Name: Maine Audubon Rare Bird Alert
Date: June 12, 2007
Area: State of Maine
Compilers: Eric Hynes and Stella Walsh
Send sightings to: birdeast@maineaudubon.org
Of Special Note
Only the third record for the state of Maine, a RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD
edged out WESTERN TANAGER as the top bird this week. Other unusual
sightings include a possible PACIFIC LOON, a LITTLE GULL, TRICOLORED
HERON, four SANDHILL CRANES, and COMMON MURRES.
York County
A LITTLE GULL amongst approximately 250 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, six ROSEATE
TERNS, 12 RED KNOTS, and a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER were the highlights
from an incoming tide at Hills Beach in Biddeford on June 10.
Top birds from an outing to Gray Meadow on June 10 were YELLOW-BILLED
CUCKOO, MARSH WREN, SORA, and VIRGINIA RAIL.
A possible PACIFIC LOON was reportedly seen from Camp Ellis in Saco on
June 9.
Greater Portland
TRICOLORED HERON (1 or 2) continue to be found from the Eastern Road
Trail through Scarborough Marsh.
A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was calling at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth on June
9.
Kennebec Valley
On June 10 several different parties paddling the edge of the marsh at
the south end of Messalonskee Lake spotted 4 SANDHILL CRANES, SORA,
VIRGINIA RAIL, PIED-BILLED GREBE, and 10 to 15 pairs of BLACK TERNS.
Especially noteworthy for the date at this specific location, a
breeding-plumaged male LONG-TAILED DUCK was found on the Kennebec River
at the Gardiner / Farmingdale town line on June 8.
An ORCHARD ORIOLE was seen again at the Arboretum in Augusta on June 8.
A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen on Dennis Hill in Litchfield on June 6.
A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was calling near Summer Street in Hallowell on
June 5.
A TENNESSEE WARBLER was reported from Sidney Bog earlier in the week.
Midcoast
Maine Audubon's boat trip on June 7 out to Eastern Egg Rock and
Matinicus Rock produced excellent looks at terns and Alcids but the best
bird was a RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD seen well and photographed at
Matinicus Rock. The tern colony on Eastern Egg Rock is predominately
COMMON TERNS but ARCTIC and ROSEATE TERNS are present as well. BLACK
GUILLEMOTS and ATLANTIC PUFFINS were conspicuous here and a pair of
RAZORBILLS was up on the rocks.
At Matinicus Rock, the RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD flew around the island
almost the entire time we were there passing directly over the boat at
one point. Belated reports confirm the tropicbird has been present
since May 24. The impressive tern colony on Matinicus Rock is a mix of
COMMON and ARCTIC. There were hundreds of Alcids on the rocks or just
into the water with a fairly even split between ATLANTIC PUFFINS and
RAZORBILLS. BLACK GUILLEMOTS and perhaps 30 to 40 COMMON MURRES were
seen as well. A few GREAT CORMORANTS, and SPOTTED and PURPLE SANDPIPERS
were along the shoreline.
A boat trip from Monhegan Island over to Eastern Egg Rock on June 6
produced a RED KNOT, ATLANTIC PUFFINS, RAZORBILLS and ARCTIC TERNS.
Back on Monhegan Island, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, BLUE-WINGED TEAL,
CAPE MAY WARBLER, TENNESSEE WARBLER, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, and INDIGO
BUNTING were reported.
On June 9, at Weskeag Marsh in South Thomaston, lots of singing
NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS, two WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, a WILSON'S
PHALAROPE, and a LITTLE BLUE HERON were reported.
Downeast
Particularly rare during spring migration, a male WESTERN TANAGER
visited a feeder in Cutler on June 6 and was well photographed. It has
not returned.
A lingering LONG-TAILED DUCK was off of Sand Beach at Acadia National
Park on June 10.
Western Mountains
The first report of BICKNELL'S THRUSH was received from Saddleback
Mountain back on June 2.
Northern Maine
An outing along the St. John River recently produced a total of five
different MERLIN territories.
