Name: Maine Audubon Bird Alert
Date: April 6, 2007
Area: State of Maine
Number: (207) 781-2332
Compilers: Judy Walker, Kay Gammons
Transcriber: Maine Audubon (birdalert@maineaudubon.org)
Of Special Note
First of the year reports this week included PIED-BILLED GREBE, SEMI-
PALMATED PLOVER, WILSON’S SNIPE, SANDHILL CRANE, SNOWY EGRET, GLOSSY IBIS,
WILLET, WINTER WREN, plus PINE and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS.
A BLACK VULTURE was seen at the Bradbury Mountain Hawk Watch in Pownal.
An immature GOLDEN EAGLE was seen in Pemaquid on April 2.
York County
A MUTE SWAN pair was in the back corner of Legion Pond in Kittery on April
1.
A pair of NORTHERN PINTAILS is being seen at the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge
in York Harbor.
A PINE WARBLER was seen in Wells on April 3.
On April 1 a sparrow fallout resulted in 17 TREE SPARROWS, 50+ SONG
SPARROW, 1 SWAMP SPARROW, 4 FOX SPARROWS, 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 2
CHIPPING SPARROWS, and 9 DARK-EYED JUNCOS in one Cape Porpoise yard.
A PIPING PLOVER was seen Wells Beach on April 4, while 2 were on Goose
Rocks Beach in Kennebunk.
On March 31 at Fortunes Rocks beach in Biddeford there was a lone SEMI-
PALMATED PLOVER in the surf, while a PIED-BILLED GREBE was among other
waterfowl in the ponds behind the beach. Two male HARLEQUIN DUCKS were
seen close to shore along Ocean Avenue.
A WINTER WREN was singing at the entrance to Biddeford Pool's Eastern
Point Audubon Sanctuary on April 1. Other species at the sanctuary
included 8 BRANT, 50 PURPLE SANDPIPERS, 1 GLAUCOUS GULL, 2 RED-THROATED
LOONS, HORNED and RED-NECKED GREBES, WHITE-WINGED and BLACK SCOTERS, RED-
BREASTED MERGANSERS, and COMMON GOLDENEYE. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
migration has started with 50 seen at Fortune’s Rocks in Biddeford on
April 5.
Two WILSON’S SNIPE and several KILLDEER were found in Laurel Hill Cemetery
in Saco, while an OSPREY was observed overhead.
A GREAT EGRET was in Old Orchard Beach.
Scarborough Marsh Area
Scarborough Marsh birds included a WILLET, a MARSH WREN, and a SAVANNAH
SPARROW on March 30 with 9 SNOW GEESE, TREE SWALLOWS, 2 WILSON’S SNIPE,
GREAT EGRETS, and 4 GLOSSY IBIS seen on April 1.
The first SNOWY EGRET was reported at Dunstan Landing on April 4.
A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found at Pine Point on March 30 and a small
group of GREATER SCAUP were seen on March 31.
Four PIPING PLOVERS were seen April 2 at Higgins Beach.
Greater Portland
A pair of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS is nesting in Cape Elizabeth, while 6
HARLEQUIN DUCKS continued at Dyer Point. A WINTER WREN was singing at
Great Pond in Cape Elizabeth.
GREATER SCAUP were in the Royal River in Yarmouth.
In Freeport’s Wolfs Neck State Park, one OSPREY was guarding a nest.
The Bradbury Mountain Hawk watch in Pownal tallied 146 raptors from March
31 through April 4 with 104 on April 1. In addition to 1 BLACK VULTURE,
the count found 20 TURKEY VULTURES, 6 OSPREY, 5 BALD EAGLES, 4 NORTHERN
HARRIERS, 26 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 10 COOPER’S HAWKS, 1 NORTHERN GOSHAWK, 3
RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, 44 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 21 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 1 MERLIN,
and 2 unidentified raptors.
Waterfowl began arriving up rivers and at inland lakes and ponds with 50
RING NECKED DUCKS, reported on Collins Pond in North Windham on March 31.
Midcoast
AMERICAN WOODCOCK are displaying in the soccer fields at the Topsham
Recreation on the river side of Foreside Road in Topsham.
An OSPREY pair had returned to a nest platform in the Route 1 median in
Bath by April 1.
Several dozen NORTHERN PINTAILS and GREEN-WINGED TEALS were at the mouth
of the Abbagadasset River in Bowdoinham on March 31, while a female RUSTY
BLACKBIRD was singing a full song at the edge of one of the nearby fields.
