Maine birds And MOAC mountainbiking

Friday, 12 December 2025

[Maine-birds] Saco this week

15 - 20 Turkey Vultures over Shaw's shopping center near North and Spring streets in Saco last Sunday.

Great Blue Heron in flight over Lafayette and Cumberland aves. on Tues.

Wednesday heard possible Pine Grosbeak in trees in same area. Could spot but not positively identify due to weather conditions.

At our feeders in the same area was one first fall Baltimore Oriole at meal worm feeder Friday afternoon.

Sharon in Saco

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 12/6-12/12

Hi all,

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

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2025/12/12/this-weeks-highlights-12-6-12-12-2025/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Monday, 8 December 2025

Re: [Maine-birds] TVs in Kennebunk today

In Vickery's Birds of Maine, he says, "Wintering vultures first found along coast in 1980's" and then goes on to list inland records in the 1990's.

So, I'd say yes!

On Dec 8, 2025, at 10:36, Anne Williams <awilliam@bates.edu> wrote:

Just saw 3 turkey vultures soaring over the Maine turnpike at exit 25.
Are they now overwintering here?
Anne Williams

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Re: [Maine-birds] TVs in Kennebunk today

I saw one last week in Falmouth near route 295

On Dec 8, 2025, at 10:37 AM, Anne Williams <awilliam@bates.edu> wrote:

Just saw 3 turkey vultures soaring over the Maine turnpike at exit 25.
Are they now overwintering here?
Anne Williams

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[Maine-birds] TVs in Kennebunk today

Just saw 3 turkey vultures soaring over the Maine turnpike at exit 25.

Are they now overwintering here?

Anne Williams

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Friday, 5 December 2025

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 11/29-12/5

Hi all,

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

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2025/12/05/this-weeks-highlights-11-29-12-5-2025/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

[Maine-birds] Isles of Shoals Christmas Bird Count

It's once again time to sign up for the Isles of Shoals Christmas Bird Count. In keeping with past years, we're casting a broad net on our date, and will pick a good weather day when it comes along, I'll send out a bunch of emails and make phone calls to try to fill the boat, and we'll split the cost evenly among participants. My plan is to use the Shining Star for the trip, as people with opinions overwhelmingly preferred the boat over the Gulf Challenger. Based on feedback from last year's trip, I'm going to slightly decrease the number of people on board, and I'm hoping to keep the trip at or below $100 per person.

By filling out the form below, you are under no obligation to attend on days that you identify as available. Likewise, saying you're available doesn't guarantee a spot, but I intend to run down the list in the order that you sign up. You'll receive a few emails in the days leading up to the trip and it will give me a list of people to contact if and when the trip goes. Feel free to reach out with any questions.

I've picked essentially every day that I'm not otherwise busy as a potential weather day, which can be found in the form below. As in previous years, the trip will likely last about 5-6 hours and we'll spend about an hour on Star Island and visit the waters around the Isles of Shoals and Boone Island. The exact timing may depend on tides, as nearly every aspect of this trip is better at high tide.

Hope to see you this winter!

https://forms.gle/SLoJmr6chkeeiShk8

Ben Griffith

Somersworth, NH

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Sunday, 30 November 2025

Re: [Maine-birds] Buntings

A couple dozen at the Flood Farm last week, along with a couple hundred Horned Larks. Nothing the past few days. The birds are quite skittish, and I haven't been able to spy any Longspurs, but I suspect there are a few. It gets easier when we have some snow cover.

Wally S.

[Maine-birds] Buntings

And it begins...

3 snow buntings at Sears Island causeway this morning.

(Searsport)

Sarah

------------------

Dr. Sarah Caputo

Belfast Veterinary Hospital

Mtn. Valley Farm Jacobs

Montville, ME

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

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Friday, 28 November 2025

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 11/21-28

Hi all,

Here are my observations of note over the past seven days, including photos and field notes of the Virginia's Warbler on Peak's Island.

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2025/11/28/this-weeks-highlights-11-21-11-28-2025/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Sunday, 23 November 2025

[Maine-birds] Rough-legged Hawk at Schoodic this morning

Hi all - my first Rough-leg of 2025 was a Schoodic Island bird back in January, scoped from the Blueberry Hill parking lot on the Schoodic Peninsula Loop Road.

