Maine RBA - October 30, 2009

[Eric Hynes]

Name: Maine Audubon Rare Bird Alert
Reporting Period: October 24 - 30, 2009
Area: State of Maine
Compilers: Eric Hynes, Stella Walsh

Of Special Note

Top birds this week are: PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, CACKLING GOOSE, GOLDEN EAGLE, and BLUE GROSBEAK.

Late migrating and arriving winter species were prominent this week with ICELAND and GLAUCOUS GULLS, PURPLE SANDPIPERS, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS, FOX SPARROWS, numerous SNOW BUNTINGS, and PURPLE FINCHES being reported.

Other noteworthy species included ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, SANDHILL CRANE, NORTHERN SHRIKE, WHITE-EYED VIREO, and LARK SPARROW.

York County

Birds at Kittery's Seapoint Beach on October 29 included 15 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, two RUDDY TURNSTONES, 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 2 AMERICAN PIPITS, and four "Ipswich" SAVANNAH SPARROWS.

Highlighting a monthly survey in Biddeford Pool on October 27 were a BLUE GROSBEAK and an AMERICAN TREE SPARROW at the beach parking lot across from Hattie's, a drake HARLEQUIN DUCK and ten PURPLE SANDPIPERS at East Point cove, plus an EASTERN MEADOWLARK and two GREATER SCAUP at East Point Sanctuary.

A WHITE-EYED VIREO was seen near the Saco Yacht Club on Front Street in downtown Saco on October 26.

In addition to a good diversity of ducks, three AMERICAN COOTS were observed at Sanford Sewerage District October 27.

Greater Portland

Three PINK-FOOTED GEESE continue to feed among hundreds of Canada geese in fields straddling the towns of Cumberland, North Yarmouth, and Yarmouth through October 23. Scan the fields of Thornhurst Farm on Rt. 115 in North Yarmouth.  The fields of Thornhurst Farm are on your right as you are heading out of Yarmouth. Pulling over along Rt. 115 is treacherous so proceed with caution.  Entering the farm fields is trespassing.  Safe parking areas are found at Toots Ice Cream just off Rt. 115 and at Prince Well Road.  The Greely Road site can be reached by taking a left off Route 115 just past Prince Well Road onto Doughty Road.  Turn left again when Doughty Road reaches Greely Road.  Proceed approximately a half mile to 198 Greely Road on the right.  A CACKLING GOOSE continues to be found sporadically among the flocks as well.  An immature NORTHERN SHRIKE has been perching and calling in the area of 198 Greely Rd in Cumberland since the 26th.

Birds at Scarborough's Pine Point on October 29 included 300+ DUNLIN, 74 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 100+ BONAPARTE'S GULLS, and 30 SNOW BUNTINGS.

A LARK SPARROW was seen at feeders on Fessenden Road in Cape Elizabeth on October 27.

A drake HARLEQUIN DUCK was seen from Two Lights State Park in Cape Elizabeth on October 29.

A late PRAIRIE WARBLER was foraging with chickadees in pines along King Street in Pine
Point, Scarborough on October 27.

A SANDHILL CRANE continued at Maxwell's Farm, Sawyer Road in Cape Elizabeth through October 28.  Attempts since the 29th have been unsuccessful.

A lingering GRAY CATBIRD was at Joe's Pond Park in South Portland on October 29.

Five NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS continued at Fore River Sanctuary in Portland as of October 26.

October 26, a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was with five WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS in the salt pannes of the Cousin's Marsh on the east side of Route One on the Yarmouth/Freeport border.

Lewiston-Auburn

A PEREGRINE FALCON was photographed on the steeple of the Franco-American Center in Lewiston on October 26.

A BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was spotted circling Pettengill Park in Auburn on October 27.

Duck diversity and numbers continue to build at Sabattus Pond in Sabattus.  On October 29 the highlights were 241 LESSER SCAUP, 12 GREATER SCAUP, 56 RUDDY DUCKS, six SURF SCOTERS and a female LONG-TAILED DUCK.

