Other than a few stops to scan the water while passing by on Rte 302, I have never really birded Sebago Lake. Furthermore, I can’t seem to remember ever seeing any posts from the lake. So, Jeannette and I decided to spend our day off exploring the area.

We grabbed our trusty Delorme Greater Portland map and circumnavigated the lake, poking down side roads, visited boat launches, and just looking for good birding spots. We scoped the water wherever possible, and took walks at St. Joseph’s College, the Otter Ponds Trails, and Sebago Lake State Park. We thoroughly enjoyed the day: finding new places, seeing some ducks here and there, and just learning more about the area. Plus, it wasn’t even raining! (The only real shower of the day came while we were inside eating lunch – very good timing indeed).

Our waterbird totals for the day are as follows:
Canada Goose: 97
Mallard: 14
Bufflehead: 2
Common Goldeneye: 85
Hooded Merganser: 51
Common Merganser: 1
Red-breasted Merganser: 8
Common Loon: 3
Horned Grebe: 1
Great Blue Heron: 1
Ring-billed Gull: 19
Herring Gull: 7
Great Black-backed Gull: 1
Belted Kingfisher: 1

While we didn’t see a ton of bird today, daydreams of things like Yellow-billed Loon and Long-billed Murrelet danced through our minds, and we learned some good places (lots of notes on the map now) to keep checking. Ya never know! Hey, have any of you birded the area? Know any good spots worth sharing? Any good birds?

I had two good days of birding Sunday and Monday. On Sunday, I guided for a client from Colorado, and on Monday, I added American Avocet to my Maine State List.

I met Sarge at 6:30 am at Portland’s Back Cove, and we spent the day birding from Cape Elizabeth through Wells. Sarge has not birded the East Coast before, so the common birds that we in Maine often take for granted (like Common Eiders) were “life” birds, and our goal for the day was to spot, study, and photograph seaducks and other species that cannot be found in Colorado. We visited various Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough sites, checked out the Biddeford Pool area, and then worked our way to Wells, totaling 53 species for the day (without really trying to “add” birds to pad the day list).

We both thoroughly enjoyed the day, despite the gray skies limiting Sarge’s photography opportunities. While the highlights for me were sightings such as the two Redheads still in Grondin Pond, and close Razorbills on the water at Dyer Point and Biddeford Pool, Sarge was even happier with close views of Purple Sandpipers, Brant, and Common Eiders (and the Great Blue Heron that just stood in the grass at Wells Harbor, allowing for full-frame shots!)

Bird Flu Blog Comment.

I just wanted to share a comment that I received all the way from Hong Kong in regards to my October 28th blog entry regarding the hysteria about Bird Flu. I do suggest having a look at Dr. Williams’s website for more information.

“Good to see this post - there's indeed way too much hysteria.
Yes, no reason to panic for birders (I say this as a birder living in
Hong Kong - where we've had a few wild birds with H5N1, all very sick
or dead).

Seems H5N1 is efficient at killing wild birds, so natural selection (is)
halting them (from) spreading the nasty forms of bird flu (which mostly
spawned and spread in poultry).

You may also find info re wild birds and h5n1 on my website useful.

Best regards,
Martin Williams

hkoutdoors.com: enjoying and protecting wild Hong Kong
drmartinwilliams.com": writing, photography, conservation - and H5N1
and Wild Birds Forum"

Photo of Freeport hybrid Goldeneye.

A few days ago, local wildlife photographer Bill Hartwell snapped a few pictures of the apparent hybrid Barrow’s x Common Goldeneye hybrid that I saw yesterday at Freeport’s Winslow Park. Folks on my birdwalk this morning joined me in studying the bird some more. Comments are most welcome.

No day of birding is a bad day of birding, and despite the blustery morning, I just had to head out (and at least work off some of yesterday’s gluttony!) for a little while this morning. Since it is, afterall, the busiest shopping day of the year, I didn’t have too much time – as much as I wanted to, I wasn’t going to get to Wells to look for the 5 American Avocets reported yesterday – but a couple of hours are better than nothing.

