A clear, calm night last night produced a decent flight for this morning. I began at Bayview Preserve with Ian, and we noted about 10 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 3 Palm Warblers, 5 Hermit Thrushes, and a Blue-headed Vireo among others. Next, at Cumberland's Twin Brook Recreation Area, I had a good tally of 31 Hermit Thrushes and 23 Savannah Sparrows, plus the local pair of American Kestrels.

With clear and calm conditions for the next few nights, I would expect a steady progression of migrants. They're certainly on the way, take a look at the skies over New Jersey on the Wednesday night, for example.

Some other bird news of late include the amazing, and the hilarious.

Now, closer to home, I would just like to take a moment to mention a new and exciting feature at our store. Jeannette and I believe in promoting local artists, and we have been trying to figure out a way to do more. Unfortunately, we are unable to fit into the store all of the great creations that many local artists have brought to us over the past year and a half. Therefore, we have created our "Maine Artist Feature Day," which we hope to make into a monthly series.

We'll provide a table, and advertising, free of charge to a Maine artist to spend one Saturday each month with us, showing -and hopefully selling - their works. Free retail space and free promotion is tough to come by, so we're excited to offer this opportunity.

Tomorrow, we begin this monthly series when we welcome Debbie Stubbs, a wildlife photographer from South Portland. Debbie will be here from 10-4, displaying her prints and imprinted mugs. (Ane keep an eye on our Calendar of Events for more upcoming Artist Feature Days)>

Also - and one of the reasons that I bring this up on the blog - is that if you (or someone you know) is a Maine artist (painter, photographer, writer, etc), we'd love to meet you! We invite any artist - certainly bird-oriented is great, but anything nature-related is welcome - to get in touch with us, so please, spread the word!

Winds diminished significantly last night, allowing for a good wave of songbirds to move into the area. Jeannette had at least 25 Hermit Thrushes at Hedgehog Mountain Park, while I had lots of activity at Portland’s Dragon Field: 31 Savannah Sparrows, 17 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 8 White-throated Sparrows, 6 Palm Warblers, 6 Pine Warblers, and 3 Blue-headed Vireos. (And, the Savannah Sparrows here at the store have departed).

A Fish Crow flew over, giving its diagnostic nasal call - a long-overdue (there's a colony not far away in Falmouth Foreside) addition to my Dragon Field list that now stands at 144 species. My goal is to “finish” the patch list (reach 150) by the end of this year – and my work is really cut out for me! I have no easy birds left; it’s just a matter of luck now. Missing that Northern Shrike this winter, and the Red-bellied Woodpecker last fall, may come back to haunt me! I need some uncommon migrants, like Red-shouldered Hawk and Mourning Warbler, but I’ll need a couple of rarities – or some really dumb luck (like a new flyover shorebird or duck) to reach the target.

Also at Dragon Field today, I once again saw a Gray Catbird that has been present there since late last fall. We’re still 1-2 weeks away from newly arriving migrant catbirds, but thanks to the mild winter this bird is already set up on territory -saving himself (I have heard it sing, so it is a male) the arduous and dangerous journey of thousands of miles of migration.

There’s no way of knowing why he stuck around last fall. An injury? Was he unable to build up enough fat reserves? Was he just stupid? No matter what the reason, the mild winter – and a good fruit crop last summer/fall – allowed him to survive.

For sake of argument here, let’s say that this catbird's failure to migration was casued by a genetic defect. A severe (normal?) winter would have eliminated his genes from the gene pool. However, if that defective gene prevented him from migrating (such as disrupting the hormonal change that triggers migration tendencies) allowed him to survive (i.e. provides a benefit in terms of fitness – such as not flying into a communications tower while migrating one night), that gene will be passed on to his offspring. Furthermore, since he is already on territory, he has the “home field advantage” when a newly returning migrant that has just flown in from Belize shows up. Now, let’s say that this gene prevents his offspring from migrating next fall. Next winter is also mild – continuing the long-term trend of mild winters due to global warming – and the whole family survives. And the same thing in the next year. Alas, a population of non-migratory Catbirds develop and begins wintering in Maine.

