From: "Linda Woodard" <lwoodard@MAINEAUDUBON.ORG>

To: <BIRDEAST@listserv.arizona.edu>

Subject: [BIRDEAST] Maine Bird Alert April 2, 2003

Date: Thursday, April 03, 2003 10:55 PM

Name: Maine Audubon Bird Alert

Date: April 2, 2003

Area: State of Maine

Number: (207) 781-2332

Compilers: Steve Pollock and Kay Gammons

Transcriber: Maine Audubon (birdalert@maineaudubon.org)

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A EURASIAN RACE of the GREEN-WINGED TEAL was found among some 50 American

Green-winged Teal at Weskeag Marsh.

Many birds arrived this week. Some examples include: AMERICAN WIGEON, WOOD

DUCKS, GADWALLS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, COMMON SNIPE, AMERICAN WOODCOCK, LITTLE

BLUE HERON, GLOSSY IBIS, PIPING PLOVERS, BELTED KINGFISHERS, EASTERN

PHOEBES, which were spread across the state in small numbers, RUSTY

BLACKBIRDS, AMERICAN BITTERN, and FOX SPARROWS.

York County

FOX SPARROWS were widely reported in York County.

A BELTED KINGFISHER was along the Little River in Wells. At Laudholm Farm

in Wells there were 4 PIPING PLOVERS, 6 SANDERLINGS, 10 GREEN-WINGED TEAL,

and 10 WOOD DUCKS. At another time, fifteen PIPING PLOVERS were on Laudholm

Beach in Wells. A BELTED KINGFISHER perched on the wire over the Drakes

Island Bridge.

An EASTERN PHOEBE arrived in west Kennebunk.

Three PIPING PLOVERS were at Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport. TREE

SWALLOWS arrived in Cape Porpoise.

A FISH CROW was at the Biddeford Wal-Mart. AMERICAN WOODCOCK, a HERMIT

THRUSH, and TREE SPARROWS were at Biddeford Pool.

An AMERICAN KESTREL and TURKEYS were along the Boom Road in Saco. An

EASTERN MEADOWLARK was along Smutty Lane in Saco. On the marsh below Laurel

Hill Cemetery there were 2 TREE SWALLOWS and 200 CANADA GEESE.

On the Atlantic Way Trail through Rachel Carson National Wildlife refuge on

Route 9 there were FLICKER, SNOWY EGRET, SONG and TREE SPARROWS, and an

EASTERN PHOEBE.

Scarborough Marsh Area

At Scarborough marsh there were DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, GREAT BLUE

HERON, SNOWY EGRET, GREAT EGRET, and AMERICAN WIGEON. Behind the Pelreco

building there were TREE SWALLOWS, EASTERN PHOEBE, KILLDEER, GREATER

YELLOWLEGS, GADWALL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN PINTAIL, and PERGRINE

FALCON. A HOODED MERGANSER, 3 GLOSSY IBIS, and 2 GADWALL were at Dunstan

Landing. At another time at Dunstan there was a LITTLE BLUE HERON, 3 GLOSSY

IBIS, and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. Birds at Eastern Road included 1 SAVANNAH

SPARROW, 1 NORTHERN HARRIER (Female.) Near the Audubon Center there were 4

HOODED MERGANSERS, a male NORTHERN SHOVELLER feeding, and a lone SNOWY

EGRET. WOOD DUCKS, HOODED MERGANSERS, and RING-NECKED DUCKS were seen in

the little pond on Black Point Road between Eastern Road and Winnock's Neck

Rd. Twelve CANADA GEESE and one SNOW GOOSE were in the Spurwink Marsh. Near

the Willowdale area of Scarborough there were RING-NECKED DUCKS, WOOD

DUCKS, AMERICAN WIGEON, and COMMON MERGANSERS. A KINGFISHER was at Blue

Point Road, Scarborough (along with HOODED MERGANSERS and a GREAT BLUE

HERON). A WINTER WREN was at the Nonesuch River bridge area at Fuller Farm

(Broad turn Rd., Scarborough). A RUFFED GROUSE was drumming in the same

area, as well as purple finches singing.

