I stopped in at Lake Josephine in Easton on Sunday AM hoping to finally get a glimpse of the Common Gallinule that's been seen here for over a month. It was a bit breezy but the crisp dry air seemed to have stirred bird activity.
-- Most of the waterfowl on Lake Jo proper were tucked up into the farthest northwest corner which wasn't helpful for distinguishing species at the peak of molt. I could make out Mallards, American Wigeon, Gadwall and Ring-necked Ducks.
A mixed flock of swallows feeding over the wetlands included four species.
The pond just south of Lake Jo had a nice assortment of waterfowl including an American Coot, a hen Redhead with a brood of fuzzy young and a Hooded Merganser hen with a fairly fresh (late) brood. It wasn't until I had hiked down the trail off the southeast corner of the Lake Jo dike that I was able to scope a preening gallinule on the west edge of the pond.
It was good to get the target bird so quickly, but I still birded the lower ponds. Ran into a bunch of eclipse-plumaged drake Wood Ducks, a few Green-winged Teal, a grunting Virginia Rail and an older Sora chick feeding on the flotsam. The brood of Pied-billed Grebes were fun and put on a show. At the big pond I was surprised to find two more adult Common Gallinules...certainly different from the first I had seen just ten minutes before. A high count for me in northern Maine.
Though I thought it might be late enough to spot a fresh brood of Ruddy Ducks, I was pushing my luck and failed to find any yet. Two American Bitterns and a Ring-necked Duck hen escorting a juvie Redhead with her own hatchling were the other notables here.
Here's the list: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14703104
Good Birding!
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