Birding has a lot to do with luck. Finding rarities often has even more to do with luck. Despite my efforts to find rarities during the recent storm, I ended up finding a rarity when I least expected it.

Instead of birding in the morning yesterday, I got a bunch of work done – including restoring the feeding station here at the store, which was a bit disheveled after the storm! Instead, I left a bit early to check the Abagadasset River in Bowdoinham at low tide. Knowing how high the water is, I was hoping for some shoreline mud as low tide neared. That was not to be – the water was still right up to the road (although, apparently, a couple of hours earlier, it was still rushing over the road!). Only a few Ring-necked and American Black Ducks were around.

Since Sasha, and I, needed an afternoon stretch, I decided to take her for a walk down Brown’s Point Rd. I was hoping for something like a Rusty Blackbird, or maybe a Wilson’s Snipe, but when I came upon a flooded field about half way down the dirt stretch of the road, I found where (many) of the ducks that are usually in the mouth of the Abby are hanging out. Among dozens of Green-winged Teal, bunches of Mallards, American Black Ducks, and some Canada Geese. Out towards the back corner, however, I spied a bright chestnut head with a spiffy creamy-gold stripe through the middle. An Eurasian Wigeon!

Only the second that I have seen in the state, this gorgeous drake was just glowing in the sun (remember what that looks like? I almost forgot!). It was keeping company with 6 American Wigeons. A lucky find indeed!

After watching it for a couple of minutes, a Bald Eagle passed overhead, and the birds flushed, but I soon found the lot in the river just a little further down the road. After going back to the car for my camera (and this time driving up the road), I waited for the ducks to return. Unfortunately, the Eurasian Wigeon did not come back in the short time I had to wait (I had to get home to make sure our power was still off – it was – so I could call Jeannette to pick up a pizza on her way home. And, by the way, as of today, our power was still off. Lucky us!)

This morning’s birding was less eventful, as I visited a handful of Portland locations. My first Northern Flicker of the spring sounded off at Dragon Field, and I flushed a Wilson’s Snipe. Three Fox Sparrows, including one in song, an American Woodcock and a Hermit Thrush – my first of spring – were highlights from Evergreen Cemetery. There wasn’t much at Capisic Pond Park, and there was very little along the Commercial Street Extension. Plenty of Buffleheads and Red-breasted Mergansers were still in Back Cove, but not a whole lot else other than the usual resident gulls. I guess I was trying to hard again today!