Now, this is a complete hypothetical - and greatly oversimplified scenario – but it’s a useful example of how some species adapt to changing conditions (unfortunately, we don’t seem to be seeing many species that are adapting positively to the extremely rapid changes caused by the Global Climate Change that we are now witnessing). Evolution in action at Portland’s Dragon Field? Or, just one darn lucky little catbird!

Predicting birds is even harder than predicting the weather. In fact, first we predict the weather, and then we have to predict what the birds will do based on the weather. This is not very statistically dependable process. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we don’t. Yesterday, our plans – based on these predictions – worked out perfectly!

Jeannette and I began the day birding the Portland Peninsula; the area along West Commercial Street, the Western Promenade, and the area along the Commercial Street Extension. Not suprisingly, given the conditions the past few days, there wasn’t a whole lot to see – although, admittedly, I was expecting a bit more – but there was a number of Savannah Sparrows, a handful of White-throated Sparrows, and few other migrants.

Later, we picked up a couple of the Full Belly Deli’s great sandwiches, and headed for Bradbury Mountain. The forecast was for southwesterly winds to develop ahead of an approaching strong cold front. A warm, sunny start to the day would allow thermals to generate, and get hawks moving. Afternoon clouds would provide a backdrop to spot high-soaring birds against. Really, a perfect hawkwatching scenario - and, on a Tuesday, our day off! Too good to be true?

We didn’t make it up to the mountain until 1:15, quite a bit later than we had planned. Lionel informed us that he only had 23 hawks since 9:00am, and most of those had come within the last half hour. So much for my prediction . . . .But wait!

As the southwesterly, and then westerly, winds picked up, and the clouds moved in – and the front approached – a classic “pre-frontal flight” developed, with lots of birds on the move. In fact, between 1:15 and 4:30, 278 hawks were tallied, including 184 Broad-winged Hawks and 21 Ospreys. What a flight! (We’ve been waiting all month for good hawkwatching conditions on a Tuesday!)

Jeannette and I hesitantly left at 4:30, having to hussle down the hill to attend the Merrymeeting Audubon Annual Meeting – and to hear guest speaker Philip Hoose (who gave a great presentation, by the way). We were a little concerned about the late day falcon flight that sometimes develops, especially just ahead of a front. Luckily for us, that late-day falcon flight consisted of only one American Kestrel!

It’s really not very nice out, is it? It was damp and chilly this morning as I walked the New Gloucester Marsh. Swamp Sparrows and Song Sparrows, along with lots of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles were singing. A male Northern Harrier passed overhead; the "Gray Ghost" looking most appropriate on this gray morning. A female American Kestrel harassed a Red-tailed Hawk. No rails or bitterns as I had hoped for, however.

This entire week looks rather unpleasant if you are a migrating songbird – or a birder hoping to see a migrating songbird. Onshore winds today, strong cold front followed by cold air and northwest winds predicted to sweep through on Tuesday, with northerly winds predicted for much of the rest of the week. Certainly, these are not the conditions conducive to producing a tide of migrants.

However, as May rapidly approaches, birds need to get to where they need to get to. With each passing day, the window of migration (in order to arrive on the breeding grounds in time to do what has to be done) narrows by a day. While it is still early – for most songbird species anyway – some individuals and some species will need to battle to weather conditions that they are faced with; they can only wait so long for a nice, pleasant tailwind. The progress of a bird’s migration can only be delayed so long.

While there may not be a tremendous flight this week, some migrants will likely be coming and going each day and night. Waterbirds are certainly on the move. Some birds, such as loons, gannets, and falcons fly into a headwind without any problems – in fact, their long, narrow, pointed wings generate lift when cutting into a headwind. They’ll be on the move. A trickle of passerines will be moving in and out as well, so it is certainly worth keeping an eye out at the usual migrant traps, or any other local patch of good habitat. Also, keep an eye on your feeders – hungry migrants arriving in cold weather will be happy to gain the supplemental resource of backyard feeders – especially when stocked with things like suet, mealworms, and fruit.

