It started out as just a couple of hours of birding in South Portland, but it turned into a half-day of superb birding – but the last two hours were just an unproductive search for a Palm Warbler, but more on that later.

I began shortly after dawn at Bug Light Park. I thought this was a good sign of a great day to come: the first bird I saw turned out to be a late Blackpoll Warbler. The second, right next to it, was a late Pine Warbler. The third (plus) was a flock of 21 Snow Buntings. Wow, what a start. By the time I finished birding The Bug, I was up to 8 species of sparrows! (the Snow Buntings, plus Chipping (getting late), Savannah, Junco, American Tree, Swamp, Song, and White-throated).

Unfortunately, the Bug was where it was at this morning, as the next few stops weren’t too productive. Nothing of note at Spring Point Light, but I did pick up an immature White-crowned Sparrow at a feeder on the Southern Maine Community College campus – my ninth species of sparrow for the day. Fort Williams Park wasn’t too busy, except for a single Pine Siskin and a Carolina Wren near its usual spot there.

Nothing at Pond Cove, little at Joe’s Pond Park, and Mill Creek Cove and Park didn’t produce much, except for a single Yellow-rumped Warbler – suprisingly my only one of the day.

After such a great start with two good warblers, I thought I had a chance for a great November tally (5 would be nice), but I had bogged down now at 3. However, at Hinckley Park, I stumbled into an Orange-crowned Warbler (my third this fall in Maine, quite a few below my average). I had some great looks, and even managed a decent picture through the binoculars of it.

A female Bufflehead in the pond there looked a touch out of place.

Now, with 4 species of warblers and 9 species of sparrows, I decided to call the boss and tell her I’ll be a bit late, as I simply had to shoot for 5 and 10, respectively. In fact, I’m not sure if I’ve done that in November before, and I don’t think I’ve even had 5 species of warblers in a day in November in Maine more than once or twice. In other words – I just HAD to keep birding!

Although I strayed into Cape Elizabeth briefly, it didn’t add a sparrow or a warbler, so I decided to try and pick up one more of each in SoPo. Although quite birdy, the Transfer Station did not produce anything new. Wainright Farm was windy, but there were a handful of birds in the sheltered edges. Unfortunately, I had by now, run out of time – and tolerance of my foot pain, and decided to forgo a hike out to the park’s more productive west side. (Couldn't turn up a Palm Warbler or a Common Yellowthroat, and a Field Sparrow or Lapland Longspur would of carried me to my goal) Oh well, I’ll have to save my 5 and 10 for Sunday – when a bunch of us Rarity-Philes get together for our annual Rarity Roundup.

Seven teams will be out scouring the coast from Portland to Kittery, with Rarity Fever the only justification. You can follow along on our website, as Jeannette will be updating it with sightings as soon as they are called in, beginning at 10:00 – when we open and she has completed here morning’s route.