I woke up this morning, and noticed there was no wind. The front hadn’t yet arrived. However, it was cold out, 4 degrees to be exact. I was having a difficult time motivating. However, I promised Sasha a trip to Reid State Park this week – for a long walk and some beach time (we get in as much beach time as possible before most beaches close to dogs on April 1st, which is a rule – to protect Piping Plovers – that I steadfastly respect); it was her birthday yesterday, afterall – and Friday morning wasn’t sounding much nicer. Then, I looked out at the feeder, and a lone Pine Siskin was chowing down on hulled sunflower. It’s the first that I’ve seen in at least 3 months, and the first in a long time on our feeders. I took this as a sign. I donned plenty of layers and Sasha and I headed down to Reid.

I was glad I did. I stepped out of the car, and in the warming sun, I was serenaded by two White-winged Crossbills. Not too far into the woods, two males were singing back and forth, apparently working out their differences about a territorial boundary. Meanwhile, a Purple Finch was belting its own song from nearby. As we walked towards Griffith’s Head, another crossbill, a male, flew by. A Northern Harrier coursed low over the dunes of Mile Beach.

By the time I got back to the car, clouds had begun to build in and the breeze kicked up ahead of the approaching cold front. However, the two crossbills were still singing their hearts out in the woods near the entrance gate.

A quick stop at the New Meadows Ledges in Bath failed to produce any Barrow’s Goldeneyes - just some Commons. A little farther downriver, at the suspension bridge over the Androscoggin in Brunswick, I was surprised to see a Great Cormorant.

My last stop of the morning was the Lower Harraseeket River of South Freeport. Since we failed to get good video for Amy Sinclair’s piece on the birds (which should appear early next week; I’ll let you know when it would be on) yesterday, she asked me to stop by today to see if the birds were close.

I pulled into the Town Landing, and one drake was just off the marina, 30 feet away at most. Figures. I gave Amy a call. “Figures!” she says. She hung up to find an available cameraman. Meanwhile, a Bald Eagle approached the scene.

Many ducks, and all of the gulls, flushed, but instead of chasing away the drake Barrow’s that was still right off of the dock, 2 more drakes and a pair had joined it! The phone rang. It was Amy. She had found a cameraman who could swing by on his way to Augusta. “He’ll be there in 20 minutes . . . Would it be unethical to feed it to keep it around?” she said jokingly. Unfortunately, I had already emptied my pockets of mussels and periwinkles, so there was not ethical dilemma to think about.

Time seemed to stop. I looked at my watch. Only 5 minutes had elapsed. The clouds overtook the sun. The wind picked up. Flurries began to fall. The ducks began to feed. Where was Mike? All the ducks had to do was fly 20 yards and they be in the glare of the diffuse sun; 50 yards upriver, and they be too far. I got worried, I didn’t want to waste their time, and I would have felt bad about calling them up for another distant view of the birds – obviously, it’s not my fault the birds move (they tend to do that), but the tour guide in me doesn’t like to fail on the client’s goals.

The phone rang. “Hi Derek, this is Mike. I’m at Brewer’s.” “I’m just around the other side of the brown building, by the Harbormaster’s office . . . and quickly, they’re on the move!”

Mike set up the camera, and although the birds were now moving farther away, he filmed enough footage – of three drakes swimming together – at a close enough range that he was more than happy. After hearing about the distance that the birds were at yesterday, he was surprised to see them so relatively close now, even if they had moved a little farther by now. So, phew, mission accomplished. Mike packed up and headed out for his next story . . .I went to work (and by now, it was rather miserable out, with thick clouds, heavy flurries, and a blustery wind – the cold front had indeed arrived!).

So, for a morning that I almost stayed in bed through, I had some great birding – Pine Siskin at the feeders, singing White-winged Crossbills, and great looks at Barrow’s Goldeneyes. Tomorrow morning however – with the predicted –10 wind chills, I just might stay under the covers a bit longer and get some inside-stuff done before our upcoming get-away.

Since our winter vacation was limited to a few extra days in Georgia this year, Jeannette and I are going to run away for three days (Sun-Tues) Downeast. We’re staying in Lubec at a B&B which didn’t sound like they were technically open, but decided to welcome us anyway! I’ve never birded Maine east of Cutler, so I am very excited to finally explore the Bold Coast. Campobello Island (New Brunswick), West Quoddy Head, and so on should provide some great birding and scenery – and the weather might not be half-bad either! We’ll even be there for the noteworthy earlier change to Daylight-savings time on Sunday, which was even in the national news yesterday. A full report when we return!