[Maine-birds] Re: Mount Desert Island Birds: Razorbills and Red-headed Woodpecker continues

Mount Desert Island Birds: Razorbills and Red-headed Woodpecker continues  

Douglas Point Emery Cove, Hancock, US-ME
Feb 7, 2013 10:15 AM - 10:35 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments: Bruce Barker came over from Dixmont, to add a Red-headed Woodpecker to his year list. The bird showed up at the feeder today almost as soon as we set up the scope. This bird has remained very territorial the longer it stays here. The cavity is typically where this bird spends much of its time when not at the feeder, especially on these cold frigid days.
8 species

Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) 5
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) 2
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 7
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) 1  Continuing in Salsbury Cove seemingly doing well.
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 6
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1

Sand Beach to Otter Cove 2013, Hancock, US-ME
Feb 7, 2013 11:45 AM - 12:25 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.7 mile(s)
Comments: Bruce Barker from Dixmont and I spent a little time along Ocean Drive from Sand Beach to Otter Cliffs. The continuing story of ALCIDS along the coastal edge of the Down East Coast was reiterated again today with 5 Razorbills and many Black Guillemot found here this morning. Razorbills appeared to all be immature birds in various plumages.  This January's SeaBC shed light on the sheer numbers of Alcids utilizing the coastal edge to somewhere around 50 fathom, at least in the transects we ran from Northeast Harbor to just south of Mount Desert Rock.
Black Scoter are still present on this Leeside location in good numbers as well as both Grebe and close to twenty plus Common Loon. Many Purple Sandpiper were seen flying along the rocky edge and landing south of Thunderhole.  Bruce found 5 FOY birds on this trip.
17 species

American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 4
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) 50
Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) 40
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 3
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 2
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 5
Common Loon (Gavia immer) 12
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) 5
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) 10
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 2
Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima) 25
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 2
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 45
Razorbill (Alca torda) 5 All immature at various ages.
Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) 14
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 7
Common Raven (Corvus corax) 2

Hadley Point MDI , Hancock, US-ME
Feb 7, 2013 1:10 PM - 1:30 PM
Protocol: Stationary
Comments: Bruce Barker from Dixmont now understands how bloody cold the northern side of MDI can be at 7F with a steady 15-25 knot wind. Ouch!! My fuzzy beard helps buffer the frigid cold as I wonder how birds live through the winter months at 20 below chill factor for days on end! It was the theme throughout the day and thankful for a warm van and hand warmers. Since the hunters have left, Hadley Point now has birds scattered more evenly and there seems to be less tension on the water?
9 species

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) 150 this appears to be the same flock I have seen here recently.
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) 300
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) 25
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 3
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 1
Common Loon (Gavia immer) 1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 1
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 15
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 5

Down East Nature Tours trip report:  Species Totals
Report Details Date range: Feb 7, 2013 - Feb 13, 2013 Total # of Species: 23 Total # of Checklists: 3 Location(s):   Douglas Point Emery Cove; Hadley Point MDI ; Sand Beach to Otter Cove 2013   Summary   Feb 7 Number of Species 23 Number of Individuals 759 Number of Checklists 3   Total Number of Birds   (sample size) Species Name Feb 7 American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) 4 (1) Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) 150 (1) Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) 355 (3) Black Scoter (Melanitta americana) 40 (1) Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) 27 (2) Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 6 (2) Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) 2 (1) Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 6 (2) Common Loon (Gavia immer) 13 (2) Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) 5 (1) Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) 10 (1) Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) 2 (1) Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima) 25 (1) Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 3 (2) Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 67 (3) Razorbill (Alca torda) 5 (1) Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) 14 (1) Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) 1 (1) Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1 (1) American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 14 (3) Common Raven (Corvus corax) 2 (1) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 6 (1) White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 1 (1)