On our way to dinner in the Big City last night, Jeannette and I stopped at Portland’s Dragon Field to work on the ol’ Patch List. One of the challenges of patch listing that I enjoy is attempting to fill out the list when you’re approaching the goal – which for me is 150 species in a specific place. I have been sitting at 142 for Dragon Field, and I realized that I was “missing” American Woodcock – mostly from a lack of visiting the park at dusk. So, with the mild evening, no wind, and good timing, we stopped by and I was rewarded with 3 Woodcocks! #143 and counting!

There were certainly lots of birds on the move last night. I birded a number of locations from Yarmouth to Portland this morning, and was impressed by the volume of migrants. Song Sparrows were everywhere! 30+ at the Yarmouth Town Landing, 25+ at Portland’s Dragon Field, 50+ along the Eastern Promenade, around 20 along West Commerical Street, about 15 along the Commercial Street Extension, and small numbers here and there everywhere else.

Newly arrived Eastern Phoebes were here and there, and a Double-crested Cormorant arrived at Bayview Preserve. Seven Wood Ducks were also a joy to see. An overwintering Gray Catbird was still at Dragon Field, as was one that was likely a continuing bird at the Eastern Promenade. A few migrant American Tree Sparrows were around as well.

The highlight, however, was a most unexpected addition to my Eastern Promenade List - #151 to be exact – that was floating off of East End Beach. Looking rather out of place, and rather dwarfed by, a raft of Common Eider was a lone basic-plumaged Ruddy Duck! Although a regular fall migrant on lakes and ponds in Maine, this is a very rare bird on salt water. When I was trying to fill holes in my Prom List, this was certainly not one I thought was a likely candidate.

Finally today, at the risk of jinxing things for tomorrow: I would strongly suggest being out in the field tomorrow morning. The current weather forecast has rain showers arriving after midnight. With a southerly wind continuing, birds will be on the move. Then, if rain develops, the birds will be forced to end their evening’s journey in what we call a “fallout.” Fallouts can mean lots of birds – sometimes in amazing concentrations. Now, as a disclaimer, a lot has to happen to provide the conditions for a fallout. One, the birds have to be in the air. If it has been raining by dusk to our south, then few birds will take flight. Secondly, the rain has to develop and travel over our area. Then, it has to be widespread enough that birds can’t just fly around isolated patches of precipitation. And, it has to start well before dawn – before the migrants settle out of the sky. Yes, there are a lot of “ifs,” but, when those “ifs” line up, birding can be fantastic! Stay tuned!