An early morning visit to Aroostook NWR in Limestone on Saturday gave us a good start on the weekend. Among a dozen plus species of warblers, a Mourning Warbler was singing at our very first stop. Singing Olive-sided Flycatchers, a skulky drake Blue-winged Teal, the discovery of a Brown Creeper nest and some glimpses of fluff-ball Upland Sandpiper chicks being shepherded through the grass were all noteworthy finds.
Saturday afternoon at Lake Josephine in Easton produced all the usual unusual waterfowl including the continuing White-winged Scoter drake, a pair of Redheads, two brilliant drake Ruddy Ducks, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Northern Shovelers, both flavors of teal, etc. Sora and Virginia Rail showed themselves to a lucky few in the group. A House Wren singing in the wetland was probably the most unusual sighting of the afternoon. 93 species were tallied for the day.
Yesterday was another fine day weather-wise.
Stops in Cross Lake Township were busy with a steady chorus of warbler song as we traveled along the Square Lake Road. A wetland stop along a side road offered up lots of woodpecker action in the dead standing timber. Northern Flickers, a male Pileated, a Downy and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker were all seen here but the highlight was a pair of Black-backed Woodpeckers feeding juvies in a cavity just twenty yards from the road. The black-backs were good parents, making steady sorties out and returning with food regularly. They vocalized for us nearly every time the left the nest. Ruby-crowned Kinglets scolding a family of Gray Jays was the background noise while we watched the woodpeckers. A Merlin made a quick appearance as well.
Further along into Square Lake Township we found another Mourning Warbler, a singing Tennessee, Palm, Wilson's, and lots of Nashville and Magnolia Warblers. Gray Jays, Boreal Chickadees and more Olive-sided Flycatchers were eclipsed by a hen Spruce Grouse feeding with chicks directly beside the road. We later spotted a Ruffed Grouse to get the two grouse day.
After a late lunch, we scanned Long Lake in St. Agatha and turned up a Bonapartes and Great Black-backed Gull. An apparent nesting Common Loon in the Common Tern colony at the north end of the lake seemed odd. Later, a couple Cape May Warblers were found along the return route on Blackstone Siding Road in Westmanland. Intermittent singers in the afternoon heat, the Cape Mays still allowed a few in the crowd get a glimpse of them before flitting away.
Good Birding
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