Jeff shared about his recent KWW birding trip to the Mainebirds listserv, with nice (unprompted) followup from Kristen Lindquist, an NRCM member and avid birder.
Going for a third endorsement, Jeff asked fellow birder and NRCM activist Leda Beth Gray to post the link to the comments page and she obliged (a little dicey, as the listowner tries to keep anything that could be controversial off the list, because of all of the wind stuff tying back to the days of the evil Jay Dwight - RIP).
Interestingly, the listserv owner is now Doug Hitchcox, who is Maine Audubon's naturalist, who hasn't done anything to promote the lands to the list - he ends to be conflict averse (perhaps because he is an accountant by training...)
Allison
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Thanks to Jeff for that awesome description of birding at Katahdin woods and waters. I'm planning to head up there soon. If anyone wants to write a letter of support for the park they can go to https://nrcm.salsalabs.org/kwwcomments/index.html
Leda Beth Gray
Blue Hill
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From: maine-birds@googlegroups.com [maine-birds@googlegroups.com] on behalf of Kristen Lindquist [kelindquist@gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2017 10:20 AM
To: Jeff Wells; Maine birds
Subject: Re: [Maine-birds] Great birding in Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument on Wednesday
Thank you so much for sharing this detailed, thorough account of your birding adventures in KWWNM, Jeff! I really appreciate learning what species may be found there and am now even more excited to visit the area myself.
I also really appreciate your recommendation to publicize positive experiences (like yours!) on these new public lands. If you love Maine birds, the value of places like the new monument, where there is no threat of future development or potential resource destruction, cannot be overstated, and (hopefully) transcends politics. Many many of our favorite birds, as you've listed here, depend on Maine's North Woods, and your account is a wonderful reminder of its critical importance to the continued existence of the birds we love.
Kristen
On Fri, Jun 16, 2017 at 9:54 AM Jeff Wells <jeffwells@borealbirds.org<mailto:jeffwells@borealbirds.org>> wrote:
On Wednesday, June 14, I had the pleasure of birding from about dawn until early afternoon in parts of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and while there also ran into birders Anita Mueller from Millinocket and Lance Benner from California (but who grew up in Waterville). I had 58 or so species and collectively I think the list is probably close to 70 species. Much of the area is loaded with Magnolia Warblers, Nashville Warblers, Canada Warblers, Winter Wrens, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Swainson's and Hermit Thrushes, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers and, in the hardwood dominated areas, lots of Black-throated Blue Warblers, Scarlet Tanagers, and Eastern Wood-Pewees. There are, of course, Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstarts, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Pine Warblers, Blackburnian Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Red-eyed Vireos, Blue-headed Vireos, and lots of White-throated Sparrows.
I had a Gray Jay along the road that leads south right before the Sandbank Campsite and some White-winged Crossbills overhead there. There is a beautiful pond in there and near that I had a cooperative Palm Warbler and several Yellow-bellied Flycatchers.
In the area near Sandbank Campsite and along the road that juts off to the right before the bridge near the entrance sign to the Loop Road, I had a Bay-breasted Warbler and Anita said that she had at least three further up that side road. I also saw a displaying pair of Goshawks and Lance later saw one carrying food there. Further down that side road all three of us independently had an Olive-sided Flycatcher belting out it's "Quick-Three-Beers" song. Anita mentioned that there was a Black-backed Woodpecker in that area (we had one there in past years) as well as Spruce Grouse although I don't think any of us found one on Wednesday. I had a couple of White-winged Crossbills flying overhead there as well.
I had a Black-backed Woodpecker at Lynx Pond near the beginning of the Loop Road where I also had an Olive-sided Flycatcher, Rusty Blackbird (but watch out as there are also Common Grackles there), Wilson's Warbler, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on the side across the road from the pond. I was interested to see a pair of Chimney Swifts again this year there in this area where there are no chimneys only natural hollow tree cavities for them to nest in. There were also lots of flowers, frogs, dragonflies, damselflies, tiger beetles, butterflies (incredible numbers of swallowtails) for those inclined towards those other parts of the biota!
I find it so wonderful to bird on the National Monument lands because you know you are on public lands so you are free to wander around without worry of getting in the way of any industrial activities or private lands. It is also really fun to go up there now and explore to find out where some of the best places are for certain birds-- birders have only scratched the surface so far as it is a big place!
I believe that Lance and Anita bumped into Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke when they were birding at Sandbank Campsite and were interviewed by media about their great birding experiences. I arrived a little after noon at the famed Katahdin lookout (which provides truly spectacular views of the mountain and surrounding landscape all the way down to Millinocket Lake) where I intended to eat my lunch. When I got there I discovered Secretary Zinke having a press conference surrounded by a gaggle of media with Mount Katahdin in the background. I listened in to the press conference while I looked for birds and enjoyed watching a singing male Chestnut-sided Warbler in the scope as Zinke was speaking. Allison and I noticed on the interview with him on this morning's Maine Public Radio that there was a Northern Parula singing in the background as he spoke and I wonder if that was recorded at the Katahdin lookout while I was there?
In this time of much negative stuff going on, I would urge individual birders as well as every Audubon chapter and birding club in the state to consider a birding trip to the National Monument as a way to use our love of birds and birding to show positive support for the National Monument as an important bird conservation effort and to put some money into the local economy by staying overnight at local businesses, eating in local restaurants, and buying gas and supplies at local stores. Let your binoculars be seen and/or tell the businesses that you are there to go birding in the National Monument. This would be a way to engage in the activity that we love while having it provide positive benefits to the economy and people of the region, not to mention the birds.
If you do go up you might consider sharing photos and video through various social media channels (if you are so inclined) and tagging those who should be aware of all these positive experiences and benefits and to be encouraging of more birders and naturalists visiting the National Monument.
I would add that it is only about a 30 minute drive in to the National Monument from either the Millinocket or Sherman exit off of I-95 so it is very accessible and the Park Service has done a good job with signage and ensuring the dirt roads are well maintained.
And, yes, I will get my sightings into eBird soon so the locations can be seen there!
Jeff
Jeff Wells, Ph.D.
Science and Policy Director, Boreal Songbird Initiative
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