Saturday 23 April 2016

[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

It's damp, with currently a sprinkle of rain, following a few light showers through the wee hours of the morning.
In short: a wimpy birding-through-the-window morning.

Lots of Sparrows, somewhat fewer ROBINS and increased FLICKERS are actively feeding on the patio and surrounding lawns.

Notable so far have been several GOLDEN CROWNED KINGLETS, following on the heels of the RUBY CROWNED KINGLETS that passed through on Thursday & Friday.
As well several YELLOW RUMPED WARBLERS are foraging around the buildings. The Butter Butts are definitely up from yesterday.

Just before sunset yesterday "my" WOOD DUCK came back to re-inspect the garden. While watching him, a YELLOW BELLIED SAPSUCKER arrived on the patio; the first this year.
Sapsuckers are one of our spotty species, like the Rose Breasted Grosbeak. Most years I see a representative or two but occasionally there's a flood.

Yesterday was, indeed, a fair, almost summer day and I spent part of it on the shoreline.
I missed having HARLEQUINS come in to me with the rising tide. They were too busy chasing each other all over the place with the males vocalizing incessantly.
The consolation prize was face time with a young adult HARBOUR SEAL.
The seal spent nearly half an hour trying to haul out on the rocks near me but struggled far more than usual and for no apparent reason.
I wondered about pregnancy since we are approaching the pupping season but there was no visible evidence.
Either not smelling me or ignoring me, the seal was at one point close enough that I had to move my feet to keep beyond the reach of its mouth.

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