Staying closer to home (as I will likely have to do most days for the next month of the holiday shopping season – not that I’m complaining about being busy at the store!) I ventured over to Winslow Park in South Freeport. While the woods were quiet (just the usual mixed flock of resident species), duck numbers are rapidly building offshore. There were lots of Bufflehead, Long-tailed Ducks, and Common Eiders. 2 Red-throated Loons, a lone Surf Scoter, and 24 Bonaparte’s Gulls were also seen.

At the point, 16 Dunlin and 6 Purple Sandpipers – a winter treat at in-shore Winslow Park - were on the exposed rocks, and then I spotted what I first thought was the first Barrow’s Goldeneye of the season. But, when a Common Goldeneye surfaced nearby, my supposed Barrow’s seemed to be about the same size (Barrow’s are noticeably smaller). I took a closer look.

The wings looked like a Barrow’s Goldeneye, featuring little white windows framed with black on the scapulars. There was the Barrow’s-esque black spur on the side of the chest. But, the head and bill shape were like a Common. The white face patch was reminiscent of the shark’s tooth-shape of the Barrow’s, but more rounded at the top and bottom, and much wider in between. Therefore, after a long (and rather chilly in that wind and 20 degree temperatures) study, I concluded that this was in fact a hybrid between a Barrow’s and Common Goldeneye.

I have seen such hybrids before, they’re not exceptionally rare (they’re pictured in your “Big Sibley” field guide), but this one was a bit odd, even for a hybrid. Previous hybrids that I have seen are often a bit more Barrow’s like in size and head shape, but more Common-like in wing and side pattern. This bird was essentially the opposite. While only a DNA test would confirm my hybrid conclusion, it provided a great study, and a good example of the lesson that I always preach about how much we can learn anytime we’re out in the field.

It was another lousy day on our day off yesterday, but, the worse the weather, the better the seawatching, so Jeannette and I went down to Dyer Point, Cape Elizabeth to spend the morning under the shelter of the porch at the Lobster Shack (I’m really grateful for those folks!). Unfortunately, the winds were more northerly than easterly, so the flight was not as heavy as we had hoped. In an hour and a half, we tallied 17 species (complete list and totals below), with highlights including 3 female Harlequin Ducks on the water, 2 Brant on the rocks, two Black-legged Kittiwakes, and a steady trickle of Red-throated Loons.

After that, we checked Grondin and Prout’s Ponds in Scarborough. 2 Redheads, 14 Ruddy Ducks, and 5 American Coots were in Grondin, while Prout’s held one lone Ruddy but 18 Hooded Mergansers.

This morning, in our season’s first snow, I had 2 Common Redpolls fly over me at my local patch, Hedgehog Mountain Park in Freeport – hopefully a sign of things to come.

Speaking of the first snow of the year, this is a great time to be checking the visitors to your feeding station closely! While today’s coating didn’t bury too much, we are expecting a few inches over the next couple of days. Groundfeeders such as native sparrows will come out of the fields for seeds such as white millet, any lingering insect eaters (yes, that includes rarities!) will be attracted to suet - especially suet with insects added, like our WBC Insect Suet Cake, or even peanuts and sunflower seed. Meanwhile, our common backyard denizens will also be looking for the easy fat and protein sources that quality bird seed offers, so visits to feeding station by everything from Chickadees to Downy Woodpeckers will often increase as the quality of the weather decreases!

Ed and I spent this beautifully warm, calm (the calm before the storm) morning birding a few sites in Cape Elizabeth. It was a very quiet morning, but the pleasant weather was sufficient to keep the spirits high. We birding Kettle Cove (increasing numbers of ducks), Crescent Beach State Park (a few American Tree Sparrows and a late Gray Catbird), Great Pond (duckless), and Village Crossings (a few White-throated Sparrows and American Robins).

A more noteworthy event, however, occurred yesterday morning. For the first time in over 2 months, I DID NOT GO BIRDING! Usually, Jeannette and I split Sundays, but she had the day off today to make up for my day off for the Rarity Roundup. So, I actually had to show up on time! Therefore, I slept in (a little) for a change, and relaxed in the morning eating pancakes while watching the feeders (And of course, I also spent time in front of the window at the store, so I guess I couldn’t make it through a whole day without some bird watching) and then getting yard projects done – like setting up the heated birdbath and cleaning feeders.

