Maine birds And MOAC mountainbiking

Friday 30 June 2023

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 6/25-30

Hi all,

Just a few observations of note over the past six days are posted here:

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2023/06/30/this-weeks-highlights-6-25-302023/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Monday 26 June 2023

[Maine-birds] Crows eating suet

So, I have two suet feeders in my yard in Harpswell, because I have pairs of Downy, Hairy, Pileated, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers in my neighborhood, all of whom have been to the suet. Lately though, I have a bunch of crows after the suet. One of them has figured out it can fly up to the suet and stab at it, dropping stuff onto the ground. I now have anywhere from 2 to 10 crows and they can eat a suet pack in 2 days. Anyone have ideas on how to get them to stop? Or go away? Even if I wait a few days to refill, they are back in no time. Fake dead crow? Where do I get one? Other ideas? Thanks !

Sent from my iPhone

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Sunday 25 June 2023

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 6/16-6/23

Hi all,

My observations of note while traveling around Maine (with about 24 hours in New Hampshire and a few hours in New Brunswick) - besides all of our wonderful breeding birds - while co-leading a tour for NJ Audubon with Scott Barnes for the last nine days, included the following:

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2023/06/26/this-weeks-highlights-6-16-23-2023/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Tuesday 20 June 2023

[Maine-birds] SEA EAGLE

For those following the Steller's Sea Eagle, it continues on the coast of Newfoundland.

Photographed and reported today.

(3) Facebook

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Sunday 18 June 2023

[Maine-birds] House Wrens

Starting back & thru March, I started having a m/f pair of bluebirds coming to the feeders. Unfortunately my neighborhood consists of Rt. 27 Wiscasset, soooo not quite the best area or habitat for a wide variety of birds. At least we have the regulars and RB Nuts year round!! I love watching them. Example: this was only my 2nd ebirded checklist with bluebird at my abode. I've been here 8 yrs.

It wasn't until April 28th that i put up a bluebird house, hoping maybe, just maybe they'd use it. I watched for a wk or so but no activity near the bluebird house. = (

I was birding the yard May 9th when I heard the unmistakable chatter of a House Wren. This was beyond exciting since I may of only possibly heard one at my house once, years ago. The wren stuck around singing every morning for over a week!! How rad is that?

May 16th and I figured I'd missed my chance to attract the frequenting Bluebirds so I skidaddled down to the bluebird house. I was almost there when I saw the Wren. He was carrying a twig 3x longer than it was. Failing to get it through the nest hole in the bluebird house several times before it fell to earth. I was thinking how cool that was when a 2nd House Wren, exited the bluebird house. Un-fricking-believable!!! I've been trying to get a H. Wren at the feeders for 8+ years. I FINALLY do & it takes this Wren less than week... I love birds.

For the next 4 days, it's more of the same. Nest building. Singing. I leave for work around 430am so, it was real swell hearing them.

Then on May 21st leaving for work, I didn't hear them. Nor when I got home. Same thing for the next 3 or 4 days when I figure there was a chance that the bluebird house was a dummy nest. I was bummed but still thought it was ruthlessly awesomeness that I had 2 House Wrens hanging out!!!!!

Almost a month later and I ain't heard a wren of any kind since the pair. Im in the backyard contemplating the length of verge, which now has an Amazonian look. As I was standing next to the bluebird house, I could hear this loud alarm call, a harsh chatter. I recognized it and saw the House Wren with a beak blown full of insecty treats. I took a second ro register, I was the alarm. I moved away from the bluebird house and watched as the wren made multiple trips feeding young. This made my spring!! But left me baffled with questions too. How have I not noticed them til now. Why haven't they been singing? Especially since they seemed ever so absent days after there were 2. Breeding thing, perhaps? I won't pretend to know but that wouldn't surprise me. Bluebird house is maybe 50 yards from my door and easy observable from the house. How did I not see them? If someone actually knows & understands this behavior, I'd love to learn, offline please.

Either way, this whole experience has been amazing to watch unfold. From pretty much no Wrens for 8 years, to this AM, I saw multiple visits back & forth to the bluebird house. It must be getting crowded in there, too. I can hear the nestlings now, very vocal after 1 of the parents leave. I'm hoping I have them forever now, every spring. But not counting on. Birds are great teachers, at times and I love being their student.

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Friday 16 June 2023

[Maine-birds] ROYT Biddeford pool, Basket Island sandbars

Currently looking at a Royal Tern on the quickly vanishing sandbars. Have not seen any recent reports, pardon the repetition if it happens to be.

