On our way to dinner in the Big City last night, Jeannette and I stopped at Portland’s Dragon Field to work on the ol’ Patch List. One of the challenges of patch listing that I enjoy is attempting to fill out the list when you’re approaching the goal – which for me is 150 species in a specific place. I have been sitting at 142 for Dragon Field, and I realized that I was “missing” American Woodcock – mostly from a lack of visiting the park at dusk. So, with the mild evening, no wind, and good timing, we stopped by and I was rewarded with 3 Woodcocks! #143 and counting!

There were certainly lots of birds on the move last night. I birded a number of locations from Yarmouth to Portland this morning, and was impressed by the volume of migrants. Song Sparrows were everywhere! 30+ at the Yarmouth Town Landing, 25+ at Portland’s Dragon Field, 50+ along the Eastern Promenade, around 20 along West Commerical Street, about 15 along the Commercial Street Extension, and small numbers here and there everywhere else.

Newly arrived Eastern Phoebes were here and there, and a Double-crested Cormorant arrived at Bayview Preserve. Seven Wood Ducks were also a joy to see. An overwintering Gray Catbird was still at Dragon Field, as was one that was likely a continuing bird at the Eastern Promenade. A few migrant American Tree Sparrows were around as well.

The highlight, however, was a most unexpected addition to my Eastern Promenade List - #151 to be exact – that was floating off of East End Beach. Looking rather out of place, and rather dwarfed by, a raft of Common Eider was a lone basic-plumaged Ruddy Duck! Although a regular fall migrant on lakes and ponds in Maine, this is a very rare bird on salt water. When I was trying to fill holes in my Prom List, this was certainly not one I thought was a likely candidate.

Finally today, at the risk of jinxing things for tomorrow: I would strongly suggest being out in the field tomorrow morning. The current weather forecast has rain showers arriving after midnight. With a southerly wind continuing, birds will be on the move. Then, if rain develops, the birds will be forced to end their evening’s journey in what we call a “fallout.” Fallouts can mean lots of birds – sometimes in amazing concentrations. Now, as a disclaimer, a lot has to happen to provide the conditions for a fallout. One, the birds have to be in the air. If it has been raining by dusk to our south, then few birds will take flight. Secondly, the rain has to develop and travel over our area. Then, it has to be widespread enough that birds can’t just fly around isolated patches of precipitation. And, it has to start well before dawn – before the migrants settle out of the sky. Yes, there are a lot of “ifs,” but, when those “ifs” line up, birding can be fantastic! Stay tuned!

Birds are on the move!

First, check out New Jersey last night. . . .and they’re on their way here! Our yard’s first Fox Sparrow arrived this morning, and I had my first Eastern Phoebe and Eastern Meadowlark during a walk at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester.

But, my main destination for this morning was the top of Bradbury Mountain in Pownal. You’ll hear a lot about this place in the next month, as I will be spending a lot of time here . . . and not just because it’s 4 miles from my house!

Bradbury Mountain – in Bradbury Mountain State Park – is one of Maine’s best locations for observing migrant hawks in the spring. And, it’s the best location near my home – yes, when we were house hunting we took this proximity into consideration! Jeannette and I have spent many seasons hawkwatching around the country, and I need to get my fix of staring at little specs miles away while being battered by wind and sun on an exposed hilltop.

Spring hawk migration in Maine begins as early as late February with Bald Eagles and Rough-legged Hawks already on the move. But, things really get going in April. Raptors (hawks, falcons, eagles, etc.) are diurnal migrants, using the rising thermals of warm air and/or updrafts to aid their journey. South winds (a helpful tail wind), and warm sunny days, are best. And alas, today was a beautiful morning with light south winds and rapidly warming temperatures.

In two hours this morning (between 8:40 and 10:40) I observed only a few migrant hawks. However, it is still early in the season, and it was rather early in the day – 10am to 1pm tend to be the best times, but I do have this work thing to get to. In addition to a few Turkey Vultures (who may or may not have been migrants) and two Red-tailed Hawks (who may or may not have been local birds not migrating), I spotted a distant Cooper’s Hawk, a very distant unidentified accipiter, and I thoroughly enjoyed an immature Red-shouldered Hawk come right over the mountaintop at tree level. While hawk migration wasn’t in full force, I did spot quite a few other migrants: a group of four Killdeer, 3 Common Mergansers, a Great Blue Heron, and hundreds of Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds.

