Maine birds And MOAC mountainbiking

Tuesday 30 September 2014

[Maine-birds] Sanford woods Hermit Thrush and R-b Nuthatch

Hermit Thrush poking in leaf litter, and Red-breasted Nuthatch poking under bark on small maples. (I have no feeders.)

Barbara Partridge Herrgesell
Sanford, ME

herpartb@aol.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Delia Guzman <dguzman1964@gmail.com>
To: maine-birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tue, Sep 30, 2014 10:38 pm
Subject: [Maine-birds] Brunswick layabouts

I had a Gray Catbird and a Hermit Thrush still hanging out in my yard this   evening. Also had a Downy Woodpecker female on Sunday--first one I'd seen in at   least a month. Have heard lots and lots of chip notes of late but I'm no good at   IDing those, and the birds all stay hidden in the thick young hemlocks!     Have been looking for White-throated Sparrows or Dark-eyed Juncos but have seen   neither yet. Guess I'll just keep filling the feeders and fighting the   squirrels.     Delia in Brunswick     Sent from my iPhone    --   Maine birds mailing list  maine-birds@googlegroups.com  http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds  https://sites.google.com/site/birding207  ---   You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine   birds" group.  To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email   to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.  For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

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[Maine-birds] Lincoln's Sparrow (Searsmont, 9/30/14)

First of fall Lincoln's Sparrow with some Songs and a Savannah this morning.

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19995025

Good birding,
Fyn

[Maine-birds] Brunswick layabouts

I had a Gray Catbird and a Hermit Thrush still hanging out in my yard this evening. Also had a Downy Woodpecker female on Sunday--first one I'd seen in at least a month. Have heard lots and lots of chip notes of late but I'm no good at IDing those, and the birds all stay hidden in the thick young hemlocks!

Have been looking for White-throated Sparrows or Dark-eyed Juncos but have seen neither yet. Guess I'll just keep filling the feeders and fighting the squirrels.

Delia in Brunswick

Sent from my iPhone

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[Maine-birds] Northern Maine Birds: Peregrine Falcons, Great Egret, American Pipits

Much of the passerine migration is winding down here in northern Maine. There are still plenty of thrushes and sparrows about, but the warblers, flycatchers and vireos have mostly departed.

In exchange, we are seeing the expected large influx in waterbirds. Canada Goose numbers have been stable for the past few days following a big pulse of migrants mid-month. 6 to 8 thousand are now being seen in the central Aroostook area. Numbers of Snow Geese have been reported, with several adults and a juvenile seen regularly at the pond in Limestone.

Collins Pond in Caribou has hosted a good assortment of waterfowl including a Greater Scaup, Northern Pintail, Wood Ducks and up to 20 molting Northern Shovelers. Both species of teal, Mallards, Black Ducks and Hooded Mergansers are also numerous here most days The extra long-staying Great Egret continues at the mill pond in downtown Mars Hill.

Other good stuff seen in the area lately:

An apparent Short-billed Dowitcher was seen Monday the 29th at Christina Reservoir in Fort Farifield. The bird was flying with 10+ Pectoral Sandpipers that were being harried by a a pair of adult Peregrine Falcons.

Young Northern Harriers and American Kestrels are being seen regularly in grassy locales across the area.

My last Ruby-throated Hummingbird was a short staying juvie/female on the 21st of September.

A Winter Wren continues to sing at sunrise in the Woodland Bog in Woodland and was still present on the 26th.

American Pipits are now abundant in the freshly harvested potato fields. A flock of 60+ were seen at Christina Reservoir on the 29th

White-crowned Sparrows were first reported locally on the 18th.

Good Birding.

Bill

--
Bill Sheehan
Woodland, Aroostook Co., Maine
http://northernmainebirds.blogspot.com/

[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

Last night's migration and drop-out proved to be moderate but still significant, comprised of a good mix of warblers and other passerines. I spent some time examining them during the night, knowing that today's weather wouldn't be very pleasent.

As I mentioned earlier, COMMON YELLOW THROATS dominated the flight, followed by immature WHITE THROATED SPARROWS.

OVERBIRDS, RED EYED VIREOS & YELLOW RUMPED WARBLERS were also very evident.

Among the other species were:
GRAY CATBIRD;
BALTIMORE ORIOLE;
EASTERN PHOEBE;
FLICKER;
SWAINSON'S THRUSH;
BICKNELL'S THRUSH;
REDSTART;
NORTHERN PARULA;
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH;
PALM WARBLER;
YELLOW THROATED WARBLER;
BLACK THROATED GREEN WARBLER;
WILSON'S WARBLER;
BLACK & WHITE WARBLER;
CHESTNUT SIDED WARBLER;
YELLOW WARBLER;
LEACH'S STORM PETREL;
WILSON'S STORM PETREL;
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER.