And finally, it seems that my prediction for the end of the Great Northeast Cave Swallow Invasion of ’05 came to fruition. Bad news for birders, but good news if you are a bird that needs to feed on aerial insects! It seems the last of the Cave Swallows have moved out, with the last reports being singles at Pemaquid Point and York Beach between 12 and 1 on Friday. I have not heard of any reports from anywhere else in New England or Maritime Canada this weekend either. However, with the southerly winds ahead of the approaching storm, there’s always a chance for some more to be blown in. I’ll be waiting!

And, if you are looking for something to do Tuesday evening, Merrymeeting Audubon is hosting a program by Norman Smith of Massachusetts Audubon on the charismatic Snowy Owl. Norman will be discussing and showing photographs of his work coordinating a long-term research project studying the migration pattern and ecological requirements of this species, especially by working to put satellite transmitters on Snowies wintering at Boston’s Logan Airport. The program is at 7:00pm ay the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick. See you there!

I just couldn’t resist the urge to make another visit to Fort Foster in Kittery. Yeah, I know I said my rarity fever was cured, but well, I lied. Rarity Fever is incurable!

With my friend Sean visiting for a night and morning of birding on his way home, we decided to spend the day in the Kittery area. Although Sean will be seeing Cave Swallows in his back yard in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley in a week or so, he certainly was excited about seeing one astray here in Maine. Plus, there’s been some other great birds there (Black-headed Gulls in particular, a species rapidly becoming a nemesis for me in the state!) and Fort Foster is such a great place to bird, that it seemed like an ideal outing for the morning (plus it’s one hour less of driving for Sean in the afternoon!)

We arrived at Fort Foster at about 7:45. It was butt-cold (scientific term). We spent over an hour waiting for a Cave Swallow to appear, but alas, none were to be seen. Were the Cave Swallows still in their roost? Did they migrate south? Did they survive the night?

Fort Foster always holds a surprise or two, and today was no different - a late Marsh Wren, 4 migrant Eastern Bluebirds, 2 high-flying Common Ravens (unusual along the immediate coast this far south), and two late Red-winged Blackbirds. But, we left Fort Foster swallow and Black-headed Gull-less and headed to Seapoint Beach. We stopped at a neighborhood feeder that some incredible birds have been reported from, but we only saw the usual cast of characters – although it was a very birdy place. Over at Seapoint: no swallows or Black-headed Gulls there either, but a high flying migrant Osprey was a surprise – about a month later than the last one that I have seen. That, and a trickle of Sharp-shinned Hawks over the distant treeline was a sign that raptor migration was not yet completely over.

Back at Fort Foster as the tide came in (hoping to see a Black-headed Gull or two within the flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls that build there to feed at high tide), I notice Don’s car in the parking lot. Sean and I got to the beach, and were enjoying the Bonaparte’s Gulls (and looking for the Black-headed) when I spotted Don up ahead, rounding the corner. Sean, and the scope, stayed behind, while I ran to catch up to say hello of course – but really to find out what they had seen! No Swallows for Bob and Don either, but as we were yapping, a bird flies by. CAVE SWALLOW!!! The bird zips by, only about 25 feet away, just over the rocks, hurdling at about 20-30 miles per hour and in a split second it rounds the corner, heading towards Sean.

With rarity season winding down, what is a vagrant-loving birder to do? As always, plenty! While rarities will become fewer and farther between over the next few weeks (although there are still Cave Swallows in Kittery – and I have to get back down to visit with them!), it is still a great time to be out birding.

Waterfowl are on the move, and large concentrations of ducks can be found - such as at Sabbattus Pond, Cobbosseecontee Lake, and almost anywhere along the coast. Waterfowl are great birds to study and enjoy – they’re big, they tend to sit still longer, and most are relatively easy to identify! On the other hand, many are extremely attractive, a lot of fun to watch, and yes – there are rare ducks to be found! Diving ducks such as Common Goldeneyes and Bufflehead are building, seaducks, such as Common Eider and Harlequin Duck are massing, and dabbling ducks, such as American Black Ducks and Mallards are on the move – heading south before their freshwater habitat of choice freezes over.