Richard Garrigus

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Thursday 15 June 2023

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 6/10-/15

Hi all,

My observations of note over the past six days included the following. It also includes a trip report from our June 6th Boothbay Harbor Mini-Pelagic.

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2023/06/15/this-weeks-highlights-6-10-6-15-2023/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Saturday 10 June 2023

Re: [Maine-birds] Mystery bird - help with ID?

HI Andrew

It sounds a lot like the whistle-y song of the Baltimore Orioles I recorded yesterday at Lake Josephine in Easton.

Baltimore Orioles are decidedly riparian here in Aroostook county. After migration they seem to settle in to areas with mature poplar trees along the river, pond and lake shores.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Bill

On Sat, Jun 10, 2023 at 5:19 PM Julia Hanauer-Milne <windyridgemaine@gmail.com> wrote:

I just played it for Merlin, which came up with Baltimore Oriole. That's a possibility! 🤷🏻‍♀️

On Sat, Jun 10, 2023 at 5:16 PM Julia Hanauer-Milne <windyridgemaine@gmail.com> wrote:
My vote is for either tufted titmouse or Carolina wren. They both give a variety of calls —some are similar to this—and have fooled me more than once. Interested to hear what others think.

On Sat, Jun 10, 2023 at 4:52 PM Andrew G <runawaytrike@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi all,

I've been hearing this bird for weeks around my house here in Wayne, throughout the day. The call seems very simple, but I don't recognize it, and Merlin doesn't register at all. I've been trying for weeks with no luck, so thought I'd record it and post it here. Asked some exeperienced birder friends and they were likewise baffled. I have an amplified and un-amplified recording; adjust your volume accordingly.

I haven't been able to see the bird at all, but we're right by a lake. I think I've only heard one. The pattern I recorded here is by far the most common, though there do seem to be one or two other variations, shorter, with only two to four notes.

Thanks so much for any and all help!
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Bill Sheehan
Woodland, Aroostook Co., Maine
http://northernmainebirds.blogspot.com/

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Re: [Maine-birds] Mystery bird - help with ID?

I just played it for Merlin, which came up with Baltimore Oriole. That's a possibility! 🤷🏻‍♀️

On Sat, Jun 10, 2023 at 5:16 PM Julia Hanauer-Milne <windyridgemaine@gmail.com> wrote:

My vote is for either tufted titmouse or Carolina wren. They both give a variety of calls —some are similar to this—and have fooled me more than once. Interested to hear what others think.

On Sat, Jun 10, 2023 at 4:52 PM Andrew G <runawaytrike@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi all,

I've been hearing this bird for weeks around my house here in Wayne, throughout the day. The call seems very simple, but I don't recognize it, and Merlin doesn't register at all. I've been trying for weeks with no luck, so thought I'd record it and post it here. Asked some exeperienced birder friends and they were likewise baffled. I have an amplified and un-amplified recording; adjust your volume accordingly.

I haven't been able to see the bird at all, but we're right by a lake. I think I've only heard one. The pattern I recorded here is by far the most common, though there do seem to be one or two other variations, shorter, with only two to four notes.

Thanks so much for any and all help!
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Re: [Maine-birds] Mystery bird - help with ID?

My vote is for either tufted titmouse or Carolina wren. They both give a variety of calls —some are similar to this—and have fooled me more than once. Interested to hear what others think.

On Sat, Jun 10, 2023 at 4:52 PM Andrew G <runawaytrike@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all,

I've been hearing this bird for weeks around my house here in Wayne, throughout the day. The call seems very simple, but I don't recognize it, and Merlin doesn't register at all. I've been trying for weeks with no luck, so thought I'd record it and post it here. Asked some exeperienced birder friends and they were likewise baffled. I have an amplified and un-amplified recording; adjust your volume accordingly.

I haven't been able to see the bird at all, but we're right by a lake. I think I've only heard one. The pattern I recorded here is by far the most common, though there do seem to be one or two other variations, shorter, with only two to four notes.

Thanks so much for any and all help!
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[Maine-birds] Mystery bird - help with ID?

Hi all,

I've been hearing this bird for weeks around my house here in Wayne, throughout the day. The call seems very simple, but I don't recognize it, and Merlin doesn't register at all. I've been trying for weeks with no luck, so thought I'd record it and post it here. Asked some exeperienced birder friends and they were likewise baffled. I have an amplified and un-amplified recording; adjust your volume accordingly.

