Saturday, 8 December 2012

[Maine-birds] Northern Maine Birds: Glaucous Gull, Rough-legged Hawk, St.Agatha

Though snow was predicted today, I made a quick run up north this AM to check the ice condition on the lakes.  Most of Long Lake was still mostly ice free but the shallow and protected coves were skimmed over.  It was dead calm and the skies were gray so birds were easy to see.  I saw 33 species which wasn't bad for this late in the season.

Best bird of the morning was a juvenile Glaucous Gull on the tern island with some lingering Ring-billed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls.  Though it was distinguishable from shore with the naked eye, it took the scope to see the long pink and black bill and the flat crown.  The bird was husky and appeared well bigger than the Herring Gulls.  I got some distant  documentation photos.

There were also a few lingering Common Loons and a good charge of "Whistlers" (Common Goldeneyes) on the lake.

Up on the Flat Mountain Road, a light phase Rough-legged Hawk was teed up on a large spruce tree in a hedgerow.  Common Redpolls were abundant and are still sticking to the weedy fields and gobbling up the seed heads there.  They appear to be leaving the birch and alder catkins for later.

Other notables this morning were a Gray Jay in Cross Lake, a couple Boreal Chickadees on the Muscovic Road in Stockholm, a lingering American Robin at Madawaska Lake and Sharp-shinned Hawk hunting for redpolls in Woodland.

A couple of the lists are here:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12250440

Good Birding.

Bill
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Bill Sheehan
Woodland, Aroostook Co., Maine
http://northernmainebirds.blogspot.com/

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