Let me add a few findings from our annual September expedition to Monhegan. Actually, it’s more of a continuing reunion of old school mates, but we bird! Amen to the lovely weather; however, it simply was not as birdy as we’ve experienced in the past. Our prolonged, and fruitful summer may be playing a role.
There were some spectacular highlights, as always, however; and we were happy to see the sapsuckers, the yellow-rumps, and a surprisingly meager number of vireos and other songbirds. The predators were another matter!
Tuesday morning we watched a Merlin devour a songbird, perhaps 30 feet away, creating its own snowstorm as it plucked the feathers from this hapless migrant. Someone later identified it as a Dickcissel. I hope that’s confirmed. One flew over us about 20 minutes earlier.
We also watched a Double-crested Cormorant carefully devour a smallish flounder, all the while surrounded by a small but earnest flock of Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, trying to figure out how he was going to do it. He succeeded in demobilizing its prey so that he could do a “boa constrictor’s swallow,” much to the disappointment of his audience.
The highlight was yesterday afternoon. Our group sat comfortably passing the early afternoon gazing upon Manassas, which sits immediately between the harbor on the view of much of the mainland. The Merlins are nearly ever-present. The Peregrines always show up. One young Northern Harrier flies low over the island. Kestrels are few, and when one appeared yesterday, we paid attention. It sat atop one of the few evergreens that dot the place, and stayed a long time. He disappeared for a while, and then showed up again. He went into his hovering routine, perhaps having spotted a small rodent. Out of nowhere, as six of us watched with spotting scope, binocular, and eyeball, a Peregrine, like a lightning bolt, nailed this Kestrel in mid-hover. I can’t tell you how startling and riveting it was to watch!
There were lots of great birders on Monhegan, and fun to partake of Doug and Barbara James’ presentation on the Galapagos.
Glenn Jenks
Camden, ME
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