On Tuesday, Jeannette and I covered Dane’s day off a top Bradbury Mountain. Light and variable winds produced a decent count of 34 migrant raptors. (Don’t forget, daily counts can be viewed at www.hawkcount.org). We also eclipsed 200 birds for the season yesterday, which is a decent tally for this early in our count. Red-shouldered Hawks and Bald Eagle counts are both well ahead of last year’s pace at this time (two of the species we had hoped to tally more of by starting the count 5 days earlier).

Pre-hawkwatch birding was negated by a Rutgers women’s basketball game that didn’t end until midnight, but the end result – RU heading to the Sweet 16- made the sleep deprivation worthwhile. To make up for my late start to the day, I took a ride over to Maquoit Bay in the afternoon, spotting my 32nd Northern Shrike of the winter along Brunswick’s Highland Road. I then took the trail from Bunganuc Rd out to the bay, where over 200 American Black Ducks, 100+ Canada Geese, and about 30 Greater Scaup were present. Then, at nearby Wharton Point, I had a half-dozen more Greater Scaup, 200+ Canada Geese, 400+ American Black Ducks, 75+ Red-breasted Mergansers, and 3 drake Canvasbacks – adding another group to this spring’s exceptional total here in Maine.

Actually, this irruption of Canvasbacks, which is also being detected in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, is nearly unprecendent. Very small numbers of “Cans” occur every year or two in Maine, but it’s usually 1 or 2. Sometimes, we can go for a few years without seeing any. Some birders, who have been birding in the state far longer than I have, have said that the 6 that have been present in Yarmouth is the largest group that they have ever seen in the state. Meanwhile, scattered individuals and very small groups have been seen elsewhere. Unless I’m forgetting some, I believe there have been 16 individual Cans so far this spring!

So, what gives? Got me! My guess however, is that the persistent northwesterly flow has pushed more Cans farther east then their usual migration route takes them (most migrate through the center of the country, with increasing numbers as you move from the Atlantic coast to the Great Plains)? Birds wintering the in Mid-Atlantic states need to head northwesterly to reach the Canadian Prairie Provinces (Cans breed from Central Alaska, east to Nunavut, south to the central Great Plains, and west through the Great Basin; roughly-speaking). Would our preponderance of westerly winds push these birds farther to the east? Or, was the stage set last fall for this more easterly northbound push? If more Cans wintered farther east and farther north than usual, more Canvasbacks would be available to wander slightly off-course to visit us. Or, is it something else entirely different? Greater Scaup, another early-migrating duck in the genus Aythya, have also been a little more common than usual this spring – especially that 300+ that I had off of Winslow Park last week. Is this related?

Anyway, I took a walk this morning at Florida Lake Park. The outlet channel is now open, as is the small pond at the parking area, and each spot held a duo of Hooded Mergansers. The lake itself, however, is still thoroughly frozen, however, but spring was definitely in the air this morning. Flocks of American Robins, Common Grackles, and Red-winged Blackbirds – along with a single Great Blue Heron – were moving overhead on mild (relatively speaking) southwest winds. A warm front passed through last night, producing a thick, wet coating of snow, and a good wind for migrating today.

Although I usually don’t come into the store late on Wednesdays, I just couldn’t resist a couple of hours at the Hawkwatch this morning with such favorable conditions. By 11:00, we had already tallied 21 raptors (including the first Northern Harrier of the season, and my first of the spring) but today, I was just as interested in seeing the passerine flight. And, it did not dissapoint. Between 9:15 and 11:00, I tallied:
477 Common Grackles
104 Canada Geese
74 American Robins
43 unidentified icterids
26 Red-winged Blackbirds
8 American Crows
3 European Starlings
2 Unidentified waxwings
1 Great Blue Heron (my first of the year passed overhead yesterday)
1 Killdeer
1 Eastern Bluebird

So, clearly birds are on the move these days. Furthermore, the number of male Dark-eyed Juncos has dramatically increased in the last few days, and two Fox Sparrows – my first of the year – arrived at our Pownal feeders on Monday.

Meanwhile, this morning we had another visit from the flock of Bohemian Waxwings that has been making regular visits to the hawkwatch. Twice day for the last 5 or so days, the flock – varying in number from 9 to 26 – has been dropping in to feed on Common Juniper berries. They come in, usually from the west, alight on trees at the edge of the summit clearing, and then drop down to feed on the juniper fruits. Each day, a little more juniper is exposed as the snow slowly, but yes, surely, melts, and they make their rounds, working the bushes, almost always in a clockwise direction. At times, the birds are within 25 feet of us, and they have been providing some great photography opportunities. Here’s a few of my better shots from the last few days.

Look, this one is hawkwatching too!