Thursday 23 May 2019

[Maine-birds] Monhegan, 5.20.19

This is a few days late because I left the island on the 11:30 boat on Monday on the birdiest day of the (long) weekend, and thought for sure someone who stayed on the island would post about all the amazing birds being seen. I'm only posting now because I wanted to add that before we left, we had our first Canada Warblers of the trip, an extremely obliging MOURNING WARBLER basically grazing in Donna Cundy's lawn, and several C. Nighthawks were reported (one very visible roosting in a pine tree at the brewery). Don Reimer reported a WHITE-EYED VIREO, as well, that we were not able to relocate. It was really hard to leave, as there were clearly large numbers of "fresh" birds all over the island despite (because of?) thick fog everywhere.

But the highlight for us was on the boat on the way back to Port Clyde, when a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO followed and then circled the boat several times, considered landing, and then flew back toward Monhegan. We were probably a little less than halfway to the next islands in (Allen and Burnt). We saw about a half-dozen more songbirds do the same thing--and were able to ID a C. Yellowthroat and Red-eyed Vireo--but none of them actually landed on the boat. It was both exciting and heart-breaking to witness this behavior of what must have been desperate birds in thick fog. 

We also spotted a Black-legged Kittiwake from the boat, which was fun, as we really couldn't see much at all in the fog. 

Headed back out tomorrow for another long weekend, will share highlights again.

Kristen
--
Kristen Lindquist

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." 
--Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

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