Date: June 12, 2007
Area: State of Maine
Compilers: Eric Hynes and Stella Walsh
Send sightings to: birdeast@maineaudubon.org
Of Special Note
Only the third record for the state of Maine, a RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD
edged out WESTERN TANAGER as the top bird this week. Other unusual
sightings include a possible PACIFIC LOON, a LITTLE GULL, TRICOLORED
HERON, four SANDHILL CRANES, and COMMON MURRES.
York County
A LITTLE GULL amongst approximately 250 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, six ROSEATE
TERNS, 12 RED KNOTS, and a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER were the highlights
from an incoming tide at Hills Beach in Biddeford on June 10.
Top birds from an outing to Gray Meadow on June 10 were YELLOW-BILLED
CUCKOO, MARSH WREN, SORA, and VIRGINIA RAIL.
A possible PACIFIC LOON was reportedly seen from Camp Ellis in Saco on
June 9.
Greater Portland
TRICOLORED HERON (1 or 2) continue to be found from the Eastern Road
Trail through Scarborough Marsh.
A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was calling at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth on June
9.
Kennebec Valley
On June 10 several different parties paddling the edge of the marsh at
the south end of Messalonskee Lake spotted 4 SANDHILL CRANES, SORA,
VIRGINIA RAIL, PIED-BILLED GREBE, and 10 to 15 pairs of BLACK TERNS.
Especially noteworthy for the date at this specific location, a
breeding-plumaged male LONG-TAILED DUCK was found on the Kennebec River
at the Gardiner / Farmingdale town line on June 8.
An ORCHARD ORIOLE was seen again at the Arboretum in Augusta on June 8.
A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was seen on Dennis Hill in Litchfield on June 6.
A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was calling near Summer Street in Hallowell on
June 5.
A TENNESSEE WARBLER was reported from Sidney Bog earlier in the week.
Midcoast
Maine Audubon's boat trip on June 7 out to Eastern Egg Rock and
Matinicus Rock produced excellent looks at terns and Alcids but the best
bird was a RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD seen well and photographed at
Matinicus Rock. The tern colony on Eastern Egg Rock is predominately
COMMON TERNS but ARCTIC and ROSEATE TERNS are present as well. BLACK
GUILLEMOTS and ATLANTIC PUFFINS were conspicuous here and a pair of
RAZORBILLS was up on the rocks.
At Matinicus Rock, the RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD flew around the island
almost the entire time we were there passing directly over the boat at
one point. Belated reports confirm the tropicbird has been present
since May 24. The impressive tern colony on Matinicus Rock is a mix of
COMMON and ARCTIC. There were hundreds of Alcids on the rocks or just
into the water with a fairly even split between ATLANTIC PUFFINS and
RAZORBILLS. BLACK GUILLEMOTS and perhaps 30 to 40 COMMON MURRES were
seen as well. A few GREAT CORMORANTS, and SPOTTED and PURPLE SANDPIPERS
were along the shoreline.
A boat trip from Monhegan Island over to Eastern Egg Rock on June 6
produced a RED KNOT, ATLANTIC PUFFINS, RAZORBILLS and ARCTIC TERNS.
Back on Monhegan Island, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, BLUE-WINGED TEAL,
CAPE MAY WARBLER, TENNESSEE WARBLER, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL, and INDIGO
BUNTING were reported.
On June 9, at Weskeag Marsh in South Thomaston, lots of singing
NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS, two WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, a WILSON'S
PHALAROPE, and a LITTLE BLUE HERON were reported.
Downeast
Particularly rare during spring migration, a male WESTERN TANAGER
visited a feeder in Cutler on June 6 and was well photographed. It has
not returned.
A lingering LONG-TAILED DUCK was off of Sand Beach at Acadia National
Park on June 10.
Western Mountains
The first report of BICKNELL'S THRUSH was received from Saddleback
Mountain back on June 2.
Northern Maine
An outing along the St. John River recently produced a total of five
different MERLIN territories.