This morning, my friend Cameron Cox – who’s one of Nikon’s excellent “Birding Market Specialists” and I visited Scarborough Marsh. Unfortunately, we spent about half the morning in the car waiting for rainshowers to pass (and trying to watch terns in the Pine Point Narrows through the rain and the windshield wipers). In the light showers early this morning, we birded a few locations that kept us close to the car. No Yellow-crowned Night-Heron – a bird I have yet to see in Maine but was reported the other day – behind the Clambake, but I did see my first Solitary Sandpiper of the fall. Pelreco and Dunstan Landing produced the usual cast.

After the heaviest of the rain passed, however, the birding was fantastic. We walked the Eastern Rd Trail out into the salt pannes. Nelson’s and Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows were incredibly active – a real treat for Cameron, as they really seem to love this drizzly, damp weather. Unfortunately, because of the rain delay, we reached the pannes as the tide was already racing out, so many of the shorebirds had already dispersed to tidal feeding areas. We did enjoy 3 spiffy Stilt Sandpipers however, plus about 150 Least Sandpipers, 40-50 Short-billed Dowitchers, 10-15 Lesser Yellowlegs, 6 Semipalmated Sandpipers, and 5 Greater Yellowlegs. Southbound shorebird numbers are really on the rise now!

Then, as the mudflats of the Pine Point Narrows were exposed, we shifted to the feeding areas, and had a great tally from Pine Point, including a goodly 6 Whimbrel and the local pair of American Oystercatchers. The rest of our totals we pretty good as well, for this time of year, including about ~180 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 125 Short-billed Dowitchers, ~120 Least Sandpipers, 20 Lesser Yellowlegs, 10 Semipalmated Plovers, and 4 Greater Yellowlegs. We also watched a hen Gadwall struggle to lead her 5 very young ducklings upriver into the marsh against the strong current. Somehow, with much effort, the family reached the safety of the slackwater of Jones Creek.

Cameron is in town for more than just birding, however. He’ll be displaying Nikon’s wares at our store throughout the weekend. He’ll be outside, showing off and demonstrating Nikon products. He’ll be answering any and all questions you might have about Nikon products, digiscoping, and birding – if you have ANY waterbird questions, for example, this is the guy to ask.

In addition to this, Cameron will be joining us for our usual Saturday morning birdwalk (meets at the store at 8:00am, for a carpool to a local park). There, he will help us spot and identify birds, but also demonstrate digiscoping techniques. Then, when we return to the store – by 10:30am – he will be presenting a complete digiscoping program. All of this is free, so if you have any interest in learning more about digiscoping (I know I sure do!), this is the weekend to drop by!

So, if the weekend wasn’t going to be crazy enough with a friend in town and the Yarmouth Clam Fest, we will also be scrambling to prepare (both the store and our luggage) for our 6-day, 6-night Windjammer pelagic birding cruise on the Schooner French that begins Sunday night. We stay onboard Sunday night, but depart Camden on Monday. We then have 5 full days of deep-sea birding before returning to port Saturday morning. This is certainly going to be one heck of a trip, and Jeannette and I (we’re the guides for this adventure) have most definitely been looking forward to this for quite some time. Besides the great birding potential (I sure hope that Red-billed Tropicbird is still on Matinicus!) and the relaxation (will I be able to sit still for 6 days without going insane?), I am definitely looking forward to being disconnected with the modern world for a week. Yipppeee!!!

But, our summer of birding-by-boat is far from over! In August, we have two great trips, which we are now taking reservations for. The first trip, on Saturday, August 4th is our second Casco Bay Terns aboard the Lucky Catch trip out of Portland. Then, on Sunday, August 19th, is our second ½ Day Pelagic, also out of Portland. For more information on both of these trips, see www.yarmouthbirds.com/travels.asp. After the success of the first of each of these trips, we are really looking forward to the second. I hope you can join us!

Speaking of out first ½ Day Pelagic, here’s two more great accounts of our spectacular day:
Dan Nickerson’s Blog
Kirk Rogers’ Photojournal

(And, our store’s big 3-Year Anniversary celebration is on Saturday, August 11th, so mark your calendars for that as well – more details soon.)

So, unless Cameron and I sneak out (and I will have to have packed early, which is not typical for me!) Sunday morning and find something really noteworthy, I will not be in touch until next weekend. So, here’s wishing for calm seas, following winds, and lots of tube-nosed birds! Talk to you soon…