[Maine-birds] Additional Highlights This Week and Goose Fields Update, 11/2-8

Hi all,

 

A few additional observations of note from me in the past seven days included:

- 7 Greater Yellowlegs, Wolfe's Neck Farm, Freeport, 11/2 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).

- 3 American Tree Sparrows (first of fall), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 11/4.

- 1 Black-bellied Plover, 2 "Ipswich" Savannah Sparrows, 1 pair American Wigeon, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 5 Snow Buntings, and 1 Pine Siskin (my first of the fall!), Reid State Park, Georgetown, 11/5 (with Jeannette).

- 1 female Black Scoter, 1 female Surf Scoter, 8 Lesser Scaup, etc, Lake Auburn, Auburn, 11/7.

- 2 Rusty Blackbirds, Capisic Pond Park, Portland, 11/7.

- scattered Hermit Thrushes continue in and around Portland, including the center of downtown, through 11/8, likely remnants of Sunday morning's fallout documented by the Rarity Roundup.

- 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, Sawyer Road, South Portland, 11/8 (photos).

- 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Trout Brook Preserve, South Portland, 11/8.

- large southbound flocks of Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds, with significantly smaller numbers of Brown-headed Cowbirds continued through mid-week.  80 Common Grackles and 18 Red-winged Blackbirds at our store's feeders 11/6 was one of the last large flocks that I saw this week.

 

"Greater Yarmouth Goose Fields" Update:

Still no rarities in the traditional southern Maine hotbed of wayward Anatidae, but there was a noticeable turnover this week.  Following a weekend departure, numbers were down to 400-500 birds early in the week, but steadily grew back to 606 by today. 

 

The two Pectoral Sandpipers continued along Greely Road through today, with the first bird present since 10/21!  American Pipits were scattered in the fields this week, as were Eastern Bluebirds.

 

-Derek