Today was the Brunswick-Freeport Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Rich, Jeannette, and I participated by covering the circle’s area west of I-295, including most of the town of Freeport that’s on the highway’s west side, but also corners of Yarmouth, Pownal, and Durham. It’s a large territory, and the only territory in the circle that does not have any significant open water! In fact, the only open water we have is a little corner of tidal creek at the Yarmouth/Freeport border – but, it once again produced a handful of American Black Ducks, our only waterfowl species of the day.

While we don’t concentrate on waterfowl in our territory, we do concentrate on feeder birds, woodland residents, and finches. Plus, we cover a good amount of quality mixed habitats, from hemlock groves to open farm field to mixed woodlands to suburban backyards. Now, it being winter in Maine, we don’t necessarily see a ton of variety, but we have plenty of fun enjoying our common denizens, from chickadees to Blue Jays.

But today, not only did we have great totals of common birds (count highs for Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and American Robin) but we also had some great surprises. The count’s only Snow Bunting was a lucky find – we just happened to hear it call overhead when we stopped to listen to some Goldfinches. We spotted one Northern Shrike along Webster Road, scanning an overgrown field from its stately perch atop a young white pine. Jeannette flushed a Ruffed Grouse – not a rare bird in these parts, but one of those species that are always a pain in the neck to find on a count day, and this was the CBC’s only one. I happened upon a male Red-bellied Woodpecker stuffing a peanut into a hole in a telephone pole! And then, we finished off the day with 5 Pine Grosbeaks at Freeport’s Florida Lake Park. (Not often you see Pine Grosbeak and Red-bellied Woodpecker on the same day!).

Our tally of 333 Black-capped Chickadees was impressive, and a group of 85 Cedar Waxwings crowded atop a leafless maple made the tree look like it still had leaves (or at least large, upright brownish fruits). 26 Dark-eyed Juncos was a good total for the territory, and we REALLY would like to know what species of sparrow flushed off of the dike at Florida Lake – looks like I’ll be checking that bird out again tomorrow. (It flushed from a small patch of exposed grass into an island of firs and never showed itself again; a rather odd behavior for any of our expected sparrows.)

Christmas Bird Counts are always a good time – a chance to see new places (“I never knew this place existed!” Rich was heard saying a few times), some great birds, but also a chance to really enjoy the common species. On a CBC – every Chickadee, crow, jay, etc., counts!

The totals for our area are as follows:
(** only individuals recorded in CBC circle)
(* high count for individual parties’ territories)

I spent this morning - now having recovered from jet (and airport) lag - socuting for tomorrow's Brunswick-Freeport Christmas Bird Count. Jeannette and I (and Rich will be joining us tomorrow) cover the western edge of the circle, the area inland of I-295 basically from a curving line drawn from the Freeport Visitor Center on Rte 1 through the Desert of Maine through Verrill Road in Pownal, and up to Florida Lake (very roughly anyway). While most of the other count parties will be enjoying the diversity of birds on the extensive shorelines of the peninsulas and islands of upper Casco Bay, Jeannette and I will be lucky to get one or two ducks species (usually American Black Duck and maybe Mallard) on the one little corner of tidal creek that passes under I-295 at the Yarmouth/Freeport line.

But, what we do get to enjoy is the peace and quiet of walking mostly backroads, tallying common yard and feeder birds. The mixed forest and amount of bird feeders in this area are ripe to produce a great tally of winter finches. And, since this is a "winter finch year" we should have some fun! In fact, while scouting the northern half of the circle this morning, I ran into 3 or 4 flocks of Common Redpolls - a very good sign. One flock of 20 were in our Pownal yard, that JUST makes it into the circle! I spent more time driving than birding this morning, checking for new feeders and new plantings, and crossing off shrubby fields that are now new houses. Lots of notes on the map were made this morning, in order to be most efficient and productive tomorrow.

After finishing my scouting for the morning, I took a quick trip down to Portland's Dragon Field, hoping that a Northern Shrike that was reported there two days ago decided to stikc around long enough to be added to my Dragon Field list. It did not. But, the local Red-tailed Hawk pair put on an excellent show, making the trip more than worthwhile.

So, as I prepare to bird the area around the Desert of Maine tomorrow, I thought I share some photos from my trip to the REAL desert! Happy New Year's everyone!

The Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, AZ:

First life bird, Abert's Towhee:

Brewer's Sparrow:

Harris's Hawk (OK, this is really a horrible shot):

Ladder-backed Woodpecker:

Verdin:

Other fun birds:
Black-throated Sparrow:

Cactus Wren:

A familiar friend, an Ovenbird:

Papago Park:

There's a few artificial fishing ponds at the park, and the ducks there were quite cooperative, including this American Wigeon . . .

. . .and my favorite waterfowl species, the Ring-necked Duck:

A view from the park:

Now, are you ready for some football?
We are (me and some of my college buds here):

The sea of red at the pregame party:

Opening kickoff:

Rutgers about to take the early lead:

Although no one is ever happy about losing, this was a huge step forward for the program!

Unfortunately, my trip to Arizona was not capped by a Rutgers victory in the Insight Bowl, but it was a fantastic trip none-the-less. Rutgers showed they can play with the big-boys, falling just short of upsetting Arizona State in a shootout, 45-40. The 1,210 combined yards of offense was an all-time record for ANY bowl game, ever, so it was certainly exciting. The 8,000 Rutgers fans that attended was the best showing ever by a Big East team in the Insight Bowl. Two and a half days of partying with college buddies wasn’t too bad either! (Oh, and no complaints about 70-degree weather either!)

