On Sunday, I finally recorded my 150th bird in Portland’s Dragon Field, an immature White-eyed Vireo. This milestone “finished” off my goal of 150 species at this patch. While I am by no means “done” birding here – 150 species without any real body of water shows the value of birding here – it does mean I will be putting more effort into other patches.

I like patch listing because it give motivation on otherwise unmotivated days, it tests one’s knowledge of habitat (in choosing a patch), it minimizes chasing (as opposed to something like year-listing), and – most importantly, I believe – it maximizes how much one can learn about the seasonal ebb and flow of local birds by repeatedly checking the same place. As a patch list nears completion, it often becomes challenging to fill in holes on the checklist, or predicting the next addition, or focusing effort on a particular species. As if I really needed an excuse to go birding, Patch Listing provides many excuses. Plus, it satiates my apparent minor case of OCD.

Over the course of 6 years of birding Dragon Field, I have seen some great birds: Northern Shoveler (1 flyover), Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2), Short-eared Owl (1 or 2), White-eyed Vireo (1), Carolina Wren (multiple occasions), Orange-crowned Warbler (5+), Vesper Sparrow (1 or 2), Grasshopper Sparrow (1), Dickcissel (probably 20+ individuals), and Orchard Oriole (one pair seen repeatedly last year). But the sheer volume of regular migrant sparrows, in late September and October, is the real highlight of this place.

I have also learned a lot about this patch – which corners are best when, when’s the best time to look for what, etc. Plus, I have been able to witness, and in some cases document, the changes that have occurred. At Dragon Field, for example, I can quantify how mowing regimes effects species, how invasive plants have had an impact, etc. Basically, I think Patch Listing teaches me a lot more than just what birds can be seen where – but also why and how those birds are seen where, and when.

When we lived in Portland, my patches were Dragon Field, the Eastern Promenade, and South Portland’s Bug Light Park. I hit the 150 species goal for the Eastern Promenade shortly after moving to Pownal, but I gave up my Bug Light list as to minimize the amount of times I drove to South Portland, and in part due to the limitation of the birding potential here, especially after the cleared out half of the trees in half of the park. But, like Dragon Field, I continue to regularly bird the Eastern Promenade, and have since built that list up to 157 species, with such highlights as Tricolored Heron (1 flyby), Lesser Black-backed Gull (1 on many occasions over the course of 4 years), Short-eared Owl (1), Carolina Wren (multiple occasions), Orange-crowned Warbler (suprisingly many, at least 10+ individuals over the years), Yellow-breasted Chat (2), and multiple Dickcissels (probably 10+ as well) over the years. Meanwhile, the occasional spring or fall fallout of migrants, a smattering of shorebirds, a good mix of waterfowl, and good numbers of gulls in winter (Including Iceland and Glaucous), keep me coming back for more.

But, now that my Dragon Field Patch List has been “completed,” (although I will no doubt add to it in the future), I will now set my sights at a new, second, local patch list. Now that I live in Pownal, I don’t want to drive to Portland as often, and I’d rather bird locally. The first Patch List that I began was Hedgehog Mountain Park in Freeport, which currently stands at 122 species, with such highlights as Northern Saw-whet Owl (1), Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1), Yellow-throated Vireo (1), Mourning Warbler (1), Northern Shrike (1), Clay-colored Sparrow (1 territorial bird 2 summers ago), a Rusty Blackbird on a January Christmas Count, and multiple Evening Grosbeaks on a few occasions. This patch list will continue, although it – like Dragon Field – is hampered by a lack of significant water.

So, the question now becomes – what’s the next patch to list. The qualities of a good patch are: 1) Close to home or work. 2) Diverse habitat. 3) Easy to check in an hour or two before work. 4) A place that I can also walk Sasha. 5) Not too crowded. 6) A potential for rarities.

The first feature quickly narrows down the choices, and each successive characteristic further limits the choices. Using these guidelines, I narrow down the candidates. Then, I went through my notes, and made a current checklist of observed species for each to gauge both what I have seen and what the potential may be. I also noted “good birds” that I have already seen in each. So, here goes (in no particular order).

1) Winslow Park, South Freeport:
-Current Count: 108 species.
-“Good Birds” to date: Barrow’s Goldeneye, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Shrike, Bohemian Waxwing.
Positives:
-Nice shoreline habitat with mudflats for shorebirds.
-Great in winter for ducks, including the southernmost wintering flock of Barrow’s Goldeneyes on the East Coast.
-Good geography for migrants and rarities.
- Potential outside of winter season not fully explored.
Negatives:
- Too crowded in summer with campers.
- Dogs must be on leash in summer.
- Horribly “managed” habitat offers little to hold migrants.
- Entry fee Memorial Day through Labor Day – I’d be willing to pay it if the management of the park improves.
- Few migrants seen to date (see above).
- Limited rarities to date.
- Popular with waterfowl gunners.

