Around an hour before dusk is a great time to see Green Herons at Essex Street. 4 (all sitting motionless on driftwood) randomly popped into my field of view yesterday when scanning the water in different places. If I’d been looking for them specifically, I’d no doubt have seen many more (they often fly around at this time of day, looking like inconspicuous crows with umbrella wings). I’m guessing their high population is in part due to the overfed Mallard population & their many ducklings. There were 2 Great Blue Herons hunting actively as well as 2 GREAT EGRETS
Earlier, for pondpipers there were no Bairds’ unfortunately, but 3 Least Sandpipers & 1 Solitary feeding by itself. Interestingly there were 2 GREEN-WINGED TEAL (less common than Blue-winged at this spot) in the same little patch as the shorebirds, and it was funny to see one of the Teal make what seemed to be a playful gesture toward the Leasts, swimming rapidly towards their feeding spot on the mud, turning broadside at them and causing a wave. After that, all 3 Least Sandpipers followed this one Teal around as a group, and continued to do so until I left (I took a few photos of them doing this).
But the interesting prize went to the lone Double-crested Cormorant I encountered on the way out on the Essex Street side. It’s not unusual to have a Cormorant in the marsh, but this one looked surreal sitting high at the top of a leafy poplar tree. By itself, near a busy highway exit in Bangor, and looking like it was getting comfortable for the night. Maybe DCCOs perch in leafy tress all the time, but I’ve never witnessed it.
Sean Smith
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