I have done very little birding out west, so there were a few easy lifers for me to pick up in the Phoenix area. Do to time, and the expense of area cab service, I decided not to got for the Streak-backed Oriole about 20 miles away from our hotel in Scottsdale. Instead, I traveled only 5 miles to Papago Park and the Desert Botanical Gardens. The gardens were beautiful, and full of birds. The diversity of planting attracted a diversity of birds, and the birds were quite tolerant of people. I was able to see, and even photograph my five targeted lifer birds of the trip: Abert’s Towhee, Verdin, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Harris’s Hawk, and Brewer’s Sparrow. I also enjoyed seeing many species that I have only seen once, or have not seen since I briefly visited Tuscon as a kid. Other fun stuff included many Costa’s Hummingbirds, Curve-billed Thrashers, Gila Woodpeckers, Cactus Wren, Gambel’s Quail, Black-throated Sparrows, and many more. The “best” bird of the day, however, was a familiar friend -an Ovenbird! This bird has been hanging out for at least a month at a small pond in the gardens, and while I may have this species breeding in my backyard, I can’t say I have ever seen one perched on a cactus! (I'll post some of my pictures tomorrow)

After the gardens, I hiked some of the trails through Papago Park, but that was not overwhelmingly birdy. The most common species were House Finches (at least this is where they are supposed to be!), followed by more Brewer’s and Black-throated Sparrows. A real highlight was a low pass overhead by a Prairie Falcon.

The grounds at the edge of the Phoenix Zoo, especially the man-made fishing ponds, were quite productive, with lots of Mallards, American Wigeon, and Ring-necked Ducks among others. A low-flying Harris’s Hawk provided a fantastic view of one of the most beautiful raptors in the world.

The next 2 days were devoted to friends, football, and partying (as Rutgers football fans had to make up for lost time – our last bowl appearance was in 1978!). But, I did manage a couple of hours out in the field before I left town late Wednesday morning. I strolled the pathway along the Arizona canal, only a few blocks from our hotel, and enjoyed more studies of common desert birds, and added a few other species to the trip list.

For change of scenery this morning, I decided to bird my way down the Androscoggin River. I began in Auburn, on the riverwalk below the Longley Bridge. A large group of hundreds of Mallards and quite a few Herring Gulls were loafing here. A couple of Common Mergansers were up by the falls, and a few Common Goldeneyes were a little downstream. From the pedestrian bridge across the river, I enjoyed two young Bald Eagles involved in a game of chase. An unknown number of Common Redpolls flew overhead, I heard them, but I never saw them. A stately Peregrine Falcon stood watch from atop a tall church steeple across the river in Lewiston.

I worked my way south down Rte 136, stopping where open water in the river was visible, poking down side streets, and stopping at the various little public access spots along the way. A few more Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, and Herring and Ring-billed Gulls were added to the tally.

At Bell’s Farm in Durham, hundreds of Herring Gulls were hanging out, along with a rather dark first cycle Iceland Gull that I momentarily attempted to string into a Thayer's Gull. I worked down the river, taking advantage of any chances I had to scan the water, but there was less and less open water as I wandered south into Brunswick. The water broke through again in Brunswick, where I checked the river from the pedestrian suspension bridge – not much though, just some more Mallards and Herring Gulls.

With pleasant temperatures – already in the mid-30’s when I headed to work – and a change a scenery, and some nice birds – I thoroughly enjoyed this little outing. I also explored some Durham side roads that I had not been down before.

But speaking of pleasant temperatures, a change of scenery, and exploring new areas – on Sunday night I head out to Phoenix, Arizona for a few days. While I do plan on spending my first half-day there birding (since I have done so little birding out west, a few hours should net me a handful of life birds!) this trip is actually NOT for birding (although I am really birding all the time, anywhere I am – at least when I’m outdoors that is). See, I DO do things other than birding – SOMETIMES!!! I am going to support my alma mater, Rutgers University in the Insight.com Bowl - the football team’s first bowl appearance since 1978’s now-defunct Garden State Bowl (essentially created for Rutgers, so it doesn’t really count in many people’s view). Ironically, we will be playing Arizona State – the same team RU faced in ’78, but this time in their hometown (not that it helped RU in ’78, they lost anyway).

I spent four years at Rutgers. During that time, the football team won all of 8 games – FIVE of which were in my freshman year! Upon graduation, a bunch of my friends all agreed that IF Rutgers EVER made a bowl, we would all go. So, a dozen of us – some of whom I have not seen since graduation – are heading south for temperatures in the mid-70’s and one heck of a party! Oh yeah, the football game should be pretty good too! And, our hotel is only 5 miles from one of the best urban parks for some of the local specialty species. Or, I may just have to get a cab out to see the lingering Streak-backed Oriole!

So, I'll let you know what birds - and touchdowns - I see when I get back.

Until then, good birding, and have a very Happy Holiday!