If there is one thing that this current weather pattern is good for is seawatching. Some songbirds surely arrived ahead of the approaching rain last night, as they did Saturday morning as well, but likely not in any significant numbers. The continuing onshore winds aren’t real productive for producing flights of long-distance migrants, but they do help to push migrating seabirds closer to shore.

With a prediction of a moderate East wind by morning, I headed out to Dyer Point in Cape Elizabeth. I was a bit disappointed to find it so NICE out! Just a slight northeast breeze was it – no stiff, unpleasant, damp, dreary East that I was hoping for. However, the light winds were permitting a number of birds to move, and the excellent visibility increased their detection.

A ghostly pale first cycle Iceland Gull was a treat and a Laughing Gull passed by as well. 12 Red-necked Grebes were still heading north, and my tally of 22 Black Guillemots was a respectable total. There were many fewer scoters and other seaducks than my seawatching stint a couple of days ago from Biddeford Pool, but I had no complaints. For some reason, I find burying my face in my spotting scope, straining to see and identify small flying specks far out to see until I am nearly blinded by eye strain to be pleasantly relaxing and therapeutic!

Here’s the morning’s totals:
Common Eider: 88
Surf Scoter: 42
White-winged Scoter: 1
Black Scoter: 74
Unidentified “dark-winged” scoter: 21
Long-tailed Duck: 137
Red-breasted Merganser: 6
Unidentified Duck: 21
Red-throated Loon: 6
Common Loon: 22
Unidentified Loon: 1
Red-necked Grebe: 12
Northern Gannet: 20
Double-crested Cormorant: 102
American Kestrel: 1
Merlin: 1
Laughing Gull: 1
Iceland Gull: 1
Black Guillemot: 22

I was a bit torn as to where to bird this morning. The calm winds overnight certainly allowed migrant passerines to move. Do I hit the woods? If the wind remains calm, do I head up to Bradbury Mountain? But . . . the winds are due to be onshore, that means better seawatching. Therefore, I decided to head to Biddeford Pool to begin the day seawatching, and to finish the morning looking for landbirds in the neighborhood.

I didn’t sit down at East Point Sanctuary until 7:35. I wish I had got there sooner! A moderate northeast wind was helping push seabirds close to shore, and scoters were really on the move. I found a comfortable spot to sit, and buried my face in my scope.

Small to moderate-sized flocks of Black and Surf Scoters were on the move. A group of Double-crested Cormorants or Red-breasted Mergansers would pass now and again. A steady trickle of Northern Gannets – all adult – steadily worked their way north, as did a handful of Common and Red-throated Loons. I tallied 829 individuals of 16 species of waterbirds moving north between 7:35 and 9:05 this morning, a decent late-April tally on less-than-prime winds. (Complete totals below).

The stronger-than-expected northeast wind did not result in as many songbirds in the area as I had hoped, but I was very pleased to see two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers along the edge of Great Pond. Reaching the northern limits of their range in Maine, and only very localized breeders, it is always a treat to see these little sprites. An “Ipswich” Savannah Sparrow was on Biddeford Pool Beach, and two more were behind Hattie’s Deli. This larger, paler subspecies breeds only on Cape Sable Island off of Nova Scotia and is an uncommon migrant along the coast of Maine.

I would expect a good flight of songbirds tonight, as winds should be calm, and birds will likely be moving ahead of the approaching low. Next week doesn’t look so nice though, except for more seawatching!

