Maine birds And MOAC mountainbiking

Saturday, 31 August 2013

[Maine-birds] Tuckahoe Turf Farm, Berwick, Aug 31, 2013 AND RULES

I met the manager of Tuckahoe Turf Farm to day. I mentioned to him the rules that I have given people, and he agrees with what I have told people. He made it clear that people are welcomed to come and bird and walk the area. Tuckahoe Turf Farm is at 305 Hubbard Road, Berwick, Maine, also on Ridlon Road So here goes the rules... 1) NEVER DRIVE ON TURF!! 2) NEVER PARK ON THE TURF!! 3) AS YOU DRIVE AROUND MAKE SURE YOU STAY OUT...

[Maine-birds] Northern Maine Birds: Am White Pelican, Ruddy Turnstone, Am Golden-Plover

As already reported here, the pelican continues. I saw it at Christina Reservoir in Fort Fairfield this evening.There were lots of birds around today. I assume the gray, glowery skies to the south and the light southerly breeze was slowing the progress of migrants. Best find was 3 Ruddy Turnstones that buzzed around Collins Pond in Caribou for a few minutes this AM. The birds were very vocal and called...

[Maine-birds] Easton/PI: Lake Josephine and Mantle Lake

We took another drive around the levee today with the three grandkids who wanted to see the American white pelican. We saw her/him - in flight they are really gorgeous - plus Double-crested cormorants, a Belted kingfisher or 2, 7 Great blue herons, lots of gulls, 1 Least sandpiper and - the highlight of the day as far the the kids were concerned - 2 families of 3 otters each. The first group was in the water, so all we could...

[Maine-birds] Little Gull, Eastport

My wife, Connie, and I watched an adult little gull hawking flying ants alongside Bonaparte's gulls over our yard this afternoon. I guided a birding group earlier this week and I couldn't find a little gull to save my life. I think that today's bird was taunting me.Chris -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207...

[Maine-birds] Birdy morning

Found the following after the downpour this a.m.: Blue jaysRobins Chipping sparrowsRed-eyed vireos Magnolia warblerBlackburnians Black and whitesYR warblers w. 1 juvie ChickadeesGoldfinches E. PhoebesB. Creeper N. FlickerYB Sapsucker, 2 juvies H. WoodpeckersD. Woodpecker Maggie Strickland Harmony ME -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207...

[Maine-birds] Re: hummer behavior

Thanks to all for the input on the hummers peering in our windows. I guess I have to agree that they must be wary of their own reflections. Thank goodness they are not as aggressive in their responses as cardinals. But I am disappointed to learn they are not trying to compliment me on the superior vintage of nectar we serve! Maggie Strickland Harmony ME -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com...

[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

It's now 02:45 EDT, August 31st, and I'm seeing very large migrant movement over the island.It's a dark night with light south to southeast wind; heavy, low clouds; showers & drizzle. Only fog is missing. If the rain doesn't get too bad, here's potential for a pretty good fallout night. Here, it's also been a Petrel night. There are pretty much always Storm petrels around every night but the numbers swing wildly from very...

Friday, 30 August 2013

[Maine-birds] Warbler migrants, etc.. in Richmond and Dresden

Nice assortment of warblers at Green Point and in Richmond yesterday and today, of greater interest: Cape May, Green Pt. Blackpoll: GP, touch early. Tennessee: R Bay-breasted Warbler: R numerous Yellow-rumps, etc.. also lots of Red-eyed Vireos Yellow-billed Cuckoo: R Best, Peter -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207 ---...

[Maine-birds] Forster's Tern, juv Stilt Sandpipers, etc.. at Scarborough Marsh today

David Ladd, Allison, sorry didn't get last name, and I birded Pine Point this morning with the following of note: Western Willets: 5 pale birds, more than usual for me. White-rumped Sandpiper: 18 or so. Red Knot: 1 Forster's Tern: 1 apparent adult 2 imm. Peregrine Falcons stirring the shorebird pot. Eastern Road pans: 3 exquisite j. Stilt Sandpipers - really lovely. Another male imm. Peregrine Falcon. lots of teal: 120+ Green-wings,...