*Freeport Goldeneyes.
Yesterday, I spent some time enjoying ducks at Freeport’s Winslow Park. Barrow’s Goldeneyes have arrived, with 2 males and 3 females present. In addition, a male goldeneye that I first observed a month back was still present, and was now associating with the “regular” Barrow’s Goldeneyes. Although more Barrow’s Goldeneye-like than Common Goldeneye-like, I do believe this individual is a hybrid, likely a second generation (F2) hybrid between a Common and a Barrow’s Goldeneye backcrossed with a Barrow’s Goldeneye. Or something.

Whatever it is, I saw it again yesterday. Actively feeding with other male Barrow’s Goldeneyes, it did not stick out like a sore thumb, but it was a bit different. The bird was a touch bigger, the facial crescent was a little rounder, the head and bill shape was a bit different – features that I noticed when I first observed the bird back in November. (See my November 25th blog entry). Photographed a few days earlier, the bird was still molting (the traces of brown seen in the photo). Now, there is only a spec of brown in the white facial crescent and maybe on the sides (signs of a second-year bird?)

If I wasn’t specifically looking for this individual, I would have likely passed it over. However, the longer I studied the bird the less I thought that it was a “pure” Barrow’s. I have sent my notes and Bill’s photographs to a number of birders around the country, and I am waiting for further opinions. I also need to get back out there and photograph the bird myself, hopefully directly next to a “regular” drake Barrow’s for comparision, and in his new, competed plumage.

Short of a DNA sample, we may never know the true identity of this bird, and his parents, but it continues to be a very educational experience for me. I may never know the complete answer to the question, but it’s fun and rewarding to try and figure it out. Comments are more than welcome.

*In the spirit of Christmas.
Just three days before Christmas, what could be better than a bird story from the Christmas Islands? A satellite transmitter placed on a critically endangered Christmas Island Frigatebird relayed coordinates of a mother frigatebird as she traveled 2,500 miles in 26 days in search of food for her nestling! Wow, that’s some mother – and I thought it was nice enough that MY mom mailed me a gift basket from Harry & David!

*A Christmas Gift for the Environment.
Those who care about protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge received an early Christmas (or Hanukah, etc) gift – the provision to open up the refuge to oil drilling was stripped from the very important defense budget bill. The fight is far from over, but the refuge is safe for now.

This morning I made a quick trip down to Cape Elizabeth. My first stop was to look for a duck that was found on Saturday’s Greater Portland Christmas Bird Count. When I arrived at the wrap-up, Luke and Steve were debating its identification. It was a wigeon, without a doubt, but was it an American Wigeon or an Eurasian Wigeon. Adults males are easy, but this was either a female, immature male, or eclipse-plumaged male, so the identification is not straightforward.

I have seen quite a few of both species side-by-side in mixed flocks during my time in Alaska’s Pribilof Islands. I usually left female wigeon unidentified until I saw the diagnostic underwing linings. Unfortunately, Luke and Steve were unable to see that, so the identification – they decided on American – was tentative, and based on more subject features like overall plumage tone and contrast between the neck and upper chest. With all of that in mind, I headed to Piper Shores in Scarborough to see if the wigeon was still around. Unfortunately, it was not, so unless it returns, we may never know for sure!

At Kettle Cove, I enjoyed close-up looks at two Horned Larks at the edge of the parking lot. A walk through the brushy area behind the parking lot produced a lingering Gray Catbird. I walked over to Two Lights State Park to enjoy the concentration of waterfowl there at this time of year, and to check the woods for finches.

The ducks did not dissapoint! While I only saw 4 drake Harlequin Ducks, I enjoyed the 1,000 or so Common Eider simply glowing in the early morning sunlight. I tried to tease a King Eider out of the mass, but to no avail. Most impressive however, was the concentration of Black Scoters still hanging out. Although this species is a very common migrant, it is usually only uncommon, and very local, in Maine in winter. Two Lights State Park is a good place to see them – but I was not expecting to see at least 250 of them! They were vocalizing quite a bit - and along with the Eiders, some White-winged Scoters, and the crashing waves – resulting in quite the cacophony!

Unfortunately, my visit to the park ended on a rather unhappy note, as I learned from a neighborhood resident that later today they were beginning to cut trees for a new septic field. The boundaries of the project were pointed out to me, and unfortunately the area that was about to be cleared included some nice mature spruce and oaks that are usually quite active in migration. I will be sorry to see them go.

My morning did end on a high note, however. As I crossed the Casco Bay Bridge, a Peregrine Falcon was cruising by just alongside the edge of the bridge. It slowed down and apparently landed under the bridge. With the construction at the church on the corner of Franklin and Cumberland, the Peregrine Falcon that has overwintered in Portland the last few years has not been reliably found (it was usually seen roosting on the church’s steeple) – such as on the CBC. However, a Peregrine that has been seen sporadically around the city is likely to be the same individual. But, where is its roost? Maybe I now know!

The American Birding Association (ABA) is holding its annual conference in Bangor from June 18 – 25, 2006. I will certainly be discussing this event more next year. But, for today, I wanted to mention a fantastic opportunity for the young birders of the state of Maine. An exciting aspect of this conference is the Young Birder Track, a concurrent convention designed specifically for birders between the ages of 12 and 18, with informative and fun workshops and field trips. I am the field trip coordinator for the youth conference, and will be assisting on the field trips – to Baxter State Park, Machias Seal Island, and Popham Beach/Reid State Parks.

