[Maine-birds] Lark Bunting records in Maine

The Maine Bird Records Committee added Lark Bunting to its review list last year. We sure would appreciate any descriptions and photos of the Seal Cove bird, especially notes by those in the group finding the bird. (Submission to eBird counts too, but descriptions add to the historical value.)

Thanks to Becky Marvil and all the hard-working folks helping to make the Acadia Birding Festival a success. It was a blast and great fun to see everyone. I cannot deny that I lucked out being there for that and the bird.

Apparently this is the second record of Lark Bunting for Mount Desert Island. Will Russell is credited with the first (17 August 1968). Maine's first was on Hog Island 25 August 1950 when seen by Allan Cruickshank, Roger Tory Peterson, and others. Hogging in another way, Monhegan claims at least 5 of the 12 or so state records. This nomadic-by-nature sparrow is one of the few endemic breeders in North America's short-grass prairie. It went unrecorded in Maine for 19 years from 1984-2002. Maybe the population dipped or the prairies were too good to wander from during those years. Before that hiatus there were 6 records (7 including Machias Seal I. ;-); and since then we've also had about 6 records. About one-third are spring occurrences; the rest are from fall.

Here are my eBird notes with a summary:

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23697742

A photo of this presumably 1-year-old male is here:

https://flic.kr/p/tRzhdS

Louis Bevier

Fairfield, Maine