[Maine-birds] Cape Porpoise 8/30/13: 68 spp. incl. Goshawk, Golden-Plover, Y.B. Flycatcher, etc.

This morning I went to Trott Island in Cape Porpoise by boat. I started on the side that faces Cape Porpoise harbor around 6:45, then worked my way around the island along the Stage Harbor side until I could see the Goat Island Light again. By that time (11:00), the tide was low enough that I could venture out onto the flats, so I looked for shorebirds. Around 12:30 I boated over to the mouth of the Batson River (south side of...

[Maine-birds] Hummer behavior

In the last few weeks we have had several opportunities to observe RT hummers at eye level--as they appeared to be peering in our windows. They haven't attempted to fly through the window. They just hover, facing in, then fly away. It has happened with males and females. Any explanations? Also, there is at this moment a flock of what appear to be rusty blackbirds working their way through the trees in the wood line--golden eyes,...

[Maine-birds] Additional Highlights this Week and Shorebird High Counts, 8/24-30

Hi all,A handful of my additional sightings of note from the past seven days (I was out of state for much of the week), included:- 4 Blue-winged Teal, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 8/24 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).- 1 lingering juvenile Roseate Tern, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/25 (with Kristen Lindquist).- 12 White-winged Scoters, Pine Point Beach, Scarborough, 8/25 (with Kristen Lindquist).- 1 Red-necked...

[Maine-birds] Finding a Scarlet Tanager

Im from the Scarborough area and Fryeburg, Maine area and I am looking to record a sighting of a Scarlet Tanager before its too late. Any ideas ? thanks all !!! -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207 --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group....

[Maine-birds] Used Book Sale - Scarborough

We had eight boxes of bird books and five boxes of natural history books donated to our book sale. It starts tomorrow at 9:30 and runs through Monday. The sale benefits the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center. Used books of any kind (except text books) are welcome. Bring some down and take some home! Thank You, Linda Linda Woodard, Director Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center Cell: 207-415-8331 Work: 207-781-2330 ext 213 lwoodard@maineaudubon.org --...

[Maine-birds] Warblers, Camden

Just followed a small, vocal wave of songbirds moving through the woods next to my office. The flock included at least six warbler species: Yellow, N. Parula, Nashville, BT Green, Blackburnian, and C. Yellowthroat, as well as a Red-eyed Vireo. Kristen -- Kristen Lindquist12 Mount Battie St.Camden, ME 04843www.klindquist.blogspot.com "What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" --Mary Oliver...

Thursday, 29 August 2013

[Maine-birds] Lake Jo - Am. W. Pelican

The pelican was there bright and early this morning. We hit Lake Jo on our return from Cape Breton Island, and it was in its usual perch, sharing a log w/ 1 to 3 DCCormorants, mostly sleeping. Despite an hour and a half search throughout all the ponds, we found no rails, moorhens, or coots, but many waterfowl. Best bird on Cape Breton was a White-winged Dove, that zipped by us, below eye-level, as we stood on...

[Maine-birds] gannets Phippsburg

Phippsburg, Maine map 6 Totman Cove Had two Northern Gannets in here today, quite unusual for this cove though I have reported them in the past. they came from south looking as if they had trailed a fishing boat back in to the harbor, then went back out the same as they came in, taking a leisurely flight out. Robin R Robinson ...

[Maine-birds] Red-necked Phalarope, Sanford Sewage Plant, 29 Aug

Following Andy Aldrich's report from Sanford Sewer ponds, an anonymous but highly reliable source informs me that a juvenile RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was there after noon today. The bird was with peeps and Lesser Yellowlegs on the pebbly shore at the little "point" in the central pond. Louis Bevier Fairfield -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207 ---...