My (likely) last Rough-leg of the year was seen from the same spot this morning. A scope is mandatory for this bird and distance. Steve Mullane spotted it while scanning the island. It was perched on a bare granite ledge near the eastern (left) point of the island. But it was nearly motionless, and was not silhouetted against the skyline. It merely swivelled its head once in a while. It would have been easy to pass over and not notice it.

No photos. eBird list here.

Craig K

SW Harbor

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[Maine-birds] Red wings

Heard then sighted 6 RWB in trees over feeders here in Saco. 1 Male and 5 females; usually don't more the 1 or 2 females in a group. Sharon in Saco

Sent from my Galaxy

[Maine-birds] Grosbeaks

Small flock of evening grosbeaks at the feeders this morning.

Sarah

Montville

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Friday, 21 November 2025

[Maine-birds] purple sandpipers on the Rockland Breakwater

One of our favorite signs of the oncoming winter: finding Purple sandpipers along the open ocean side of the Rockland Breakwater, foraging amongst the rockweed species as the tide recedes.

Today, around 10 am, we saw our first half-dozen of Fall 2026, scattered along the Breakwater despite the rockweed being submerged by the incoming tide.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and may your winter be full of interesting birds.

Cathie Murray

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Thursday, 20 November 2025

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 11/13-20, 2025

Hi all,

My observations of note over the past eight days, including three days of dedicated rarity-searching in Washington County, is posted here:

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2025/11/20/this-weeks-highlights-11-13-11-20-2025/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Re: [Maine-birds] Red-bellied Woodpecker

We have had a RB woodpecker in Hulls Cove all fall. Tammy

On Thu, Nov 20, 2025 at 9:52 AM David Gulick <dvdgu741@gmail.com> wrote:

We have had Red-bellied woodpeckers (and Pileateds) coming regularly to our suet in Cumberland Center for years. The most recent visits for both species was yesterday. I am quite sure the Red-bellies have nested nearby as we have occasionally had a pair show up and also have seen an adult introducing a juvenile to the suet. We began seeing them for the first time perhaps 5-6 years ago.
The latest surprise was a FLICKER at our suet yesterday!

On Nov 20, 2025, at 9:40 AM, Steve Plumb <steveplumb.me@gmail.com> wrote:

We first noticed a red-bellied woodpecker at our sunflower kernel feeder in 2023 and one returns periodically. Usually several days in a row. Most recently yesterday.

Steve Plumb
Nobleboro

On Nov 20, 2025, at 07:08, Linda Powell <lindaleehunter@hotmail.com> wrote:

We've had a red-bellied woodpecker here three times in the last couple of weeks. It's a first for us at the feeders.

Linda Powell

Skowhegan

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From: 'Jill' via Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 7:05:34 AM
To: Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Maine-birds] Red-bellied Woodpecker

I've been enjoying a Red-bellied Woodpecker at my feeders here in Pittsfield for about a week now - not a common bird in this area.

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[Maine-birds] Pine grosbeaks/ Kokadjo

Only two but the feeders are regularly loaded with Evening Grosbeaks.

Chris

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Re: [Maine-birds] Red-bellied Woodpecker

We have had Red-bellied woodpeckers (and Pileateds) coming regularly to our suet in Cumberland Center for years. The most recent visits for both species was yesterday. I am quite sure the Red-bellies have nested nearby as we have occasionally had a pair show up and also have seen an adult introducing a juvenile to the suet. We began seeing them for the first time perhaps 5-6 years ago.

The latest surprise was a FLICKER at our suet yesterday!

On Nov 20, 2025, at 9:40 AM, Steve Plumb <steveplumb.me@gmail.com> wrote:

We first noticed a red-bellied woodpecker at our sunflower kernel feeder in 2023 and one returns periodically. Usually several days in a row. Most recently yesterday.

Steve Plumb
Nobleboro

On Nov 20, 2025, at 07:08, Linda Powell <lindaleehunter@hotmail.com> wrote:

We've had a red-bellied woodpecker here three times in the last couple of weeks. It's a first for us at the feeders.

