[Maine-birds] Northern Maine Birds: Greater White-fronted Goose, Fox Sparrow, Dunlin, Peregrine Falcon

I managed a quick check of the major Canada Goose roosting spots in central Aroostook this afternoon.  

Trafton Lake in Limestone held the largest flock of the day (~3,100) and an adult Greater White-fronted Goose was among them.  The bird was distant and really required a telescope to discern but I managed a couple documentation shots (complete with arrow) for the record.  http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20052371

Equally exciting for me at this spot was my first Dunlin of the season.  Unfortunately the bird was being chased by young Peregrine Falcon.  Amazing aerial acrobatics.  I thought the sandpiper was done for several times and then it dodged its pursuer at the last instant.  

Christina Reservoir had a great quantity of Canada Geese, but no spiffy geese, that I could find, were in the flocks.  A drake Redhead and a pair of Ruddy Ducks were both late-ish here.

Also, had my first Fox Sparrow of the fall in Presque Isle near the Aroostook River today.  The bird was with a bunch of White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and a White-crowned Sparrow. 

Collins Pond in Caribou is simply packed with waterfowl these days.  In addition to about 1,400 Canada Geese, there are nearly 400 ducks here in the afternoon.  Northern Shovelers and a few Blue-winged Teal continue among the much more numerous Mallards, Blacks, Green-winged Teal and Hooded Mergansers.  

Interesting today was a massive flock of apparently-migrating gulls that descended from the stratosphere and filled the pond in a matter of minutes.  I managed a few shots of the phenomena as they were spiralling down out of the sky.  A couple Bald Eagles appeared in short order and flushed them all and in a few minutes, they were all gone again.  

Good birding.

Bill

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Bill Sheehan
Woodland, Aroostook Co., Maine
http://northernmainebirds.blogspot.com/

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