Yesterday, I spent another productive morning out in Scarborough Marsh. This time, it was guiding for Jack who traveled all the way from Hawai’i to do some birding in Maine (and visit friends, too). In one of those small-world-kind-of-things, Jack lives on the Big Island, where he moved after spending 18 years working in Central New Jersey. After 21 years of living in Central New Jersey, I took a job on the Big Island of Hawai’i (but only for 4 months!). It’s not too often two people birding in Maine talk about the Akiapola’au (one of the rarest birds on the Big Island), the Palila (the bird I studied there), and Loco Mocos (the lunch meal that I ate far too many of while I was there)! One of the things that I really like about private guiding is meeting new, and interesting people, and it often amazes me just how small this world really is.

(So, when I decided to look for a photo or description of a Moco Loco to include here, I was quite pleased to find a "Food Blog from the Big Island" that included an entry on Moco Locos at Wailoa State Park. I actually had visited Freddy's a number of times when I was there, and I saw a vagrant Greater White-fronted Goose that was at the State Park at the time, and after talking to Jack yesterday, I found out that that bird was actually still there! Then I started perusing the entries about Ice Shave, etc, bringing back yet more great memories! But, I digress . . .)

Our goal this morning was primarily Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows, and once again these two species politely cooperated in Scarborough Marsh, providing more crippling views. A quick stop also provided Jack with his “lifer” Common Eider. When we first talked on the phone, I said – upon his inquiry about these species – that “there are few guarantees in life, but this might just be one of them!” Luckily, I didn’t have to eat my words! My only real problem this morning was that within all of about 30 minutes in the marsh, we had nailed the target birds! Oh well, guess we’ll just have to go birding now!

A great look at a Virginia Rail that walked out into the open at the Pelreco building was a surprise, and a nice bonus highlight. We then drove down to Biddeford Pool, and we rewarded with a pair of Long-tailed Ducks – very rare in summer; this was a most unexpected “tick” - and then as we headed back north, a quick stop at Yarmouth’s Pratt’s Brook park finally produced an Alder Flycatcher – Jack’s 5th life bird of the day. He was happy, so therefore I was happy, and so it was a successful trip.

Changing gears a bit, I thought a recent statement from the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) regarding wind energy projects was extremely timely here in Maine. I strongly urge everyone to give this brief statement a read.