Here’s the tally from the seawatch this morning:
American Black Duck: 8
Green-winged Teal: 9
Common Eider: 32 (with many more on the water)
Surf Scoter: 128
White-winged Scoter: 13
Black Scoter: 458
Unidentified “dark-winged” scoter: 81
Long-tailed Duck: 36
Red-breasted Merganser: 49
Unidentified Duck: 36
Red-throated Loon: 7
Common Loon: 14
Northern Gannet: 37
Double-crested Cormorant: 114
Great Cormorant: 1
Great Blue Heron: 1
Laughing Gull: 1
Black Guillemot: 5

Another nice, warm day – but more north winds! Yeeesh. But, since it was quite a bit calmer last night, a few birds seemed to have moved. There were more Palm Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets around Hedgehog Mountain Park and Florida Lake in Freeport this morning. 24 Ring-necked Ducks on Florida Lake were also a treat. And a Field Sparrow arrived and was singing at Hedgehog Mountain.

When this northerly flow FINALLY breaks, we should see quite a flood of migrants.

Just thought that I would share a couple of pics of the Montclair Hawkwatch from my recent trip to Jersey.

Here’s the view – to the southeast – looking over the coastal plain. Somewhere through the smog is Manhattan.

“The Crew” (Left to Right: Steve, Richie, Jeannette, The Famous Elsa, and Official Counter Alex.

Although a stiff northerly wind (still) was not the most condusive to a good day of spring birding, Jeannette and I were not going to waste our day off doing the yard and housework that we have been putting off! Heck no. Instead, we headed for Pemaquid Point.

The winds certainly were not prime for seawatching or migrant passerines, but it was a good change of scenery. We did have our first sounds of summer, however, as 6 Laughing Gulls had arrived at Pemaquid Harbor. Nothing says summer (and memories of growing up at the Jersey shore) like the cackling of Laughing Gulls!

As we worked our way up the peninsula, we poked around, exploring new areas. We then birded in and around Damariscotta, enjoying the local Osprey pairs, and a subadult Bald Eagle in Salt Bay. At least 15 Tree Swallows were feeding on a midge hatch at Damariscotta Mills, a total of seven Pine Warblers were heard as we walked the trails ay Dodge Point, and I enjoyed a pair of Ring-necked Ducks at Sherman Lake.

As dusk approached, I headed over to Pineland Farms in New Gloucester to lead my annual Woodcock Walk there. A Merlin zipped by the group just as the walk began. It was a sign of good things to come!

Positioning ourselves at my “Secret Woodcock Spot,” we stood and waited. The winds had subsided a bit, but not enough I feared. Was it too strong? But, then, we heard the familiar, nasal “peent” of an American Woodcock calling from the ground, then another, and another. Finally, we heard a flight “song” (actually a combination of vocalizations and a whistle caused by wind rushing around the woodcock’s wingtips). Soon, closer “peents” were heard and then the show really began!

One male in particular made multiple close passes right over our heads, and the cloud cover gave a perfect background to watch his display. We were able to see him – and hear 4-5 other displaying males - over the course of the next 45 minutes, until it was too dark to see the birds in that air. It was quite a show!

Jeannette and I spent a pleasant Easter morning looking for shorebirds in Scarborough Marsh. Jeannette is a volunteer for the International Shorebird Survey, which is a Western Hemisphere-wide attempt to gather information on shorebird populations organized by the Manoment Center for Conservation Sciences. Every ten days from April though mid-June and August through October, volunteers set out to identify and count migrant shorebirds at favored roosting and/or feeding locations.

Jeannette covers two sections of Scarborough Marsh: 1) The Pint Point/Old Orchard Beach section of flat sand ocean-front beach, and 2) the marshes and salt pannes along Jones Creek, which runs from behind the Pelreco Building to the backside of the Pine Point Lobster Co-op. By the way, volunteers are still needed to cover 4 of the 7 sections of Scarborough Marsh. Contact the ISS for more info, or drop us a line here at the store.

Each week, we’ll post the totals from the three covered sections of the Marsh on the bird news section of yarmouthbirds.com. But this week, I’ll save you the trouble – for one thing, our website is down (odd though - instead of nto being able to access the pages, the website has reverted back to the middle of Marsh. There's a reason I work with birds and not computers!). For another, we didn’t have a single shorebird yesterday! Well, it’s still early, and since shorebirds really don’t get going until May here, we’re not worried. Jeannette had the same negative data for this time last April. Early in the season, the shorebirds that are found in Scarborough Marsh tend to be seen in the higher sections of the marsh, at exposed mudflats at low tide and the large salt pannes at high tide.

