Hi folks,
I'm a bit late getting this report out as I could not get to a computer until last night.
I was in Machias over Christmas and managed to get out and bird the intertidal marshes along the east side of the upper Machias River for an hour on Dec. 26.
Highlights included an Eurasian teal (male with the lack of vertical white bar/ was clearly missing and the horizontal white bar was bright), a pair of green-winged teal, 4 gadwall, 1 Am widgeon (female) and 12 pintails.
Most of the time birding was spent behind the Machias medical building on the right heading north on Rt. 1 (after the causeway). This is a larger modern building with a lower level (not visible from the river) that opens toward the river. I drive down the access road beside the building and park along the left end of the small lot, which is out of the road for vehicles turning around. There is a dental practice overlooking the marsh from a different angle just up the road.
Behind the medical building is a large open flooded pond along the railroad tracks. The inside of the pond abuts several large muddy substrates (with remains of grasses that sometimes look like ducks) each separated by a narrow band of marsh. This viewing area is primarily on the left side of the parking area. Immediately below the parking area (the large muddy areas are to the left), there is a salt/brackish marsh between the parking lot and river. This extends to the right side of the parking area and contains a strip of open water/mud.
If you park facing the river, you can scan the mud, pond and strips of vegetation with your scope balanced on your window; and the front side of the marsh through your windshield, both effective in the rain.
The birds counted in this marsh (mostly individually with black ducks underestimated):
Canada geese 240 +/- 5 The geese were all hunkered down in several directions which was not good for canning with 10x bins for hidden tiny critters.
Am black duck 110 (not as easy to pick out from a distance)
Ring-billed gull 55+ Kept arriving
Northern pintail 12 Personal high for Washington Co; reflecting climate warming as I have birded Washington Co for 40 years
Mallard 10
Gadwall 4
Am. widgeon 1 female
Green-winged teal 2 (pair)
Eurasian teal 1 male
I checked out the location in East Machias above the Rt. 1 bridge on the north side of the East Machias River for Barrow's goldeneyes and the common goldeneye x hooded merganser hybrid but no birds were present. I did not have time to check upriver where Rt. 191 crosses the East Machias River or upriver and below-river south of the bridge....family obligations.
Good Birding!
Norm
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Norman Famous, Wetlands and Wildlife Ecologist
513 Eight Rod Road
Augusta, ME 04330
(207) 623 6072
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