Throughout today the HARRIERS continued to hunt the island. From time to time a PEREGRINE or MERLIN passed through, staying just long enough to stir the pot.

Also today, a handful of KESTRELS, including one that posed two feet away, sitting just outside my window. That Kestrel, or another, was settled down and looking to spend the night.

Also around today were continuing groups of PINE SISKINS & GOLDFINCHES, FLICKERS and the ubiquitous SAVANNAH SPARROWS augmented by a few SONG SPARROWS. Still a couple SPOTTED SANDPIPERS hanging around, too.

[Maine-birds] SE AZ in the spring

Does anyone have a good itinerary he'd be willing to share for a birding mission next spring?

Thx for the help.

Judy Scher

[Maine-birds] montville

saw 2 blue herons on 220 this morning near fry mountain, one fishing one flying diana in south unity

[Maine-birds] Roadside Weskeag

A 5-minute stop this morning yielded 3 great egrets; 6 snowies; 3 GBH; 3 killdeer, 1 pectoral; 1 distant ibis entering the outer marsh area.

Don

[Maine-birds] Belfast Bay census on 9/26/14

Gary Gulezian and myself censused Belfat Bay last Friday morning, so that this report is a little late (my apologies). The complete ebird report can be found at

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19988622

Ron Harrell

[Maine-birds] Hummingbirds

Tuesday 9/30/14
There are three Ruby-throated Hummingbirds working over late flowers at Thuya Garden in Northeast Harbor this morning. There are also several Monarch butterflies.
________________________________________
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Re: [Maine-birds] Duck Identification Question

Thanks Don. Good to know about that color being a good indicator.

As for the shot. I took it with my "point and shoot and pray and develop and hope and sigh with relief when one actually comes out OK" camera. :-)

I was happy with it though as it was clearly a different bird than any of the rest I had seen that day and it was cruising by so fast I was lucky to have gotten 3 shots off, 2 of which were completely out of focus. The third and final one was this one.

On Monday, September 29, 2014 6:02:31 PM UTC-4, winkumpaughwoodworks wrote:

Rob,

Yeah, definitely a blue wing. That dark at the "wrist", along with the other traits, is a way we usually help narrow the bird down to "teal" sp. The bird in your photo shows a healthy band of dark. Nice shot.

Don

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 29, 2014, at 4:34 PM, Rob O'Connell <flash...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thank you Louis. I had kind of narrowed it down to 3 of which that was the leading contender although most of the underwing shots of the BWTE I have seen do not show as dark of a stripe on the leading edge of the wing so I was not sure if that was it or not.

It must have been more shadow that actual color on there.

Thanks again!

On Monday, September 29, 2014 3:50:55 PM UTC-4, Louis Bevier wrote:
A relatively small list of ducks in the world have blue or blue-gray forewings. There are Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals, Garganey, and four species of shovelers. Given only two species of those are likely on Lake Josephine, I think we've got a good chance at identifying this bird. You were at the right web site for help—Sam Carney's duck identification by wing plumage is a classic. Take a look at this page showing the upper wings of the Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckplum/bwciteal.htm
Taking into account the small bill and gray face pattern, your bird fits Blue-winged Teal. Even when they are not at their fanciest, males of both Cinnamon and Blue-winged can be told by a prominent white bar behind the bluish forewing. So your bird is a female. The pattern of the body feathers with neat and entire fringes around all dark feathers (look at those bigger oval feathers to the rear of the wing on the hind flank) together with the wing pattern suggest it is an immature. So that's my guess, immature female Blue-winged Teal.

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

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[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

There seems to be a significant migratory movement underway this night.
I'm seeing notable dropout since about 02:00 AST.
Flight composition here appears to be weighted heavily towards COMMON YELLOWTHROATS & WHITE THROATED SPARROWS.

Sunday and Monday produced lots of FLICKERS & PINE SISKINS, harassed by almost constant HARRIER activity.
MERLINS & PEREGRINES were also frequently seen.
Monday's strong wind (25-30 knots) made for interesting aerobatics by prey and predator, alike, including several raptors hovering, nearly motionless, at eye level and less than 10 metres away.