Linda Powell

Skowhegan

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From: 'Jill' via Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 7:05:34 AM
To: Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Maine-birds] Red-bellied Woodpecker

I've been enjoying a Red-bellied Woodpecker at my feeders here in Pittsfield for about a week now - not a common bird in this area.

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Re: [Maine-birds] Red-bellied Woodpecker

We first noticed a red-bellied woodpecker at our sunflower kernel feeder in 2023 and one returns periodically. Usually several days in a row. Most recently yesterday.

Steve Plumb

Nobleboro

On Nov 20, 2025, at 07:08, Linda Powell <lindaleehunter@hotmail.com> wrote:

We've had a red-bellied woodpecker here three times in the last couple of weeks. It's a first for us at the feeders.

Linda Powell

Skowhegan

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From: 'Jill' via Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 7:05:34 AM
To: Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Maine-birds] Red-bellied Woodpecker

I've been enjoying a Red-bellied Woodpecker at my feeders here in Pittsfield for about a week now - not a common bird in this area.

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Re: [Maine-birds] Red-bellied Woodpecker

We've had a red-bellied woodpecker here three times in the last couple of weeks. It's a first for us at the feeders.

Linda Powell

Skowhegan

Get Outlook for Android

From: 'Jill' via Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 7:05:34 AM
To: Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Maine-birds] Red-bellied Woodpecker

I've been enjoying a Red-bellied Woodpecker at my feeders here in Pittsfield for about a week now - not a common bird in this area.

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Wednesday, 19 November 2025

[Maine-birds] Red-bellied Woodpecker

Tuesday, 18 November 2025

[Maine-birds] First record of Yellow-bellied x Red-naped Sapsucker, Alna, Lincoln Co.

Jeff Cherry gets the "attention to detail" award for his discovery of Maine's first record of a hybrid Yellow-bellied x Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius x nuchalis). The bird is an adult male in Alna, Lincoln Co. (16-17 November 2025).
https://ebird.org/checklist/S284836916
https://ebird.org/checklist/S284971662

I asked Jocelyn Hudon, curator in ornithology at the Royal Alberta Museum, about the bird, and he replied, in part: "this bird would feel right at home in the hybrid zone in western Alberta." Jocelyn is co-author on a long-term project to study the contact zone between Yellow-bellied and Red-naped Sapsuckers (see Notala et al. 2021).

Red-naped Sapsuckers are medium-distance migrants, whereas Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are moderately long-distance migrants. So it is possible for long-distance movements to be a behavior passed on to a potential hybrid. There are several records of this hybrid pair for Ontario, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont.

Distinguishing Jeff's bird as a hybrid is tentative, but supported by several features. Whether it is a first generation hybrid (so-called F1 generation) or a backcross cannot be determined. First, we would need to know how those are supposed to look, but that remains unknown. The hybrid zone along the foothills of western Alberta combines both early and advanced generation hybrids based on genetic analysis. It seems justified to simply label this bird as a hybrid in the broad sense.

It is highly unusual to have an adult male sapsucker this late in the season here in Maine, and that alone is of interest. The Alna bird shows these characters of Red-naped (nuchalis):

- a small patch of red-tipped feathers on the nape
- a break in black frame around throat at posterior corner
- a few red feathers in the lower rear auriculars

While it is reported that Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (varius) may rarely show red in the nape (see Earl Godfrey's comments in Howell 1952, copied below), that red patch on an adult male combined with the narrowing of the black malar to the point of being broken and invaded with red are nuchalis traits. The back pattern on nuchalis should be two distinct columns of broader whitish bars (Devillers 1970), and the bird in question here is more toward varius in pattern but possibly intermediate. Here are the traits that this bird shows that are typical of Yellow-bellied (varius):

- white supercilium is wide (narrow on nuchalis)
- black post-ocular stripe broad (narrower on nuchalis)
- yellowish tinged bars in messy but slightly divided columns down the back
- limited red throat meeting in clean line at breast shield (red invades black shield on nuchalis)

The Maine Bird Records Committee keeps not only the official checklist of bird species recorded in Maine, but it also has a list of documented hybrid pairs. You can see the impressive list of known hybrids that have occurred in Maine here (scroll to bottom):
https://sites.google.com/site/mainebirdrecordscommittee/official-list-of-maine-birds