For more information on the Young Birder Track, including details of the field trip, workshops, and programs, take a look at the ABA’s website.

Now, I am very pleased to announce that three organizations are offering full scholarships to this event!

Merrymeeting Audubon (of which I sit on the Board of Directors of) was the first to offer a scholarship to this event. Any student who lives within the Merrymeeting Audubon catchment area (Bath, Boothbay, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham. Brunswick, Dresden, Durham,Edgecomb, Freeport, Georgetown, Harpswell, Lisbon, Lisbon Falls, Phippsburg, Pownal, Richmond, Topsham, Southport, West Bath, Wiscasett, and Woolwich) is eligible for this opportunity. All the student has to do is submit a essay, of 50 words or less, tell why they would like to attend and what would hope to gain from the experience. Take a look at Merrymeeting’s website for more information.

Secondly, Mid-Coast Audubon is also offering a scholarship for a student within their catchment area (extends inland from Boothbay Harbor, west to Windsor and China, and east along the coast to Bucksport). For consideration, the young birder needs to submit an essay of between 50 and 100 words by January 25th. You can mail those submission to me at the store, and I will forward those to Mid-Coast Audubon.
Wild Bird Center of Yarmouth
Mid-Coast Audubon Scholarship
500 Route 1, Suite 9
Yarmouth, ME 04096

And now, thanks to the generosity of Eddie Woodin, founder of Friends of Birds and Nature, EVERY young birder has an opportunity to attend! Students living outside of the Merrymeeting or Mid-Coast Audubon’s catchment area now have a chance to attend! We are pleased to announce that Friends of Birds and Nature, facilitated by Derek Lovitch of the Wild Bird Center of Yarmouth (that’s me)– will be providing one more student with a full scholarship! The Friends of Birds and Nature is a developing non-profit organization with the mission of fostering the appreciation of birds and birding, especially in our youth -and this is definitely a great way to begin that very important mission.

All three scholarships will cover conference fees (including workshops and field trips), along with hotel and meals will be covered.

This is an extremely exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a young birder in Maine to have an extremely fun, educational, and rewarding experience with other young birders from around the country! I certainly urge every eligible student to apply! And, I look forward to seeing you at the Conference!

Yesterday was the 26th annual Greater Portland Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Could we have asked for any nicer of a day? Yeah, it was kinda icy to start, but compared to Friday, I don’t think anyone was complaining! Plus, the birding was very good.

The preliminary total was a very good 97 species, with new high counts tallied for Canada Goose, Mallard, Black Scoter, Common Loon, Bald Eagle, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, and Ring-billed Gull. Only one Purple Finch was a record low, and we had two first count records: 2 Red Knots on Richmond Island and an unbelievably late Tree Swallow over Spurwink Marsh.

I spent 5 ½ hours walking throughout the Portland Peninsula. I began before dawn scoping the water from East End Beach. At least 4 Common Redpolls passed overhead, calling, but there could have been more. Only one other Redpoll was found on the count. While walking around the area, I had a real treat: an estimated 100 American Goldfinches feeding in a patch of Evening Primrose on the hillside (my 112 Goldfinches were the most for any territory). The stalks were falling over from the collective weight of all of these little seed-eaters!

Walking the waterfront in Old Port failed to produce any unusual gulls, but their were plenty of the common species, around, including a total of 535 Herring Gulls – also a high count for any territory. (That beat Rock Pigeon by one individual for most numerous species of my day).

Walking through the old rail yard along West Commercial Street produced little, and I failed to relocate the Swamp Sparrow that I saw on Monday near the new Commercial Street extension. Too bad. My “best” bird of the day was a lingering Hermit Thrush that I located in Western Cemetery, one of 2 Hermit Thrushes seen on the day – tying a record high for a species that has only made 3 total appearances on the Greater Portland CBC.

Well, it isn’t a very good day for scouting for Christmas Counts, is it? But, it is a great day for feederwatching! Common Redpolls are irrupting and they are now beginning to arrive along the southcoast. A group of over 50 showed up at a Falmouth feeder today, and 18 arrived at the feeding station here at the store – our first here. They first descending on the seed wreaths that we have hung in front of the store, and picked at that for a while. As a car pulled into the parking lot, they flushed to the side of the building that has our 14-feeder feeding station. Jackpot! They haven’t left since. Oh, and they are certainly favoring hulled sunflower over everything else.

The Redpolls have been entertaining us throughout the day, as is our continuing tardy – and hardy – Field Sparrow, our continuing Carolina Wren (he’s spending his second winter with us), and the usual cast of characters. In total, 18 species of birds have visited the feeders at the store today!

In other news, there’s some good news and bad news for birds out of Washington, D.C. in the last day or two. First, the good news: Congressional leaders have removed language from the budget bill that would (under the auspices of mining claims) put millions of acres of public land up for sale and potential development. (Read more from The Wilderness Society)

But, the bad news is that once again certain Senators – this time Alaska Senator Ted Stevens – have once again tried a back-door attempt to sneak in provisions to completely unrelated legislation in order to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Since the American public is overwhelmingly against ravaging ANWR for a very small supply of oil that we won’t see for years. This time, Senator Stevens has attached drilling language to the Defense Appropriations Bill! To quote The Wilderness Society, “This cynical back-door maneuver by pro-drilling politicians is nothing but a desperate attempt to hold the legislative process hostage to their misguided agenda. It is particularly outrageous given that this is the bill that funds our troops in a time of war.” I couldn’t agree more. Time to call our Senators again (good day for staying inside and making phone calls anyway!):

Sen. Olympia Snowe
(202) 224-5344

Sen. Susan Collins
(202) 224-2523

Christmas Bird Counts have been conducted for over 100 years, beginning on Christmas day in the year 1900 as an alternative to the Christmas Day "side hunt" where two teams were choosen and competed to see who could shoot the most birds.. Instead of shooting every bird one could find, the first bird watchers were out attempting to see and count every bird they could find. Now, tens of thousands of birders participate in hundreds and hundreds of count circles throughout North America.