Monday 29 September 2014

[Maine-birds] Feather Identification

Hello,
Forgive me if it has already been mentioned without my noticing, but a good and visually arresting online resource for feather ID is the FWS Feather Atlas, a collection of scanned feather series from a growing sample of N. Am. species. Link here:
http://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/idfeather.php
Good birding!
Willy Hutcheson
Concord, MA and Beals, ME

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Re: [Maine-birds] Duck Identification Question

Rob,

Yeah, definitely a blue wing. That dark at the "wrist", along with the other traits, is a way we usually help narrow the bird down to "teal" sp. The bird in your photo shows a healthy band of dark. Nice shot.

Don

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 29, 2014, at 4:34 PM, Rob O'Connell <flashart123@gmail.com> wrote:

Thank you Louis. I had kind of narrowed it down to 3 of which that was the leading contender although most of the underwing shots of the BWTE I have seen do not show as dark of a stripe on the leading edge of the wing so I was not sure if that was it or not.

It must have been more shadow that actual color on there.

Thanks again!

On Monday, September 29, 2014 3:50:55 PM UTC-4, Louis Bevier wrote:
A relatively small list of ducks in the world have blue or blue-gray forewings. There are Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals, Garganey, and four species of shovelers. Given only two species of those are likely on Lake Josephine, I think we've got a good chance at identifying this bird. You were at the right web site for help—Sam Carney's duck identification by wing plumage is a classic. Take a look at this page showing the upper wings of the Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckplum/bwciteal.htm
Taking into account the small bill and gray face pattern, your bird fits Blue-winged Teal. Even when they are not at their fanciest, males of both Cinnamon and Blue-winged can be told by a prominent white bar behind the bluish forewing. So your bird is a female. The pattern of the body feathers with neat and entire fringes around all dark feathers (look at those bigger oval feathers to the rear of the wing on the hind flank) together with the wing pattern suggest it is an immature. So that's my guess, immature female Blue-winged Teal.

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

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Re: [Maine-birds] Digest for maine-birds@googlegroups.com - 14 updates in 11 topics

Hi Andrew,

Fieldfares in Rangely briefly,

Ernie

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 29, 2014, at 4:38 PM, maine-birds@googlegroups.com wrote:

maine-birds@googlegroups.com Google Groups

Topic digest
View all topics

Duck Identification Question - 3 Updates

White-wing Scoters - 1 Update

Nice Barred Owl pics by David Small - 1 Update

Bangor PEFA - 1 Update

N Wheatear NOT Fieldfare! Obvioulsly I'm mentis incompetetus. - 1 Update

fieldfares in Rangeley - 1 Update

Help with bird ID - 2 Updates

Bluebirds back - CE Spurwink Marsh & H'birds gone - 1 Update

May's Scarboro Marsh Fieldfare - 1 Update

Birding on Deer Isle--Stonington area - 1 Update

Monhegan, 9.28.14 - 1 Update

Duck Identification Question

Rob O'Connell <flashart123@gmail.com>: Sep 29 11:19AM -0700

Sorry for the multitude of posts that I attempted to post. Apparently it
did not like me pasting graphics in the file. It kept telling me that it
was not submitted and to try again later. So I did a few minutes apart and
it kept saying it wasn't posting. Imagine my horror when I saw a slew of
jibberish... Trying again, this time trimming it down and trying it from a
different browser.

Anyway. I have a duck that I would like assistance identifying.
I spotted it at Lake Josephine around August 30th or so. I had not had as
much chance to dig through the photos so I am sorry I am getting to it so
late.

Unidentified Flying (Duck) Object
<http://flashart.smugmug.com/Birding/i-G6nGv4C/A>

I have checked all my guides and nothing seems to completely fit. I am not
very good with the age differences in duck plumages and also the seasonal
changes.
I also checked Duck Plumage Site
<http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckplum/> as well as googled all
the usual cast of characters to see if I could spot a similar bird. I did
not.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, and again, sorry for the mishap.

Louis Bevier <lrbevier@colby.edu>: Sep 29 03:50PM -0400

A relatively small list of ducks in the world have blue or blue-gray forewings. There are Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals, Garganey, and four species of shovelers. Given only two species of those are likely on Lake Josephine, I think we've got a good chance at identifying this bird. You were at the right web site for help—Sam Carney's duck identification by wing plumage is a classic. Take a look at this page showing the upper wings of the Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckplum/bwciteal.htm
Taking into account the small bill and gray face pattern, your bird fits Blue-winged Teal. Even when they are not at their fanciest, males of both Cinnamon and Blue-winged can be told by a prominent white bar behind the bluish forewing. So your bird is a female. The pattern of the body feathers with neat and entire fringes around all dark feathers (look at those bigger oval feathers to the rear of the wing on the hind flank) together with the wing pattern suggest it is an immature. So that's my guess, immature female Blue-winged Teal.