[Maine-birds] RFI- Great Cormorant

I'm a birder from Texas who will be visiting Maine in mid-September to participate in the Maine Audubon Pelagic out of Bar Harbor. If I do not see the Great Cormorant on the pelagic, I would like to look for this lifer species elsewhere. If you know of any dependable places to look I would appreciate an email off list at mdupree8ATcomcast.net. Thanks! Mike Dupree Houston, Tx Sent from my iPhone -- -- Maine birds mailing...

[Maine-birds] RUDDY DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, Sanford Sewage Plant, Aug 29, 2013

Sanford Sewage Plant, York, US-ME Aug 29, 2013 10:00 AM - 11:50 AM Protocol: Traveling 2.5 mile(s) Comments: cloudy, east wind 15 to 30 mph 30 species Wood Duck 13 American Black Duck 1 Mallard 53 carefully counted Bufflehead 1 female, gray head and back, with white oval ear patch. white patch on trailing edge of secondaries seen as it flew. Ruddy Duck 1 female Wild Turkey 1 Double-crested...

[Maine-birds] NOGAs in Stockton Springs

I had two adult Northern Gannets off of Cape Jellison in Stockton Springs today, the farthest up the bay that I've seen this species. -William -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207 --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group. To unsubscribe from...

[Maine-birds] Kingfisher day

Wed. 8/28 One doesn't usually think about "flocks" of Kingfishers but today (Wed.) there were between 3-10 together on all of the Porcupine Islands in Frenchman Bay. I stopped counting after the first couple of islands but there were probably 100+ along the Bar Harbor/Acadia NP shoreline and along the shore of all the islands in the bay. All of this during our 10 a.m. to noon nature cruise. I always pictured them as moving...

Wednesday, 28 August 2013

[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

There appears to be significant passerine movement this morning, likely affected by the current 20 knot, NNE wind. It is now 02:30 EDT and I've been seeing and hearing a lot of birds over-head for about 2 hours. Also, I've seen 5 species of warbler around my doorstep within the past hour. -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds...

[Maine-birds] Flying Ants - DIVING WASPS (Triple Gainer egg layers)

Not to beat a dead horse, but checking a book for trout fly patterns, specifically ants, I found a Diving Wasp, which could, if it chose to enter, become the hands down winner of the "Ant Look Alike Contest". I observed them at eye level among the flying ants on our float. They were slightly larger than the ants and did, indeed, look like very tiny wasps. I suspect the Nuptial flights that we have all been observing are...

[Maine-birds] American White Pelican

Continues today at Lake Josephine in Easton. It just completed its seventh week in the area. A couple Green Herons and a drake Redhead were also reported at Lake Jo on Tuesday. Bill-- Bill SheehanWoodland, Aroostook Co., Mainehttp://northernmainebirds.blogspot.com/ -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207...

[Maine-birds] Bairds and others

I visited the beach/shorefront area at Lyman Morse Boatyard this early morning. Around 1500+ peeps and a few other types (solitary, yellowlegs, etc.) were present at the high water mark. More birds were arriving until I left at 8 am. I watched a juv Bairds on the upper stony beach zone for about 10 seconds. Birds were jumpy this morning and reshuffled themselves periodically. I did not relocate the Bairds due to time...

[Maine-birds] Maine RBA - August 27, 2013

Name: Maine Audubon Rare Bird Alert Reporting Period: August 21 – 27, 2013 Area: State of Maine Compilers: Doug Hitchcox Noteworthy Species Mentioned: American White Pelican+ Marbled Godwit Mew Gull+ Forster's Tern Hooded Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Dickcissel (+ Details requested by Maine Bird Records Committee) York County On the 21st, a HOODED WARBLER was banded on Appledore Island, part of the Isles of Shoals. A...