A “circle” 15 miles in diameter is drawn on a map. Then, birders divide up and attempt to count every single bird of every single species (seen or heard) within their territory. Some birders go at it alone, others in a team, while others stay inside and look out their window at their feeders. Christmas Counts are conducted between December 14th and January 5th. The National Audubon Society compiles the numbers, publishes a journal with the results, and makes all of the data available online.

While this is far from exact science – biases such as weather, number of participants, abilities of participants vary widely each year – the data, over the long term, becomes very useful, especially for broad-scale trend analysis. With the data now available online, many researchers are able to access the data for scientific publications. But, since absolutely anyone can view and manipulate the data, the website offers a fantastic opportunity for everyone. You can map and graph locations and trends for every species ever tallied by a Christmas Bird Count!

Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data is very useful in finding patterns of irruption events, long-term population changes, species’ range changes, etc. Plus, it’s a heckuva lot of fun! Birding dawn to dusk (often with some owling before or after) with friends, and of course the social event of the compilation afterwards makes for a great way to spend a winter day!

One of the things that I like about CBCs is that every bird counts! We are just as interested as tabulating chickadees and finding rarities (well, maybe almost). But, this is some of the best and most thorough surveys of common species, so in a way, counting common birds is at least – from a data perspective – more important. But, everyone is more than excited to find a “count first” Mega-rarity, of course.

I began today questioning my sanity (I am forced to do this more often than I like to admit). With the store open for the next couple of Tuesdays (it’s usually our one day off to go birding ALL day!), I decided to at least take the first few hours off (and Jeannette the last few) as we didn’t expect it to be too busy (We love being wrong about stuff like that!).

But, that’s not why I am questioning my sanity – and it’s not just the fact that I was going out birding despite not being able to kick the end of this wretched cold that I have been dealing with. But, I AM questioning my sanity for the decision for starting the day at the coldest places I could have possibly come up with! At about 7:30, with temperatures around 12 above and a stiff north wind, there I was scanning the frozen tundra of Scarborough Marsh from atop the bridge on Eastern Road. Could I have thought of somewhere colder to be this morning? (Well, at least my nose wasn’t running as the snot in my head was essentially frozen solid – aren’t you glad I just shared that?) My frigid vigil failed to produce the Rough-legged Hawk that I was hoping for, but I did spot some Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, and two Red-tailed Hawks.

My next stop, Pine Point was a bit warmer (the sun was out now) and quite a bit birdier. A cooperative group of 15 Lapland Longspurs fed in the parking lot at the Lobster Co-op. Although the trees (what’s left of them) in the neighborhood were quiet, I did have great looks at two adult Bald Eagles, one more Red-tailed Hawk, and a Cooper’s Hawk all passing overhead, southbound. Still migrating perhaps?

A few stops here and there (including Tim Horton’s for honey cruellers) and then I stopped at Grondin Pond. Lot’s o’ waterfowl! Not so much in numbers, but great diversity – 11 species to be exact. The two drake Redheads continued, both Scaup, and a drake Canvasback – the first one that I have seen this year. Two late Green-winged Teal, and 2 Snow Geese. What fun! Then, I got to thinking – with the seaducks off Pine Point and some stuff in the Marsh, I’ve got to be close to 20 species.

I began the day today at Dragon Field, hoping to add to my Patch List (which currently stands at 141 – I mistakenly typed 140 in my entry the other day). One of my favorite aspects of patch listing is trying to complete the goal (150 species) by filling in “holes” on the list. These holes are usually relatively common species that have been missed at the site. You then need to call upon your knowledge of seasonal timing of migrants, habitat preferences, etc in order to maximize your chances of filling in you hole.

In reviewing my Dragon Field list, I found very few holes. However, one that I noticed was Common Redpoll. An irruptive migrant that could certainly pass through the Field - but not every year. Lately, we have been seeing small numbers of Redpolls moving through the area – hopefully a sign of the start of an irruption. So, with Common Redpoll on my mind, along with some other early winter species (Northern Shrike and Rough-legged Hawk would be nice additions), I wandered my way around the hill and woods. One Snow Bunting passed over, calling, and one lingering Gray Catbird skulked in the bushes. Then, I heard the distinctive, rapid-repeat-fire “chit-chit-chit” and rising “vvvrreeee” calls of Common Redpolls! I looked up to see a small flock of 6 bounding through the air overhead. What luck! Dragon Field Patch List Bird #142!

Very satisfied with that addition, I spent the rest of the morning scouting for this weekend’s Greater Portland Christmas Bird Count (more on that later this week). I walked around Old Port (being greeted by many odd looks from both shoppers and fisherman) as I planned my route up and down the various piers and other nooks and crannies along the working waterfront. Checking where the gulls were concentration, where any ducks were lingering, etc.