I haven't been able to see the bird at all, but we're right by a lake. I think I've only heard one. The pattern I recorded here is by far the most common, though there do seem to be one or two other variations, shorter, with only two to four notes.

Thanks so much for any and all help!

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[Maine-birds] Ride to Crested Caracara?

Since the Crested Caracara is being seen in Union and I'm once again down to my last resort to find a ride...if anybody south of Topsham/Brunswick is chasing this bird and wouldn't mind an extra passenger it would offer much relief to my current state of severe distress if I could bum a ride off of somebody again. I prefer not to ask but I am doing it anyway.

Thanks,

-Weston

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Friday 9 June 2023

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 6/3-6/9.

Hi all,

My observations of note over the last seven days, mostly from tours in the Rangeley area, are included here:

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2023/06/10/this-weeks-highlights-6-3-6-9-2023/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Thursday 8 June 2023

[Maine-birds] Schoodic Woods: WALK-IN SITES OFF LIMITS TO BIRDERS

Dear All,

Please be advised: access to the Schoodic Woods Campground walk-in sites now requires an official campground reservation. Please adhere to this advisory.

The campground opened on May 24th and is slated to close in mid-October. During this entire time, a campground reservation is necessary for walk-in site access.

Sincerely,

Seth

Seth Benz

Bird Ecology Program Director

Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park t: 207.288.1350 c: 207.412.8677
e: sbenz@schoodicinstitute.org
w: www.schoodicinstitute.org
m: P.O. Box 277, Winter Harbor, Maine 04693

Discover the secrets of birds and birding in Acadia

https://schoodicinstitute.org/2022-bird-tours/

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Tuesday 6 June 2023

[Maine-birds] Crested Caracara - Monroe & Acadian Flycatcher - South Portland, 6 Jun

Crossposting reports from the Maine Rare Bird Alert GroupMe:

A/The CRESTED CARACARA was found again today in Monroe, near the intersection of Dickey Hill Road and Curtis Road in Monroe. This is just a couple miles north of where it was seen yesterday, in Swanville near the intersection of Upper Oak Hill Road and Swan Lake Ave. This is presumably the same individual that was first reported in Cape Elizabeth on 23 May at 1:10PM, then in Fryeburg that evening (5:30-6:00PM), before being photographed in Bristol on 25 May.

Also, Alex Lamoreaux found an ACADIAN FLYCATCHER singing in Hinckley Park, South Portland this morning. Last report I received was no sight/sound of it since ~9:00AM. The Prothonotary Warbler continues to be seen in the park as well.

Here are the instructions for joining the GroupMe, if anyone is interested: https://tinyurl.com/MaineRBAGroupMeRules

Good birding,

Doug Hitchcox
Maine Audubon - Staff Naturalist

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Monday 5 June 2023

[Maine-birds] Interesting Vocalization: Whippoorwill [Follow-Up]

I received a follow-up message from Josh Fecteau who kindly sent a recording of perhaps the vocalization I heard. He was absolutely spot on. Do listen for this at the link below: Song, Growl-cluck Series, Wing Claps, & Growl Phrase

That's was exactly what I heard. Quite unworldly. Josh sent an image of a descriptive page from the Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Eastern North America:

And audio samples on the book's companion website: https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/peterson-field-guide-to-bird-sounds/?speciesCode=easwpw1&species=Eastern%20Whip-poor-will%20-%20Antrostomus%20vociferus

I'm grateful for his time and interest.

Susan B

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Susan Bloomfield <owlet18@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 31, 2023 at 9:16 PM
Subject: Interesting Vocalization: Whippoorwill
To: <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>

As previously reported, we have been hearing a whippoorwill regularly at our house at dawn and dusk. (And now!) What was remarkable about tonight was at 8:55 pm, there were clearly two of them together not far from me. I was on a screened porch. When they were together, I heard a click then lengthy, rapid "PAW-PAW-PAW-PAW...!" call, sort of a vaguely electronic sound. Then one flew away to the northwest and the other alighted on a picnic table about 15 feet from me. I saw it clearly. Pretty fantastic!

As the bird/birds have been so close, I always hear the click before the WHIP-POOR-WILL call but this was totally, totally different.

I wish I had recorded that vocalization. Maybe another night! Anyone ever hear that?

Susan Bloomfield

West Kennebunk

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Friday 2 June 2023

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 5/26-6/2.

Hi all,

With 5 days on Monhegan and one (half) day offshore, I enjoyed a lot of great birds this week. My observations of note over the past seven days are included here:

http://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2023/06/02/this-weeks-highlights-5-26-to-6-2-2023/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************