Hey all, I sent a shorter version of this out the other day but it did not appear to show up. Sorry if this is somehow a duplicate.
-- I realized when trying to research the Bethel area that things were not looking like I would have a prolific birding weekend, but I went out anyway and did have a couple of decent encounters.
Throughout the day Sunday, I saw plenty of American Crows, Blue Jays and Black Capped Chickadees. There was a lot of open water on the Androscoggin River. I checked it from the confluence of the Wild River near the New Hampshire border to about just outside of Hanover and found a dozen or more very sizeable open areas, but could not locate a bird on or above the water to save my life. I kept my eyes open and found about 8 well stocked feeders which were pulling in a mix of Blue Jays, Tufted Titmice, Black Capped Chickadees, White Breasted Nuthatches, and a lone female cardinal.
Knowing I was picking my son up after he was done skiing for the day, I reserved a little spot with some trails I have walked before with good results in the summer, to snowshoe with him. It is the Mahoosic Land Trust area where Route 2 and Route 26 meet up in Bethel. It is a nice evergreen forest with not much down below so you can meander through as you like with good visibility. I have almost always seen owls there and this time did not disappoint. We stepped into the woods and the first thing we saw was a Barred Owl who moved around a few times but was very easy to find every time he relocated due to the openness of the growth in there. He remained the whole time we were there and was very accomodating for pictures. Link to Pics
About 20 BC Chickadees and 8 Red Breasted Nuthatches moved through while there as well which was nice. A brown creeper and Downy Woodpecker also made their presence known and stayed for a few pictures.
We packed up and headed home yesterday and I noticed the following:
- In Cumberland at the corner of Main St. and Greely Road a good sized flock of robins was mauling a fruit tree on the corner.
- In Cumberland at the Springbrook Farm fields there were a smattering of geese in the upper field along with a number of Mallards in a pool of water that had gathered behind the normal 2 roadside ponds. I did not have time to scan them too closely so there could be something interesting there.
- Hannaford's in Yarmouth had a large flock of Cedar Waxwings (No Bo Though) that were in the fruit trees they have planted in the parking lot.
- Harraseeket produced a lot of the usuals. Red Breasted Mergansers, Bufflehead, Eiders, Mallards, Common Goldeneye, etc. I did spot a female Barrow's Goldeneye out from the pier which was what I was hoping for so that made me happy. It was a solo female. Watched her through the scope for about 5 minutes without seeing anyone with her. Would have stayed longer but my son's bladder had a different idea.
Thanks all,
Rob O'Connell
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