On Sunday, I ran a field trip to feature some of the specialty birds of Maine’s southern coast for participants of Saturday’s pelagic who were visiting us “from away.” Our targets were primarily Nelson’s and Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows and Roseate Tern, with a few other species hoped for as well.

We met up at Pine Point in Scarborough, where we enjoyed a significant concentration of wading birds in the narrows at low tide. 69 Great Egrets, 31 Snowy Egrets, 18 Black-crowned Night-Herons, 3 Great Blue Herons, and 2 Little Blue Herons stalked baitfish along the shoreline.

We then proceeded to a “secret” location for the two sparrows, both of which were exceptionally cooperative. We enjoyed at least 2 individuals of each species within 25 or so feet! The day was off to a great start; two target birds within the first ½ hour. Unfortunately, it took us the next 5 ½ hours to see our last official target.

We drove down to Biddeford, checking the Pool and the Beach for shorebirds. There wasn’t much, but really we were just killing time while the tide started to come in at Hills Beach. Over at Hill’s, we did see Roseate Terns – 4 of them – but they were much farther than I would have liked, beyond Basket Island. Plus, with the first juvenile Common Terns already around, the Roseates were a little tough to pick up.

The shorebird diversity on the Basket Island Sandbar, however, was quite good, as the southbound migration is definitely underway. 49 Short-billed Dowitchers, 23 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 16 Black-bellied Plovers, 13 Semipalmated Plovers, 8 Sanderlings, 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 American Oystercatcher, and 1 Whimbrel to be exact.

With the terns getting farther away (our Roseates were feeding with a few dozen Commons), we decided to move on, checking a few other locations along the way back to Pine Point. However, only the Saco River channel - as viewed from a dead-end street in Hills Beach – yielded any Roseates. At least here they were a LITTLE closer.

We finished the day on the jetty at Pine Point, closely inspecting commuting terns, but only more Commons were passing at the time.

Today, I visited a few Portland sites. Each site produced a number of fledglings –
‘tis the season. Capisic Pond Park hosted two drake Wood Ducks in eclipse plumage, and lots of displaying American Goldfinches (while most species are now fledging young, goldfinches are just beginning to nest). I enjoyed 4 Black-crowned Night Herons at Evergreen Cemetery, and then I headed over to Back Cove on the incoming tide.

Although Back Cove was shorebird-less today, I was quite satisfied with the visit. For the second time (the first was in 2005), I was able to confirm nesting of Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows in the little remnant marsh behind the playing fields. As far as I know, 2005 was the first year – in recent memory, anyway – that they were known to breed here. That year, I was able to photograph an adult “Saltie” with its mouth full of tasty insects. An adult non-raptor seen carrying food “confirms” breeding because the only reason that an adult bird would not consume its food right away was if it had a nestufl of hungry mouths to feed.

After taking only three steps into the marsh, a Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow flushed, and perched on a stem of grass, clearly agitated by my presence. I backed away, and watch it for a while. Eventually, I saw it in the open, with a nice plump, juicy grub in its bill. A second bird flew out of the same area as well. The first bird, now relieved of its mouthful perched conspicuously and called rapidly. Good thing I left my camera in the car!

After watching the birds for a little longer from a short distance away, I had figured out which clump of grass they were nesting in. As much as I would love to see the nest of a sharp-tailed sparrow, they are known to run a short distance through the grass before flying to/from the nest, so I couldn’t be absolutely sure where the nest was. I did not want to take the chance of stepping on it, or leaving a scent trail that a predator may use to find it either.

What’s interesting about seeing “Salties” breeding here is that the appropriate habitat is so tiny. And the nest, as it was in 2005, was all of about 15 feet from a very heavily-used multipurpose trail. On top of that, it’s quite far inshore; farther from the ocean than any other Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows that I have seen.