[Maine-birds] Flood Farm and Freedom

Hellow Birders,

I have two reports, one from the Flood Dairy Farm and the other, second hand, from Freedom.

I visited Flood Farm late Monday afternoon.  I was not able to scan or count all of the gulls so the white-winged gull numbers were under-counted.  Also, the number of crows was conservative as I only caught a portion of the exiting flocks.  I have no estimates for invasive species (English sparrow, European starling and rock pigeon).

1 Rough-legged hawk, dark phase (nice bird)

1 Red-tailed hawk, adult

1 American kestrel, no age determination

2 Glaucous gulls (first winter)

5  Iceland gulls (4 first winter and one adult)

~25 Ring-billed gulls (very rough guestimate as the flock flushed and flew toward the river)

~200 Herring gulls (incomplete flock as many had departed before the final flush)

750+ American crows, staging before departure; there were two flocks of about 300 birds present in the area most of my hour-long visit

3 Common ravens

These crows plus two other flocks of 250+ birds did not appear to be heading toward the Watervill crow roost.  The Waterville roost or pre-roost along the second Waterville exit (north side of the exit heading north) was loaded with crows.  There were also several large flocks of 500 or more heading toward the roost from several directions.  

I did not see any flocks of snow buntings, redpolls or horned larks.  Gulls were a major distractant.

Cool place!  There was up to 4 inches of liquidfied manure and road material covering the roads.  Drive slow to prevent manure-caking in your wheel wells.  According to Flood Farm workers, gulls have invaded the site in recent weeks after a nearby farm stopped putting out fishmeal.  Aside from eating cow food, they are puncturing plastic that covers corn, which then causes spoilage.  Workers have not seen snowy owls this winter.

Freedom feeder

My car mechanic reported two sharp-shinned hawks on Sunday that were taking out his chickadees.

Norm Famous from Augusta

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Norman Famous, Wetlands and Wildlife Ecologist

513 Eight Rod Road

Augusta, ME 04330

(207) 623 6072

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