A SWAMP SPARROW was at a feeder in Bowdoinham and a DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANT was seen flying over the Cathance River.
A WINTER WREN was singing in Richmond on April 4.
An immature GOLDEN EAGLE has been seen at Pemaquid with the last reported
observation on April 2.
A GREATER YELLOWLEGS was seen at Weskeag Marsh in South Thomaston.
Lewiston-Auburn
Two HOODED MERGANSERS were searching for open water on Sabattus Pond,
while a PIED-BILLED GREBE, 2 NORTHERN PINTAIL DUCKS, and 15 GREEN-WINGED
TEAL were seen from Route 136 in Auburn.
An EASTERN PHOEBE was seen in Greene on April 1.
Kennebec River Valley
RING-NECKED DUCKS and COMMON MERGANSERS were prominent among the waterfowl
moving up the Kennebec valley with 105 COMMON MERGANSERS at the Gardiner
Town Landing and 135 RING-NECKED DUCKS were tallied along the
Cobbosseecontee Stream.
Two EASTERN PHOEBES and 6 WOOD DUCKS were at Horsehoe Pond in West
Gardiner.
Another EASTERN PHOEBE was singing on Dennis Hill in Litchfield on April
1, while 52 TREE SWALLOWS were seen on the Hallowell-Litchfield Road on
April 4.
An EASTERN MEADOWLARK was singing on April 4 in Hallowell.
Four very high flying SANDHILL CRANES were headed north over Hallowell on
March 31, and one was subsequently seen that evening on Messalonski Lake
in Oakland. An AMERICAN PIPIT was seen on April 4 in the same area. Also
at Messalonski from the boat landing on Route 27, a SHORT-EARED OWL was
seen hunting on April 4. Other birds at Messalonskee Lake last weekend
included a PIED-BILLED GREBE, SWAMP SPARROW, and a SAVANNAH SPARROW.
A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER was seen on Eight Rod Road in Augusta on April 1.
Two EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, 20 HORNED LARKS, 2 TREE SWALLOWS, 1 SAVANNAH
SPARROW, and 1 OSPREY were seen in agricultural fields in Sidney on April
1.
An adult NORTHERN SHRIKE was in Oakland at junction of Fairfield Street
and Rice's Rips Road.
Three SNOW GEESE were at the Caverly Farms on the River Road in Clinton on
March 30, and another 6 were seen in a field off Route 3 near Rite Aid in
Augusta.
An AMERICAN KESTREL was at China Lake on March 30.
Several of the OSPREY nests along I-95 between Augusta and Bangor are now
occupied.
Central Maine
Three EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were in Carmel on April 3.
Ninety RING-NECKED DUCKS were in the Narramisic River in Orland on March
30.
An OSPREY and a NORTHERN PINTAIL along with 8 other species of waterfowl
were at the Orrington Marsh on March 30, with 2 WILSON’S SNIPE, a NORTHERN
HARRIER, COOPERS HAWK, and 12 TREE SWALLOWS on April 1.
Fifteen species of waterfowl including 5 BARROW'S GOLDENEYES and 120
COMMON MERGANSERS were on the Bangor waterfront on March 30. A EASTERN
MEADOWLARK was at the Bangor Airport.
The SNOWY OWL was NOT seen in Corinna this past week.
A KILLDEER and 3 TURKEY VULTURES were seen in Dexter on April 5.
Penobscot Bay
Rockport birds on March 30 included 2 MERLIN flying around Clam Cove, an
AMERICAN KESTREL sitting on wire off Route 52, and 4 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS
in field between Route 90 and Cross Street.
In Stockton Springs there were 12 RUDDY DUCKS in Fort Point Cove on March
30.
Washington County and the Downeast Coast
An OSPREY, 5 BALD EAGLES, and several AMERICAN WOODCOCK returned to
Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge.
An EASTERN PHOEBE was in Dennysville.
Four COMMON MERGANSERS were in the Narraguagus in Cherryfield.
Western Maine
Several WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and a BOREAL CHICKADEE were singing in the
spruces at Saddleback in Rangeley last weekend.
A BELTED KINGFISHER was seen in Dover-Foxcroft on April 4.
Ten AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 1 EASTERN BLUEBIRD, 4 EVENING GROSBEAKS, 1 RUSTY
BLACKBIRD, and 5 TREE SWALLOWS were in Wilton. A 2 hour hawk watch in
Wilton tallied 4 SHARP-SHINNED, 2 COOPER’S, and 4 RED-TAILED HAWKS plus 4
TURKEY VULTURES, 2 AMERICAN KESTREL, and an OSPREY on April 1.