But, despite the lack of shorebirds, we had a great morning enjoying the other marsh denizens. There was a nice aggregation of breeding plumaged Long-tailed Ducks in the Pine Point Narrows, lots of Tree Swallows, increasing numbers of Great and Snowy Egrets, and much more. Certainly the highlight, however, were two big concentrations of Glossy Ibis.

41 were feeding behind the Scarborough Marsh Nature Center, but an impressive 76 were packed together feeding in the salt pannes alongside Route 1/9. Between these two groups, we saw a majority of Maine’s Glossy Ibis! These birds were likely all part of the Stratton Island colony, the northernmost colony on the East Coast. They’re very cool birds, too, with their ridiculously long downcurved bills for probing deep in marsh muck, and their glossy bronze-and-green dress.

Finally heading north today, but not after one last walk in the neighborhood (although calling this massive, disgustingly sprawling condo complex a neighborhood is a stretch – what I should of said was I walked the edge of deer-ravaged strip of young trees and non-native scrub that borders the edge of the complex and the little stream that drains the retention pond). But whatever you call it, this morning, it hosted a fair amount of migrants – more of the same that I have been seeing down here – but definitely a significant increase in White-throated Sparrows. I also got good looks at two Wilson’s Snipe, and two Great Egrets passed overhead, beating languidly.

Yesterday, at Duke Island Park, an increase in Palm Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets was also evident. A single female Common Merganser continues to hang around there as well.

So, as I return to Maine, I will be very much looking forward to two upcoming events. On Tuesday the 18th, I will be leading an evening stroll at Pineland Farms to enjoy displaying American Woodcocks. We will also likely hear, and perhaps even see, Wilson’s Snipe and Barred Owls. Email me, or Sarah Hunt at shunt@pinelandfarms.org, for more info.

Then, a week later on Tuesday the 25th, Merrymeeting Audubon will be hosting its annual meeting. The meeting will be held at St. Charles Borromeo Church Meeting Room on McKeen Street in Brunswick at 6:00pm. Soups, bread, and salad from the Humble Gourmet will be served, as well as homemade treats for dessert. There will be a silent auction, with everything from books and gift certificates to guides and travel available (bids can also be submitted by email). Proceeds of the auction support the Merrymeeting Audubon Scholarship Program, which annually sends twenty or more children and young adults to learn more about the natural history of Maine at Tanglewood 4-H, the Maine Conservation School, and Maine Audubon's Hog Island.

And, to top things off, the Guest Speaker for the evening is Phillip Hoose the author of “The Race to Save the Lord God Bird” with a presentation on the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. This is a most timely presentation, and we will be looking forward to Phillip’s comments on the lastest developments from the swamps of Arkansas. Reservations are required for the annual meeting, see the Merrymeeting Website for more info.

Migrants are definitely on their way, I’m sending them along (yup, still down here in NJ) Yesterday around the neighborhood around here a smattering of migrants (Palm Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Hermit Thrushes, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets) was evidence of a good overnight flight.

I expected a good flight last night, but it wasn’t too busy on this morning’s visit to Duke Island Park. A few more Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers were around, Barn Swallows have arrived, and there was a scattering of White-throated Sparrows. We also had one Winter Wren, a single Pine Warbler, and a pair of Wood Ducks calling from the top of a huge, riverside Sycamore. And, the park’s riparian Bluebells are just beginning to blossom.

Yesterday, Jeannette and I managed to sneak out for a few hours of hawkwatching. We headed over to the venerable Montclair Hawkwatch, one of the longest-running hawkwatches in the country. I spent quite a bit of time there when I lived in NJ, so it is always good to get back.