Greater Portland and western Maine

The list from Evergreen Cemetery in Portland included EASTERN PHOEBE,

AMERICAN WOODCOCK, and FOX SPARROWS.

Eight BRANT and a PINE WARBLER stopped on Peaks Island.

At the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth there was an EASTERN

PHOEBE, a FOX SPARROW, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, AMERICAN WOODCOCKS, and a

CAROLINA WREN.

An EASTERN PHOEBE was in Freeport.

Several AMEROCAN WOODCOCKS have been displaying at the Topsham

Recreation "wetland" area off Foreside Rd.

Many COMMON and a few HOODED MERGANSERS are on the Androscoggin River now

that the ice is finally breaking up.

There were 2 EASTERN MEADOLARKS at Brunswick High School. There were RING-

NECKED DUCKS on the Androscoggin River. An EASTERN PHOEBE and a FOX SPARROW

were in a yard in Brunswick. A NORHTERN HARRIER was seen

Flying over a marshy area on Casco Road in Brunswick. A GREEN-WINGED TEAL

was seen at the Maquoit Bay Marsh, Brunswick. A NORTHERN HARRIER was

flying over the Muddy River.

In Gray there was a TREE SWALLOW, CHIPPING SPARROW, and a lingering

NORTHERN SHRIKE.

EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were checking out birdhouses in Norway.

During a short search of open water in the Windham/Naples area there was a

pair of HOODED MERGANSERS in the Crooked River. A half dozen CANADA GEESE,

3 male WOOD DUCKS, and 3 pairs of COMMON GOLDENEYES were at Thomas Pond.

TREE SWALLOWS, TURKEY VULTURES, and AMERICAN KESTRELS were seen in Wilton.

Midcoast

COMMON SNIPE were seen in North Bath, in a front yard in low, wet area.

RING-NECKED DUCKS were at the Whiskeag Stream outlet in North Bath.

An AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 1 FLICKER, and 2 TURKEY VULTURES were seen at Reid

State Park in Georgetown.

An AMERICAN KESTRAL was seen in Phippsburg Center. A BARRED OWL was also in

Phippsburg.

BALD EAGLES were seen in Dresden.

A GREAT BLUE HERON was seen in Camden.

A small flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS was along the edge of a field near

Marshall Shores Road in Liberty.

Seen on Samoset Road in Boothbay Harbor in the last several days, were FOX

SPARROW, BELTED KINGFISHER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, and a large flock of

CEDAR WAXWINGS.

Out on Monhegan Island there were EASTERN PHOEBE, KILLDEER, and FOX

SPARROWS.

Eastern Maine

Some migrants moved into eastern Washington County this weekend. SONG

SPARROWS were seen in Dennysville on Saturday; RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS,

COMMON GRACKLES and AMERICAN ROBINS on Monday; and an AMERICAN WOODCOCK

were on Route 214 in Charlotte this afternoon.

The BALD EAGLE pair at the Route 1 nest platform in Calais should start

laying eggs and incubating any day. AMERICAN WOODCOCK arrived at Moosehorn

National Wildlife Refuge near Calais.

Thirty CEDAR WAXWINGS were feeding on Upper Codyville Road in Topsfield.

Central Maine

Fifteen SNOW GEESE were in a field at the southeast corner of Route 3 and

Church Hill Road in Augusta. The directions are take Rte 3 East from

Augusta and Church Hill Road is the first major intersection.

On the West Road on the edge of Belgrade Lakes village, a male AMERICAN

WOODCOCK sings each evening.

AMERICAN WOODCOCK were seen in Dixmont.

On Monday March 24, a lone GREAT CORMORANT flew upriver in Bangor, and a

TURKEY VULTURE soared over Brewer.

