[Maine-birds] Central Maine Birding - Sydney Grasslands and Flood Farm - Hundreds of Canada Geese, Snow goose, Peregrine, and others.

After a quiet visit to the Messalonskee Marsh this afternoon, I decided to follow up on an anecdotal report of a Sandhill crane on West River Road in Sydney.

Though I observed no such crane, I did have pleasant drive (moving North) on West River Road, observing many American robins along the road's edge and icterids in adjacent trees. I decided to drive down Church Road into the Sydney Grasslands and encountered Song/American Tree sparrows in the thicket at the road's start. Moving further down the road, I observed a large flock of starling (120+), 3 Canada geese, and a handful of crows in the southern fields. Along the tarred "airstrip" towards the end of the road, I observed a single Snow bunting with a pair of Horned lark.

With just enough light left in the day (and inspired by a conversation with Don Mairs), I decided to journey on to the Flood Farm in Clinton in hopes of spotting the recently reported Snow goose. Upon nearly reaching the cornfields south of the farm (traveling north on River Road), I spotted a large (100+) flock of Canada geese undulating over the river/roadway. I stopped the car and watched these birds settle behind a knoll out in the field. I continued northwest down River Rd and turned my car around just beyond the farm. While traveling southeast down the roadway, I spotted a single Snow goose in amongst another large flock of Canada geese moving east into the cornfield. Bringing the car to a dead stop, I managed to get a few shots with my camera as the birds moved overhead. I continued down the roadway and pulled off onto the shoulder to watch a continuous stream of Canada geese move into the field. I estimate that there were, at least, 450 individuals. I observed a single Peregrine falcon moving fast and low over the cornfield, but did not observe it give chase to any of the geese. A Bald eagle, however, spooked nearly the entire flock into the air. It slowly moved over the fleeing geese before veering off to the south and chasing a Red-tailed hawk off whatever prey item it had been eating out in the field.

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