[Maine-birds] Viles on Sat; Sparrows, a peeper and a goldenrod

Hi Folks,

 

I stopped by Viles arboretum near the AMHI complex in Augusta late yesterday afternoon (3:15-4:30) and it was fairly quiet except for the sporadic alarm notes and juvenile humans vocalizing in the distance.  I walked to Viles Pond which I often refer to as Piggery Pond then I followed the boardwalk across the wetland and continued to the left along the perimeter trail.  When it reached the dirt road I turned left and walked back along Piggery Road.  That walk almost entirely borders shrub and herbaceous wetlands with lots of invasive species.  The wetlands are more visible now that most of the leaves have dropped off.

 

Carry a camera.  There is some nice fall photography along the road and boardwalk with the mixtures of browns and whites: milkweed seed dispersing and seeds hanging onto nearby asters, and the aster and goldenrod seeds with their hairs radiating out to form pale circular clusters, are attractive in the late afternoon sun. 

 

Birds and other things observed:

 

7 Swamp sparrows - Evenly distributed; probably resident birds

2  Song sparrows - I Expected more

2  Chipping sparrows - Located at different ends of Piggery Road associated with baseball fields

1 White-crowned sparrow

2 Tree sparrows - I expected more

 

2  Hermit thrushes - Very late afternoon call note

1  Black duck x Mallard - Probably backcrossed with a black duck; The flanks of the bird contained female mallard features observable when in better light

1  Green-winged teal

4  Black-capped chickadees

4  American crows

1  Spring peeper

 

Plants in flower:

 

1 Giant goldenrod with live, slightly damaged flower heads; located along the boardwalk

 

2 White panicled asters (Aster lanceolatus; listed as Aster simplex in many field guides) with live, slightly frosted ray flowers; these plants were in an eight by ten foot pocket of asters and giant goldenrods that escaped the first hard frost a couple of weeks ago.  The goldenrods at this location have since succumbed to frost.  This area was located opposite the entrance to the Vehicle licensing building at the light where you turn onto Piggery Road.

Good birding and observing

 

Norm Famous

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Norman Famous, Wetlands and Wildlife Ecologist

513 Eight Rod Road

Augusta, ME 04330

(207) 623 6072

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