For me, having grown up birding in California, the occurrence of hybrid sapsuckers was always a challenge. Leaving Williamson's Sapsucker aside and looking at the Yellow-bellied complex, there are 3 species across 4 taxa that are possible in California (Red-breasted Sapsucker includes two subspecies). Hybrids and backcrossed individuals could occur and pose an identification challenge: Red-breasted (nominate ruber) x Yellow-bellied, Red-breasted (daggetti) x Red-naped, and Yellow-bellied x Red-naped. An early introduction for me to this complex was an important paper by Pierre Devillers in 1970. That was early in our understanding of the contact zones, one of which Jocelyn Hudon and colleagues have documented now over fifty years later (Natola et al. 2021). The other contact zones have been studied over these decades as well.

Thank you, Jeff, for sharing this bird.

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

Literature cited

Devillers, P. 1970. Identification and distribution in California of the Sphyrapicus varius group of sapsuckers. Western Birds 1(2):47–76.
https://archive.westernfieldornithologists.org/archive/V01/1(2)-p0047-p0076.pdf

Howell. T. R. 1952. Natural history and differentiation in the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Condor 54(5):237–282.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/condor/vol54/iss5/1
see page 258 for the following quote:
"Mr. W. Earl Godfrey informs me (in litt.) that in the National Museum of Canada there is only one example of nuchalis from Alberta, and that there are "specimens of varius from localities east of the Rockies which show more or less red coloration on the nape. Such males are from Edmonton and Wood Buffalo Park, Alberta; Flotten Lake, Saskatchewan; Lake Winnepegosis, Manitoba; Kapuskasing, Ontario; and Megantic County, Quebec. The last, incidentally, has the nape more extensively red than any of the other specimens of varius listed above. These birds, as would be expected, show not the slightest tendency toward nuchalis in any other character."

Natola, L., A. Curtis, J. Hudon, and T. M. Burg. 2021. Introgression between Sphyrapicus nuchalis and S. varius sapsuckers in a hybrid zone in west-central Alberta. Journal of Avian Biology 52(8):1–12.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.02717
see page 10 quote:
"Despite meticulous classification, our phenotypic and genotypic classifications were not always concordant. Nineteen AB sapsuckers had genotypic (Q values) and phenotypic classifications that did not accord, with eight phenotypic hybrids classified as genotypic parental types, and 11 phenotypic parental birds were genetically admixed (Fig. 3a, 4)."

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Sunday, 16 November 2025

[Maine-birds] status of Wild Turkey in eBird for Maine

The maps in eBird are relied upon by many to see the distribution of species, and those maps show what is the native range versus areas where a species has been introduced or regularly escaped or released, Ring-necked Pheasants and Northern Bobwhites being example of such releases. The Wild Turkey's former native range included a limited portion of southern Maine before it was extirpated in the early to mid 1800s. To reflect that former native range versus where recent introductions have expanded and flourished in Maine, the eBird maps were recently updated. For a time, the non-native range was erroneously coded as "escapee" status when it should have been "naturalized" and established. That should be rectified soon.

Kyle Lima and I described this issue in recent post to the Maine eBird page:
https://ebird.org/region/US-ME/post/change-to-wild-turkey-status-in-maine

Louis Bevier
Fairfield

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[Maine-birds] Buffleheads, Red-breated Mergansers, Greater Yellowlegs, Basin Cove, Harpswell, ME 11/15-16/25

Greater Yellowlegs - single bird, 11/15/25, Buffleheads over 30 individuals, Red-breated Mergansers - over 80 individuals, Basin Cove, Harpswell, ME 11/16/25

Dr. Jay Pitocchelli, Professor Emeritus
Biology Department
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH 03102

Blog: http://mourningwarbler.blogspot.com/

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Saturday, 15 November 2025

[Maine-birds] Ducks on Sabattus Pond

This afternoon was great for ducks on Sabattus Pond.

