Monday, 20 August 2012

[Maine-birds] Popham Beach

I went to Popham Beach at high tide today and birded the western peninsula that borders the Morse River.  There were perhaps 200+ each of semipalmated sandpipers and plovers.  Also a surprising number of least sandpipers, perhaps 40 to 50.  I looked carefully at the juvenile semi sands but couldn't find a western.  A pair of least terns were feeding one chick, and three more adults flew over.  There were perhaps half a dozen sanderlings, and three cute little piping puffballs.  Lots of gulls, mainly black-backs, but herring and ring-bills as well.  Nothing smaller.  As I was leaving I heard a yellowlegs upriver, maybe in a marsh pool close by.

Not a thrilling diversity of birds, but it was good to get out on a nice day.  I must also admit a preference for viewing feeding shorebirds over sleeping ones, but edging close to the flocks wakes them up without causing them to fly.  I was rather surprised there were no white-rumps.

Cheers,
bab 

--
Bruce Bartrug
Nobleboro, Maine, USA
bbartrug@gmail.com
www.brucebartrug.com

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.  - Albert Einstein

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