Thanks for the Atlas tips, Doug. A note regarding bald eagles:
- MDIFW is thoroughly monitoring bald eagle nests as part of the every 5-year post-delisting process for this species.
- We have a pretty good handle on most nesting eagle pairs in the state, so request caution of observers getting too close to these nests for recording purposes. If you feel you have a new nest, I recommend contacting your regional wildlife biologist (like me in southern Maine) for guidance.
www.maine.gov/ifw
- For those interested in the nesting pair of bald eagles in York Harbor, please do NOT try to approach this nest by trying to get a closer look on Route 103. We have received many calls and complaints of people causing traffic delays and problems with birders getting too close to this nest. We flew over this nest a few weeks ago and it was active then. An influx of folks trying to get closer looks and photos can be counter-productive and even result in nest abandonment. The same goes for the nest at the Prouts Neck golf course in Scarborough. When bald eagles were recovering in the 80s and 90s, we recommended a 650 ft buffer for disturbance purposes. Though our intentions are mostly altruistic, if observers get too close, it can result in poor outcomes. Please take your photos from the parking lot on the eastern side of 103.
Exercise common sense and we can enjoy the birds while they provide us with enjoyment during the critical breeding season.
Thanks,
Brad Zitske
MDIFW
Hi everyone:
Heading into the last weekend of April I wanted to pose a couple Maine Bird Atlas challenges to all you birders:
1) Find American Woodcocks displaying.
2) Report occupied Bald Eagle nests.
3) Check on nest boxes.
Eastern Bluebirds have already been nest building in a few blocks, and Tree Swallows shouldn't be too far behind. I also saw a report of an active Wood Duck box this past week so watch for them coming and going to boxes. Don't forget that all species count, even House Sparrows taking over boxes should be reported.
I picked up a couple new confirmed breeders today:
The Herring Gulls in Portland have been pairing up over the past couple weeks and I observed a pair copulating on my apartment building's roof on Tuesday. But the real excitement came this morning when the pair was gathering nesting material from the side of the street:
https://ebird.org/atlasme/view/checklist/S44998117Both of these birds are ahead of their safe dates but remember that probable and confirmed breeding code supersede safe dates.
And it is good to double-check that your checklists with breeding codes get entered into the Maine Bird Atlas portal. I wrote up some quick instructions on how to change any of your eBird checklists with breeding codes into the atlas portal here:
https://ebird.org/atlasme/news/changing-portals.
Good birding and happy atlasing!
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