Then, it was over to plan my new route through the area along the water between I-295 and Route 1. The new bypass road cuts through the heart of that section, allowing much better and safer access to the edges of the woods there, but unfortunately also bisects what was once a prime (albeit rather seedy – and not in the bird food kinda way) birding area. It was rather productive this morning – hopefully it is this productive on Saturday – with both Cooper’s and Sharp-shinned Hawks, a single Snow Bunting, lots of American Goldfinches and lingering Song Sparrows, and a very late Swamp Sparrow – that would be a good count bird; hope it sticks around!

Each Saturday morning, all year long, I lead a free birdwalk from our store. We meet here at 8:00, carpool to a local park of seasonal interest, and bird for about 2 hours. We return to a fresh pot of hot (organic, shade-grown, fair-trade) coffee and then enjoy feeder birds out the window. The goal of these walks is not to find rarities per se (although I am always looking!) but to enjoy more common birds, study identification challenges, explore different habitats, etc. They cater to the beginning to intermediate birder, but a number of very good birders often join us. Each Saturday, I summarize our observations and adventures on the Bird News section of our website. But, one of today’s sightings is worth mentioning here as well!

THE GOAL HAS BEEN REACHED!
For this morning’s birdwalk, we elected to head to Portland’s Eastern Promenade – where we hoped to find the multi-use trail plowed (to avoid slogging through a foot of snow in the woods) – and it was, conviently, recently cleared for us.

Assuming that East End Beach would be filled with cars from last night’s parking ban – it was – we parked over by the entrance to the sewage treatment plant. And, right there in the corner, just as we got out of the cars, amongst a group of about 20 Mallards, there it was: EASTERN PROMENADE BIRD #150!!

A lone drake American Wigeon, a stunning, smart-looking, classy duck was casually swimming within the group of Mallards. Out of its preferred freshwater marsh habitat (there are regular, although relatively uncommon migrants in Maine in places like Scarborough Marsh) this handsome fellow looked as out of place (on open salt water) as it probably felt!

While there were a few relatively common species that have so far eluded me for the Promenade List (especially Red-necked Grebe and White-winged Scoter, along with a few passerines that I have missed as migrants), I did not think American Wigeon would have been the milestone bird.

Now, with my goal (of 150 species in a particular “patch) reached for the Eastern Promenade, I will focus a bit more attention on completing my other Portland Patch List – Dragon Field – which currently stands at 140 species. This is going to be a tough one, as the lack of a significant body of water limits my chances of waterfowl, shorebirds, etc, and there are no real common species left for me to add there. I’ll keep you updated!

Yup, it sure is snowing. The feeders here at the store are really hopping though – how about yours? Nothing unusual has shown up here, yet, but any minute now . . .

Anyway, I was just relayed a story that I wanted to share to demonstrate how birders SHOULD NOT act. The other day a gentleman (we’ll call him Joe), who is new at this birding thing, noticed a large group of “obvious(ly) big-time birders decked out in telescopes and telescope camera lens - lots of out-of-state license plates too,” gathered along the side of Route 27 in Dresden. Since “Joe’s” first birding trip was the experience of seeing the scene (chaos, really) associated with a “mega” rarity when a co-worker dragged him along to see Vermont’s Black-tailed Gull earlier this fall on their way back from a conference. Seeing this mass of birders and optics on the way home, he obviously was intrigued and pulled over to see what all of the “commotion” was about.

But, not knowing birder lingo, “Joe” asked the layman question “What are you looking at?” (This was apparently met with a few disgusted looks)

Now, I don’t know exactly what happened after that, but at some point our friend here made another mistake. Since there are over 900 birds in North America, it’s not too hard to get a couple of names confused and misspeak, especially when you’re just getting started. “Joe” then mentioned that he has regularly seen “Common Eiders” along this stretch of river, and was wondering if that was what they were looking at. What he meant to say, was “Common Mergansers.” A simple slip of the tongue.

Despite the chilliness, it was a rather nice morning. Nice crisp, clear sky, strong sunlight, and little wind. But, it wasn’t exactly the birdiest morning. With relatively little activity, I covered a lot of ground in South Portland in just a few hours.

A raft of Long-tailed Ducks off of Bug Light Park were in perfect early-morning light. Gulls were feeding around an incoming fishing boat off of Willard Beach, but nothing out of the ordinary was among the group of Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed Gulls. A small number of Surf Scoters loafed out of reach of the dogs (including mine) rampaging up and down the beach. A huge raft of over 500 Common Eiders were off of Portland Head Light, but try as a might I could not tease a King Eider or an unusual Common Eider subspecies out of the group – but it was an impressive sight none-the-less, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The next stop was at Hinckley Park, where a late Hermit Thrush was sunning itself in a patch of bittersweet. Gull numbers have increased at Mill Creek Cove, but no “white-winged” gulls have arrived quite yet. Lots of Mallards and Black Ducks in the creek as the pond at the park is now iced over.

So, as of now, it looks like we’re going to get a bit of snow tomorrow. Some forecasts are calling for around 6 inches or more. Got your feeders filled? Suet, peanuts, black oil sunflower? White millet on the tray? Heated bird bath plugged in? Tomorrow should be a good day for feeder watching! The first big snowstorm of the year usually produces lots of action – and maybe even a surprise or two. Keep an eye out!