While most of our passerine migration has passed us by, we may still see a big movement of finches. Our “winter finches” including Common Redpolls, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Grosbeaks, and Red and White-winged Crossbills usually don’t begin to move until late in the fall or early winter. In some years we have more of these seed-eaters than others, depending on natural food sources to our north and west. If preferred plants have produced a good seed crop, we will see few or these more northerly birds in the winter. If crops to our north are poor, or get used up quickly, more birds will head south to grace us with their presence. Fruit eaters such as Bohemian Waxwings and American Robins may also spend the winter with us, depending on fruit resources. If small mammal prey is scarce, we may be able to enjoy Snowy Owls, Rough-legged Hawks, and maybe even some of the rarer winter owls, such as Great Gray and Boreal. (See my blog entry for October 24)

And before we know it (less than a month now), it will be time to begin our scouting for our local Christmas Bird Counts (more on that in the next few weeks). I like Christmas Bird Counts (I usually participate in 3-4 each year!) for two reasons. 1) Everybody counts! Since we try and tally every species in a given area, everything from a Chickadee and a crow to a first state record, all count for the tally. 2) The challenge of finding new birds and new hotspots within a territory that you have covered annually for years. 3) Rarities! With so many birders out checking so many places, a number of goodies are always found!

So, once again, I strongly recommend not putting you binoculars down yet! Just add a couple of extra layers, and you’ll be good to go. See you out in the field!

Cornell’s Project Feederwatch is a great way to make your feeder visitors “count.” Project Feederwatch is basically a winter-long, continent-wide survey of feeding station visitors. For a small ($15) registration fee you receive instructions, an identification poster, a wall calendar, a bird feeding guide, data forms, and a quarterly newsletter.

I believe that projects such as these, collectively referred to as “citizen science,” are of tremendous value. Observers collecting the data learn about identification, status, distribution, and population trends. Researchers can use this data in broad-scale, long-term trend analysis projects. Data can be entered on-line or by mailing in paper data sheets.

One of the best features of Project Feederwatch for participants, and everyone else, is the on-line data exploration page which lets everyone view data summaries, maps, and graphs all assembled from the data sent in by Feederwatch participants. More than 10,000 people now participate, providing for a lot of great information on backyard birds.

With my rarity fever cured (for now) I avoided the temptation to go back to Fort Foster, where 3 Cave Swallows were observed Monday afternoon. Since they were seen late in the afternoon, it was likely that they would roost there (or nearby), so this was the best opportunity yet to “chase” one. However, the thrill of discovery is sweeter than the thrill of the chase, so instead of heading south Jeannette and I headed north to do some relaxing duck-watching. (FIVE Cave Swallows were in fact seen this morning, by the way.)

Overcast skies and calm winds made viewing conditions optimum, and the precipitation was kind enough to hold off until the end of our morning’s outing. We began at Cobbosseecontee Lake in Western Kennebec County. Redheads have been sighted with unusual frequency here this fall, and we saw 7 of them. We tallied 14 species of waterfowl, plus a few other waterbirds, on Cobbo and many of the smaller lakes and ponds in the area, just about all of which held at least a few Hooded Mergansers, which was nice, especially since this is Jeannette’s favorite duck. (My favorite, Ring-necked Duck, was in short supply today).

After working that area, we headed over to Sabbattus Pond, which had a much larger number of birds, including a very impressive 337 Ruddy Ducks and a raft of 186 Scaup (mostly Greater, but some Lesser as well)

Our totals for the morning are as follows. The first number is for the Cobbosseeconte area, the second total is for Sabbattus Pond.

Canada Goose: 37/0
Wood Duck: 1/0
American Black Duck: 6/8
Mallard: 24/116
REDHEAD: 7/0
Ring-necked Duck: 2/0
Scaup (both Lesser and Greater, we did not take the time to identify each one): 25/198
Bufflehead: 32/22
Common Goldeneye: 1/45
Hooded Merganser: 44/13
Common Merganser: 2/76
Red-breasted Merganser: 0/1
Ruddy Duck: 8/337
Common Loon: 9/4
Horned Grebe: 0/2
American Coot: 2/10

Rich, Luke, and I were on a mission today. We were going to find a Cave Swallow. With one seen yesterday in Ogunquit, multiple reports in Massachusetts, and another at Odiorne State Park in New Hampshire, we knew this would be the day. The weather was perfect (it was nice to start out overdressed on November 13th in Maine!), the swallows were around, and we had a plan. Lysle was in Cape Elizabeth, Eric was in Biddeford Pool, and so we headed south.