Mallard

Black Duck

4 Gadwall

4 Pintail

18 American Wigeon

83 Green-winged Teal

2 Ring-necked Duck

150 Scaup (sp), mostly Lesser, but some Greater

2 Long-tailed Duck

2 Common Goldeneye

7 Bufflehead

10 Hooded Merganser

370 Common Merganser

330 Ruddy Duck

Plus a big flock of Canada Geese.

Loring M. Danforth

Charles A. Dana Professor of Anthropology Emeritus

446 College St.

Lewiston, ME 04240

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Wednesday, 12 November 2025

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 11/6-11/12

Hi all,

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

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2025/11/12/this-weeks-highlights-11-6-11-12-2025/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Tuesday, 11 November 2025

Re: [Maine-birds] Winter duck

Just before dusk on Sunday the 9th there were another 5 Wood Ducks roosting low in a tree by the Hiram boat launch on the Saco River. They all flushed upon close approach. I don't recall ever seeing them this late in the year, although the weather has recently been on the mild side and the river is still free of ice. .Sean Smith

On Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 10:54 AM 'HENRY DONOVAN' via Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com> wrote:

First common merganzers of the season.
A few female wood ducks in with a lot of mallards in the pond
H.Donovan
Long Island
Maine
Sent from my iPad

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Re: [Maine-birds] Winter duck

Pair of hooded mergansers off River road in Hiram.

Sharon-Saco/Hiram

From: 'HENRY DONOVAN' via Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2025 10:54 AM
To: maine-birds@googlegroups.com <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [Maine-birds] Winter duck

First common merganzers of the season.
A few female wood ducks in with a lot of mallards in the pond
H.Donovan
Long Island
Maine
Sent from my iPad

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[Maine-birds] More Kokadjo winter birds

On First Roach Pond:
Buffleheads - 2 groups
Common Goldeneye

Snow buntings

Chris

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[Maine-birds] Winter duck

First common merganzers of the season.
A few female wood ducks in with a lot of mallards in the pond
H.Donovan
Long Island
Maine
Sent from my iPad

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[Maine-birds] Redpolls - Kokadjo

I put my bins on a flock of goldfinches only to discover more than half of them are Redpolls. First I've seen in several years. If I weren't counting birds for Feeder Watch I'd have missed them. Beautiful little creatures.

Chris

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Friday, 7 November 2025

[Maine-birds] white headed house finch

An interesting house finch at the feeder this am. Must have seen a ghost!

Maine eBird Checklist S283312942

Dave Tucker, Wells

Wednesday, 5 November 2025

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 10/30-11/5

Hi all,

Here are my observations of note over the past seven days, with Rarity Season off to a great start!

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2025/11/05/this-weeks-highlights-10-30-11-5-2025/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Wednesday, 29 October 2025

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 10/23-10/29.

Hi all,

My observations of note over the past seven days can be found here:

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2025/10/29/this-weeks-highlights-10-23-10-29-2025/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Monday, 27 October 2025

Re: [Maine-birds] Interesting article on Merlin

My observations have been that when it was first rolled out, the accuracy was good although it would sometimes include non-US occurring and very unlikely species as possible ID's. Then it got better and for a while (sorry, I have no dates) it was working extremely well, with high accuracy. I don't know if somewhere along the line the data set took in a bunch of false ID's from eBird submissions by birders misidentifying relatively common, therefore non-flagged species (so these ID's just weren't scrutinized) but a couple of years ago its results started to get shaky at times. This hypothesis could be completely wrong as I don't know Merlin's inner workings. However, I can say that since it implemented location-based ID's it's often, but not always been spotty and unreliable. Just last week it failed to recognize a loud and obvious Carolina Wren, and this is one of many missed and sometimes completely off-base ID's that have been happening over the past year or more. I would also say that being a bit too strict about individual locations (counties, etc.) has overall undermined rather than strengthened its capabilities. To give an example, if something rare but not impossible (say, a Lark Sparrow) showed up in my neck of the woods, I highly doubt that it would be recognized even with a good recording. Others may of course have completely different takes and results. I'm still using it because its ID capability currently seems fair to pretty good to me.

