Just so you don’t think that my birding adventures are always successful (i.e. the first trip to Outer Green Island for the Bridled Tern and the run out to Stratton Island for the Yellow-nosed Albatross), I should mention that the boat that I organized last night to Outer Green Island failed in its mission.

No Bridled Tern. No Peregrine Falcon chaos. No Albatross, Frigatebird, Tropicbird, or anything else that we dreamed of.

So, I am complaining? ABSOLUTELY NOT! It was a beautiful evening, the water was smooth, the Common and Roseate Terns were spectacular, and we spotted an adult Great Cormorant and three drake Surf Scoters – both species rare in summer in Maine. Ok, I’ll also admit that I didn’t drive nearly as far as some of last night’s participants.

Here’s another take on last night’s trip from a friend that I am trying to infect with the birding sickness.

I am complaining though that I wasn’t seawatching from Dyer Point in Cape Elizabeth this morning, with an onshore wind as Tropical Storm Beryl passed offshore. Although it was likely too distant to bring in anything rare, with the recent smorgasboard of rare seabirds, it was probably worth a try.

Instead – after briefly birding Bayview Preserve (three Marsh Wrens this morning) – I stood on line to try out for Jeopardy. Uh, I didn’t make it. Should of went birding!