RE: [Maine-birds] Ant hatch

This time of year the ants are sending forth the winged "virgin queens" and male winged ants to mate and found new colonies. In most ant species the entire colony is female aside from these male 'breeders' who only live long enough to mate. They fertilize the queen with all the male gametes she will need for her entire life. She stores them in her body and releases them as needed (in fact she determines the sex of her young...

RE: [Maine-birds] Re: Hawking Ants

I spent a summer in the Arctic (Prudhoe Bay AK) and one of the coolest memories is the Long-tailed Jaegars hawking insects (chironomid midges), their long streamers fluttering in the breeze as they gracefully plucked the tiny midges out of the air. Also on the ant thread – I just read an incredible book “Journey to the Ants”...

[Maine-birds] Re: Hawking Ants

Hello All,I have observed the phenomenon of Gulls, Nighthawks and Starlings hawking flying ants for many decades in South Coastal Maine. It is always around this time of year, usually in the late afternoon early evening of a sunny day and seems so nicely timed to coincide with nighthawk migration and also uptick of Bonaparte's Gulls in the area. On the same day as many Maine birder posts there is also a post from...

Re: [Maine-birds] Hawking gulls

Hi folks, Years ago on right whale whale watching trips off Grand Manan Island in the lower Bay of Fundy (about five to seven miles from the island), we would run plankton tows along the surface and subsurface, which were full of flying ants (surface tows). We also captured ants in surface tows through tidal 'slicks' or lines of floating seaweed fragments and other odds and ends that concentrated along...

Tuesday, 27 August 2013

Re: [Maine-birds] Ant hatch

I too noticed flying ants in my backyard in Windsor this afternoon. For a short period, there were hundreds of them flying around. Pretty ignorant of ant behavior in general. Not sure if they were males and females on a nuptial flight or what. It was quite a sight though. -Jeff -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207 ---...

Re: [Maine-birds] Hawking gulls

Both Ring-billed and Bonaparte's Gulls were actively hawking flying insects (ant emergence I think) along the Hancock and Washington County coasts this past weekend. I caught one Bonaparte's Gull in the act, but the wee beast it was after is not identifiable. There were also a couple of Common Nighthawks after the same bugs Saturday evening in Lubec. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lrbevier/9612379072/ In mid-August, an emergence...

Re: [Maine-birds] Ant hatch

I had a personal experience with a flying ant today as I was birding Biddeford Pool. I kept scratching at an itchy spot on my upper arm. I finally realized perhaps there was a bug there. Sure enough there was a lump under my shirtsleeve. I pinched it and shook my arm and a flying ant fell out! At least it wasn't a tick! Joanne On 8/27/2013 8:38 PM, wtownsend@roadrunner.com wrote: > 8/27/13 Bar Harbor >...

[Maine-birds] Sick Birds Replies

Thanks everyone for input on sick birds. I'll give my friend the information and advice. Aloyse Larra...

[Maine-birds] Ant hatch

8/27/13 Bar Harbor A big hatch of "flying" ants in Bar Harbor this evening, Herring, Ring-billed, and a couple of Laughing Gulls hawking them right over town. -- ---Check our nature, family, and other photos on our family webpage at: www.fotki.com/townsend-maine Updated Aug. 12, 2013. -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.com http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds https://sites.google.com/site/birding207 ---...

[Maine-birds] Departing hummingbirds

8/27/13 Bar Harbor I've had 8-10 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, all female and/or immature at my feeders daily for the past three days. This evening right at dusk two were feeding alternately at the same feeder. As I watched the both hovered the took off together straight up over 40 ft. maple trees and continued upward and out of sight. They always have flown off into nearby shrubs at dusk. I think it is possible that I...

Re: [Maine-birds] Hawking gulls

To your point, today, in Holden, Maine, just east of Bangor, there was a major outbreak of small flying ants. They were littering the pond, as in, every square inch. Later, in Brewer waiting outside a shop performing an oil change procedure on our Jeep, we watched a cloud of gulls "hawking", presumably, small flying ants (SFA) over Wilson Street in Brewer. Trout fisherman...NO EXCUSES! Ant patterns!rob speirs...

