[Maine-birds] Kennebunk Land Trust "For All, Forever" property -- lots of birds, lots of ticks

Greetings,

Yesterday and today I made forays to the newest Kennebunk Land Trust public area, called (I think) "For All, Forever." Access is very easy -- there's a small parking lot on Route 99, almost directly opposite the intersection with Wakefield Road. This is about a mile east of the Kennebunk Plains. We first went there last summer when KLT folks sponsored a public walk before the area was officially open to the public, but had not been back since. It's not a huge area in terms of acreage, but offers varied habitat. The parking lot is on the edge of a small open field (Bobolinks!!). From there one walks down a fairly rough, and at times mucky, old road, which leads to a largish (~5-8 acres) open field that borders on the Mousam River.

I gather that this area is not yet on birders' radar; I have seen no reports from folks who have been there. I just created a new eBird location for it. I made a solo run late morning yesterday and returned with my wife early today. I can report that the birding is very good, but the tick situation is terrible! I brushed probably 15-20 off myself yesterday, and today, with a partner, we were constantly ridding each other of them. Even after doing a "final" inspection once we got back to the truck we took another 20 or so off ourselves once we got home. They were worst in the big open field. There is a rudimentary trail -- a worn path, really -- and I would imagine that a swath or two with a bush hog would do wonders for curbing the tick population. Tough to get a tractor down in there, though.

My eBird report from today is below. Between yesterday and today I logged about 30 species. Not great numbers of individuals, but good variety.  Bobolinks, Indigo Buntings (at least four at the trailhead), and an abundance of Common Yellowthroats (at least 14 today), Baltimore Orioles, and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were the real treats. Both days a large chorus of frogs provided an aural backdrop to the birding.

--Paul Wells

Kennebunk Land Trust, "For All, Forever" property, York, Maine, US
May 18, 2017 6:45 AM - 9:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments:     Accompanied by Sally Wells. Excellent birding / Lots of ticks!
26 species (+2 other taxa)

Great Blue Heron  1
hawk sp.  1
Mourning Dove  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1     Aural ID only
Eastern Kingbird  4
Red-eyed Vireo  2
Blue Jay  3
American Crow  2
Tree Swallow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Tufted Titmouse  1     Aural ID only
Wood Thrush  1
Gray Catbird  3     Tally is probably low
Cedar Waxwing  2
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  14     Tally may be low
American Redstart  1     Female
Yellow Warbler  5     Tally may be low
Chestnut-sided Warbler  1
warbler sp. (Parulidae sp.)  2
Chipping Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  5
Northern Cardinal  1
Indigo Bunting  4
Bobolink  2
Red-winged Blackbird  3
Baltimore Oriole  8
American Goldfinch  3

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S36960927

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

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Paul F. Wells
West Kennebunk, ME
USA

"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."
                                                             --Albert Schweitzer

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