As predicted, last night southerly winds (finally) ushered in the arrival of some migrants this morning. As I birded Hedgehog Mountain Park and Florida Lake Parks, I encountered numerous large flocks of American Robins, scattered flocks of Dark-eyed Juncos, and my first Hermit Thrush of the season. And, here at the store, a Fox Sparrow has arrived under our feeders. Spring (migrants) is here!

Many of the migrants – such as most of the Dark-eyed Juncos that I saw today – are on their way north to breed in Canada’s Boreal Forest. And timely enough, this was the topic of the presentation by Jeff Wells, Senior Scientist of the Boreal Songbird Initiative, hosted by Merrymeeting Audubon last night in Brunswick.

It was a very good presentation, full of both awe-inspiring images of Jeff’s visit to the Northwest Territories last summer as well as sobering statistics and images of the decline of many Boreal breeding birds. Covering 1.5 billion acres between Alaska to Newfoundland, the Boreal Forest of North America is the largest remaining forest in the Western Hemisphere and in fact it has about 25% of the world’s remaining intact forest! Nearly half of the species that breed in North America have at least a portion of their population breeding in the Boreal. This includes 50% or more of the entire breeding populations of at least 96 species, including over 80% of the breeding population on 35 species, including such favorites as Surf Scoters, Great Gray Owls, Bohemian Waxwings, Cape May Warblers, and Dark-eyed Juncos.

But, despite the vastness of this region, all is not well. Industrial logging, mineral and oil exploration and development, and climate change are the biggest threats to what has been deemed “North America’s Bird Nursery.” However, this presentation did not just dwell on the negative. Since there is still a lot f good, healthy, virgin Boreal Forest still around we can act proactively and protect this vast forest while it is still a vast forest.

Jeff gave a number of suggestions as to how we can help: recycle paper, eliminate unnecessary paper waste (i.e. junk mail), purchase recycled paper products, purchase sustainability-certified lumber. The Natural Resource Defense Council has a handy chart for purchasing “greener” household paper products.

One thing we can ALL do RIGHT NOW is to reduce how much junk mail we get. Over 80% of forest products from the Boreal goes to the United States and much of that ends up as catalogs and junk mail! What a waste of warbler woods! For months now – we don’t know why it took us this long to start – Jeannette and I have significantly reduced the amount of junk that clogs our mailbox. We call each an every unrequested catalogue that we received and request to be removed from the company’s mailing list. Most have toll-free numbers, most make the process very easy, and it works – less trees being wasted on a catalogue I will never open! What if we all did this?

What a beautiful day! (Finally, on a Tuesday!) You knew Jeannette and I were going to take advantage of a day like this!

Merrymeeting Bay was our destination. The largest freshwater estuary on the East Coast north of the Chesapeake, Merrymeeting Bay is one of the best places in the state for waterfowl. Attracted by sheltered coves, tidal flats, and extensive beds of wild rice, thousands of migrant ducks descend on the area every spring and fall.

The birding tends to be better in spring, as the birds are a bit less wary without hunters out and about, and you don’t need to worry about having a hunter flush a flock just as you were sure you had spotted something exotic! And, in general, mid-tide is the best at most locations. Jeannette and I basically followed the route prescribed in the Birder’s Guide to Maine, with a few additional stops in between.

Overall, the waterfowl numbers and diversity were lower than we expected, except for one species. We had seen small groups, and scattered pairs, of Common Mergansers at many locales. However, when we arrived at Shore Road in Gardiner, along the Kennebec River (one of the major rivers that empty into Merrymeeting), we got out and saw not a small group of Common “Mergs,” but over a THOUSAND! We estimated between 1,000 and 1,100 of these large, gorgeous ducks. This was by far the largest group of Goosanders that either of us have ever seen! They peppered the river with plobs of gray and chestnut (hens) and black and glossy green (drakes), as far as the eye can see in either direction. It was truly an amazing site!

Here are our complete waterfowl totals for the morning.
Canada Goose: 140
American Black Duck: 404
Mallard: 116
Green-winged Teal: 45
Ring-necked Duck: 1
Bufflehead: 4
Common Goldeneye: 40
Hooded Merganser: 14
Common Merganser: 1,091-1,191
Ring-billed Gull: 63
Herring Gull: 4

Other highlights:
Bald Eagle: 1 (2nd or 3rd cycle)
Horned Lark: 1
Pine Siskin: 1+

And, birding is
about to get better – by mid-afternoon the winds had turned to the south!

What’s that I see? A forecast of southerly winds beginning tomorrow? If that hold true, Wednesday morning could be a good morning to hit the woods looking for early migrants – and that would only get better if the forecast holds true and those southerly winds continue through Friday. Keep an eye on that forecast - spring birds (and temperatures) are on the way!