Yes, the hawkwatching is great, but the people are even better! It was good to see my old friend Steve, Montclair regular Rich, and to meet the new official counter, Alex. But, first and foremost we just had to visit Elsa! Elsa is Montclair’s “Coordinator.” However, to most people Elsa – and her husband Wayne – ARE The Montclair Hawkwatch. Elsa and Wayne are two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and they have dedicated countless years of service to the Montclair Hawkwatch, Montclair Bird Club, and New Jersey Audubon.

We actually ran into Elsa before we got to the count site, as she was in town picking up a sandwich for the hawkcounter. Jeannette and I were packing in as many real deli sandwiches as possible before heading back to Maine - sorry the “Real Italian” does not cut it if you grew up in NY/NJ delis! The tight space of a crowded deli was not conducive to one of Elsa’s famous hugs, so we had to make due with a half-hug until we were all up on the hillside.

A light south/southeast breeze should have produced a good flight, but it was slower than expected. The birds we did see however were very, very high. In the 3 ½ hours that we were present, 35 migrant raptors were tallied. A few, such as a male Sharp-shinned Hawk were low, but most, like the 9 Broad-winged Hawks, passed overhead at insane altitudes. With light winds, warm air, and few clouds, we knew birds were passing overhead, undetected.

This was later proven as about 50 raptors were spotted in the hour AFTER we left – likely birds that were coming lower as the thermals waned, and were now within the limits of conjecture. Figures. But, our excuse to take the afternoon off and spot some birds was to combine it with a visit to the Wild Bird Center of West Caldwell. We wanted to say hello to our friend Phoebe (yes, that’s her name, how convenient, ey?), who owns the store (it’s the one that Tony Soprano bought is cracked corn for his ducks – and to hide money in - from by the way), and visiting other stores is a good way to learn about new products, ideas for displays, and of course, gossip. But, did they HAVE to get a late day falcon flight while we were stuck in traffic on Bloomfield Avenue???

I guess we just were being impatient and couldn’t wait for the migrants to make it north, so Jeannette and I drove south. We’re back down in Jersey for a couple of days, and hopefully we’ll have some time to get outside – and with the forecast looking good for a hawk flight in the next couple of days, we’ll be working hard to get the chance to visit one of the area’s hawkwatches.

Spring has definitely sprung down here: grass is green, trees are blooming, some bushes are getting leaves, and many more migrants have arrived. This morning, a walk at nearby Duke Island Park in Bridgewater produced a smattering of migrants, larger numbers of some species that are just now making it into Maine (such as Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers) and others that have not yet arrived (like Northern Rough-winged Swallow and Ruby-crowned Kinglet). Lots of birds were singing there this morning, including Eastern Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens, and things that at least sounded like Carolina Chickadees (here in the zone of overlap, I tend to leave all chickadees identified as only “Chickadee species.”). And, as always, lots of raucous Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

Meanwhile, on the way south yesterday, Jeannette and I spent an hour or so at Fort Foster in Kittery. In addition to a total of seven Phoebes, we heard one Virginia Rail (always a treat) calling from the marsh, and we also had a good view of a 1st cycle Iceland Gull in the river.

I expected only the usual early migrants, maybe even a newly-arrived Yellow-rumped or Palm Warbler, in an early morning visit with Ian to Yarmouth’s Bayview Preserve today. But, it just goes to show you, when birding, you need to expect the unexpected.

Walking the trail through the woods, I heard a very odd song emanating from the marsh. I knew that I had heard it before, but I couldn’t place it, and I immediately knew that it wasn’t something to be expected here. We headed into the marsh, towards an island of cattails that the song seemed to be coming from.

A bird briefly flitted into view. A sparrow. A slightly longer look provided the views necessary for identification. Short, spiky tail, flat head, and large bill placed the bird in the Genus Ammodramus. But, the fairly large size; dark grayish-brown coloration over most of the bird; very dark, thick streaks on the underside; a white throat highlighted by a blackish submoustacial stripe; and a splash of yellow in front of the eye. A SEASIDE SPARROW?!