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

Rob O'Connell <flashart123@gmail.com>: Sep 29 01:34PM -0700

Thank you Louis. I had kind of narrowed it down to 3 of which that was the
leading contender although most of the underwing shots of the BWTE I have
seen do not show as dark of a stripe on the leading edge of the wing so I
was not sure if that was it or not.

It must have been more shadow that actual color on there.

Thanks again!

On Monday, September 29, 2014 3:50:55 PM UTC-4, Louis Bevier wrote:

Back to top

White-wing Scoters

Carl Small <triton469@yahoo.com>: Sep 29 02:56PM -0400

Off Butter and Eagle Island-Mid-Coast, Me.
150+ Common Eiders
30 White-wing Scoters
40 Surf Scoters
1 Common Tern
Skip Small
Rockport

Sent from my iPhone

Back to top

Nice Barred Owl pics by David Small

Allison Wells <awells@nrcm.org>: Sep 29 05:12PM

Thought I'd invite fellow birders to view some nice Barred Owl photos by Mainebirds' David Small, currently featured as NRCM's "My Maine This Week" feature:

http://www.nrcm.org/my-maine-this-week/my-maine-this-week-dave-small/

Jeff and I saw a Red-shouldered Hawk soar over Rummels Field in Waterville yesterday during Evan's soccer match. Also, we've noticed singing Pine Warblers in various places lately (one at said field, one in Winthrop, and a few other places). Interesting.

Allison Wells
Natural Resources Council of Maine
3 Wade Street
Augusta, ME 04330
(207) 430-0180
www.nrcm.org<http://www.nrcm.org>
"Like" us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NRCMenvironment<http://www.facebook.com/NRCMenvironment>
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NRCMenvironment

Back to top

Bangor PEFA

Jeff Normandin <jeff.normandin@gmail.com>: Sep 29 10:07AM -0700

I was up in Bangor this past Thursday and saw a Peregrine Falcon circling
above the public library. I am not up that way often, so maybe it is a
resident or common visitor there, but I thought I'd share.

Jeff

Back to top

N Wheatear NOT Fieldfare! Obvioulsly I'm mentis incompetetus.

Judith & Reid Scher <rscher34@yahoo.com>: Sep 29 10:02AM -0700

sorry for the confusion and kudso to the couple of people who were
able to translate my nonsense & get me the info!
Judy Scher

Back to top

fieldfares in Rangeley

Kirk Betts <ketteadene@gmail.com>: Sep 29 12:09PM -0400

I spotted a couple of fieldfares with a flock o robins in Rangeley
during my lunch break. They were foraging in a field next to my house
but the flock seems to have have moved westward. I saw two, but there
might be more .
Hopefully someone else will spot them .

Kirk Betts
Rangeley,ME

Back to top

Help with bird ID

Dennis Shepler <dawgler@gmail.com>: Sep 28 03:31PM -0700

Thanks, Louis. Excellent description with pertinent photos.

On Sunday, September 28, 2014 3:50:57 PM UTC-4, Louis Bevier wrote:

Don Lima <winkumpaughwoodworks@gmail.com>: Sep 28 06:01PM -0400

Green wing teal.

Sent from my iPad

Back to top

Bluebirds back - CE Spurwink Marsh & H'birds gone

Nancy <nkathleena@gmail.com>: Sep 28 05:44PM -0700

The bluebirds that were here all winter and played at nesting in one of our
boxes thru spring have returned. We are watching them build up a nest
again and defend the box against any other birds.

Also, no hummers in over a week, so the feeder came down this weekend. :-(

Back to top

May's Scarboro Marsh Fieldfare

Judith & Reid Scher <rscher34@yahoo.com>: Sep 28 05:38PM -0700

Does anyone have the dates that this bird was sighted last May?
Thanks for the help.
Judy Scher

Back to top

Birding on Deer Isle--Stonington area

"Marie" <mijord@maine.rr.com>: Sep 28 07:49PM -0400

I am going to be in that area next Saturday afternoon and
Sunday morning - I should have time to check out a couple birding spots
while I am there. I would like to get a couple suggestions on where I might
bird from someone familiar with birding the islands at this time of the
year.

Please respond off line. Thanks.

Marie Jordan

South Portland

Back to top

Monhegan, 9.28.14

Kristen Lindquist <kelindquist@gmail.com>: Sep 28 06:55PM -0400

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD continues on the island, seen most frequently in
the morning in the vicinity of the Meadow.

New birds today include BLUE GROSBEAK and Pine Warbler, both found with
Derek's group.

Continuing daily: 1 immature male Dickcissel and 1 Lark Sparrow.
White-crowned Sparrows showed up on Friday.