Five KILLDEER were seen in Farmington.
Aroostook County
Arrivals in Aroostook County this past week included NORTHERN HARRIER,
AMERICAN KESTREL, RING-BILLED GULL, KILLDEER, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, CHIPPING
SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD.
PINE SISKINS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES are still regular in the woods,
while PURPLE FINCHES and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS are paired up and singing
males are being heard.
Absent all winter, CEDAR WAXWINGS were seen in Presque Isle while the
county's first KILLDEER of the year was reported in Presque Isle on the
April 2. HOODED and COMMON MERGANSERS were seen in Presque Isle Stream in
Presque Isle. Numbers of CANADA GEESE were being reported in Caribou and
Fort Fairfield by April 1.
A NORTHERN HARRIER was reported in Fort Fairfield on the March 29.
Two AMERICAN WOODCOCK were feeding at the edge of an ice free pond in
Frenchville on the March 30.
Calling BARRED OWLS were reported in Mt Chase, Presque Isle and Woodland.
A THREE-TOED WOODPECKER male was seen in Stockholm in the area east of the
Moscovic Road near the little Madawaska River doing its very fast drumming
on the April 1.
Also in Stockholm, GRAY JAYS and BOREAL CHICKADEES are also regular in the
White Oak Timberland lot.
A two EVENING GROSBEAKS were at a feeder in New Sweden on April 2 with a
few others reported in Castle Hill and Westfield.
Protect Shorebirds, Waterfowl, & Wading Birds and Vernal Pools Today
Reasonable "significant wildlife habitat" rules are under attack. Rules
protecting important high- and moderate-value wading bird and waterfowl
habitat, shorebird resting and feeding areas and significant vernal pools
were adopted by the Legislature with near unanimity last summer. Numerous
bills that repeal parts or all of the rules will be considered at a public
hearing on Tuesday.With input from Maine Audubon and state biologists,
Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection has proposed a compromise
(LD 1477) that maintains core protections for these highly vulnerable
habitats. You Can Help! Please urge your lawmakers to support LD 1477 and
oppose LDs 1014, 326, 258, 1319, and 1430, bills that would gut the rules.
>>MORE
http://www.maineaudubon.org/act/2007_swh.shtml
Date: April 6, 2007
Area: State of Maine
Number: (207) 781-2332
Compilers: Judy Walker, Kay Gammons
Transcriber: Maine Audubon (birdalert@maineaudubon.org)
Of Special Note
First of the year reports this week included PIED-BILLED GREBE, SEMI-
PALMATED PLOVER, WILSON’S SNIPE, SANDHILL CRANE, SNOWY EGRET, GLOSSY IBIS,
WILLET, WINTER WREN, plus PINE and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLERS.
A BLACK VULTURE was seen at the Bradbury Mountain Hawk Watch in Pownal.
An immature GOLDEN EAGLE was seen in Pemaquid on April 2.
York County
A MUTE SWAN pair was in the back corner of Legion Pond in Kittery on April
1.
A pair of NORTHERN PINTAILS is being seen at the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge
in York Harbor.
A PINE WARBLER was seen in Wells on April 3.
On April 1 a sparrow fallout resulted in 17 TREE SPARROWS, 50+ SONG
SPARROW, 1 SWAMP SPARROW, 4 FOX SPARROWS, 2 WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, 2
CHIPPING SPARROWS, and 9 DARK-EYED JUNCOS in one Cape Porpoise yard.
A PIPING PLOVER was seen Wells Beach on April 4, while 2 were on Goose
Rocks Beach in Kennebunk.
On March 31 at Fortunes Rocks beach in Biddeford there was a lone SEMI-
PALMATED PLOVER in the surf, while a PIED-BILLED GREBE was among other
waterfowl in the ponds behind the beach. Two male HARLEQUIN DUCKS were
seen close to shore along Ocean Avenue.
A WINTER WREN was singing at the entrance to Biddeford Pool's Eastern
Point Audubon Sanctuary on April 1. Other species at the sanctuary
included 8 BRANT, 50 PURPLE SANDPIPERS, 1 GLAUCOUS GULL, 2 RED-THROATED
LOONS, HORNED and RED-NECKED GREBES, WHITE-WINGED and BLACK SCOTERS, RED-
BREASTED MERGANSERS, and COMMON GOLDENEYE. DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
migration has started with 50 seen at Fortune’s Rocks in Biddeford on
April 5.
