Re: [Maine-birds] Snowy Owl roundup Sunday?

Hi all,

I would add to the eastern Maine list the following sites:

Cutler along Rte. 191 including the edge of the Cutler tower field.  You cannot gain access without written permission but you can view a large area though the fence. 

Little Machias Bay from the bridge.  Scan the ledges and shoreline.

End of the road to Dennison Point on the east side of Little Machias Bay.  You need a scope so you can view Old Man Island, one of the more likely spots to spot a Snowy Owl.  An added bonus is the pelagic bird birding can be spectacular.  Keep an eye out for harlequins, alcids, kittiwakes, gannets, purple sandpipers and possible fulmars.  The road to Dennison Point has habitat for Snowy owls. 

Cutler to Lubec along Rte. 191 to Baily's Mistake where you turn left to the road that leads to West Quoddy Head.  This road passes the MCHT Boot Cove Reserve.  Check on the ocean side of Carrying Place Cove near Quoddy Head.

West Quoddy and the South Lubec Bar.  These areas are worth rechecking.  The South Lubec sand and gravel bar is grass covered so birds may not be easily seen unless you scan carefully.  Walking down the road and in and out of the grassy areas or along the saltmarsh side of the bar may flush either a snowy or short-eared owl.  You should pick up snow buntings, horned larks or a Lapland Longspur.

Jonesport blueberry barrens on the east end of Rte. 187 (road to Jonesport from the Machias side).  There are extensive blueberry fields close to the shore.

Columbia Falls/Centerville blueberry barrens.

All of the large blueberry barrens along Pineo Ridge from the old Backscatter antenna array (torn down) west to Deblois (on either side of Rte. 193).  The barrens in Deblois are located along Rte. 193 that connects Cherryfield to Rte. 9 in Beddington.

Addison Marsh and Cape Split in Addison (west side of the split).  The road between Addison Marsh and Cape Spit is lined with good habitat.

The blueberry barrens I listed are relative close to the coast.  There are other very large blueberry barrens between Rte. 1 and Rte. 9.

Point of Maine in Machiasport (located south of Bucks Harbor). There is a road across the intertidal zone leading to a farm at the end of the road.  If you chose to cross, make sure you do this on the falling tide or at low tide so that you can get off before the cove is inundated.  It is a long wait for the next falling tide as I discovered years ago.

Happy searching.  Even if you do not pick up owls, there are many good birds to be found in these areas.

Norm

On Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at 9:45 AM, Smith, Michael <Michael.Smith@maine.gov> wrote:

So being a geographer I am always interested in the 'holes' in a map.  Looking at the observations that have been posted make it clear the Snowy Owls seem to be limited to the coast south and east of MDI (including MDI).

 

Could I suggest a concerted effort among birders to look for Snowies all along the coast on Sunday?  Weather will be pleasant and we could collectively knock out some of the gaps in the map.

 

Specifically, I am wondering if folks would be willing to look in the following areas that currently don't show Snowy sightings, but seem likely to have the owls based on location and habitat:

 

 

Fort Foster and Crescent Beach – Kittery

 

East Point/Prebles Point/Long Beach/Cape Neddick

 

Ogunquit (Cliff House area)/Ogunquite Beach/Moody Beach

 

Ferry Beach/OOB/Pine Point

 

Casco Bay Islands

 

Orrs and Bailey Islands

 

Reid State Park

 

Bristol/Pemaquid Point

 

Isle Au Haut (anybody out there?)

 

 

 

East of MDI:

 

Schoodic Point

 

Petit Manan

 

Great Wass Island

 

 

Map is up to date I think: http://bit.ly/1ccRyAo

 

 

===============================
Michael Smith MS GISP
State GIS Manager, Maine Office of GIS
State of Maine, Office of Information Technology
michael.smith _at_ maine.gov 207-215-5530

Board Member, Maine GeoLibrary
Education Chair, Maine GIS Users Group
State Rep, National States Geographic Information Council


State House Station 145
51 Commerce Drive
Augusta, ME 04333-0145
69^o 47' 58.9"W  44^o 21' 54.8"N

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