Wait, it’s April, I’m in Maine, I’m at Bayview Preserve. Am I sure? A few more looks sealed the deal, and I dialed my cell phone to get the word out. This was a very good bird indeed!

Seaside Sparrows are normally found in salt marsh habitat from Plum Island, Massachusetts, south to Florida, and also on the Gulf Coast. A few breed in marshes of New Hampshire, but they are very rare farther north. Every now and then a pair or two will be found breeding in Scarborough Marsh and possibly other Southcoastal marshes. But, they are not seen every year. And, normally, they are found in May or June as vagrants (likely overshooting migrants). So, a month early, and rather out of place in this relatively small patch of brackish marsh – in fact, the bird was singing, and usually taking cover in a patch of cattails.

This was the first one in a few years in the state, I believe, and it was the first one that I have seen in Maine. It’s been a while since I have seen one anywhere, although I did hear some on last year’s World Series of Birding in New Jersey (they’re locally common in the Jersey Shore saltmarshes).

“Good bird!”

I had a productive morning in Scarborough Marsh today. Many species of waterfowl have really cleared out, but in their place are shorebirds and waders.

I tallied 13 Snowy Egrets and 4 Great Egrets scattered throughout the marsh, recent arrivals that I had not yet seen this year – both species looking a little out of place in the snow-covered marsh. Three Glossy Ibis were behind the Pelreco Building – the marsh is certainly the best place in Maine to see this species, as the northernmost colony of this species on the East Coast nest just offshore on Stratton Island and often feeds around the area. 34 Green-winged Teal, a common breeding duck in the marsh, were also seen from a few different locales.

A walk into the marsh from the Eastern Road trail produced a small group of shorebirds in the salt pannes: 7 Lesser Yellowlegs and 9 Pectoral Sandpipers - both first-of-the-year sightings for me - as well as about a dozen chilly Tree Swallows making short flights around the nest boxes out there.

The highlight of the morning, however, were views of two American Oystercatchers in the Pine Point Narrows (the mouth of Scarborough Marsh). There are only a few pairs of this flamboyant clown-faced species in Maine, one of which nests offshore at Stratton Island. The pair, and late their offspring, can occasionally be seen feeding on shellfish on the flats in this area.

So, maybe it will be tonight that we will get some accumulating snow to drive hungry migrants to our feeders. Are you stocked up with live mealworms?

But, for those of you who would rather think warmer spring thoughts, let’s talk a bit about American Woodcocks. I, like many birders, spend a number of nights each spring sitting in a grassy field watching the aerial performances of this otherwise obscure and secretive species. A member of the shorebird family, Woodcocks – or Timberdoodles as they are sometimes called - inhabit wet woods, marshes, swamps, and damp margins of open meadows. There, they go about their business of probing soft soil for earthworms and other tasty creepy-crawlies. They have an amazing adaptation for this: the tip of their bill is sensitive, and flexible, allow the bird to feel for prey with its face stuck in the mud.

But, from mid-March (usually) through to early May, the male woodcocks erupts nightly into a wild display of breeding excitement. At dusk, the familiar, nasal, “peent” call begins. Then, the male explodes up to impressive heights where he begins a complex performance. “In this “sky dance,” musical twittering sounds made by certain modified wing feathers, (and) chirping calls (are) made vocally,” as well-described by Kenn Kaufman in his Lives of North American Birds. It is really quite show, and all of this “just” to impress the ladies!

While American Woodcocks and their “sky dance” are common throughout most of Maine, there are some places that have more than others. Also, some places allow for better visuals of the performance, based on viewing conditions towards the last light of the western sky. One such place in Pineland Farms in New Gloucester. I have a specific “spot” where I have had great success with seeing them. Therefore, I will once again be leading an evening field trip to see “Woodcocks Gone Wild” at Pineland Farms on Tuesday, April 18th. We should also hear, and perhaps see, displaying Wilson’s Snipe, and hopefully also hear the local Barred Owls. Come out and join me. Call Sarah Hunt at Pinelands at 207-926-3913 extension 10, or email her at shunt@pinelandfarms.org for more info.

