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September 18, 2006
THE BIRD ALERT
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The WESTERN REEF-HERON continues to be seen in New Castle, New Hampshire, by the Wentworth Coolidge Mansion and has been visible from Route 1B near the 1st bridge coming from Portsmouth. A CONNECTICUT WARBLER was banded on Appledore Island on 9/7. York County Unusual birds on Appledore Island this week included 1 immature male HARLEQUIN DUCK seen on September 8 and 10, 1 adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL seen on September 9, 2 YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS seen on September, 10, 1 DICKCISSEL heard on September 9, and 1 LARK SPARROW seen on September 8. Two BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were seen on Ogunquit Beach in Ogunquit on September 9 and 10. Six BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were seen on Moody Beach in Wells along with WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and other shorebirds. A CAROLINA WREN is frequenting a feeder at Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunk. An ACADIAN FLYCATCHER was banded at Laudholm Farm in Wells on September 11. On September 12, a LEAST FLYCATCHER, LINCOLNÕS SPARROW, and an EASTERN TOWHEE were banded. The EARED GREBE that was found at Sanford Sewage Treatment Facility, in Sanford was not reported this week. A molted RUFF was present Saturday, September 9 at Goosefare Brook in Saco. The bird was near the bridge over Goosefare Brook on the ocean side. A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was in the shrubbery at the trail entrance to Maine Audubon's East Point Sanctuary in Biddeford where there was also an immature DICKCISSEL. An immature WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, and a juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER continues to be seen in the wrack at the north end of the beach. Two juvenile WESTERN SANDPIPERS were observed among 400+ SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS and 500+ SANDERLINGS on Biddeford Pool Beach on September 11. An AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER was seen on Hills Beach along with many SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and SANDPIPERS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, SANDERLINGS, a few WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, and a lone DUNLIN. One LITTLE BLUE HERON continued to be seen this week at the Sanford Sewerage facility, joined by a second one on the 8th. An AMERICAN COOT stopped by the Sanford Sewerage on September 8. Six STILT SANDPIPERS were there on the 11th, and fourteen SOLITARY SANDPIPERS on the 8th. Two AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were at the Winding Brook Turf sod farm in Lyman. Winding Brook turf is welcoming birders to bird their property, but you must call in advance: phone 207-499-0162 for permission. The farm is along Route 111, 1/8 mile west of its junction with Route 35. Scarborough Marsh Area Three BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were feeding on the athletic fields on Wainwright fields in Scarborough on September 9. Two BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS, 31 WHIMBRELS, 1 STILT SANDPIPERS, and 2 LONG=BILLED DOWITCHERS were seen in the marsh off Eastern Road and an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER flew overhead on September 10. Greater Portland and Western Maine A CAROLINA WREN was seen in Falmouth Foreside, and a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW landed briefly in a yard elsewhere in Falmouth. Some highlights from a Portland birding trip include: 1 DICKCISSEL at the Dragon Field, 1 PHILDELPHIA VIREO at Evergreen Cemetery, and 3 LINCOLN'S SPARROW, 1 calling VIRGINIA RAIL, and 1 YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT at Capisic Pond Park. The CHAT was in a large, wide hawthorne on the pond-side of the trail, about half way between the park's southern end and the trail out to Machigonne St. Early morning birding continues to be productive at Sandy Point Beach on CousinÕs Island in Yarmouth. About 700 passerines passed over and through on the 10th. Over fourteen species of warblers were seen as well as RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, LEAST FLYCATCHERS, COOPER'S HAWK, AMERICAN PIPIT, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, SCARLET TANAGER, and ROSE=BREASTED GROSBEAK. One day of hawk watching on September 10, at Bradbury Mountain in Pownal yielded 748 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 16 OSPREY, 2 COOPERÕS HAWKS, 1 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, 2 BALD EAGLES, and 2 AMERICAN KESTRELS. On September 11, a flock of 12 AMERICAN PIPITS was feeding on the fields on Mayall Road on the Gray/New Gloucester line while 30 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS soared overhead. Two BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were at the lagoon in Sebago Lake State Park on September 12. Five BOREAL CHICKADEES and one singing WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL were found on a hike up Old Blue Mountain near Andover. At Saddleback Mountain along a ridge on the alpine meadow there were 6 BOREAL CHICKADEES, 5 WHITE CROWNED SPARROWS, and 1 MAGNOLIA WARBLER. Midcoast An AMERICAN BITTERN visited FreeportÕs Florida Lake Park (off of Route 136, Delorme Map 6: C-1) on the 9th a MERLIN was seen in Brunswick. An immature GREAT CORMORANT was at Reid State Park in Georgetown on September 12. On Monhegan Island there were LARK SPARROW, PRAIRIE, CAPE MAY, PALM, WILSONÕS WARBLER, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, CAROLINA WREN, BROWN THRASHER, VEERY, INDIGO BUNTING, SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, COOPERÕS HAWK, MERLIN, AMREICAN KESTREL, and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON along with several other species. Central Maine A WHIP-POOR-WHILL was seen in Wilton. Two AMERICAN BITTERNS, 2 WARBLING VIREOS, and 1 TENNESSEE WARBLER were found in Dixmont. In Bangor there was 1 BONAPARTEÕS GULL. A single BLACK VULTURE was circling low above the harbor at Bar Harbor on the afternoon of September 13. A flock of 100+ NORTHERN GANNETS were working over a school of fish 2 miles off Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park on September 12. Large flocks of immature and female COMMON EIDERS were all through Frenchman Bay the past week with numbers of mature males beginning to show up. Long vee's of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were moving south along the coast out along the 50 fathom line with a few flocks closer inshore, just off Schoodic Point on September 12 and 13. Most BLACK GUILLEMOTS are in winter plumage, some groups numbering 40-50 individuals were off Long and Bald Porcupine Islands and Ironbound Island. HERRING GULLS have left the nesting grounds on Egg Rock with only immature hanging around the nest area. At dusk however 1000+ HERRING and GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS return to the island from all parts of the bay. Two OSPREY fledglings have left the spindle nest south of Grindstone Neck in Winter. Twelve fall plumaged BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS were seen at Fawn Pond Acadia National Park on September 12. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW at a feeder in Bar Harbor on September 13 was unexpected. Eastern Maine Twenty RED CROSSBILLS and a GRAY JAY were found in Wesley on September 9. Northern Maine In Fort Kent a WINTER WREN, RED-EYED VIREO, and BLUE-HEADED VIREO were seen on September 10. RUBY and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS were seen in Houlton along with OVENBIRDS, MAGNOLIA WARBLERS, and BROAD-WINGED HAWKS. Action Alert: maineaudubon.org Help Protect Redington, Stronghold for Bicknell's Thrush Prime nesting habitat for the Bicknell's thrush, a rare mountain bird, will be destroyed if a wind-power project proposed for the high mountains of western Maine is approved. The ecologically sensitive Redington area is one of the few places on earth where Bicknell's nest. It is no place to clear-cut, bulldoze, and blast to make way for a poorly sited industrial project. Maine Audubon is working to help wind-power projects get approved in Maine-but we oppose the Redington project. Please attend the Redington hearings on August 2 & 3 and tell Maine's Land Use Regulation Commission that Redington is extraordinarily special and not the place for an industrial wind-power project. More info is posted here: maineaudubon.org or contact Maine Audubon's grassroots coordinator at activist@maineaudubon.org.
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