The weak clipper system that was slated to produce 1-3 inches of snow here on Wednesday ended up producing little more than a coating of very wet snow in most places. In fact, by day’s end, most of the fresh snow had melted, as temperature was in the mid- to upper 30’s. I didn’t here anyone complaining.

It was another chilly morning on Thursday. And, for me, the birding in South Portland never really heated up either; I did not encounter anything noteworthy. However, I did spot my first Turkey Vulture of the spring over Wardtown Rd in Freeport in the late afternoon as I was on my way to the farm to pick up our co-op veggies. Another weak low produced a few flurries and snow showers by Friday morning, but at least for now, this recent series of storms have remained weak and moisture-starved. Again, I heard no complaints.

In fact, Friday morning was very spring-like, and the birding was very productive. Temperatures were in the low 30’s, and the wind was very light, making for pleasant conditions as I birded locally this morning, focusing on waterfowl. Birds were clearly on the move today, with small groups of Canada Geese in motion overhead, and a good quantity of migrant waterfowl around. Plus, a few more Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds are returning to the neighborhood.

While there were three Hooded Mergansers off of the South Freeport Town Landing, Winslow Park was more productive today than it has been all winter. Over 300 Greater Scaup, all recent arrivals, have amassed off of the park’s south side, and a single Ruddy Duck, 5 Ring-necked Ducks (my first for the park), and a few more Greater Scaup – were off of the point. One drake Barrow’s Goldeneye continues as well, along with an upsurge in the number of Common Goldeneyes. Long-tailed Ducks were also more numerous than they have been of late, but the number of Bufflehead was down significantly. One immature Bald Eagle passed overhead, while my first Belted Kingfisher of the spring rattled as it flew over the bay.

Finally this morning, I stopped at the Lower Falls Landing on the Royal River in Yarmouth, thanks to a call from Stella. 4 drakes and one hen Canvasback, rather rare migrants in Maine – had dropped in, along with a single drake Ring-necked Duck and three Hooded Mergansers. Not a bad morning at all! Spring is here, or at least almost here. I promise!

And now, for some news and notes:
A recent discovery in France of early bird, or bird-like-dinosaur feathers, encased in amber “highlight a crucial stage in feather evolution.
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As for modern birds, the plight of the Red Knot continues to gain attention. Recently, the American Bird Conservancy and 8 other organizations filed a letter seeking emergency listing of the Red Knot under the Endangered Species Act.

But, there’s some good news, too. First, “public pressure over the fate of one of the world's rarest birds has caused Four Seasons hotels to modify its plans for a new resort on the island of Grenada.” Will it be enough to save this imperiled species?

Meanwhile, “a federal court of appeals has issued a ruling ordering the Federal Communications Commission to carefully evaluate the potential adverse effects of communications towers on migratory birds along the Gulf Coast, from Texas to Florida. A panel of federal judges ruled that national environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act require the FCC to more carefully consider these possible adverse effects in its tower permitting process.” This is a very good first step for minimizing the impact of communication towers, and sets a very important precedent.

And, by the way, TODAY is the deadline for submitting comments to LURC on the Plum Creek Development proposal. It is not to late to have your voice heard. You can email your comments to LURC@maine.gov by 5:00PM TODAY.

And don’t forget, the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch kicks off tomorrow! We are pleased to welcome Dane Ferrell of Corpus Christie, Texas, as our 2nd Official Counter. Dane will be manning the count from 9 to 5, every day (except Tuesdays, when Jeannette and I will give him a break) from March 15th through May 15th. More information about this year’s project can be found here, on our website, and the official hawkwatch web page is www.yarmouthbirds.com/hawkwatch.asp, which included links to all of our data. Hope to see you there!