I did some scouting today for a boreal birding trip that I will be leading next Saturday, Sept. 29th. (Note: this isn’t a commercial plug…the trip is already full.) In so doing, I broke my old record.
By 8:50am I had Spruce Grouse, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Black-backed Woodpecker, and American Three-toed Woodpecker. This was in the same spot where I got the five on May 4th by 9:45am. I think I’m going to have a hard time beating the new record.
Indeed, it was an excellent day to be hitting some of the logging roads off the Telos Road west of Baxter State Park. I found some new places to add to my inventory of hot spots. I finished the morning with:
12 Spruce Grouse
7 Gray Jays
4 Black-backed Woodpeckers
2 American Three-toed Woodpeckers
and bunches of Boreal Chickadees
There were plenty of Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers foraging along the roads, plus I did notch one Black-throated Green and one Magnolia that hadn’t gone south yet. One Blue-headed Vireo sang while I was watching the first BB Woodpecker. Then a Ruby-crowned Kinglet sang. A few pipits were in the road, seen easily. The day also featured 4 Ruffed Grouse, including one drumming.
But what made it most fun was that I brought a folding chair and just sat for awhile in my favorite spot. It was fun to sit among the Spruce Grouse and listen to them chattering very quietly to each other as they were feeding in the road. (They get so used to you so fast.) This happened in several locations, actually. Then I moved the chair to my Three-toed Woodpecker spot and just watched him for awhile. A Gray Jay came in while I was watching the woodpecker.
Hopefully, I can get some of the pictures up soon.
Bob Duchesne
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