But, few migrants were around this morning as that stiff northerly wind continued. I spent the morning down at Biddeford Pool, and while birding was less than impressive, the surf certainly was most impressive! Seven Great Cormorants loafing on an offshore rock off of East Point Sanctuary were in showy breeding plumage. I tallied 42 Brant in various spots, and there were quite a few Common Loons around.

Great Pond held a drake Redhead – an excellent bird in Maine, but a species that has been unusually frequent in the state this spring (and last fall). This individual was likely the same bird that has been in ponds at nearby Fortunes Rocks for a couple of weeks. Nevertheless, it was a great bird to see. Another highlight from the edges of the ponds were Painted Turtles – my first reptiles of spring!

The aforementioned ponds at Fortunes Rocks, although no longer containing the Redhead, did host a pair of Blue-winged Teal – the drake is such a sharp bird, and a female Gadwall among the usual cast of characters.

A brief visit to Saco's Laurel Hill Cemetery produced my first Double-crested Cormorant of spring.

Later in the afternoon, while at the store, a sugar craving (it’s Peeps season!) led me to step outside for a brief walk to Rite-Aid. I looked up, as I always do when I first step outside, and I happened to spot a Red-shouldered Hawk passing overhead – the 107th bird on our store’s “Yard List!” It was also the last of the regularly-occurring raptor species to be added to the list. How serendipitous!

On Monday, I was lamenting the fact that the cold, northwest flow that we had been stuck in was slowing down the current pace of migration. However, as I mentioned, the overall influx of migrants is still ahead of pace as compared to this time last year – due to last year’s early spring cold and snowstorms.

With some southerly winds being predicted within the next few days, we could expect to see a sharp rise in the number of migrants around. In fact, with calm air last night, an influx of Dark-eyed Juncos was detected this morning.

As the weeks progress, we will see a steady rise in the diversity of new arrivals, and in the number of individuals of many species. Some, like White-crowned Sparrows will pass through, on their way to Arctic breeding grounds. Others, like Black-throated Green Warblers will return to breed locally after spending the winter in the tropics.

The study of bird migration has progressed tremendously over the past few years. Technology has provided new ways to study and document migration. One such technology is Doppler Radar. Long since used for weather forcasting, we have discovered that it can also be used to detect nocturnal bird migration (most songbirds are nocturnal migrants). David LaPuma, a friend of mine, now a Graduate Student at my alma mater – Rutgers University, has started a website dedicated to tracking bird migration in New Jersey by studying Doppler radar echos. He will also interpret overnight radar loops in hopes of predicting the volume and even locations of bird migration each morning. This is very cool stuff. Check it out at Woodcreeper.com.

As you have been reading, spring migration has begun, and will soon really get going in earnest. For some birders (unlike crazy ones like me who bird day in and day out all year long) it means it is time to dust off the binoculars and head outside. Whether you have been using them all winter, or just pulling them out of the closet now, our optics are due for a spring cleaning. To help birders prepare for spring migration, we are conducting a “Optics Tune-Up” weekend here at the store.

From opening on Friday to closing on Sunday, bring in your binoculars and spotting scope for a free external cleaning. We’ll tune-up and repair tripods as well. Plus, I’ll be conducting a workshop on “Binocular Basics” each day (Friday through Sunday) at 11:00 am. I’ll cover the basics of binocular design, selecting the right binocular for you, using binoculars in the field, and routine care of the optics. All of these events are free, and there is no registration required.

Now that we have our optics up to speed, we can think about the birds that will soon be arriving. Many of our favorite summer residents, such as most of our warblers, along with orioles, tanagers, and many more are what we call “Neotropical Migrants.” These birds winter in the “Neotropics” (Central and Northern South America) and fly north to breed in North America. Many of this species breed in the extensive Boreal Forest of Canada. Unfortunately, not even this remote habitat is safe and secure.

On Tuesday night (3/28), Merrymeeting Audubon welcomes Jeff Wells, Senior Scientist from the Boreal Songbird Initiative to the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick at 7:00pm. Jeff will speak about the Boreal Forest of North America, one of the largest unspoiled forests left on earth accounting for 25% of the remaining intact forests left on the planet. Nearly 50% of the bird species found in North America regularly use or breed in the Boreal. Learn more about the birds of the Boreal Forest and the conservation issues in protecting habitat for these species. This, like all of Merrymeeting’s programs, is free. And by the way, it's worth visiting the BSI website if only for their great, free screensaver!