We decided not to chase yesterday’s Perkin’s Cove, Ogunquit sightings because it had not been seen since late in the morning. Cave Swallows, like all other swallows, are diurnal (during the day) migrants, and that bird could have been in Massachusetts by now. Instead, we hatched a plan to let the swallows come to us. We would put ourselves in the best positions possible, and watch, and wait. We chose 4 promising sites: Fort Foster in Kittery, Seapoint Beach in Kittery, York Beach, and Perkin’s Cove in Ogunquit. Our plan was to stay in one spot at each place for one hour, scanning the skies in all directions. Each location was chosen for its geography, wrack-lined beaches (with numerous insects), and good sight lines.

Our first stop was Fort Foster. We stationed ourselves at the edge of the wrack-covered beach bordering the marsh. Lots of flies in the seaweed (2 “Western” Palm Warblers and 2 Yellow-rumped Warblers feeding on them was a good sign), the marsh for further foraging, and a good view of the coastline and treeline. We set up scopes, and we waited. Layers were shed, Bonaparte’s Gulls were photographed, and optimism abounded. But, alas, no Cave Swallow.

The next stop was nearby Seapoint Beach. The sheltered cove is ideal, the wrack-strewn beach and salt marsh there provided food sources, and there’s an excellent view of the sky. (In fact, Seapoint Beach was atop many birders’ lists as the most likely place for the first Cave Swallow to be found in Maine). We took up positions along the berm that separates Seapoint Beach from Crescent Beach to the south. Facing north, we had a view of the entire beach, marsh, cove, and over the distant treeline.

And then we waited. And waited. Optimism began to wane. Luke went to check the brush at the point, and Rich and I enjoyed a couple of “Ipswich” Savannah Sparrows. 40 minutes had gone by, and we began our plans to head to our next stop. And then, it happened . . .

Double AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH! It's Saturday, the store is busy (good thing - not complaining) but I can't leave and there's a CAVE SWALLOW being seen and photographed in Perkin's Cove in Ogunquit!!!! Jeannette won't let me close to store!!!! PLEASE, PLEASE let it be there tomorrow morning - I'll be there at dawn!

Another day, and another day without a Cave Swallow. They’ve got to be here! A ridiculous 135 were in Cape May yesterday (where I saw my first Cave Swallows when I worked there a handful of years ago), 5 were in Lynn, Massachusetts, and 1-2 were in Gloucester (should have been visiting my in-laws this week!). This morning, at least one was as close as Salisbury, MA.

But, despite my best efforts again this morning, I did not see one in Maine. I began in Biddeford Pool, at East Point Sanctuary. (Lysle began in Scarborough, and we kept in touch in case either of us hit paydirt). Ya know, it was rather cold out there at the point this morning, and there weren’t all that many birds around at all, let alone swallows. A Fox Sparrow and a few Yellow-rumped Warblers were about it, but grebes, loons, and ducks are definitely increasing offshore.

A long loop through the neighborhood produced two Rusty Blackbirds, a late Red-winged Blackbird, and a tardy Chipping Sparrow. Just a few Black-bellied Plovers and a couple of Sanderlings left on Biddeford Pool Beach, but a vocalizing Carolina Wren at the parking lot there was a nice treat. In the marsh behind Hattie’s Deli, a flock of 11 Snow Buntings were joined by a single Horned Lark and Lapland Longspur. But, no Cave Swallow

A visit to Fortunes Rock Beach, and the series of three freshwater ponds there was more successful. My consolation prize for the day’s effort was a Redhead (my first in Maine) that had been reported there a few days ago. In fact, I haven’t seen a Redhead in 5 or 6 years, so I thoroughly enjoyed a great look at the drake, hanging out with a pair of Ring-necked Ducks – my favorite duck species. A successful “twitch” as the Brits would say!

At Hill’s Beach a Common Merganser in the surf within a raft of about 50+ Red-breasted Mergansers was an unusual sight. Taking the long way home, brief checks around the mouth of the Saco River in Camp Ellis, Goosefare Brook, and a quick spin at Pine Point – just in case – were similarly devoid of Cave Swallows unfortunately. There’s always tomorrow!