On Sunday I received an email from Karl and Nancy in Georgetown. They sent pictures of a Blue Grosbeak - a very rare bird in Maine - that showed up at their feeders. The email was also a request for information on how old and of what sex I thought the bird was. The only problem was that from the pictures that were sent – I didn’t think it was a Blue Grosbeak! Not that I was doubting the identification, but the admittedly poor photos didn’t show the features that I needed to see, and in fact to me the photos made the bird look like an immature Indigo Bunting. The bird looked small, round-headed, small-billed, and it had a forked tail.

So, Karl and I emailed back and forth a few times, and then Karl scored some better photos and sent them along. Much better photos showed the large bill and peaked head typical of the Blue Grosbeak. But, what about the size and that tail? So, a few more email exchanges between myself and Karl, and some input from a couple of other birders, and I was finally convinced that it was in fact a Blue Grosbeak, and I was able to finally answer Karl’s original question of how old and of what sex the bird is. (It appears to be an immature female by the way).

Here's one of the later shots that Karl sent, clearly showing that the bird was - as Karl and Nancy identified it as - a Blue Grosbeak:

With the identification now confirmed, Jeannette and I made an appointment (birders are welcome to see the bird, but since you need to be inside the house to see the feeders, you need to call first. Call the Wild Bird Center of Yarmouth at 207-846-8002 and we will put you in touch with Karl and Nancy) to drop by to see the bird. Blue Grosbeaks are annual in Maine, with a couple usually seen each spring and fall, especially on Monhegan Island. The bird’s usual breeding range comes no closer than central New Jersey. But, each spring a few apparently “overshoot” their target and show up in New England and even the Maritimes and in fall a few apparently fly the “wrong” way and end up here as well.

Within minutes of our arrival, the bird appeared, and before I even picked up my binoculars, there was little doubt in my mind as to what the bird was. Why was it so easy now? Well, seeing the live bird – not just a static photograph – the shape and size was so readily apparent, but that “gestalt” of the bird is so difficult to catch on film. Meanwhile, my biggest hang-up was that forked tail – but from viewing the bird, it seemed that some of its tail feathers were a bit disheveled and simply a few longer, inner tail feathers were bent out over the outermost tail feathers (I think.) The lesson here: it is often not that easy to identify a bird conclusively just from photographs. And that’s why when there are official Bird Records Committees (which Maine is one of the last states to have) often ask for field notes to accompany photographs – no matter how good they are!

After enjoying the Blue Grosbeak and Karl and Nancy’s hospitality for almost an hour, Jeannette and I headed out to spend the rest of our day off birding nearby Reid State Park. Reid is one of those places that is good birding at any time of the year – and often holds a surprise or two. Today was no different. A late female Northern Shoveler was in the creek with American Black Ducks, an adult Bald Eagle flew by, two Purple Sandpipers were on the rocks, Sanderlings were on the beach, and two Common Redpolls flew overhead. But the highlight was a stately Snowy Owl roosting on the rocky island just off of Griffith’s Head. Not to often you get to see a Snowy Owl and a Blue Grosbeak in the same day!

I received an email from Pat yesterday. She and Marian had an odd sparrow, apparently of the genus Ammodramus, at Biddeford Pool yesterday. They thought it was a Grasshopper Sparrow. But, I could tell from Pat’s email that she was not completely convinced. It’s extremely late for any member of the genus, but her description certainly fit a Grasshopper.

So, this morning, Eric and I met Pat and Marian down at the Pool to hopefully relocate and confirm the bird’s identification. Pat and Marian led us to the spot, and all the sudden a small sparrow flushes off the dirt two track, and lands in a small bush. Buffy face, neck, and breast. Bright yellow supraloral area; white median crown stripe; large pale bill; flat head. The back and wings were mottled black, brown, rufous, and gray. Yup, Grasshopper Sparrow. We enjoyed the bird for about a half hour before we left it to enjoy a bit of millet we left behind.

While Grasshopper Sparrows can be found in the summer at nearby Kennebunk Plains and a few other scattered locations around that state, it is a great bird for the month of December. (However, I do admit that I was hoping that Pat was wrong and we would get there to see a LeConte’s Sparrow or something even better!) It’s always fascinating to me to see something so far out of season. Did this bird come from the western populations? Did it just linger in Maine since September? (Funny, it didn’t answer. . . so I guess we’ll never know.)

Eric and I then birded a bit longer around the area. Two 1st winter Razorbills were right off the rocks at East Point Sanctuary, in perfect light. Three Ruddy Turnstones joined over 40 Purple Sandpipers on the rocks, and a big female Cooper’s Hawk hunted the woods. A lone female Greater Scaup was off of Ocean Ave, while a female Sharp-shinned Hawk hunted feeder birds in the neighborhood.

I haven’t seen Peter D in a while, so today we went birding down to the Wells area to look for the American Avocets. Peter has yet to see them in Maine, and I wanted a better look, so we set off in that direction this morning.

Unfortunately, the tide was near dead low early today, so the creek was Avocet-less as we expected (at that tide). The plan was to bird the area until the tide started coming back in, so we next went to Ogunquit Beach. About 8 Yellow-rumped Warblers worked the bayberry, 5 Horned Larks were in the dunes, and a immature Northern Harrier passed by a mere 25-30 feet in front of us! But, it was cold, and then snow began to fall.