On Saturday, April 8, I will be presenting a course on Backyard Bid Feeding at the 13th Annual Maine Garden Day in Auburn. Participants will learn how to use a variety of feeders and foods to increase the diversity and quantity of birds in the backyard. I will also be discussing real, effective, way at outwitting squirrels, and improve backyard habitat for all wildlife. Advanced registration is required for this, and all other Maine Garden Day activities.

I hope to see you at all of these upcoming events!

Granted it was a bit chilly in that continuing northwesterly wind yesterday, but with a crystal clear blue sky, Jeannette and I were not going to waste our sacred day off. We decided to head northeast for a day in Midcoast.

We began with a short hike up Bald Rock Mountain in Camden Hills State Park. Fantastic views, but less than fantastic birding. We then birded around Rockland Harbor, but turned up only the usual cast of characters – the concentrations of gulls that we were after had already dispersed and/or moved north. Plenty of Long-tailed Ducks and Bufflehead, along with smaller numbers of Common Loons and other duck species peppered the water.

Three Song Sparrows had returned to the feeders at Owl’s Head State Park, but we were unable to turn up anything else. We were hoping to rediscover the Clark’s Grebe, a third record for the East Coast, that was found here last winter. Vagrant Clark’s and the similar Western Grebes often return to the same area for multiple winters, but this does not seem to be the case with this individual as no reports of it have been made this winter. We did hear at least one Bohemian Waxwing as it flew by overhead – who knows how many actually went over, as we were unable to locate them.

On our way to Weskeag Marsh, we happened upon a Northern Shrike – I’m really on a roll with this species of late! The marsh itself was still partially frozen, but scattered among a growing number of American Black Ducks and Canada Geese, we located a Northern Pintail, a Green-winged Teal, a pair of Hooded Mergansers, and a couple of Killdeer along the edges. A male American Kestrel patrolled the fields, while one or two adult Bald Eagles made a couple of passes overhead – always an awe-inspiring sight!

We returned home, and after feeding Sasha, we headed over to Hedgehog Mountain Park. With the first calm evening in a while, we hoped American Woodcocks would be out and about, and we hoped our local patch would have some. Soon after the last glow of orange disappeared from the Western sky, we heard the nasal “PEEENT!” call of a Woodcock, my first of the spring. After dozens of ”peents,” our Timberdoodle entertainer (Timberdoodle is an old, and much more colorful name for the Woodcock) would take flight straight up into the darkening sky, and explode into a performance of flutters, whistles, calls, and squeaks as he showed off for any lady woodcocks that might have been around. One other male was spotted and heard in the distance. Hopefully, more will soon be arriving on the next warm winds and join the show!

Oh, and this morning at The 'Hog - I had another Northern Shrike! And this one was in full song!

We occasionally find ourselves stuck in a bit of birding doldrums in March. When the weather turns cold – as it has in the past couple weeks – the flow of migration is reduced. While many of the winter birds have moved out, fewer returning migrants show up – at least until the next warm front. While weather is not the CAUSE of most species’ migrations, it certainly does affect it.

Short-distance migrants (such as blackbirds, bluebirds, and many puddle ducks) winter just to our south, and their return is often dependent on weather conditions. Many ducks will move north as ice begins to break up, and many blackbirds begin to flow north as snow begins to melt. With little ice and little snow this winter, ducks arrived quite early, and blackbirds – among other species such as Turkey Vultures – arrived even earlier. (By the way, long-distance migrants – such as an oriole overwintering in Central America – are less affected in terms of arrival dates as their migration is tied more closely to changes in daylight – a yearly constant – than weather on the breeding grounds, in part because they have no way of knowing the weather up here!).

Take a look at this past week’s Southcoastal Maine Rare Bird Alert as compared to the corresponding week last year. As you look at this, and compare the other transcripts from the past few weeks (this ability to compare “back issues” of the SCMRBA to identify year-to-year differences is one of the reasons that we archive the alerts on our website). You can see how much further spring arrivals have progressed compared to last year’s snowy early spring.

However, this weather pattern that has produced a broad northwesterly flow – a scenario more typical of mid-winter – and lack of southerly winds and warm temperatures has slowed the recent progress of many short-distance migrants. Although there are plenty of Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds around, and slowly increasing amounts of dabbling ducks, there is not a whole lot else.

I have covered a lot of ground the last two days, but I have very little to show for it! Hours of walking yesterday morning in a number of South Portland and northern Cape Elizabeth sites produced very, very little, with the only apparent migrants being two Brant that flew by Bug Light Park. A Common Loon off of Portland Head Light in full breeding plumage was nice to see however.