*No Cave Swallows for you (me)!
I spent this morning, once again, in pursuit of Cave Swallows. I birded some of the sheltered coves and old forts (where they could potentially roost) in South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. I began at Bug Light Park (“Ipswich” Savannah Sparrow, ~30 Horned Larks, Merlin), then to Spring Point Light, followed by Willard Beach (more Larks, ~40 Red-winged Blackbirds), Pond Cove (quiet), and Fort Williams Park (Merlin, Ruby-crowned Kinglet), but alas, no Cave Swallow. I’ll have to try again tomorrow!

*Rarity Fever Continues.
As food for thought, some of the rarities that have been found in the last few days in surrounding states include Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cave Swallow, Franklin’s Gull, Purple Gallinule, and Western Kingbird in Massachusetts, another Franklin’s Gull in New Hampshire, and Summer Tanager, Western Tanager, and Townsend’s Warbler in New Brunswick.

*The United States Forest Service has recently new regulations that are supposed to protect habitat, wildlife, private property, and people from unauthorized, renegade all-terrain vehicle abuse. This is a major issue, but one that has received little media attention, especially compared to such issues as ANWAR. However, the Forest Service is charged with maintaining “multiple uses” in each forest, not allowing one specific interest – whether it’s birders or ATV users – to dominate policy and the land. Learn more about this very important issue at www.naturaltrails.org

*ANWAR safe- for now.
Late last night House of Representatives leadership pulled the provision to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWAR) to drilling from the budget bill they are now debating. However, the fight is not over. The Senate version does include the shortsighted drilling in ANWAR provision, and this could still be included when the House and Senate meet to hammer out a final budget bill next month. Maine Congressman Tom Allen has been a vocal opponent of drilling in ANWAR, Representative Mike Michaud continues to vote against it, and Maine’s two Republican Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snow have crossed party lines to (unsuccessfully) strip the Senate budget bill of the ANWAR provision. We should be thankful that Maine’s delegation has the vision to see beyond the short-term profit of the oil industry at the expense of one of the most amazing places on Earth. (One year’s supply of oil 6 or 7 years from now is just not worth it!) . Write, call, or email them to thank them for their continued support in protecting ANWAR, and urge them to keep up the good fight and vote NO on the budget reconciliation if drilling in ANWAR is included:

Representative Tom Allen
1127 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6116
rep.tomallen@mail.house.gov

Representative Michael Michaud
437 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
rep.mike.Michaud@mail.house.gov

Senator Susan Collins
461 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-224-2523
(web form)Collins.senate.gov/low/conactemail.htm

Senator Olympia Snow
154 Russel Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5344
Olympia@snowe.senate.gov

Last month, I mentioned by quest for Rufous Hummingbirds in Maine. This month’s target is Cave Swallow. Over the last few years, Cave Swallows have become regular in the northeast in late October and early November. It is now annual in small numbers in Cape May, NJ for example.

These birds that are expanding their range north through Texas, usually winter in Mexico and Central America. However, increasing numbers are heading “the wrong way” and wandering north (instead of south) into the Upper Midwest. Once there, strong cold fronts help push them to the East Coast. Some of these birds apparently then travel south, possibly heading back to where they came from in a giant clockwise circle. Although they have occurred to our west, north, and south, Maine has yet to have a record for this species. And, this year seems as good as any, if not better – unprecedented numbers are being seen to our southwest - just a strong cold front away from getting here. Hundreds have been seen recently in upstate New York and Ontario, including an amazing 579 at Hamlin Beach, Ontario. 54 were in Cape May two days ago, and nearby Plum Island, Massachusetts hosted four just yesterday! There’s got to be at least one for us in Maine!

Therefore, Jeannette and I, like a number of other birders were out yesterday looking for Cave Swallows along the coast. We began at Fort Foster in Kittery, and worked our way north through York Beach and into Cape Neddick. A late Blackpoll Warbler at Fort Foster was a good find, but no Cave Swallows. As we were about to leave Seapoint Beach (after finding another Blackpoll) we had one heck of an adrenaline rush! SWALLOWS! In my excitement I hastily pulled the trigger and yelled “CAVE SWALLOWS!!!” But, alas, they had dark rufous throats and long forked tails. Barn Swallows. 7 of them, actually. While ANY swallow is a rare bird in Maine in November, I was crushed. So close, yet so far!

