[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights and Shorebird High Counts, 8/19-25 (with brief pelican search notes, too).

Hi all,

Here are my observations of note over the past seven days:

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2024/08/25/recent-highlights-8-19-8-25-2024/

Additionally, while leading a boat tour on Casco Bay today, we kept an eye out for the American White Pelican that was last seen at dusk at the Goslings off of Harpswell yesterday.  At about 11:30, I spotted what a appeared to be a very large, very pale, and very slowly-flapping bird in the extreme distance, over and to the east of Lower Goose Island, heading due south. Unfortunately, it dipped below treeline (suggesting it was passing between the Gooses and Harpswell Neck) before all but one person got on it. We motored off the south of the Gooses, but never saw it or anything else suggestive again. We then checked the ledges around Little Whaleboat to no avail, before heading back to Freeport harbor. I really don't know what besides the pelican it could have been, but alas.  I only share it to suggest it could still be/have been in the area, and observers to the south should remain vigilant!

-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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