There’s quite a bit of bird stuff in the news in the past few days:

First, there’s a new article questioning the validity of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker observations in Arkansas that will be published in Science Magazine, by four authors including David Sibley (you may have heard of him) and Maine’s own Louis Bevier. Take a look at this critical evaluation of the science behind the sightings, but also read the rebuttal. Furthermore, a discussion has begun on the birding listserve ID-Frontiers, thanks to a post by another huge name in birding, Kenn Kaufmann.

Down in Washington, D.C. efforts to weaken the Endangered Species Act continue, and the American Bird Conservancy has issued a new report on the topic.

Meanwhile in the “Very scary but true and far too much like the movie The Day After Tomorrow Category” comes news of the documentation of a major Ecosystem shift in the Bering Sea. (Unfortunately, I can only find the abstract online). This one hits close to home for me, having spent three summers working in St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands, and seeing the decline in seabird productivity first hand. This is some scary stuff.

But, to leave things off today on a positive note, I thoroughly enjoyed the one lone male Snow Bunting that was at Portland’s Dragon Field this morning. It was well on its way to the striking breeding plumage that I so enjoyed while up in the Pribilofs. Most of the Snow Buntings we see in Maine are in subdued winter garb, but in early spring we can occasionally come across a northbound migrant who is in near-complete breeding plumage.

I headed over to Pineland Farms in New Gloucester this morning in search of migrant Snow Buntings. It certainly felt like a day to see an Arctic species – a stiff northwest wind blew unabated through the refrozen open fields of the farm.

No Snow Buntings today, but my consolation prize was a great study of a Northern Shrike. I’m a big fan of “Butcherbirds,” so seeing my third shrike in five days was exciting. I came upon this bird at the edge of field, as it hunted in the brush of a gully. I sat on the cold ground for about 10 minutes – much to the chagrin of my tailbone – watching the shrike hunt. Although I did not see it catch anything, it was still a great bird to observe.

Shrikes are fascinating birds. These wanna-be hawks are quite fierce predators, despite being smaller than a Northern Mockingbird. Their black, white, and gray plumage looks mockingbird-like, and their long-tailed, bull-necked appearance while perched atop the tallest lookout in the vicinity is also quite mockingbird-like. Despite these similarities, however, the species are not closely related. In fact, the shrike’s closest relatives in this continent are the Vireos.

The Shrike is an efficient predator of small mammals, birds, and large insects using it’s strong, hooked beak. In winter, many of the Northern Shrikes in Maine feed mostly on mice, voles, and shrews, with the occasional small bird mixed in. They prefer mostly-open habitats, such as farms and large marshes, which provides a choice of prime hunting perches, such as fenceposts and small trees. In Maine, Northern Shrikes are regular in winter, but they are an irruptive migrant. In some winters, more individuals of this species travel farther south than in other winters. Food resources are the main reason for this. When there is less food up north, we have more Northern Shrikes down south (yes, Maine is “down south” to a Northern Shrike, as they breed high in the Arctic. This winter, Shrikes have been more common in Maine than is usual. This probably means food resources were in shorter supply up north. The fact that many of this winter’s sightings were of juveniles means that it was a successful breeding season, so there may be more shrikes to move south. Plus, the mild winter and lack of snow cover has allowed many shrikes to overwinter in Maine, as opposed to being forced even further south.

On the other hand, the more southerly Loggerhead Shrike is an extreme rarity in Maine, usually in the spring as overshooting migrants or of wandering birds in the fall. The Loggerhead Shrike, found throughout most of the southern 1/3 of the U.S. is still common in many places, but it is rapidly declined in much of the East, and is essentially now gone as a breeding from the Northeastern U.S. Habitat changes (reforestation and development of farmland) are likely one of the leading causes of this decline. However, even in some areas with seemingly appropriate habitat, Loggerhead Shrikes are no longer being found.

Shrikes get their nickname “Butcherbird” from their habitat of storing uneaten prey. A Field Mouse, for example, may way as much or even more than a Shrike, so it cannot be eaten in one sitting. Therefore, the Butcherbird will store the leftovers by impaling it on a thorn bush, barbed wire fence, etc. They will often add prey items to this “larder” in order to have food available when prey is not (such as during extended bouts of severe weather. I have also read that there is evidence that a male Northern Shrike builds up a larder as a way to show off to the ladies – proving what a great provider he will be to a nest-full of hungry mouths! I remember my lifer Northern Shrike in New Jersey’s Great Swamp – where they seem to show up every couple of years. After watching the bird fly in and out of a multiflora rose with prey items, we walked over to the bush to find a shrike-buffet of half-eaten mice, birds, and a large moth!