No Cave Swallows at York Harbor, or York Beach, or Cape Neddick (two Rusty Blackbirds were nice to see), so we headed home to vote (Happily, Question 5 securing 12 million dollars to preserve open space passed easily) and actually get something done around the yard. When I got to work this morning, there were messages on voicemail and email – 2 Cave Swallows were spotted over Pine Point in Scarborough! AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH! (Congrats to Randy, however!) Guess I’ll have to go find the state’s second record!

Rarity Fever is spreading! Forget this Bird Flu hysteria, the joy of birding – especially searching for the unexpected - is spreading like wildfire. Yesterday 7 teams of 15 birders scoured the coast between Portland and Kittery in search of vagrants in the Second Annual Rarity Roundup.

I organized this event last year (I can’t take credit for the idea, I “borrowed” the Rarity Roundup name and idea from folks in the Mid-Atlantic) as a way of getting a coordinated effort to find and tally unusual birds, late lingering migrants, early northern arrivals, and anything else of note. Basically, it’s an attempt to census rare birds. As I have been mentioning (harping on?) late October through mid November is Rarity Season, so we conducted the Rarity Roundup once again on the first Sunday in November. It’s an excuse to get out to scour the Maine coast with a fine-toothed comb looking for birds with good friends, and then drinking a few beers at the end of the day talking about what we had seen! All day long, we were in constant contact via cell phone, finding out what other teams were seeing, coordinating coverage, and preparing for the next call that would make everyone abandon their routes and head for the “Mega.” As each team contacted me with good birds, I passed those sightings along and called Jeannette at the store. After Jeannette covered a few Portland sites prior to opening (someone has got to keep this place running!), she manned the phones and immediately posted noteworthy sightings onto the Bird News section of our website. Therefore, all other birders could stay tuned to the finds of the day, either to enjoy “armchair birding” in the warmth and dryness of their home, or to monitor the discoveries to plan their next chase.

Most of the teams had a fantastic day, despite the weather. Hey, it could have been a LOT colder, and a lot wetter! The fog and drizzle prevented seawatching, but our total of species was probably somewhere around 125 for the day (I’m still receiving and tallying data sheets) with a number of excellent discoveries. I won’t rehash all of them here, so if you are interested you can take a look at the Southcoastal Maine Rare Bird Alert Special Edition.

We really needed one extra team this year, and one team could not spend the whole day, so I was forced to do my best Tom Delay impression (minus the illegal stuff) and gerrymander the coverage routes in order get all of the prime sites between Scarborough and Portland checked. John and I did most of the Portland Area, but then did the northern half of the South Portland Area. It was “urban birding” at its best. John, a Rarity Roundup rookie, enjoyed some of the nooks and crannies that I took him too that he never knew about despite having lived in the area for 30 years! Some of the best birds are often found off the beaten path, and that is one of the reasons to have so many people out on the same day.

We began at dawn at Portland’s Eastern Promenade. Poor visibility limited our duck and gull observations, but we did locate two Fox Sparrows – a long overdue addition to my Eastern Promenade list, which now stands at 149 - so close to my goal of 150! An addition for my original Maine Patch List was a great way to start the day for me!

Don’t forget to take a break from treating your Rarity Fever to hit the polls on Tuesday to vote YES ON 5. Voting yes on Ballot Question #5 will secure a “12,000,000 bond issue to purchase land and conservation easements statewide from willing sellers for conservation, water access, wildlife and fish habitat, outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing, farmland preservation and working waterfront preservation to be matched by at least $7,000,000 in private and public contributions."

Voting “Yes on 5” is crucial to securing funding for the very popular and successful Land for Maine’s Future Program. Extremely valuable bird (and everything else) habitat will be protected with this money, so I ask everyone who has an interest in protecting birds and open space in Maine to vote “Yes on 5” on Tuesday. I also suggest contacting your local representatives and tell them that the $12 million bond is only a start – long term funding of the Land for Maine’s Future program is essential to our quality of life in Maine – and our quality of birding life!

