[Maine-birds] Answers to who found the Surfbird.

Many people have asked me who and what is the Tin Mountain Bird Society. Here is the answer to who they are and how they found the Surfbird.

Bob Crowley
Chatham, NH

The Tin Mountain Bird Society formed about two months ago as a way of showcasing the bird programming and research that the Tin Mountain Conservation Center has been conducting over many years.  Tin Mountain Conservation Center has been presenting environmental education programs and conducting conservation work for the past 35 years in the great Mt. Washington Valley of New Hampshire and western Maine.  The Maine Coastal Bird trip on Saturday, March 21, 2015 was the third trip the fledgling Society has presented since it was initiated.  

 

After several coastal stops, the group of 14 people walked from a parking area to Biddeford Pool East Point around 2:30 PM and gathered at the end of the point.  After we were there a while, the trip leader Chris Lewey (Raven Interpretive Programs and Tin Mountain Bird Society member) drew our attention to a small group of shore birds at water's edge, and he challenged us to find them.  After a short time, all agreed they were six Ruddy Turnstones; however, as we had our scopes and binoculars on the Turnstones, another bird emerged that was initially thought to be a Purple Sandpiper, but it was much bigger than the Turnstones.  Candidate birds were suggested from Black Plovers, other Sandpipers, to Red Knots, but all were dismissed.   Sean Ashe had his bird book opened and commented that based on specific characteristics that this could be a Surfbird.  Sean had spent time on the West Coast and viewed these birds on occasion.  Everyone commented that it was really only a West Coast species, but Sean somewhat jokingly maintained that it was a Surfbird.  We also noticed a smaller darker Purple Sandpiper among the group that was identified and photographed.  After 10-15 minutes, Mary Jewett, John Lazzaro, Sean Ashe, and Ned Beecher ventured further out on the rocks to gain a better view and take pictures.

 

Later we learned that Mary Jewett had taken some great shots of the Surfbird and that it had been positively identified.  Chris had sent pictures to Wayne Peterson and Peter Vicary, and both positively IDed it.

 

 

Michael L. Cline, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Tin Mountain Conservation Center

1245 Bald Hill Road

Albany, NH 03818

(603) 447-6991

mcline@tinmountain.org

 

--   Bob Crowley  Chatham. NH