I had a great day chasing some uncommon birds around Kennebec County with Josh Fecteau. None came easy and it felt like a good balance of luck and perseverance but we managed to 'twitch' our three targets:
Black Vulture (BLVU) - a Black Vulture was found by Casey Hynes on the 26th, roosting on a chimney near the NAPA in Farmingdale. We rushed there this morning and after some searching relocated the vulture near the gas station (and fake palm trees) on the west side of 201. It eventually moved back to its previous roost but quickly disappeared. Here are some more notes on that brief encounter: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33232566 Louis and Don relocated it later in the day and we were able to see it again roosting in a hemlock on 3rd Street; odds are good it will be there tomorrow morning. A few more notes here: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33232599 One interesting malady of note on this bird is it appears to have an injury to its left eye. You may recall that Fyn Kynd found a Black Vulture that was missing its left eye on 28 May 2016 in Searsmont, only 30 miles east of this location: http://ebird.org/ebird/me/view/checklist/S29947946
presumed Red-shouldered Hawk x Red-tailed Hawk (hybrid) - This presumed hybrid has been frequenting the area around the Benton Elementary School since the 18th. Louis Bevier has done a great job documenting this bird over the past week and a collection of photos can be viewed here: http://tinyurl.com/zegd2dr It took us several tries and it seems the bird prefers the afternoon to forage in this area. Some notes and (distant) photos from today are at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33232596
Lark Sparrow (LASP) - Leslie Starr found a Lark Sparrow along Maple Ridge Road in China on the 25th. We bumped into Margaret Viens along the road and after a lengthy vigil at the intersection of Maple Ridge and Wyman Bog Road, the Lark Sparrow finally showed at the feeders behind the house at the southwest corner or that intersection. We never talked to the homeowner though she didn't seem to mind us watching from the road. Drivers were going pretty fast down Maple Ridge so be cautious and it is probably best to park on Wyman Bog Road. Here are some notes and a photo: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33232592
A pretty good day in Kennebec County!
Good birding,
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