Sean Smith

On Mon, Oct 27, 2025 at 10:23 AM Jay Pitocchelli <jpitocch@gmail.com> wrote:

Recent article comparing Merlin to human observers - good read.

https://academic.oup.com/condor/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ornithapp/duaf049/8222742?login=false

Should be open access

Dr. Jay Pitocchelli, Professor Emeritus
Biology Department
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH 03102

Blog: http://mourningwarbler.blogspot.com/
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Re: [Maine-birds] Interesting article on Merlin

The results don't surprise me. I've had Merlin lie to me on a number of occasions, and fail to pick up a bird close by that I can hear clearly. This seems to be especially true of Brown Thrasher. The same thing happened to me with a Bullocks Oriole last Spring in New Mexico.

Nevertheless, it's still a useful tool.

Wally S.

[Maine-birds] Interesting article on Merlin

Recent article comparing Merlin to human observers - good read.

https://academic.oup.com/condor/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ornithapp/duaf049/8222742?login=false

Should be open access

Dr. Jay Pitocchelli, Professor Emeritus
Biology Department
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH 03102

Blog: http://mourningwarbler.blogspot.com/

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Sunday, 26 October 2025

[Maine-birds] Bonaparte's Gulls, Basin Cove, Harpswell, ME 10/25/25

5 Bonaparte's Gulls, Basin Cove, Harpswell, ME 10/25/25

Dr. Jay Pitocchelli, Professor Emeritus
Biology Department
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH 03102

Blog: http://mourningwarbler.blogspot.com/

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Friday, 24 October 2025

[Maine-birds] Access to eBird

If anyone can advise me on why I'm unable to access eBird from my computer for the last 4-5 days. Getting the dreaded pinwheel and have to force quit to make it stop.
I've submitted all unsubmitted lists on my phone and still no access.

Appreciate any help on this!

Richard

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Wednesday, 22 October 2025

[Maine-birds] Northern Pintail, Basin Cove, Harpswell, ME 10/22/25

Northern Pintail male, Basin Cove, Harpswell, ME 10/22/25

Dr. Jay Pitocchelli, Professor Emeritus
Biology Department
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH 03102

Blog: http://mourningwarbler.blogspot.com/

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Sunday, 19 October 2025

[Maine-birds] Cooper's Hawk, White-throated, Song, Lincoln's Sparrow, Basin Pt. Rd., Harpswell, ME 10/19/25

Cooper's Hawk, several mixed flocks of sparrows: White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow (near 333 Basin Pt. Rd.), Basin Pt. Rd., Harpswell, ME 10/19/25

Dr. Jay Pitocchelli, Professor Emeritus
Biology Department
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH 03102

Blog: http://mourningwarbler.blogspot.com/

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Wednesday, 15 October 2025

[Maine-birds] This Week's Highlights, 10/8-14

Hi all,

Here are my observations of note over the past seven days, including two Morning Flights at Sandy Point that included a record-breaking day.

https://mebirdingfieldnotes.blog/2025/10/15/this-weeks-highlights-10-8-10-14-2025/

-Derek

*****************************************

Derek and Jeannette Lovitch

Freeport Wild Bird Supply

541 Route One, Suite 10

Freeport, ME 04032

207-865-6000

www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com

****************************************

Monday, 13 October 2025

[Maine-birds] 3 Cooper's Hawks, Basin Cove, Harpswell, ME 10/12/25

3 Cooper's Hawks flying over Basin Cove, Harpswell, ME 10/12/25

Dr. Jay Pitocchelli, Professor Emeritus
Biology Department
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH 03102

Blog: http://mourningwarbler.blogspot.co

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[Maine-birds] Great Egret, Laughing Gull, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-bellied Plover, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Harpswell, ME 10/12-13/25

Great Egret, Laughing Gull, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-bellied Plover, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Mixed flock of Sparrows: Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and Song Sparrow moving along coastline, Basin Cove, Harpswell, ME 10/12-13/25

Dr. Jay Pitocchelli, Professor Emeritus
Biology Department
Saint Anselm College
Manchester, NH 03102

Blog: http://mourningwarbler.blogspot.co

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Friday, 10 October 2025

[Maine-birds] Tropical Kingbird, Scott’s Landing Preserve, Deer Isle 9-10 Oct

Yesterday, John Thompson photographed a yellow-bellied kingbird at Scott's Landing Preserve at the northernmost tip of Deer Isle (https://ebird.org/hotspot/L601522). The bird was briefly entered as a Western Kingbird without photos, then updated to Tropical Kingbird with photos, but later returned to Western Kingbird by the observer.