Well, it looks like we’ll have some interesting weather for the next couple of days! We’ll see how it affects birds and birding.

Last night, under calm skies, a few birds were on the move. I found my first Swamp Sparrow of the season at Crescent Beach State Park, while a Field Sparrow was singing along Two Lights Road. This was my first migrant Field Sparrow of spring, although our good friend continues here at the feeders at the store (scroll down to find the picture of our Field Sparrow), as it has since December 4th! A small number of Brant were scattered about the shore, a couple of spiffy breeding-plumaged Horned Grebes were in Kettle Cove, and a handful more Green-winged Teal have arrived in Spurwink Marsh.

Once again Tuesday – our day off – will be a wet and miserable day, but at least this time our plans are indoors, as we’ll be attending the morning draw of the World Curling Championships in Lowell, Mass. If we were home however, I would certainly consider seawatching if the predicted onshore winds materialize.

Meanwhile, if we really do get some accumulating snow Tuesday night, feederwatching could be great on Wednesday morning. There will be a good chance to find something out of the ordinary devouring fattening snacks at your feeding station. Have some mealworms on hand!

Also, with another wave of blackbirds pushing into the area (our mixed flock of Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Brown-headed Cowbirds was around 175 individuals at the store today), keep an eye out for vagrants among them. Yellow-headed and Brewer’s Blackbirds (which can be very difficult to separate from Rusty Blackbirds) from the Western half of the U.S. appear regularly in the northeast in early spring. When they are discovered, they are often with large concentrations of our common blackbirds.

There were certainly lots of birds on the move on those southerly winds overnight on Friday, but with the rain not beginning until mid-morning, we did not see the hoped-for “fallout” conditions. However, many Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Eastern Phoebes were on the move. In fact, I was awoken at 5:00 by a Phoebe singing from just outside our window. My highlights for the morning were two new birds for my Hedgehog Mountain Park list – Evening Grosbeak (three flyovers), and a stunning adult male Northern Harrier hunting the blueberry field.

After the cold front moved through last night, not much moved into a stiff northwest wind. I birded Winslow Park and nearby locales this morning, just trying to confirm that the last of the Barrow’s Goldeneyes that winter there have departed. I did not see any again today.

In other news, I was just looking at a frightening photo gallery of Louisiana’s Chandeleur Islands, which is part of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge. This USGS webpage shows some photos of these critical bird nesting islands (gulls, terns, and Brown Pelicans, among others) before and after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This is from the the April Birding Community E-Bulletin (which we post onto the Bird News page of our website):

“The refuge is now fast-disappearing. In November of last year, the head of the USFWS, Dale Hall, in testimony to the Senate reported that "Southeastern Louisiana, and especially Breton National Wildlife Refuge, is globally important for colonial nesting birds. Up to 15 percent of the world's Brown Pelicans and up to 30 percent of the world's Sandwich Terns nest in this area. Breton, which is part of the Chandeleur Islands and celebrated its centennial last year, lost 50 to 70 percent of its land mass due the effects of Hurricane Katrina."

”This is particularly dramatic since the refuge previously had the largest tern colony in the U.S., at one time ranging upward of 90,000 terns (mostly Sandwich and Royal) in the mid-1990s. By 2005 the colony had declined to about 25,000, even before Katrina. “

”More than 12,000 Brown Pelicans were found in the island chain as recently as 2002, but by the middle of 2005 numbers were reduced by half. Other nesting birds of interest in the islands include Reddish Egret, American Oystercatcher, and Snowy Plover. The islands are also an important location for wintering Piping Plovers and serve as a stopover site for songbirds in spring - at least where they are vegetated. It is no accident that the islands have been designated as a globally significant Important Bird Area (IBA).”

”What are the current nesting implications for 2006? While it is still too early to tell, the loss of habitat after Hurricane Katrina certainly isn't going to help.”