Maine birds And MOAC mountainbiking

Tuesday, 12 September 2023

[Maine-birds] Birds of Monhegan book, Facebook page and Monhegan WhatsApp group updates

I hope the following updates are allowed by the admins. If not, please delete.

I am very excited to finally announce, after many years in the works, the publication of The Birds of Monhegan book. It is 288 pages of all things birds on Monhegan, including history, locations, and accounts of the 336 species recorded on the island – illustrated by over 250 color photos, all taken on Monhegan, by a number of photographers, including Geoff Dennis, Doug Hitchcox, Luke Seitz, Bill Thompson, Jeremiah Trimble, myself and others. Hot off the presses, there is a print run of 100 limited edition hardcovers and 500 softbound. You may get more details to purchase a signed copy directly from me at brett.ewald90@gmail.com ($55 softbound or $74 hardcover, including shipping) - or visit www.birdsofmonhegan.com to learn more about it (the buy now is not yet active there). While softbounds will be available at the website, retail outlets (including some on Monhegan) and Amazon in the near future, hardcovers will only be available directly from me. I'll be on the island with softbound copies September 17-20 (after the hurricane 😊), so maybe I'll see you there!

There is also a new The Birds of Monhegan Facebook page to let birders share their sightings and stories from Monhegan, and keep everyone updated on the status of the birds there. Hope you'll join us!

The Monhegan Birds WhatsApp Group continues as a great way to share sightings (bird alert) while on the island, especially uncommon and rare birds, or to follow when you wish you were there. To join, download WhatsApp onto your phone and send me your phone number so that I can add you to the group.

Hope to see you on Monhegan!

Brett

716-628-8226

brett.ewald90@gmail.com

--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/maine-birds/cba2e122-ddb9-42e3-b2d0-b68d363fee54n%40googlegroups.com.

[Maine-birds] Worm-eating Warbler on Monhegan Island

Hello Maine Birders,

The fog, rain and east wind has kept the birding conspicuously quiet on Monhegan Island the last couple of days but our second walk of the morning today turned out to be a good one. Unquestionably, the highlight was a Worm-eating Warbler at Whitehead. Description of the bird and the full list of species can be viewed here:

https://ebird.org/checklist/S149727802

Other highlights were: White-winged Crossbill, Lark Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow and Philadelphia Vireo.

Good birding,

Eric

.....................

Eric Hynes

Brunswick, ME

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

Field Guides Birding Tours

www.fieldguides.com

--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/maine-birds/CAPpN%2B3FBzQdViChR%3D%2BA3P1B0UnK0gcA0WgzebV35Ytf-BX5uXw%40mail.gmail.com.

[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

There's a very heavy movement of migrants this night. Conditions are perfect for sizable fallouts.
It's worth checking favorite locations, in particular, those locations where migrants are arriving after a flight over water.

--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/maine-birds/1c3b1c1f-9c08-4e9a-b760-1f131355f4a7n%40googlegroups.com.

Monday, 11 September 2023

[Maine-birds] Western types of Red Crossbills in Maine this summer

For the last month there's been an irruption of two western types of Red Crossbills into southern and central Maine. Red Crossbills can be found in white pines when they have a heavy cone crop, which they do this year. They will likely stick around at least until the end of September.

The Finch Research Network and other researchers such as Dr. Cody Porter (see post on July 17) are actively studying these different crossbill types (some of which may prove to be separate species). The ones in Maine this summer are our typical Type 12 (Northeastern), Type 2 (Ponderosa Pine), and Type 4 (Douglas Fir). The latter two are typically found out west but have come east in search of conifer seeds. All but one eBird list with Type 4 crossbills comes from this summer, as you can see from this eBird map.

Researchers are very interested in documenting where the different types are seen and heard. The only reliable way to do this in the field is to record their calls (particularly flight calls) and send the eBird list with the recording to info@finchnetwork.org. After it is typed, you can change the species in eBird to that type. Recording from your phone in Merlin Sound ID will work fine but you need to be quick with flyovers (kip-kip, kip-kip, kip-kip). Researchers are particularly interested in documenting what species of conifer the different types are feeding on, if you see them actually feeding on cones. If you can document a pair with audio of them, or even better evidence of breeding such as feeding young, that's a bonus. The Finch Research Network describes the current Crossbill Foraging Project and how you can contribute.

Myself and several other birders have been looking for different crossbill types over the past month, and have found three types in multiple counties from Bangor south. They should be in Cumberland County but none have been documented yet (in an unusual occurrence, they're now better documented in Androscoggin County!). There's also a lot of gaps in the midcoast and other parts of central Maine. A couple good ways to narrow a search are to look at a map of recent crossbill reports of Red Crossbills (most don't have types associated with them). Another very helpful resource is a map that Christine Murray prepared which shows areas with pine trees and boundaries of conservation areas. Large stands of big white pines are the best bet.

If you're interested in some good articles on the Red Crossbill types, these are from the Finch Research Network: (1) An article on the current irruption of western crossbills into the east; (2) the newly designated Type 12 Northeastern Red Crossbill; (3) A primer on Red Crossbill types and the conifers they feed on; (4) Red Crossbill types core zones of occurrence, irruption, and what their calls look like.

Hope you can get out to enjoy this fascinating species, it may be a long time before western types of crossbills are numerous in Maine again.

Glenn Hodgkins

--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/maine-birds/CACVp6kO64x0jyB5k6%2BDtKceX-hh8Vk4gkEpfu%3Da4FTHz-E0BUw%40mail.gmail.com.

[Maine-birds] Solitary Sandpiper (2x!)

The solitary sandpiper stayed on the raft until dark. It preened, slept and poked between the slats for 10 hours.

This morning, there are two!

Susan Bloomfield

Kenny DeCoster

--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/maine-birds/CAKKtH2XnABAs6LDQw2gTXOscsQd-KVtbfqc6FKbzkBb7gq7wzQ%40mail.gmail.com.

Sunday, 10 September 2023

[Maine-birds] Solitary Sandpiper

A solitary sandpiper has been on a small wooden raft on our pond in West Kennebunk for almost three hours. I took as good a picture as I could holding an iPhone up to a scope if anyone needs to see it.

Susan Bloomfield

Kenny DeCoster

--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/maine-birds/CAKKtH2VECRQyhRH-tQW5L9v0%3DRqw8nX3sv_Z0AWjpts%2BGHC1zg%40mail.gmail.com.