A quick check at the Avocet spot resulted in no birds (the tide was still dead low) – and besides, with the mud now freezing, the Avocets could have easily flown south by now. The next stop was Wells Harbor, where we planned on killing some time while the tide began to turn, but it was brutally cold on that jetty, so we didn’t last too long. 2 more Northern Harriers passed by, and a Common Merganser joined the more regular ducks in the channel.

One more check at the Avocet spot produced little. With a while to go before the marsh began to refill, and with the roads getting a bit slick (reducing our ability to rush back if we were running late), we decided to slowly work our way north. A drive out to Drake’s Island produced a brief look at a Northern Shrike – one of our favorite birds – and our first of the fall for this species. A walk at Laudholm Farms provided a handful of American Tree Sparrows, but a walk at the Rachel Carson NWR Headquarters was bird-less. Our last stop was at Parson’s Beach, and it turned out to be one of our birdiest spots of the day: a male American Kestrel eating a vole on a signpost, a Red-tailed Hawk catching a larger rodent in the marsh, a late Belted Kingfisher and a Great Blue Heron in the channel, a flock of about 200 European Starlings in the bushes, and an impressive assemblage of 33 Red-necked and about 20 Horned Grebes just offshore.

As the days get colder and shorter - and soon snowier – we turn more and more of our attention to birding from out the window while in the warmth of our living room (or kitchen, etc) preferably associated with a fireplace and hot cocoa. Many people only feed birds in the winter (it is a complete myth that it is bad to feed them in the summer, however) when we want to spend more time birding from the comfort of the indoors.

A well-stocked and maintained feeding station is a great way to attract a variety of birds for comfortable study. But, bird feeders are only one part of the equation - we also need to provide water and shelter. Heated birdbaths (heated only enough to keep the water from freezing – birds don’t have interest in a hot tub!) are a great way of distinguishing your yard as a source for all of a bird’s needs. Shelter is the most important: offer the world’s best seed in the world’s best feeders, and if the birds don’t feel comfortable with a place to roost and hide from predators, the food will be left untouched.

Think about it this way: a Black-capped Chickadee cannot open a black oil sunflower seed with its bill. Therefore is takes a seed from the feeder (watch and you will see the chickadee drop many seeds. Believe it or not, they are weighing the seed to make sure they get the most bang for the buck) and flies to a nearby tree. There, in the safety of the branches, it holds the sunflower seed in one foot, and hammers it open with its bill. Then, it flies back to the feeder for another. If the feeder is too far from trees, this effort is no longer worth a chickadee’s time. If a Sharp-shinned Hawk swoops by, and there isn’t some dense cover to quickly dive into, the chickadee is not going to escape. So, without the cover, the chickadee is not only more vulnerable to predators but also can’t get enough energy from the process. Furthermore, dense cover offers many species the shelter they need (chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, and others often roost in tree cavities or bird houses) to survive the night.

A simple way to provide immediate cover is to build a brush pile (between 10 and 15 feet from a feeder is a good start). Pile up branches, limbs, and your old Christmas tree. Here at the store, we have seen a tremendous difference in the quantity of our late season groundfeeders (Song and White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos in particular) every since we built a brush pile and planted some more chokeberry bushes.

One good resource for some more birdfeeding information is the website of the National Bird-Feeding Society. See especially their “Basics of Birdfeeding” section and their “6 Steps to Turn Your Yard into a Sanctuary for Birds,” and while you’re there take a look at some more FACTS about the bird flu issue.

On November 18th, the US House (barely) passed its budget reconciliation bill that did not include opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. This is a major victory, but ANWR is only safe for now – the Senate and the House still has to reconcile the differences in their two bills (the Senate version does include a drilling provision).

However, this is still a terrible bill. It drastically cuts funding of the Conservation Reserve Program that protects farmers and valuable wildlife habitat. Also, stuck in the house budget bill is a provision to SELL off public lands – event those within National Parks! – Under the auspices of mining claims. Millions of acres of PUBLIC land could be at stake!

The House and Senate will take up the budget reconciliation process in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned . . . and stay informed . . .

Meanwhile, on much more pleasant note – there’s another great new resource for birds that has just hit the shelves: National Geographic’s Complete Birds of North America. This is not another field guide – it’s a big, fat hardcover reference book, but it builds upon the existing field guide. EVERY bird that has been recorded in North America – including the Ivory-billed Woodpecker – is included: 960 species in all! There is a drawing of every single species (many are the same as those in the Nat Geo Field Guide). Text for each species includes a thorough discussion of identification, including Geographic Variation, Similar Species, and Voice, but also includes entries on the species’ Status& Distribution, as well as Population trends and analysis. Furthermore, each family group is described as well. This is a must-have for every birder – and with the holidays just around the corner . . . .

And finally today just a head’s up: keep an eye on your feeders for finches. A trickle of “winter finches” such as Pine Siskins, Common Redpolls, and Evening Grosbeaks – as well as smaller numbers of Pine Grosbeaks and both Red and White-winged Crossbills are being detected in Maine, hopefully a sign of things to come. So, keep an eye out for them, and let us know what you are seeing!