[Maine-birds] Viles A., Flood Farm, Moosehead

Hi folks,

 

The following are the highlights over the last week from short visits to the Viles Arboretum, Flood Dairy Farm in Clinton and Tomehegan Township, located on the NW side of Moosehead Lake. 

 

Starting with Viles Arboretum:

 

10-26-12   Viles Piggery Road

Pine grosbeak  1

Palm warbler     1

Usual mix of sparrows (white-crowned, swamp, song, white-throated, and chipping)

 

10-23-12  Viles Piggery Road

Lark sparrow  1

Blue-headed vireo  1

Hermit thrush  1

 

Found two interesting invasive plant species:

 

Alnus glutinosa - European alder (handsome small tree with very brittle branches)

 

Euonymus europea - Beautiful red capsules (fruit) with a stalked orange seed sticking out from the red capsule valves.  This plant was along the road next to the walk leading into the Piggery and marsh boardwalk.  If you enjoy plants, it is definitely worth a look. 

 

10-21-12 Viles Arboretum Piggery Road and Viles Pond

Northern waterthrush

Palm warbler 2

Hermit thrush 2

Ruby-crowned kinglet 1

Swamp sparrow 9

White-crowned sparrow 2

Chipping sparrow 1

Song sparrow 4

White-throated sparrow 4

Dark-eyed junco 5

Eastern bluebird 4 (present on all Viles visits)

The usual blue jays, crows, raven, chickadees

 

NW Moosehead Lake - Tomhegan Township

 

I was working in a small area (1/2 mile by 150 yard strip) and picked up the following .

 

Gray jay  7 One unprovoked bird parked itself on my open driver's side door (window down)

                    and looked at me for about 30 seconds.  A second landed on the roof.        

                    Unfortunately, I forgot my camera.  The birds were fairly quiet. 

Nice birds!

 

White-winged crossbill     1  Flyover

Pine grosbeak  1

Snow buntings 10

Horned larks    15

Palm warbler      1

Boreal chickadee               1

Black-capped chickadee 2

Golden-crowned kinglet   3

Tree sparrow     2

White-crowned sparrow  1

Song sparrow  2

Dark-eyed junco  12 (one nice brownish female)

White-throated sparrow 2

American robin 30

Evening grosbeak 10 (elsewhere on site)

Purple finch  6 (elsewhere on site)

Great horned owl 1  (at dark)

Pileated woodpecker  3

Red-winged blackbird  2 (uncommon at the site)

American woodcock  3  On road out of site after dark

Ruffed grouse  2  On road after dark

 

Moose  0

White-tailed deer  1

Red squirrel  2

 

Finally, Flood Farm  10-18-12  Late report

 

I stopped by the Flood Farm during the late afternoon to look for shorebirds feeding on the manure delta in the manure pond.  Fortunately, the access road was dry and not many vehicles were driving around creating smelly dust (which must be removed or your vehicle or it will smell over the next few days), which left my car, shoes and dress clothing odor-free.

 

Golden plover  1

Pectoral sandpiper 8 (possibly 9 but hard to get consistent counts other than 8)

White-rumped sandpiper  1

Least sandpiper     1

Greater yellowlegs 1

Lesser yellowlegs  1

Yellowlegs reflection  1  Perfect reflection but upside down after close inspection.

 

White-crowned sparrow 3Song sparrow 5

Savannah sparrow 1

 

Am crow  225  A flyby flock going to roost somewhere.

European starling  700 (partial count)

Ring-billed gull 1

--

Norman Famous, Wetlands and Wildlife Ecologist

513 Eight Rod Road

Augusta, ME 04330

(207) 623 6072

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