2) Pineland Farms, New Gloucester:
-Current Count: 98 species.
-“Good Birds” to date: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Northern Shrike, and Dickcissel.
Positives:
- Nice accessible farmland and farmland edge habitat.
- Good breeding birds: Alder and Willow Flycatchers side-by-side, Wilson’s Snipe, Bobolink, Savannah Sparrow, American Kestrel, Eastern Meadowlark.
- Snow Buntings are regular in late fall and early winter.
- A very attractive, and pleasant place to walk.
Negatives:
- Dogs no longer allowed.
- No real open water limits potential.
- No significant geography for concentration of migrants or vagrants.
- No single “hotspots,” need to check all of the edge to find migrants.

3) Bradbury Mountain State Park:
- Current Count: 103 species.
- “Good birds” to date: Snow Goose, Rough-legged Hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Sandhill Crane, and Black Vulture – all from Hawkwatch.
Positives:
- Only 3 miles from home.
- I’m there all the time in the spring hawkwatch season anyway.
- Almost anything is possible as a flyby from hawkwatch.
Negatives:
- Crowded in summer, especially with mountain bikers.
- Non-diverse habitat.
- Few birds in winter.
- Only so many species in the summer.

4) Bayview Preserve, Yarmouth.
- Current Count: 127 species.
- “Good birds” to date: Carolina Wren, Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow, and Seaside Sparrow.
Positives:
- Close to store.
- Diverse habitat: woodlands, small pond, small salt marsh, river edge, and some riparian scrub.
- Very good in migration, including some huge numbers of common birds.
- Very good count of species to date.
Negatives:
- Very slow in winter.
- Suprisingly few “good” birds to date.
- Most regular, expected migrants already tallied.

5) Florida Lake Park, Freeport:
- Current Count: 118 species.
- “Good birds” to date: American Bittern, American Coot, White-winged Crossbill, Red Crossbill, and Pine Grosbeak.
Positives:
- Small lake, with marsh and scrubby edge.
- Nice mixed woods with good amount of spruce and fir.
- More “northerly” habitat.
- Some huge fallouts of common birds, especially in early spring (Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers)
- Finch-tastic!
- Sasha loves swimming here.
- 12 species of breeding warblers.
Negatives:
- High water from rain and/or beavers can flood the best sections of trail for long periods of time.
- Very little in winter when finches aren’t around.
- Ridiculously buggy at times to the point of discomfort. I don’t really like to douse myself with bug dope – even the great natural stuff we use – in the morning and spend all day with it on. Deer flies get so bad that Sasha doesn’t want to get out of the car at times.

6) Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth.
- Current Count: 145.
- “Good birds” to date: Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Carolina Wren, Orange-crowned Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Blue Grosbeak, Dickcissel.
Positives:
- Great morning flight in fall; I’m going to be here multiple times a week anyway!
- Some great birds on the list already; almost anything is possible.
- A little effort in late summer for shorebirds and winter for waterfowl will quickly build the list. 150 could be surpassed in less than a year, I think.
Negatives:
- All regular migrant passerines already seen.
- Very few, if any migrants in spring.
- Very limited birding in winter and summer.

7) Old Town House Park, North Yarmouth.
- Current Count: 109.
- “Good birds” to date: Swallow-tailed Kite, Sedge Wren, and Evening Grosbeak.
Positives:
- Good diversity of habitat, including fields, woods, riparian edge.
- Some great birds already seen.
- Already over 100 species with relatively little effort to date (much less than any of the above locations).
- Few people and dogs, Sasha loves running around the fields here.
- New park; true birding potential not known.
- Sparrow-rific!
Negatives:
- No significant geographical concentration mechanisms for migrants or vagrants.
- Some very slow visits here when it should have been “good” and was good elsewhere.
- If mowing regime was as often as it was last year, the summer and fall habitat would not have been anywhere as good as it has been this year.

So, there it is. As we can see, each location has some positives and negatives. I simply can’t decide. Therefore, for now, I think I am going to simply make sure I visit ONE of the above once a week until I come to a conclusion. That will give me some more data, and will help build each respective list. I’ll simply put off the decision for a while.

Meanwhile, I did hit Florida Lake Park this morning, although there wasn’t much around. A flock of 75-100 American Robins were feeding on Winterberry, some Yellow-rumped Warblers worked the edge, and one lone Green-winged Teal loafed on the water. Not a whole lot else, however (and no new additions to the fledgling pseudo-patch list).

A check of the radar from last night, however, showed that there was plenty on the move on calm to light and variable winds:
10pm:

1am:

5am:

As for tonight, I'll be glued in front of the tube for the Rutgers vs #2 South Florida game on ESPN. This is a make or break game for my Scarlet Knights!