[Maine-birds] Additional Highlights This Week and Shorebirds High Counts, 8/1-7

Hi all,

Other observations of note from me over the past seven days included:

- 1 continuing presumed TRICOLORED HERON x SNOWY EGRET HYBRID, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/2 (with Birds on Tap - Roadtrip! bus tour group). This was "Patches," the individual that has been present all summer. However, I received photos this week of the second individual "Splotchy" (more extensively white with splotchy areas of blue-gray) that was not been seen all summer, but was present all last summer. I hope to write a little blog about these two individuals soon.

- 1 juvenile and 1 adult female Orchard Oriole, Capisic Pond Park, Portland, 8/3 (with Jeannette).

- 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo and 2-3 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Fort Foster, Kittery, 8/4 (with Jeannette).

- 9 to 11 Fish Crows, including juveniles, Rte 1 Wells, 8/4 (with Jeannette).

- 1 PHILADELPHIA VIREO, Hedgehog Mountain Park, Freeport, 8/5 - my 150th Patch Birds here!  More importantly, this ragged, molting adult is more evidence of some limited "molt migration" of "boreal" breeders into the coastal plain late each summer.

And my shorebirds high counts over the past week were as follows:

Black-bellied Plover: 42, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/6 (with client from Maine).

Semipalmated Plover: 200+, Pine Point, 8/6 (with client).

Killdeer: 4, Scarborough Park & Ride, 8/6 (with client).

Greater Yellowlegs: 24, Eastern Road Trail, 8/6 (with client).

Lesser Yellowlegs: 36, Eastern Road Trail, 8/6(with client).

"Eastern" Willet: 15, Pine Point, 8/2 (with Birds on Tap -Roadtrip! tour group).

Spotted Sandpiper: 6, Fort Foster, 8/4 (with Jeannette).

Whimbrel: 1, Pine Point, 8/6 (with client).

Ruddy Turnstone: 7, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 8/6 (with client).

Semipalmated Sandpiper: 650+, Pine Point, 8/6 (with client).

Least Sandpiper: 75+, Eastern Road Trail, 8/6 (with client).

White-rumped Sandpiper: 5, Eastern Road Trail, 8/6 (with client).

BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (FOY): 1 ADULT, Ocean Avenue, 8/6 (with client).

STILT SANDPIPER (FOY): 2 adults, Eastern Rd Trail, 8/6 (with client).

Short-billed Dowitcher: ~100, Eastern Road Trail, 8/2 (with Birds on Tap - Roadtrip! tour group).

Other migrants noted widely this week:

Eastern Kingbird

Tree Swallow

Cliff Swallow 

Barn Swallow

Bank Swallow

Northern Waterthrush

Yellow Warbler

Black-and-white Warbler

Bobolink

-Derek

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Derek and Jeannette Lovitch
Freeport Wild Bird Supply
541 Route One, Suite 10
Freeport, ME 04032
207-865-6000
www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

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