Speaking of birding, I spent the morning birding the Portland Peninsula. A Merlin and an increasing number of Red-breasted Mergansers, Long-tailed Ducks, and Common Loons were at the Eastern Promenade. 2 Hermit Thrushes were seeking shelter in the First Parish Church Memorial Garden on Congress Street, and a small flock of Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows were in Deering Oaks Park.

There are a number of maladies that can afflict a birder at various times of the year. “Warbler Neck” is one, which is caused by spending day after day in May looking straight up into the tops of the tallest trees staring at warblers actively foraging from branch to branch. And, at this time of year, some of us also come down with a case of “Rarity Fever.”

Rarity season peaks in late October and early November in Maine, and we are in the thick of it now. Countless work hours (often reported as “some kind of 24 hour flu”) are missed as birders call out sick, struck by debilitating bouts with Rarity Fever. Treatment for such cases usually involves long drives and life birds.

I’ve got “Rarity Fever,” and right now I’ve got it bad! For me, it’s not just about adding a new bird to one of my lists. The thrill of discovery, the element of surprise, the thrill of the chase is all part of it, but for me anyway, I am simply fascinated with the as-yet-not-even-somewhat-understood causes of vagrancy. Why did the Cape Elizabeth Black-throated Gray Warbler fly east instead of south. Why did that Scissor-tailed Flycatcher end up flying north? Weather and geography play a role, but other things are occurring inside a birds head, possibly never to be revealed. The presence of such birds, as the B-T Gray cannot be explained by geography or unusual weather alone. There’s an element of mystery to it that we do not understand, and that fascinates me.

Any peninsula, any island, any patch of distinct habitat, even any well-stocked backyard feeding station could draw something unexpected at this time of year. There is no “bad” place to be birding right now! In just the last 3 or 4 days, Maine has been surrounded by the discovery of a number of great birds: Franklin’s Gull, Black Skimmer, American White Pelican, and MacGillivray’s Warbler in Massachusetts; the continuing Black-tailed Gull in Vermont; Chimney Swifts, Black Skimmer, White-winged Dove, and Cattle Egret in Nova Scotia; Chimney Swifts, Franklin’s Gull, and Rufous Hummingbird in New Brunswick. Let’s go Maine, we’ve got some catching up to do!

A life bird this week (the Black-throated Gray) was invigorating, the big miss (the Scissor-tail) only further fueled the fire, and the current weather pattern (persistent and strong southwesterly winds followed by a series of cold fronts) is encouraging. Now is the time to find the “good ones!” So, why are you still reading this, go out birding!

No rarities this morning at Reid State Park in Georgetown by the way, but I did enjoy a pleasant diversity of birds. Lingering shorebirds included 27 Black-bellied Plovers, 12 Semipalmated Plovers, 2 Greater Yellowlegs, and 97 Sanderling. Seaduck numbers were increasing offshore, as were Common Loons, and both Horned and Red-necked Grebes. One American Tree Sparrow joined the handful of Dark-eyed Juncos, one Swamp Sparrow was present, and 7 Snow Buntings were on the beach. Two migrant immature Northern Harriers passed over Georgetown on my way home as well.

It was a perfect day for a hike on our day off yesterday. Finally! Despite being in the midst of Rarity Season, I pulled myself away from the coast, and Jeannette and I headed west to the mountains. We headed for the White Mountain National Forest, and chose one of our favorite little loops at Blueberry Mountain.

Mostly deciduous forested mountain-sides are not the birdiest places to be in November, but we didn’t care – how can you complain when you wish you had worn shorts on November 1st? A few groups of Black-capped Chickadees and Golden-crowned Kinglets were encountered, especially in the hemlock groves on the slopes and the spruce-pine woods on the summit. Scattered pairs of Blue Jays and the occasional Downy and Hairy Woodpecker were seen, two Ruffed Grouse were flushed, and a pair of Common Ravens soared over the summit – seemingly enjoying the weather as well!

And, the sight of Mount Washington (while walking to lunch in a shortsleeve shirt in North Conway, New Hampshire) with the foreground hills still coated in oranges and gold was simply breathtaking!

Here's a picture that I took of the Cape Elizabeth Black-throated Gray Warbler on Monday. It's not the world's greatest shot, but I was satisfied, considering that I took it by holding my digital camera up to my binoculars!