route 1 in East Machias, proceed down Route 191 towards
Cutler. From the Machiasport town line sign go 2 miles and there will be a
small dirt road on the right hand (south) side. This is a clamming access
road. There will be sign declaring whether or not the flats are open or
closed. These flats are on Little Bay. This road is difficult to discern and
is the only public access to the area.
On August 11, there were about 2,200+ shorebirds at Mill Creek in
Machiasport including: 1,600 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 35 LEAST SANDPIPERS,
20 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, 1 WESTERN SANDPIPER, 1 STILT SANDPIPER, 100
SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, 150 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 2 RED KNOTS, 3 RUDDY
TURNSTONES, 250 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, 1 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, 20 GREATER
YELLOWLEGS, 35 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 75 RING-BILLED GULLS, 50 BONAPARTE'S
GULLS, 25 HERRING GULLS, 1 MERLIN, and 4 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS. {This is
a great location to view shorebirds 2 1/5 hours before high tide (for about
45 minutes) and 2 1/4 hours after high tide. They are the last flats to be
covered on the upper Machias/East Machias Rivers and the first to open up.
It is a pre-roost on the incoming tide. To reach Mill Creek, it is about 2.4
miles or so down Route 92 from Rt. 1 in Machias. It is the first location
where Machias Bay begins to open up next to the road. It can also be reached
from East Machias by following signs off of Route 1 to Machiasport. Cross
the Rim Road Bridge (over the East Machias River) turning right onto Route
92 at the stop sign. Travel down the hill about 1/4 mile and you will pass
over a causeway. Park as soon as you cross the causeway. There is a group
of small trees (several Black Locusts, a Norway Maple and two White Pines)
next to a small unoccupied house. The pre-roost is behind the house (about
50 feet away). It is also a good place for small gulls as well as large
larids in the fall-winter. Hang around if you arrive early and no flats or
very few flats are open. They will arrive! They also keep arriving for at
least an hour. Many hang around but others move upriver. On the incoming
tide, hang around if there are fairly wide expanses of exposed mudflats. The
birds arrive from upriver as they are moved out of feeding areas. There is
another pre-roost on the opposite side of the river (about 1/3 miles
upriver). Those birds usually stop here although they sometimes fly by.}
The Penobscot Valley Chapter Audubon trip to Washington County had a few
nice treats this past weekend. There were dozens of BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES
roosting on Sail Rock at West Quoddy Head and many more between Eastport and
Campobello. A staggering number of BONAPARTE'S GULLS were in the channel,
with a conservative estimate of 10,000 individuals. Also seen were a couple
of NORTHERN GANNETS and GREATER SHEARWATERS.
On Wed Aug 10, 2005 in Huntley Brook Flowage (Lewey Lake), Indian Township
there was a WESTERN SANDPIPER, two SOLITARY SANDPIPERS, about 30 RING-NECKED
DUCKS (six young broods), 6 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 3 COMMON LOONS, 1 AMERICAN
BITTERN, several BLACK DUCKS, 2 HOODED MERGANSERS, 1 BALD EAGLE, SWAMP
SPARROWS, and 1 GREEN-WINGED TEAL. The RING-NECKED DUCK broods were very
young (some riding on the backs of females). These were probably the result
of renesting due to the wet May and early June.
Northern Maine
While birding the area north of Moosehead and Seboomook a birder found a
female adult and a juvenile BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER just before Mile 3 on
the Budworm Brook Road. At Mile 6 of the Brailey Brook Road (off the 490
Road) there were four GRAY JAYS and at the bottom end of the 490 Road, just
before it returns to the Golden Road there were four more GRAY JAYS.
AMERICAN KESTRELS were common in the clear cuts, and SHARP-SHINNED HAWK,
RED-TAILED HAWK, and NORTHERN HARRIER were also seen.
On the paper company roads east of Baxter State Park a birder found GRAY
JAYS with a juvenile, BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS with a juvenile,
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER and OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER all within a couple
hundred yards of each other. In addition, there were RED-EYED VIREO and
BLUE-HEADED VIREO sitting on the same branch a foot apart from each other,
plus juvenile MAGNOLIA WARBLERS and a BLACKBURNIAN. Another BLACK-BACKED
WOODPECKER was further down the road.
Upcoming Audubon Trips
Bald Eagles of Merrymeeting Bay
Merrymeeting Bay, at the confluence of the Androscoggin and Kennebec rivers,
is a gathering spot for one of the largest concentrations of bald eagles in
Maine. Attracted by the rafts of migrating waterfowl that stop to forage in
this inland tidal bay each fall, the eagles are readily seen from a boat.
When Maine Audubon first began running this trip in the mid 1970s, sighting
one or two eagles was all that could be expected. Since then, however, the
bald eagle population has rebounded from the devastating effects of
pesticide poisoning, and recent trips have seen as many as 36 eagles! Our
boat leaves from Boothbay Harbor, crosses Sheepscot Bay to the Sasanoa
River, then travels up the Kennebec to Merrymeeting Bay. If weather and tide
permit, we will return to Boothbay via the mouth of the Kennebec. These
sheltered tidal waters of midcoast Maine offer some of the most pleasant and
scenic cruising to be found anywhere-plus excellent wildlife watching.
From Boothbay Harbor
Saturday, September 10 (weather date September 11)
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Led by Dick Anderson, Bob Bittenbender
$40/member, $50/nonmember
Limited to 125 participants
For reservations contact trips@maineaudubon.org or 207-781-2330 ext. 215