[Maine-birds] Monhegan report, 9/9-9/13

Passing along this report from Wendy Howe, former Maine birder, who was just out on Monhegan last week: 

Most of the birding action was on the day we arrived, 9/9, with mixed chickadee/warbler flocks making appearances here and there.  Numbers weren't high, but there was some variety--a couple of Canada Warblers and a few Blackpolls, but mostly Tennessee, Parula, Black-throated Green, and Yellow Warblers, accompanied by the usual Red-eyed Vireos and Common Yellowthroats. The occasional Merlin zipped overhead.  A pair of Belted Kingfishers was at the Ice Pond that day, but we didn't see them the rest of the week.  Two Solitary Sandpipers were frequenting the Ice Pond on 9/9, but not seen on 9/10.  On 9/11 they were back at the Pond, but I saw one of them killed by a Merlin around suppertime.  The second bird wisely departed, and we never saw it again.

The most interesting sighting on that first day was a group of 7 Eastern Kingbirds flycatching from a dead tree near the pumping station. In addition to those birds, we had a tantalizing but only split-second look at another kingbird with a bright yellow belly that flew into our field of vision briefly before disappearing behind the trees.  We couldn't relocate it, though. .  .  one that got away.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were around all week, seen mostly in Spotted Jewelweed patches.

 

On 9/10 some different warbler species were present in the mixed flocks: Redstart, Chestnut-sided, Nashville, one or two Palms, one Prairie.  Two Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers were nice additions. We found one Winter Wren--on the trail to White Head, I think--and at least one Sharp-shinned and one Cooper's Hawk were terrorizing the neighborhood. A Semi-palmated Sandpiper showed up on one of our walks--Lobster Cove, I think.

 

By 9/11 we were seeing only 3 Eastern Kingbirds (the day before we saw the larger group looking as though they were planning to attempt a flight to the mainland, staging atop a tall spruce on the road below the church, facing Manana). At least two first-winter male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks put in an appearance.  We were pleased to find a Brown Thrasher in the usual island haunt. (We found another one the next day further away.) And we finally saw the Peregrine that had been present for at least two days. This was our best butterfly day; we found  a few Monarchs--which have been scarce in New England this summer--and a number of late instar caterpillars on milkweed growing at the end of the aforementioned "shore" road that heads south below the church. (On 9/13 we couldn't find any caterpillars, suggesting that they had gone off to form chrysalids.) Other butterflies were several Mourning Cloaks, American Ladies, and Red Admirals, lots of Cabbage Whites and Clouded Sulphurs, the occasional Orange Sulphur, and one stunning fresh Question Mark at the Ice Pond. 

 

By 9/12 we were still running into the occasional mixed chick/warbler flocks, but numbers and variety were fewer. I was happy to get another Redstart, since they were not easy to find this trip. Red-breasted Nuthatches were up to about a handful as opposed to the singletons of days previous; who knows what next week will bring?  Best birds of the day were a couple of Empidonax flycatchers that I called Least based on the subtle but recognizable call note. A couple of ravens were around, too.  And those kingbirds--only two seen on this day. Interesting butterflies were a Bronze Copper and Least Skippers--both like wetlands.

 

Friday 9/13 our luck ran out weather-wise, and we had showers and then heavier rain.  One Semi-palmated Plover at Swim Beach was apparently a bit lost but otherwise seemed okay. Only one Eastern Kingbird remaining, looking very forlorn in the rain.  The boat ride back to Port Clyde was much more productive than our 9/9 trip out, however, which was basically birdless. In spite of some pretty thick fog in spots, I saw a few Northern Gannets, many Black Guillemots, and 6 phalaropes. Closer to Port Clyde were rafts of White-winged Scoters and many Common Loons, along with yet another Bald Eagle (three are hanging around the outer islands of Monhegan).

--
Kristen Lindquist
12 Mount Battie St.
Camden, ME 04843
www.klindquist.blogspot.com

"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
--Mary Oliver

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