Other reported birds include: Connecticut Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrow.

Other highlights we enjoyed today were the continuing Eastern Wood-Pewee at
Monhegan Brewing Co. (as were we...), falcon show with several Peregrines
and Merlins, and a (modern day) plethora of Monarchs. 16 species of
warblers for the day also included Cape May and Tennessee.

We'll see what tomorrow brings us, for my last day here...

Kristen

--
Kristen Lindquist
12 Mount Battie St.
Camden, ME 04843
www.klindquist.blogspot.com

"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
--Mary Oliver

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[Maine-birds] Two Bluebirds in backyard - South Portland

I wonder if they are the pair that nested here this summer? A welcome sight as I have not seen them for over a month .

Leaves are turning here along the coast - Maine’s fall beauty for us to enjoy.

Marie

Re: [Maine-birds] Duck Identification Question

Thank you Louis. I had kind of narrowed it down to 3 of which that was the leading contender although most of the underwing shots of the BWTE I have seen do not show as dark of a stripe on the leading edge of the wing so I was not sure if that was it or not.

It must have been more shadow that actual color on there.

Thanks again!

On Monday, September 29, 2014 3:50:55 PM UTC-4, Louis Bevier wrote:

A relatively small list of ducks in the world have blue or blue-gray forewings. There are Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals, Garganey, and four species of shovelers. Given only two species of those are likely on Lake Josephine, I think we've got a good chance at identifying this bird. You were at the right web site for help—Sam Carney's duck identification by wing plumage is a classic. Take a look at this page showing the upper wings of the Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckplum/bwciteal.htm
Taking into account the small bill and gray face pattern, your bird fits Blue-winged Teal. Even when they are not at their fanciest, males of both Cinnamon and Blue-winged can be told by a prominent white bar behind the bluish forewing. So your bird is a female. The pattern of the body feathers with neat and entire fringes around all dark feathers (look at those bigger oval feathers to the rear of the wing on the hind flank) together with the wing pattern suggest it is an immature. So that's my guess, immature female Blue-winged Teal.

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

Re: [Maine-birds] Duck Identification Question

A relatively small list of ducks in the world have blue or blue-gray forewings. There are Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals, Garganey, and four species of shovelers. Given only two species of those are likely on Lake Josephine, I think we've got a good chance at identifying this bird. You were at the right web site for help--Sam Carney's duck identification by wing plumage is a classic. Take a look at this page showing the upper wings of the Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teals: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckplum/bwciteal.htm
Taking into account the small bill and gray face pattern, your bird fits Blue-winged Teal. Even when they are not at their fanciest, males of both Cinnamon and Blue-winged can be told by a prominent white bar behind the bluish forewing. So your bird is a female. The pattern of the body feathers with neat and entire fringes around all dark feathers (look at those bigger oval feathers to the rear of the wing on the hind flank) together with the wing pattern suggest it is an immature. So that's my guess, immature female Blue-winged Teal.

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

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[Maine-birds] White-wing Scoters

Off Butter and Eagle Island-Mid-Coast, Me.
150+ Common Eiders
30 White-wing Scoters
40 Surf Scoters
1 Common Tern
Skip Small
Rockport

Sent from my iPhone

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[Maine-birds] Duck Identification Question

Sorry for the multitude of posts that I attempted to post. Apparently it did not like me pasting graphics in the file. It kept telling me that it was not submitted and to try again later. So I did a few minutes apart and it kept saying it wasn't posting. Imagine my horror when I saw a slew of jibberish... Trying again, this time trimming it down and trying it from a different browser.

Anyway. I have a duck that I would like assistance identifying.

I spotted it at Lake Josephine around August 30th or so. I had not had as much chance to dig through the photos so I am sorry I am getting to it so late.

Unidentified Flying (Duck) Object

I have checked all my guides and nothing seems to completely fit. I am not very good with the age differences in duck plumages and also the seasonal changes.

I also checked Duck Plumage Site as well as googled all the usual cast of characters to see if I could spot a similar bird. I did not.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, and again, sorry for the mishap.

[Maine-birds] Nice Barred Owl pics by David Small

Thought I’d invite fellow birders to view some nice Barred Owl photos by Mainebirds’ David Small, currently featured as NRCM’s “My Maine This Week” feature:

http://www.nrcm.org/my-maine-this-week/my-maine-this-week-dave-small/

Jeff and I saw a Red-shouldered Hawk soar over Rummels Field in Waterville yesterday during Evan’s soccer match. Also, we’ve noticed singing Pine Warblers in various places lately (one at said field, one in Winthrop, and a few other places). Interesting.