[Maine-birds] Hawking gulls

Over the marsh area stretching into surrounding fields of Hog Bay in Franklin, some friends and I (separately) could not help but notice, a 200+ mixed gull flock, hawking. I was not equipped for birding. My friends were in a slightly different location. I don't know if they had birding equipment. Their best guess was a mixed flock of possibly Bonaparte's BOGU, Herring HERG and Great Black-backed GBBG...

[Maine-birds] MDI Birds today - Common Nighthawk and Solitary S'piper

Hi all --Solitary Sandpiper was seen this a.m. at the marsh on Lopaus Pt road in Bernard (Mt. Desert Island). It was feeding quietly and almost went unnoticed. This evening overhead in SW Harbor we had ~16 Common Nighthawks briefly joining a mixed flock of gulls hawking their way through an insect hatch.Small bands of peeps to be found in most patches of mudflats on the island, but no large flocks sighted so far. Best,Craig...

[Maine-birds] Waters around Great Wass.

Hey,I was sailing the waters around Great Wass, Head Harbor, and Roque Islands this past Friday through Monday. The following are some sightings:Manx Shearwater- 6 or 8 Great Shearwater- 4Sooty Shearwater- 2Razorbill- 200+ (Adults calling with deep grunt, young with much higher-pitched whistle.)Red Knot- 1 (At Roque with a small number of other shorebirds.) Black-legged Kittiwake- 1 (Photos.)Good birding,William NicholsStockton...

[Maine-birds] immature cedar waxwing

A pleasant hike around the perimeter trails at Gilsland Farm yesterday provided several photo opportunities. A tom turkey greeted us just before the parking lot, stood in front of the car and held us there for several minutes. Additionally we saw two hawks, an American bald eagle, four ospreys, lots of turkeys, finches and sparrows, cedar waxwings and this immature cedar waxwing. Thanks for the identification help...

[Maine-birds] Overwhelming response to Id. request

Thank you everyone, who responded to my request for identification of this bird: http://photosbychance.zenfolio.com/p501323621/h6f3adb78#h6f3adb78 The vast majority of you honed in on the mask and yellow tips on the tail feathers. Identifying it as an immature cedar wax wing. I, for a while thought the yellow tips were part of the golden rod sticking out from beneath the feathers, and focused on the side feather pattern...

Fwd: [Maine-birds] Id help, please

---------- Forwarded message ----------From: Clark Moseley <an.doc.mo.72@gmail.com> Date: Tue, Aug 27, 2013 at 9:30 AMSubject: Re: [Maine-birds] Id help, pleaseTo: David Small <docfinsdave@gmail.com>My guess is a juvenile Cedar Waxwing. I think that the light is playing games with us, the vegetation is covering some important clues and the position of your camera in relation to the bird makes for a difficult...

Re: [Maine-birds] Id help, please

juvie CEDWOn Tue, 27 Aug 2013 08:30:11 -0400, David Small <docfinsdave@gmail.com> wrote:I can't even get close to naming this guy. I got one quick shot at it while visiting Gilsland Farm yesterday. It's rather small maybe blue jay size. Help!, please. http://photosbychance.zenfolio.com/p501323621/h6f3adb78#h6f3adb78 Thanks,Dave -- -- Maine birds mailing list maine-birds@googlegroups.comhttp://groups.google.com/group/maine-birdshttps://sites.google.com/site/birding207...

Re: [Maine-birds] Id help, please

I am betting that it is Merlin. Check out the chest.BobOn Tue, Aug 27, 2013 at 10:33 AM, Smith, Michael <Michael.Smith@maine.gov> wrote: Yes I have been having a sidebar with other folks and will yield to Waxwing. On my tiny phone screen the tail tips get lost in the flower and the blue seems bluebirdish instead of the Waxwing silver. Michael Smith MS GISP State GIS Manager, Maine Office of GIS ...