Why is the worst weather of the week always on a Tuesday? It seems that the only day Jeannette and I can go birding together for any significant amount of time (our store is closed on Tuesdays) is the day that it rains, snows, or is otherwise yucky out. Oh well, we make the best of it.

Yesterday, we decided to suck it up, don the Gore-Tex, and visit Reid State Park despite the plethora of rainshowers in the area. Luckily, our timing worked out quite well – we were still in the Brunswick Diner when a rather unexpected thunderstorm and downpour rolled through. And, most of our walk was rain-free, with the next shower not beginning in earnest until we were just about back to the car. What luck!

Birding though, wasn’t spectacular however. A small number of Surf Scoters, including a number of molting immature males were quite close to shore, which was nice to see. A few Sanderlings scurried around on the beach. A very good-sized group of about 35 Red-necked Grebes slept offshore, and a few Green-winged Teal recently arrived in the marsh. A nice-sized group of 15 Hooded Mergansers were in the pond near the park’s entrance.

Certainly the highlight of the day however, was an encounter with a Mink! While walking the Todd’s Head Road back towards the entrance gate, a Mink darted out from the woods, about 50 yards up ahead. It stopped in the center of the road, staring at us, no doubt surprised to see humans out on this dreary, damp day. It also seemed to be deciding whether or not our dog was a potential threat. Our dog, meanwhile, simply stared back – also seemingly unsure as to what to make of this critter (Not to anthropomorphosize or anything!) Well, it wasn’t a squirrel, or a cat – was it a hybrid between a squirrel and a dachshund? Maybe. Nevertheless, our dog – fierce hunter she is not – didn’t seem quite sure of what to do about it. The mink lost interest in our dog’s thought process, and continued across the road. Moments later, it darted back into the road (that road is closed in the winter I should mention), and stared at us again for a few moments before trotting off into the marsh.

What either animal, our dog or the Mink, was thinking may never be known, but Jeannette and I were only thinking about how lucky we were to see a Mink sitting still in plain view! Just goes to show you why every day is a good day to be out birding.

Spring is certainly making inroads into Scarborough Marsh. Essentially ice free, and full of birdsong, the still-brown marsh was a good destination on this pleasant spring-feeling morning. Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds were common, with many singing and displaying. Additional flocks overhead also contained more arriving Brown-headed Cowbirds as well. The number of Canada Geese and American Black Ducks in the marsh has increased, while the quantity of diving ducks in the river and offshore is decreasing.

A few Common Loons in Pine Point Narrows were already approaching full breeding plumage, and Horned Grebes were also beginning to attain colorful summer duds. A lone Snow Bunting, still in subdued winter garb, foraged along the edge of the Co-Op parking lot at Pine Point. A flock of about 50 Cedar Waxwings foraged on Multiflora Rose next to the Pelreco building, while a single Killdeer called from the marsh. Also, my first Green-winged Teal of the year (7) were dabbling in a distant salt panne.

A total of 49 Horned Larks were tallied from Eastern Road, with one flying flock including a Lapland Longspur. Another Killdeer flew over, and a Cooper’s Hawk looked northbound. More Green-winged Teal (21 in all) had recently arrived, while a Northern Shrike continued, having been present in the area all winter.

While Grondin Pond was still mostly ice-covered, and duck-free, nearby Prout’s Pond held a nice-sized group of 25 Hooded Mergansers, a pair of Common Mergansers, and my first three Ring-necked Ducks of the year (in Maine that is). During the next few weeks, we will see a rapid increase in the quantity of many species of ducks in the marsh – and nearby environs - as some (like Blue-winged Teal) return to breed, and others are passing through.

Scarborough Marsh is one of many places in the area that are prime duck-watching locales in the spring, and certainly one of the best. But, almost any bay, marsh, and even flooded field can hold migrant waterfowl surprises.

Having been gone for so long, I of course have been quite busy catching up with work over the last few days. However, I managed to squeeze in a little birding each morning since I have been back. Hedgehog Mountain was my first stop, but as of Friday morning, things were still pretty quiet there. The store’s birdwalk on Saturday was quite productive however, with the highlight being a lingering pair of Barrow’s Goldeneyes off of South Freeport Town Landing. 25+ Cedar Waxwings at Winslow Park were also nice to see, but wintering waterfowl numbers have certainly decreased there.