Allison Wells

Natural Resources Council of Maine

3 Wade Street

Augusta, ME 04330

(207) 430-0180

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[Maine-birds] Bangor PEFA

I was up in Bangor this past Thursday and saw a Peregrine Falcon circling above the public library. I am not up that way often, so maybe it is a resident or common visitor there, but I thought I'd share.

Jeff

[Maine-birds] N Wheatear NOT Fieldfare! Obvioulsly I'm mentis incompetetus.

sorry for the confusion and kudso to the couple of people who were able to translate my nonsense & get me the info!

Judy Scher

[Maine-birds] fieldfares in Rangeley

I spotted a couple of fieldfares with a flock o robins in Rangeley
during my lunch break. They were foraging in a field next to my house
but the flock seems to have have moved westward. I saw two, but there
might be more .
Hopefully someone else will spot them .

Kirk Betts
Rangeley,ME

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Sunday 28 September 2014

[Maine-birds] Bluebirds back - CE Spurwink Marsh & H'birds gone

The bluebirds that were here all winter and played at nesting in one of our boxes thru spring have returned. We are watching them build up a nest again and defend the box against any other birds.

Also, no hummers in over a week, so the feeder came down this weekend. :-(

[Maine-birds] May's Scarboro Marsh Fieldfare

Does anyone have the dates that this bird was sighted last May?

Thanks for the help.

Judy Scher

[Maine-birds] Birding on Deer Isle--Stonington area

I am going to be in that area next Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning - I should have time to check out a couple birding spots while I am there. I would like to get a couple suggestions on where I might bird from someone familiar with birding the islands at this time of the year.

Please respond off line. Thanks.

Marie Jordan

South Portland

[Maine-birds] Monhegan, 9.28.14

YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD continues on the island, seen most frequently in the morning in the vicinity of the Meadow.

New birds today include BLUE GROSBEAK and Pine Warbler, both found with Derek's group.

Continuing daily: 1 immature male Dickcissel and 1 Lark Sparrow. White-crowned Sparrows showed up on Friday.

Other reported birds include: Connecticut Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrow.

Other highlights we enjoyed today were the continuing Eastern Wood-Pewee at Monhegan Brewing Co. (as were we...), falcon show with several Peregrines and Merlins, and a (modern day) plethora of Monarchs. 16 species of warblers for the day also included Cape May and Tennessee.

We'll see what tomorrow brings us, for my last day here...

Kristen

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Kristen Lindquist
12 Mount Battie St.
Camden, ME 04843
www.klindquist.blogspot.com

"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
--Mary Oliver

Re: [Maine-birds] Help with bird ID

Thanks, Louis. Excellent description with pertinent photos.

On Sunday, September 28, 2014 3:50:57 PM UTC-4, Louis Bevier wrote:

The attached photos look like Green-winged Teal. Yes, the speculum appears bluish or purplish, but that can depend on light angle (and the photo/camera settings). There should be a pale border at the leading edge, but that could be obscured by feathers. The outer part of the speculum is black on these birds, and the beginning of that is seen.

One of the key things to look for on hen-plumaged Green-winged Teal is the little slash of white (or buff white) at the base of the tail on the under tail coverts. This bird shows that well. The dull grayish-yellow legs, petite bill, and underparts pattern are all features typical of Green-winged Teal too.

If one wants to see bluish in the speculum of a Green-winged Teal (and their Eurasian counterpart), look at these photos:
http://vancouverislandbirds.com/mar24gwteal1.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bPPCkBCsXwA/UTYXEpN8MvI/AAAAAAAAFPQ/pqOJPpRF0NY/s1600/teal+2.jpg

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

Re: [Maine-birds] Help with bird ID

Green wing teal.

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 28, 2014, at 9:40 AM, John Lazzaro <ultimatespinachfilms@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi folks,

I saw this duck on Friday at the Essex Bog in Bangor. Could this be one of the teal species?

thanks!

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<IMG_5586.JPG>

<IMG_5581.JPG>

Re: [Maine-birds] Help with bird ID

The attached photos look like Green-winged Teal. Yes, the speculum appears bluish or purplish, but that can depend on light angle (and the photo/camera settings). There should be a pale border at the leading edge, but that could be obscured by feathers. The outer part of the speculum is black on these birds, and the beginning of that is seen.

One of the key things to look for on hen-plumaged Green-winged Teal is the little slash of white (or buff white) at the base of the tail on the under tail coverts. This bird shows that well. The dull grayish-yellow legs, petite bill, and underparts pattern are all features typical of Green-winged Teal too.