On Friday, March 28, 3 FOX SPARROWS and 2 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were at Fields

Pond Audubon Center in Holden. On Monday, March 31, an AMERICAN KESTRAL and

a NORTHERN HARRIER were seen from the Wiswell Road, in Brewer near the

Fields Pond Audubon Center. Fields Pond is still ice-covered but the outlet

stream into Orrington Marsh (Sedgeunkedunk) is open.

This morning (3/26) there were 10 species of waterfowl seen from "the red

bridge" on the Brewer Lake Rd., they are as follows: CANADA GEESE, WOOD

DUCKS, MALLARDS, AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS, GADWALL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RING-

NECKED DUCKS, COMMON GOLDENEYES, COMMON MERGANSERS, HOODED MERGANSERS, and

a adult male NORTHERN HARRIER flew over.

On Saturday March 29, a COOPER'S HAWK flew over Stillwater Avenue just

South of the Bangor Mall.

Five CEDAR WAXWINGS were in Old Town.

Northern Maine

Arriving in Houlton were HARRIER, KILLDEER and a NORTHERN SAW-WHET

OWL.

In Fork Kent there were 11 AMERICAN ROBINS, 1 COMMON GRACKLE, 1 EASTERN

PHOEBE, and NORTHERN JUNCOS.

At Mars Hill there were RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS.

At Grand Isle there was an AMERICAN KESTREL.

In Woodland there were MERLIN, NORTHERN HARRIER, SONG SPARROW, and 12

NORTHERN JUNCOS.

A SNOWY OWL was seen in Fort Fairfield.

On the Aroostook River in Caribou there were 2 GREEN-WINGED TEAL and 5

COMMON and 2 HOODED MERGANSERS.

Help Maine Audubon Protect Critical Coastal Habitat

Please Attend the Public Hearing, Tuesday, April 8th at 2:00 pm Room 437,

State House, Augusta PLEASE SUPPORT LD 696, An Act to Maintain Beaches as

Recreation Sites for the Public. Maine Audubon has worked hard to protect

Maine's beaches which offer outstanding recreational value for all Mainers

as well as foraging habitat for migratory shorebirds. Of particular concern

is the dune habitat used by breeding Least Terns and Piping Plovers, which

are endangered. For more Information

http://www.maineaudubon.org/policy/alerts/index.html#sdune04

Upcoming Maine Audubon Programs: To reserve your spot call (207) 781-2330,

ext. 215 or email lledoux@maineaudubon.org

Maine Audubon Programs

Exploring Maine's Ecology with Dr. Herb Wilson-This course is designed to

give you an introduction to the ecology of Maine. We will investigate the

processes, such as climate, geology, succession that control the

distribution and abundance of plants and animals. We will begin with a

consideration of global climate patterns and then work our way down to

smaller and smaller scales (biomes, communities, populations). Topics to be

discussed will include predation, competition, physical stresses, zonation,

nutrient cycling and forest succession. Recommended text: The Economy of

Nature (fifth edition) by Robert Rickefs. Herb Wilson teaches Ecology,

Ornithology and Biology at Colby College, and is a regular contributor to

many newspapers in Maine, including the Maine Sunday Telegram.?? 6:30-9:00

p.m. Tuesdays April 8, 15, 22 and 29, 6:30-9:00 pm with field trip May 10.

Cost: $120/member, $150/nonmember. Limited to 20 participants.

Reservations necessary-only four spaces left.

Birding by Ear: An Introduction to Birdsong with Dick Walton - Did you

Know that most birders, from beginners to experts, identify many of the

birds they encounter by their vocalizations? Join Dick Walton, co-author of

the Peterson Field Guide Series - Birding by Ear, for an in-depth workshop

designed to assist birders develop techniques for learning birdsong as an

aide to field identification. We will focus on our most common songsters

and learn how to recognize and recall their vocalizations. Suitable for

beginning students of birdsong. Participants will receive workshop

materials and registration is limited to 25. ?? 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.,

Saturday, April

12. Cost $50/member, $65/nonmember. Reservations necessary, only five

spaces left!

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