[Maine-birds] Re: Monhegan Island 7/16 - 7/19 (YCNH, misc)

Good Stuff! Thanks for sharing. Interestingly enough we also had an imm. YCNH last summer at the end of July. And for your viewing pleasure! https://www.flickr.com/photos/scolopax/28460618135/in/dateposted-public/

Keenan 

On Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at 9:52:48 PM UTC-4, Doug Hitchcox wrote:

Hey everyone:

Just got back from a few days on Monhegan Island. While this is obviously a destination during the spring and fall migration, it was interesting to see the island during the breeding season. Not surprisingly species like Black-throated Green Warblers and Red-breasted Nuthatches dominated Cathedral Woods but there were more Swainson's Thrushes on territory than I expected. Brown Thrasher is not uncommon on the island but this was the first time having one in my parent's yard.

The 'best' bird of the trip was an immature YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (YCNH) that my dad found at the Ice Pond on the evening of the 17th (photo here: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30776136). I relocated the bird again on the morning of the 18th foraging along the shoreline north of the dock. Interestingly, Keenan Yakola had a YCNH on Seal Island on the 15th (http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30700206) and 19th (http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30769785), and Eva Matthews had one on Eastern Egg Rock on the evening of the 19th (http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30774623). Hard to believe that one bird would cover nearly 100 miles (as the night-heron flies) in those few days but makes you wonder how many YCNHs are moving around the coast right now.

While birding and naturing weren't the purpose of this trip, it was hard not to keep track of other conspicuous flying creatures during the few days. Large Skimmers (Libellulidae) got the most attention: There was an impressive swarm (50+) of Spot-winged Gliders (Pantala hymenaea) each day in our yard while other showy dragonflies like Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia), Twelve-spotted Skimmers (Libellula pulchella), and Eastern Amberwings (Perithemis tenera) were regular at the Ice Pond. Butterflies were fairly abundant but not as diverse as I hoped. My FOY Monarch was probably the highlight of the trip. Here is a full list of butterflies:
Long Dash Skipper (3+)
Dun Skipper (1)
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (3+)
Cabbage White (5+)
Monarch (1)
Great Spangled Fritillary (2)
Northern Crescent (10+)
Question Mark (4)
Red Admiral (10+)
American Lady (1)
White Admiral (3+)
Inornate Ringlet (1)

Good birding,


Doug Hitchcox

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