Two WILSON’S SNIPE and several KILLDEER were found in Laurel Hill Cemetery
in Saco, while an OSPREY was observed overhead.
A GREAT EGRET was in Old Orchard Beach.
Scarborough Marsh Area
Scarborough Marsh birds included a WILLET, a MARSH WREN, and a SAVANNAH
SPARROW on March 30 with 9 SNOW GEESE, TREE SWALLOWS, 2 WILSON’S SNIPE,
GREAT EGRETS, and 4 GLOSSY IBIS seen on April 1.
The first SNOWY EGRET was reported at Dunstan Landing on April 4.
A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was found at Pine Point on March 30 and a small
group of GREATER SCAUP were seen on March 31.
Four PIPING PLOVERS were seen April 2 at Higgins Beach.
Greater Portland
A pair of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS is nesting in Cape Elizabeth, while 6
HARLEQUIN DUCKS continued at Dyer Point. A WINTER WREN was singing at
Great Pond in Cape Elizabeth.
GREATER SCAUP were in the Royal River in Yarmouth.
In Freeport’s Wolfs Neck State Park, one OSPREY was guarding a nest.
The Bradbury Mountain Hawk watch in Pownal tallied 146 raptors from March
31 through April 4 with 104 on April 1. In addition to 1 BLACK VULTURE,
the count found 20 TURKEY VULTURES, 6 OSPREY, 5 BALD EAGLES, 4 NORTHERN
HARRIERS, 26 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 10 COOPER’S HAWKS, 1 NORTHERN GOSHAWK, 3
RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, 44 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 21 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 1 MERLIN,
and 2 unidentified raptors.
Waterfowl began arriving up rivers and at inland lakes and ponds with 50
RING NECKED DUCKS, reported on Collins Pond in North Windham on March 31.
Midcoast
AMERICAN WOODCOCK are displaying in the soccer fields at the Topsham
Recreation on the river side of Foreside Road in Topsham.
An OSPREY pair had returned to a nest platform in the Route 1 median in
Bath by April 1.
Several dozen NORTHERN PINTAILS and GREEN-WINGED TEALS were at the mouth
of the Abbagadasset River in Bowdoinham on March 31, while a female RUSTY
BLACKBIRD was singing a full song at the edge of one of the nearby fields.
A SWAMP SPARROW was at a feeder in Bowdoinham and a DOUBLE-CRESTED
CORMORANT was seen flying over the Cathance River.
A WINTER WREN was singing in Richmond on April 4.
An immature GOLDEN EAGLE has been seen at Pemaquid with the last reported
observation on April 2.
A GREATER YELLOWLEGS was seen at Weskeag Marsh in South Thomaston.
Lewiston-Auburn
Two HOODED MERGANSERS were searching for open water on Sabattus Pond,
while a PIED-BILLED GREBE, 2 NORTHERN PINTAIL DUCKS, and 15 GREEN-WINGED
TEAL were seen from Route 136 in Auburn.
An EASTERN PHOEBE was seen in Greene on April 1.
Kennebec River Valley
RING-NECKED DUCKS and COMMON MERGANSERS were prominent among the waterfowl
moving up the Kennebec valley with 105 COMMON MERGANSERS at the Gardiner
Town Landing and 135 RING-NECKED DUCKS were tallied along the
Cobbosseecontee Stream.
Two EASTERN PHOEBES and 6 WOOD DUCKS were at Horsehoe Pond in West
Gardiner.
Another EASTERN PHOEBE was singing on Dennis Hill in Litchfield on April
1, while 52 TREE SWALLOWS were seen on the Hallowell-Litchfield Road on
April 4.
An EASTERN MEADOWLARK was singing on April 4 in Hallowell.
Four very high flying SANDHILL CRANES were headed north over Hallowell on
March 31, and one was subsequently seen that evening on Messalonski Lake
in Oakland. An AMERICAN PIPIT was seen on April 4 in the same area. Also
at Messalonski from the boat landing on Route 27, a SHORT-EARED OWL was
seen hunting on April 4. Other birds at Messalonskee Lake last weekend
included a PIED-BILLED GREBE, SWAMP SPARROW, and a SAVANNAH SPARROW.
A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER was seen on Eight Rod Road in Augusta on April 1.
Two EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, 20 HORNED LARKS, 2 TREE SWALLOWS, 1 SAVANNAH
SPARROW, and 1 OSPREY were seen in agricultural fields in Sidney on April
1.
An adult NORTHERN SHRIKE was in Oakland at junction of Fairfield Street
and Rice's Rips Road.