This morning, I checked out Old Townhouse Park in North Yarmouth. I have not been here before, but a birder on my birdwalk yesterday suggested having a look there. A dozen or so Red-winged Blackbirds were on territory, and small mixed flocks of Red-wings, Common Grackles, and Brown-headed Cowbirds were passing overhead. The habitat there, including marsh along the edge of the Royal River, fields, and a conifer plantation, looks prime for some good birding potential. I will certainly have to add this to my routine. A nice group of 33 Wild Turkeys and an adult Northern Shrike were at Terrison’s Orchard in Cumberland, but nearby Double-T Orchards only held a single American Robin. And finally, a quick stop at Twin Brook Recreation Area in Cumberland produced two newly arrived Killdeer, more blackbirds, and a pair of American Kestrel.

Spring is definitely in the air! As I type this, a small flock of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles have descended on our feeding station here at the store. Diving ducks (such as Bufflehead) are moving out, but dabbling ducks (such as Green-winged Teal) are moving in. Hawks are on the move – keep and eye on the sky!, and sparrows are starting to wander back as well. We might not have had much of a winter, but it’s always nice to see spring return!

Tomorrow night (3/13), I will be giving a free program at the Norway Memorial Library in Norway on “Backyard Bird Feeding.” This will be an introduction to creating a successful bird feeding garden, including food, feeders, pest issues, habitat, and conservation. The program is at 7:00pm. See their website for more information and directions. Hope to see you there!

Believe it or not, each of these pix were in fact taken in the Garden State!

Helyar Woods, North Brunswick. My first Patch List and where I cut my teeth on warbler identification.

This was a centuries old, massive Black Oak that had recently fallen into the stream when I identified my first Black-throated Blue Warbler on it. Not much left of the wood, but the park hold plenty of birding memories for me.

Round Valley Reservoir.

Spruce Run Reservoir.

Oberly Road in the Alpha Grasslands. No, really, this is New Jersey!

The Alpha Grasslands have been preserved, in large part due to the efforts of birders who wanted to protect one of the state's few remaing large tracts of grassland bird habitat.

Horned Larks are resident here, and many birders search it in winter for Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs. It's one of the best places in the state to see the latter.

That's not an island!

Lots o' Snow Geese.

How many did you count?

With more arriving.

The Merrill Creek Snow Goose flock disperses to feed on waste grain in nearby fields.

The EASY way to study gulls at the Jersey Shore.

"Big Takanassee, the Mute Swan from Hell." The beast of Lake Takanassee escorted me and Bruce around the pond - even taking a run at me once. If these things weren't so darn destructive, I would be able to enjoy their beauty.

OK, in the name of balanced reporting . . . .here are the woods in which I first began playing in the mud, collecting salamanders, and eventually looking at birds. I remember there used to be Bobwhite in here - now the species is nearly extirpated from the state.

I spent the better portion of my final full day down here in NJ (for now anyway) birding Jersey’s North Shore with my good friend Bruce. The North Shore (Manasquan Inlet and Point Pleasant north to Sandy Hook) is a waterfowl-watcher’s treat, as numerous species overwinter on fresh water ponds, sheltered coves, and off ocean beaches. In fact, it is not uncommon to record 25 species of waterfowl in a day in this area, and 30 species is even possible if you extend your effort beyond the North Shore - or get very lucky.

Yesterday was pleasant, with light winds and temperatures in the mid-40’s. Very little ice was present, and duck numbers have certainly thinned out. However, Bruce and I were able to tally an impressive 27 species of waterfowl!

We began by scanning the ocean from the jetty at Manasquan Inlet. A few small flocks of Black and Surf Scoters were moving north, Brant fed around the rocks, and Long-tailed Ducks were displaying offshore. Mallards, American Black Ducks, and Canada Geese foraged on vegetation farther up the river. Boat-tailed Grackles called with their inorganic, synthesizer-like buzzes and whistles. Red-breasted Mergansers dove for fish in the inlet. Some “chumming” for gulls (stale bread to be exact) failed to attract many rarities, but produced some great photo opportunities as we fed birds from the hand.

Nearby Little Silver Lake produced American Wigeon, Lesser Scaup, the ubiquitous Mute Swans (Pond Pigs), Ruddy Ducks, a few Canvasback, and a drake Eurasian Wigeon that has been spending the winter there. Nearby Old Sam’s Pond produced our first Hooded Mergansers of the day, as well as some recently-arriving Killdeer along the shore.

As we worked north from Point Pleasant, we birded all of the ponds, enjoying conversation and close-up looks at almost 2 dozen species of ducks. We added Bufflehead to the tally at Stockton Lake, Gadwall and Northern Shovelers at Wreck Pond, two female Redheads, along with American Coots at Spring Lakes, and a single female Common Merganser was added to the day-list at Lake Como.

