Tuesday 31 December 2019

[Maine-birds] Tribute to a remarkable presence in 2019: GBLH

The Great Black Hawk lingered into the beginning of the year. Wanted to reflect back on that auspicious start to the year.

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Read More :- "[Maine-birds] Tribute to a remarkable presence in 2019: GBLH"

Monday 30 December 2019

[Maine-birds] Biddeford/Kennebunkport 2019 CBC highlights

The 60th Biddeford/Kennebunkport CBC took place on Saturday, December 28th   with 45 birders.  It was a beautiful day, mostly sunny, the temperature went from the mid-30s in the morning to mid-40s in the afternoon. The wind was 0-10 mph varying from N to W.  We had 84 species which is about the 10-yr average and 10,639 individual birds, second lowest in 10 years (last year was the lowest). That total doesn't include feeder data, so it will rise slightly. 


We had a new species added this year to the count, an Eastern Phoebe.  It's interesting that the bird was found by mostly the same team, but not the same person, that found an Eastern Phoebe in the York County CBC earlier this month.  For the second year in a row we had low count's for American Tree Sparrow.  We had high counts for Canada Goose, Northern Pintail, Harlequin Duck, Ring-billed Gull and Gray Catbird. Other less frequently seen birds were Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Red-shouldered Hawk, Dovekie, Field Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow and Peregrine Falcon.

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[Maine-birds] Freeport/Brunswick and Bath/Phippsburg CBC Summary Reports

Here are the CBC reports for Freeport/Brunswick and Bath/Phippsburg.

Thanks again to all the participants for braving the less that stellar conditions we encountered on both counts.

Freeport/Brunswick MEFBCBC
Number of Species: 66
Number of Individuals: 11,172

Bath/Phippsburg MEBPCBC
Number of Species: 70 + 1 Count Week
Number of Individuals: 5,407

Some highlights, highlighted.
Species NameMEFBCBC 12/27/2019MEFBCBC 12/14/19
Canada Goose633602
Wood Duck1
Mallard941 + 1 recently deceased234
Mallard (Domestic type)1
American Black Duck1,470672
Common Eider716244
Surf Scoter15272
White-winged Scoter20847
Black Scoter2044
Long-tailed Duck37091
Bufflehead346335
Common Goldeneye36992
Barrow's Goldeneye7
Hooded Merganser4031
Common Merganser266
Red-breasted Merganser178176
duck sp.5021
Wild Turkey11023
Red-necked Grebe15177
Rock Pigeon18033
Mourning Dove7535
Sanderling18
Dunlin4
Purple Sandpiper627
American Woodcock1
Dovekie1 + 1 recently deceased
Razorbill1
large alcid sp.1
Black Guillemot515
Ring-billed Gull500357
Herring Gull1,693531
Great Black-backed Gull3675
Red-throated Loon117
Common Loon7273
Great Blue Heron17
Great Cormorant13
Turkey Vulture1
Sharp-shinned Hawk31
Bald Eagle1635
Red-tailed Hawk24
Belted Kingfisher82
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker1
Red-bellied Woodpecker126
Downy Woodpecker5114
Hairy Woodpecker319
Pileated Woodpecker32
Northern Flicker1
Merlin1
Peregrine Falcon2
Blue Jay16466
American Crow341192
Common Raven39
Black-capped Chickadee566327
Tufted Titmouse15854
Golden-crowned Kinglet1359
Red-breasted Nuthatch2031
White-breasted Nuthatch5325
Brown Creeper98
Carolina Wren11
European Starling50540
Northern Mockingbird5
Gray Catbird1
Eastern Bluebird25
American Robin7337
Cedar Waxwing1
House Sparrow14716
House Finch5831
House/Purple Finch4
Purple FinchCW
Pine Siskin1
American Goldfinch339121
Chipping Sparrow1
American Tree Sparrow1413
Dark-eyed Junco137106
White-throated Sparrow6220
Song Sparrow1628
Swamp Sparrow1
Baltimore Oriole1
Red-winged Blackbird2
Brown-headed Cowbird1
Pine Warbler2
Yellow-rumped Warbler41
Northern Cardinal9827
Species Totals6671

Doug Suitor
Woolwich, ME

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Read More :- "[Maine-birds] Freeport/Brunswick and Bath/Phippsburg CBC Summary Reports"

Sunday 29 December 2019

[Maine-birds] Dovekie still present

Dovekie still present at 2:52 close to the rocks at Two Lights. Straight out from PL as directed previously.
Ann and Jim Hancock

Sent from my iPhone

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Read More :- "[Maine-birds] Dovekie still present"

[Maine-birds] 2019 CBC for Misery - Date Change to Monday 12/30

Greetings all,

The originally scheduled date for the Misery CBC (The Forks Plantation) was going to be Wednesday 1/1/20 with a rain date of 1/4/20 however the weather reports up there are looking less inviting for the week so we have pushed the date up to tomorrow, Monday, 12/30/19 instead. 
If there is anyone who might be interested in participating, please let me know today so I can coordinate meeting times. I will be driving up from the Portland area so if anyone wants to carpool, please feel free to let me know that as well. 
Current forecast for tomorrow is partly sunny with a high of 23 with E-NE winds of 5-10 mph.  