Three SNOW GEESE were at the Caverly Farms on the River Road in Clinton on
March 30, and another 6 were seen in a field off Route 3 near Rite Aid in
Augusta.
An AMERICAN KESTREL was at China Lake on March 30.
Several of the OSPREY nests along I-95 between Augusta and Bangor are now
occupied.
Central Maine
Three EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were in Carmel on April 3.
Ninety RING-NECKED DUCKS were in the Narramisic River in Orland on March
30.
An OSPREY and a NORTHERN PINTAIL along with 8 other species of waterfowl
were at the Orrington Marsh on March 30, with 2 WILSON’S SNIPE, a NORTHERN
HARRIER, COOPERS HAWK, and 12 TREE SWALLOWS on April 1.
Fifteen species of waterfowl including 5 BARROW'S GOLDENEYES and 120
COMMON MERGANSERS were on the Bangor waterfront on March 30. A EASTERN
MEADOWLARK was at the Bangor Airport.
The SNOWY OWL was NOT seen in Corinna this past week.
A KILLDEER and 3 TURKEY VULTURES were seen in Dexter on April 5.
Penobscot Bay
Rockport birds on March 30 included 2 MERLIN flying around Clam Cove, an
AMERICAN KESTREL sitting on wire off Route 52, and 4 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS
in field between Route 90 and Cross Street.
In Stockton Springs there were 12 RUDDY DUCKS in Fort Point Cove on March
30.
Washington County and the Downeast Coast
An OSPREY, 5 BALD EAGLES, and several AMERICAN WOODCOCK returned to
Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge.
An EASTERN PHOEBE was in Dennysville.
Four COMMON MERGANSERS were in the Narraguagus in Cherryfield.
Western Maine
Several WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and a BOREAL CHICKADEE were singing in the
spruces at Saddleback in Rangeley last weekend.
A BELTED KINGFISHER was seen in Dover-Foxcroft on April 4.
Ten AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 1 EASTERN BLUEBIRD, 4 EVENING GROSBEAKS, 1 RUSTY
BLACKBIRD, and 5 TREE SWALLOWS were in Wilton. A 2 hour hawk watch in
Wilton tallied 4 SHARP-SHINNED, 2 COOPER’S, and 4 RED-TAILED HAWKS plus 4
TURKEY VULTURES, 2 AMERICAN KESTREL, and an OSPREY on April 1.
Five KILLDEER were seen in Farmington.
Aroostook County
Arrivals in Aroostook County this past week included NORTHERN HARRIER,
AMERICAN KESTREL, RING-BILLED GULL, KILLDEER, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, CHIPPING
SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD.
PINE SISKINS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES are still regular in the woods,
while PURPLE FINCHES and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS are paired up and singing
males are being heard.
Absent all winter, CEDAR WAXWINGS were seen in Presque Isle while the
county's first KILLDEER of the year was reported in Presque Isle on the
April 2. HOODED and COMMON MERGANSERS were seen in Presque Isle Stream in
Presque Isle. Numbers of CANADA GEESE were being reported in Caribou and
Fort Fairfield by April 1.
A NORTHERN HARRIER was reported in Fort Fairfield on the March 29.
Two AMERICAN WOODCOCK were feeding at the edge of an ice free pond in
Frenchville on the March 30.
Calling BARRED OWLS were reported in Mt Chase, Presque Isle and Woodland.
A THREE-TOED WOODPECKER male was seen in Stockholm in the area east of the
Moscovic Road near the little Madawaska River doing its very fast drumming
on the April 1.
Also in Stockholm, GRAY JAYS and BOREAL CHICKADEES are also regular in the
White Oak Timberland lot.
A two EVENING GROSBEAKS were at a feeder in New Sweden on April 2 with a
few others reported in Castle Hill and Westfield.
Protect Shorebirds, Waterfowl, & Wading Birds and Vernal Pools Today
Reasonable "significant wildlife habitat" rules are under attack. Rules
protecting important high- and moderate-value wading bird and waterfowl
habitat, shorebird resting and feeding areas and significant vernal pools
were adopted by the Legislature with near unanimity last summer. Numerous
bills that repeal parts or all of the rules will be considered at a public
hearing on Tuesday.With input from Maine Audubon and state biologists,
Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection has proposed a compromise
(LD 1477) that maintains core protections for these highly vulnerable
habitats. You Can Help! Please urge your lawmakers to support LD 1477 and
oppose LDs 1014, 326, 258, 1319, and 1430, bills that would gut the rules.
>>MORE
http://www.maineaudubon.org/act/2007_swh.shtml