Photos clearly showed a Tropical/Couch's Kingbird based on the short primary projection, brownish tail with shallow notch, bright yellow underparts, and greenish breast contrasting with whitish throat. Based on that, the search was on.

Today, 10 October, Zach Holderby and others relocated the bird in the same area around the parking lot for the preserve (see map at above link). Zach was able to record the voice, which he and others say sounds like the twittering calls of Tropical Kingbird, a first for Hancock County and the fifth record of this species for Maine.

Maine has a special place in the history of vagrancy by Tropical Kingbirds north of Mexico. The first United States record, and first to establish long-distance vagrancy in the species, was a bird present and then collected at Scarborough, Cumberland Co., 30-31 October 1915 (Norton 1916). As are many of the fall records of this species north into the West and to the Northeast, the origin is from populations that breed in from the southern border of the United States south through Middle America. The Maine bird was ascribed to the subspecies Tyrannus melancholicus satrapa of Middle America, but it is not certain that a west Mexican origin is excluded, those being T. m. occidentalis. The Maine Bird Records Committee accepted this first record in our 11th report (Persons et al. 2022).

Last summer, Maine had a long-staying Tropical Kingbird that went through molt and showed characters of the South American subspecies, T. m. melancholicus, the southern populations of which are long-distance migrants that fly to northern South America for the Austral winter. That is, they are headed north at the beginning of our summer. It appears that several summer records to the Northeast are likely of this origin. The summer 2024 record was discussed in the Maine Bird Records Committee 14th report (Bevier and Persons 2025).

Separation of Couch's Kingbird is still to be pursued for these birds, and there are several records of Tropical/Couch's Kingbirds to the Northeast. For accepted records of Couch's Kingbirds, a recording of the calls is the best. With excellent photos, it is possible to eliminate one or the other species by bill length, primary projection beyond tertials, and primary spacing (similar to how Alder and Willow Flycatchers might be told apart without voice). Records of Couch's Kingbirds to the East and Northeast are mostly late fall into winter. But there is an early September record of Couch's for Massachusetts (7 September 2001). There is also a 15 October 1997 report of Couch's for Nova Scotia at Cape Sable Island, where two observers reported hearing calls matching that species (McLaren 2012).

One last identification issue: these kingbirds hybridized with each other in a narrow area but also with other highly migratory Tyrannus, such as Scissor-tailed and Fork-tailed. There are two November records to the Northeast of Tropical x Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (New York and New Hampshire); so one also needs to be aware of that identification pitfall.

Almost 30 years ago, Steve Mlodinow put together a comprehensive summary of Tropical Kingbird records north of Mexico, and discussed some of the then known vagrant Couch's Kingbirds (Mlodinow 1998).

Maine Bird Records Committee
Tropical and Tropical/Couch's Kingbirds
Available at:
https://sites.google.com/site/mainebirdrecordscommittee/official-list-of-maine-birds/tropical-kingbird

Literature cited

Bevier, L. R., and T. B. Persons. 2025. Fourteenth report of the Maine bird records committee. Bird Observer 53(2):103–109.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aZp0Y3Nt58OkwjPxwAdiQ-MebPakDgSC/view?usp=sharing

McLaren, I. A. 2012. All the birds of Nova Scotia: status and critical identification. Gaspereau Press, Kentville, Nova Scotia.

Mlodinow, Steven G. 1998. The Tropical Kingbird North of Mexico. National Audubon Society Field Notes 52(1):6-11.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/nasfn/vol52/iss1/3

Norton, A. H. 1916. Notes on some Maine birds. Auk 33:376–383.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/auk/vol33/iss4/3

Persons, T. B., T. Aversa, K. A. Lima, M. Weber, and L. R. Bevier. 2022. Eleventh Report of the Maine Bird Records Committee. Bird Observer 50:87–96, 108–109.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AxHV3vybk91YEfgFtdu4U6KpE8AhFoqn/view?usp=sharing

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