Today I caught up with one of my very good birding friends, Evan, and Nick, a friend of his visiting from NYC. We enjoyed birding the still-fairly-rural western Central Joisey counties of Hunterdon and Warren.

We began at Evan’s local patch, Cold Brook Preserve in Oldwick. A couple of overwintering adult White-crowned Sparrows were good birds, and multiple singing and courting, vividly blue Eastern Bluebirds were simply delightful to watch against a vivid blue sky. Poking around a few weedy fields and corn stubble patches in the area produced the usual cast of characters, including a few small flocks of American Tree Sparrows. A small farm pond held some Ring-necked Ducks and an American Coot. Rising Turkey Vultures, a few Black Vultures, and scattered pairs of courting Red-tailed Hawks filled the skies.

Unlike Maine, Common Ravens are rather rare birds in New Jersey, especially outside of the extreme northwestern corner. Therefore, when one called from a tree directly above our car as we stopped to watch a Turkey Vulture waddle off of a raccoon roadkill we were most surprised. Common Ravens are slowly expanding south and east into NJ, but it was not too long ago when I chased my “state bird” – the first nest in decades in the state that appeared on a communications tower near High Point State Park (and the park’s dumpsters were the backup location to find them!).

Certainly a highlight of the morning was a flock of about 5,000 blackbirds that we encountered on a small country road. Small fields on both sides of the road were literally paved in black; we estimated about 2,000 Common Grackles, 2,000 Brown-headed Cowbirds, and 1,000 Red-winged Blackbirds, along with a handful of European Starlings. We attempted to sift through the masses with a fine-toothed comb to look for rarities, but the flock was consistently on the move. Evan did pick out a female Yellow-headed Blackbird – a major rarity in the state – but I missed it. (Nick got a brief look).

Our next stop, Merrill Creek Reservoir (my third visit here in the past 2 weeks) held “only” about 10,000 Snow Geese (up to 50,000 have been reported recently), but the 4 Redheads continued, and an adult Red-shouldered Hawk soared overhead. One of the adult Bald Eagles peered out over the edge of it’s nest.

One Horned Lark was singing at the Alpha Grasslands, which we stopped at to kill some time while waiting for the light to improve at Merrill. We drove some rural roads looking for goose and blackbird flocks, but seeing little, we made a quick stop back at Merrill Creek to enjoy the Snow Geese some more, and the other waterfowl, including Common Mergansers, Canada Geese, Common Goldeneye, Ring-necked Ducks, Bufflehead, Hooded Mergansers, Green-winged Teal, and a single American Wigeon.

One last stop at Spruce Run Reservoir on the way home produced a smattering of Common Mergansers, but few gulls were roosting on the ice in early afternoon.

White-crowned Sparrows, Common Raven, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Redhead: not a bad day list for early March in NJ. The state has some great birding that’s for sure – now if only there weren’t so many PEOPLE around here!

Miss me? Well, I’m still down in NJ, but I am finally getting back out to do some birding, so I’ll start checking in on occasion again.

Other than a few quick trips to my local patch down here - Duke Island Park - today was my first real birding trip in a week. I needed a half-day of thinking of nothing other than birds, so I headed to one of my most favorite birding destinations: Sandy Hook. Jutting out into the Raritan Bay, pointing north towards New York City, this narrow spit of sand is one of the top birding destinations in the state. No matter what the weather, and time of season, Sandy Hook rarely fails to produce.

Stiff northwest winds off the water today made for a rather chilly morning and reduced landbird activity. However, large mixed flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles were battling northward through the wind during the morning hours. Waterfowl are certainly on the move down here, so I focused my attention on the more sheltered coves and inlets along the peninsula’s length. A Northern Harrier coursed low over Plum Island, startling American Black Ducks and Red-breasted Mergansers into flight. A raft of Greater Scaup was in Spermacetti Cove. A small flock of Cedar Waxwings, a handful of Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a few Black-capped Chickadees (an isolated population found on Sandy Hook) worked the sheltered woods around the Boy Scout Camp, and I was excited to flush an American Woodcock from near the Rusty Barn.

North Pond, below the hawkwatching deck that I spent many a cold and foggy morning on one spring not long ago, was mostly open and held the bird of the day: a drake Eurasian Wigeon, which has been seen around the Hook for some time now (and it was, according to my checklist, my 221st “Hook Bird.” And, on the way out, I spotted an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull roosting with the “regulars” on the Plum Island sandbar. Only 38 species in about 4 hours – well below average, and a bit of windburn, but otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyable way to clear one’s head.