[Maine-birds] Weskeag Marsh, 9.5.20

Weskeag Marsh in S. Thomaston was bustling with waders, shorebirds, and raptors earlier this afternoon. Between the marsh and the small pond across the street were probably 20+ Great Egrets and 40+ Snowy Egrets—including a tree full of egrets at the back of the pond that made me nostalgic for when we could travel to Florida and see that kind of thing everywhere. Also in the little pond were a pair of Blue-winged Teal (along with several black ducks and a couple of Mallards), as well a Great Blue Heron. Maybe a dozen more GB Herons on the marsh side. They hide so well out there in the tall grass that there could easily be twice as many birds as we counted and we'd be none the wiser.

Shorebird action in the front pannes included dozens of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs (mostly Greater from what I could see), 12-15 Short-billed Dowitchers, 3-4 Black-bellied Plovers, and lots of peeps, mostly Least Sandpipers with a few Semipalmated mixed in. 

For raptor action we counted at least 3 N. Harriers, 2+ juvenile birds and one male, all actively quartering the marsh and occasionally chasing each other, crows, and at one point, a perched Peregrine; 2 Peregrine Falcons on a high-speed chase of each other; 2-3 Red-tailed Hawks; and a Merlin. And a vocal raven flew over, as well, just to add to the mix. 

Kristen

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Kristen Lindquist

Website: kristenlindquist.com
Haiku blog: www.kristenlindquist.com/blog/

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