If one wants to see bluish in the speculum of a Green-winged Teal (and their Eurasian counterpart), look at these photos:
http://vancouverislandbirds.com/mar24gwteal1.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bPPCkBCsXwA/UTYXEpN8MvI/AAAAAAAAFPQ/pqOJPpRF0NY/s1600/teal+2.jpg

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

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[Maine-birds] Snow bunting in K'port

Yes, it's true, although I wasn't quick enuf for a photo. Pure white head; black and white tail. It stopped at the black oil sunflower feeder, twice. No other birds around at the time.

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[Maine-birds] Help with bird ID

Hi folks,

I saw this duck on Friday at the Essex Bog in Bangor. Could this be one of the teal species?

thanks!

Saturday 27 September 2014

[Maine-birds] Rockland - North Haven on a lobster boat

4 P.M. An adult Gannet halfway across. Unusual sight there.
1 Red Necked Grebe closer to North Haven. Early?

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[Maine-birds] Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a few warblers (Searsmont, 9/27/14)

Birding around the farm this afternoon yielded a few goodies - 6 warbler species, tons of sparrows, and my first of fall RCKI.

The full checklist can be viewed here.

Good birding,
Fyn
Searsmont, ME
(207) 323-6613

[Maine-birds] 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls continue at Seawall/Popham

Barbara and I spent the latter part of the afternoon at Seawall with exquisite light conditions.

We saw 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls at the mouth of the Morse River, 2 adults and 2 juvs. They were among 400+ Greater Black-backs and 100+ Herring gulls, and a few Ringers.

Fall arrivals here include: single Red-throated Loon, Horned and Red-necked grebes.

Shorebirds, an Am Golden-Plover and expected calidrids.

Splendid afternoon.

Best, Peter

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[Maine-birds] Yellow-throated vireo, Sanford Sewage Plant, Sep 27, 2014

This morning at the sewer ponds it was nice to see and hear a
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. And one single RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD is a rare bird
for this place in Sept.

View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19955317

Happy birding
Andy Aldrich
North Berwick

Directions: take Gavel Rd. east off of Rte. 4 at blinking light, 3.7 miles
south of jct. of Rtes. 4 and 111, (in Alfred) or 0.7 miles north of jct. of
Rtes. 4 and 109., (in S. Sanford)

Hours as posted: 6-4:30 MON-FRI, WEEKENDS: 7-8:30 SAT+SUN Holidays are
usually the same hours as weekend hours.

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[Maine-birds] Flycatching nuthatches and good birding in South Addison

A flying ant swarm in our area brought the gulls soaring over our house snapping up the ants. A big surprise for us were at least three Red-breasted Nuthatches joining in - they would sit at the top of a tall spruce tree and then sally up and out to catch the flying ants!

At Ingersoll Preserve in South Addison we enjoyed a nice morning hike and encountered 37 species of birds including 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, an Alder Flycatcher, 5 warbler species (including 2 Northern Parulas), both species of kinglet, 4 species of sparrows including an immature Chipping Sparrow and an immature White-crowned Sparrow.

Merle and Anne Archie

Harrington

[Maine-birds] River Point, W Falmouth

90+ birds handled Wednesday and 82 today. Numerous Swainson's Thrushes and White-throated Sparrows continued today. Several Lincoln's Sparrows and a Gray-cheeked Thrush both days.

Very few warblers banded and none of particular note.

A Yellow-breasted Chat was seen Wednesday but not relocated.

Stella

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[Maine-birds] White-winged Scoters and Greater Scaups - Great Pond, Rome, ME

In addition to the usual Loons, DC Cormorants, and Ring-billed Gulls on the lake, we were surprised to find a flock of 17 Greater Scaup and 2 White-winged Scoters in the middle of Great Pond about noon today while out on our last boat ride of the season on this great Indian summer day.

Upon returning to land, we also had a mixed flock of migrants, mostly yellow-rumps, 2 pine warbler and a few White-throated sparrows in addition to my usual feeder birds.

A complete list and photos of the Scoters and Scaup can be found at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19957416

Margaret Viens

Waterville and Rome

[Maine-birds] bluebirds

A group of six has stopped by this a.m., the first we've had in a couple of months. Not sure if they're "our" bluebirds who nested here or others passing through. They are hanging out in my garden chattering away.

Julia
in Sidney

[Maine-birds] Tree Swallows on Great Pond

This week I counted 35 Tree Swallows on Great pond Cape Elizabeth, first Juncos of the year at Cresent Beach along with Ovenbird, Northern Parula, many Yellow-rumped warbs and on the beach Semi Plovers, Semi sandpipers, Sanderling, Dunlin, and American golden-plover juvenile. Grondin pond 80 Canada geese were it is safe from hunters.