If you are not familiar, Misery is far from what it's name implies. It is a largely undeveloped landscape that although it has been logged heavily, still manages to keep some of that boreal diversity that is unavailable on most other counts. It contains three main sections, the west section covers US 201 from The Forks up to Parlin Pond with any and all side roads in between. The Capital Road logging/camp road complex which is the center section. Weather permitting this can be done by 4WD vehicle, skis, snowmobile, snowshoe, or foot.  The eastern section extends in from The Forks to East Moxie Township via the Lake Moxie Road and then continues up to Indian Pond with any side roads in between. There are some hiking opportunities throughout the east and center sections although time constraints make it a bit challenging.  

The birds are scarce so do not plan on seeing counts like you would in other parts, but what it lacks in quantity, it CAN make up for in quality. In past years this count has produced birds not found as often found in other parts of the state such as Northern Goshawk, Great Gray Owl, Evening/Pine Grosbeaks, American Three-Toed and Black-Backed Woodpeckers, Northern Shrike, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Bohemial Waxwing, Snow Bunting, Red and White-Winged Crossbills, Common Redpoll, Pine Siskin, and Evening and Pine Grosbeak. I however promise nothing, other than good fun while we look for all of these and the rest of the local resident population. 

All travel is of course, weather permitting, with your safety coming first. 4WD vehicles are strongly recommended. 

Cheers and good luck with all the other counts this week!

Rob O'Connell

490 Greely Road Extension

Cumberland, ME 04021

H-207-221-3462

M-207-450-4092




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Read More :- "[Maine-birds] 2019 CBC for Misery - Date Change to Monday 12/30"

[Maine-birds] Dovekie

A second Dovekie has joined the earlier bird at Two Lights. Still close in and now straight from parking area.

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Read More :- "[Maine-birds] Dovekie"

[Maine-birds] Re: Dovekie

Also one seen from Ocean Ave in biddeford yesterday by our CBC team
checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S62719862 

On Sunday, December 29, 2019 at 8:54:14 AM UTC-8, Charles Duncan wrote:
Dovekie being seen currently very very close to shore at Two Lights State Park.  From the parking lot, wall down to water's edge and then to the right, just below a bench.

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Read More :- "[Maine-birds] Re: Dovekie"

[Maine-birds] Dovekie

Dovekie being seen currently very very close to shore at Two Lights State Park. From the parking lot, wall down to water's edge and then to the right, just below a bench.

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Read More :- "[Maine-birds] Dovekie"

Saturday 28 December 2019

[Maine-birds] Waterville CBC 12/15/19

All the numbers for the Waterville CBC have been compiled, and most notably, it turned out to be a slow birding day. Weather seemed to be the culprit.  Temps hovered around 40 degrees, precipitation was 0, no snow cover and little frozen water, but the wind blew all day at around 15 mph with gusts reported up to 36 mph.  Nevertheless...


23 field observers and 8 groups of feeder watchers identified 6,123 individuals including 51 species of birds.  Savannah Sparrow and Red-breasted Nuthatch were later added as count-week species.


New Highs:  There were no new highs.

New Lows:  There were no new lows.


Winter finches and irruptives were nearly absent this year.  Red-breasted Nuthatches were absent for the day but had been reported at a feeder during the count week.  Only 1 Wild Turkey was found, which is a low for recent years.


Notables:  A Clay-colored Sparrow was observed for the first time ever on count day.  2 Northern Pintails, a Common Grackle, a Brown-headed Cowbird, and 7 Iceland Gulls were seen as well.  A first-winter White-Crowned Sparrow was spotted feeding under a bird feeder.  A Savannah Sparrow was seen during count week.


Trending:  Red-bellied Woodpeckers were seen for the 10th consecutive year and Eastern Bluebirds have become more reliable winter residents this past decade.  A Northern Mockingbird is still showing up.  Peregrine Falcons continue at the old Scott paper mill, and American Crows continue to roost in the thousands.

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Read More :- "[Maine-birds] Waterville CBC 12/15/19"

Friday 27 December 2019

Re: [Maine-birds] Black Swan

I think your post is very cool.... 


On Monday, December 23, 2019 at 1:43:08 PM UTC-5, Richard Garrigus wrote:
Wow. 
I am well aware of the overwhelming likelihood of this as an escapee, and assumed others on this list would also be aware of that likelihood. However, the chance of finding one on the ocean in late December in Maine is nevertheless  pretty damn slim and therefore warrants putting out the word. Contrary to your stated purpose, your response is PRECISELY to diminish this sighting and frankly uncalled for. And you're too late I already "lit up" eBird.

I really am weary of people jumping down my throat on this forum. Back off!!!

On Mon, Dec 23, 2019 at 1:16 PM Kristen Lindquist <kelin...@gmail.com> wrote:
For people who might not realize, Black Swans found in North America are always escapees (the bird is native to Australia). This is not to diminish how cool it would be to see one "in the wild," but if this IS a Black Swan, don't start lighting up eBird with your sightings... 

For more info on exotic waterfowl vs. wild birds, this is a useful article by (bird guide author) Kenn Kaufman from Audubon a few years ago that actually mentions Black Swans specifically: https://www.audubon.org/news/is-exotic-waterfowl-you-just-found-wild-or-escapee#

Kristen

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Read More :- "Re: [Maine-birds] Black Swan"