Kennebec River Valley (Augusta-Waterville)

An AMERICAN WIGEON was at the Pine Tree State Arboretum in Augusta, October 25.

A first-winter ICELAND GULL was with 60 Ring-billed Gulls at the south end of Cobbosseecontee Lake on October 25.

Unusual away from the ocean, a drake HARLEQUIN DUCK was seen on the Messalonskee Stream from Riverside Drive in Waterville on October 28.

Midcoast

Birds on Popham Beach in Phippsburg on October 25 included six BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 64 SANDERLING, and nine WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS.  Also at Popham Beach State Park on the 25th were a LAPLAND LONGSPUR, 18 HORNED LARKS, and fourteen WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS.

Two late warblers, a TENNESSEE and a female BLACK-THROATED BLUE, visited a Georgetown backyard earlier in the week.

A pair of NORTHERN PINTAILS and a GRAY CATBIRD were at the Damariscotta River Association on Belvedere Road in Damariscotta on October 29.

Penobscot Bay

Four WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and 25 DUNLIN were among the dwindling shorebirds at Weskeag Marsh in South Thomaston on October 28.

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was spotted at the Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport on October 23.

An impressive tally of 86 RED-NECKED GREBES was observed from the shore in Sunset on Deer Isle on the 29th.

Central Maine

A juvenile BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was flushed out on Pushaw Stream in Old Town.

The Taylor Bait Farm in Orono continues to attract a significant number of HOODED MERGANSERS.

Downeast

Twenty GREAT CORMORANTS, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER, four PURPLE SANDPIPERS, and BLACK GUILLEMOTS were seen on a boat tour out of Bar Harbor on October 25.

At least 20 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES were seen off Otter Cliffs and Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park on October 28.

Highlights of birds seen on a walk out to Sprague's Neck Sandbar and surrounding area in Cutler on October 25 included 12 HORNED LARKS, seven WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, a MERLIN, and six NORTHERN PINTAILS.

A LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was seen from the causeway on Route 1 in Cutler on October 24.

A Golden Eagle flew along the shoreline of Spednic Lake in Vanceboro on October 25.

Western Mountains

A WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was with five PECTORAL SANDPIPERS in a flooded area of the sod farm on Old River Road in Fryeburg Harbor on October 26.

LAPLAND LONGSPURS were seen in fields on Brackett Drive in Rangeley on October 25.

Northern Maine

A flock of six BOREAL CHICKADEES and several GRAY JAYS were seen on the Spencer Mountain Road east of Moosehead Lake on October 25.

A CACKLING GOOSE was among a few hundred Canada Geese at Collins Pond in Caribou on October 25.

In Easton, late dabblers included seven AMERICAN WIGEON and 18 GADWALL at Lake Josephine with three migrating LONG-TAILED DUCKS and a GREATER SCAUP.  A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was hovering over a field just north of the lake on October 25.

A second ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was in St. Agatha on October 28.

An ICELAND GULL, a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and 90+ COMMON MERGANSERS were at Christina Reservoir in Fort Fairfield.

A mixed flock of HORNED LARKS, SNOW BUNTINGS, and two LAPLAND LONGSPURS were in a potato field on the Limestone and Fort Fairfield town line.  

A male LONG-TAILED DUCK and a NORTHERN PINTAIL were on St. John River Grand Isle on October 28.

EVENING GROSBEAKS arrived in Woodland on October 28.

Bill Sheehan's excellent summary can be found at www.northernmainebirds.blogspot.com.

Eric Hynes
Gilsland Farm Naturalist / 
Adult Education Program Coordinator
Maine Audubon
20 Gilsland Farm Road
Falmouth, ME 04105
207-781-2330 ext. 237
ehynes@...
www.maineaudubon.org

 

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