[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND EPORT

Another warm, nearly calm day on Friday with little bird activity other than raptors.
At least 12 PEREGRINES through here today. Had 7 in sight at one time, including two sitting over my head on the lighthouse.
Also, 2 EAGLES (likely local regulars), 4 MERLINS, 5 HARRIERS, 2 BROAD WINGED HAWKS and 4 OSPREY.

As you may well assume, with almost continuos predator activity, other species largely kept to cover.I did manage to find 6 to 8 RED BREASTED NUTHATCHES and a couple suspected LEAST FLYCATCHERS.

I also found a cooperative GOLDEN PLOVER which I suspected to be the same one seen over several days. However, that was put somewhat into doubt through the evening and night.
I heard, 3 or 4 times, after dark, a call like screeching metal, seeming to originate overhead. About 4 AM I located a Golden Plover on the lawn, near the house. A short time later I flushed two GPs from the lawn and they made the same call. Mystery solved!

Aquatic birds, other than gulls, has been generally light: some local movement of DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANTS; a few apparently resident EIDERS; an occasional COMMON LOON; scattered GANNETS.

Top birds of the day: a single, early PURPLE SANDPIPER and two equally early HARLEQUINS.

A few Monarch butterflies are still around, as well as some Red Admirals, Cabbage Whites, American Ladys. Also seen: a couple of probable Pink Edged Sulphurs, 3 Question Marks and 2 Commas.
The island hosts perhaps 8 acres of PURPLE ASTER that is the main food source for migrating butterflies and hummingbirds.
Of course it blooms over a period of several weeks but although it started blooming towards the end of August and peaked last week, there are still good fresh patches scattered over the island.

Friday 26 September 2014

[Maine-birds] Plover on Flat Bay

There has been only a trickle of shorebirds passing through our viewing area of Flat Bay - until today. We saw a flock of 250+ Semi-palmated Plover across the bay from our house. That was the number we could see and it appeared that more birds were further up the bay beyond our view point.

Merle and Anne Archie

Harrington

[Maine-birds] Pectoral Sandpipers - Sebasticook Lake, Newport

The water level is being drawn down at Sebasticook and some decent sized mudflats are now exposed. North-west of the Durham Bridge at the northern end of the lake there was a flock of 46 Pectoral Sandpipers this morning. And, I counted 56 Wood Ducks, most south of the bridge.

Good Birding,

John

[Maine-birds] Re: Feathers question

Thanks to everyone for help guessing the ID of the feathers I found. The guess I’m going with at the moment is female Cardinal. The pinkish-red flight feathers with white rachis don’t fit anything else I can think of, although these feathers had white tips which I don’t normally associate with Cardinal. The gray, buffy-yellow tipped downy breast(?) feathers don’t strike me as Cardinal-like either, though the solid gray ones, which were in the majority, do. Thanks for the guesses, and if anyone has any others I’d like to hear them.

Sean

[Maine-birds] Re: Photo of feathers

Could be a catbird?

On Thursday, September 25, 2014 7:44:28 PM UTC-4, Sean wrote:

Sorry everyone, didn't include this the first time.

Sean Smith

[Maine-birds] Raymond Sandhills are back

Over the past few days we've spotted the Sandhill Cranes back in the farm field on North Raymond Road across from Mailman Road. There's a lot of construction going on up by the barn, the beautiful old house has been torn down and are building a new one so that may be what had scared the cranes off.

Thursday 25 September 2014

[Maine-birds] Photo of feathers

Sorry everyone, didn’t include this the first time.

Sean Smith

[Maine-birds] Feathers ID question

I found these feathers on the walking/running trail at Saxl Park in Bangor this afternoon, not far from where I saw several Bohemian Waxwings yesterday. Looks like the remnants of a hawk kill. There were no Bohemians when I went today (only one Cedar was seen in the fruiting trees) but I’m wondering what these might belong to? There were a couple of Flickers around but to me these didn’t look like Flicker feathers, though I could be wrong. A couple of longer feathers are reddish & white, the smaller ones are either gray or half-gray with buffy yellow on the outer parts. Anyone?

[Maine-birds] Aroostook Cty today

Hi all - met Bill Sheehan at sunrise at Collins Pond in Caribou early today. Highlights included 800 Canada Geese, N Pintail, N Shoveler, both teal spp, 9 Pectorals, 2 Least pipers, both yellowlegs and more.

Other end of the day at Limestone was one of Bill's 2 Snow Geese in with ~300 Canada's.

Spud trucks are everywhere.

Craig K

Sent from my iPhone

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