Today I guided for Sky and Anne from Tuscon, Arizona – and their friend Gussy from Cape Cod. We had a number of target birds, but also a general “birding in Maine” day in mind.

We began at Sandy Point Beach in Yarmouth, hoping for a big passerine flight after last night’s cold front. It was a small flight – about 150-200 birds, but most continued on overhead. The light westerly wind did not push too many birds off into the airspace above Casco Bay it seems. (There was a decent flight moving overhead last night, with 23 calls noted in my 10-minutes of sampling). We only amassed 9 species of warblers – disappointing for me, but not for someone from out West! It’s all a matter of perspective.

Multiple Palm Warblers and Yellow-rumped Warblers, however, were a mixed blessing. One, they are nice to see. But two, they are the latest of our warblers to move through – when they show up, most other have already moved on. However, to remind us it’s still early fall, a single female Ruby-throated Hummingbird was feasting on the Jewelweed. There was at least 20 Red-eyed Vireos around, and they were quite easy to see – you don’t normally look DOWN on Vireos!

Our next destination was Scarborough Marsh. A few quick stops produced little, but our third stop produced excellent scope-views of Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows. Our last stop – the Eastern Rd Trail – not only produced our other targeted sparrow – the Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow, but also provided a side-by-side study of these two species. How’s that for a “lifer” look?

Finishing up the morning, we scoped the salt pannes, picking up 5 Stilt Sandpipers and a juvenile American Golden-Plover, good birds for the state- and trip- lists. And, it was tough to beat the weather. Plus, the beauty of the marsh in fall is undeniable – the spartina is rapidly becoming golden, contrasting with the brightening fall colors of the trees along the edge. Crimson Poison Ivy leaves, and vivid purple New England Asters, along with various white asters and goldenrods present a wonderful palette of colors surpassed only by our birds!