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

To: <BIRDEAST@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>

Subject: [BIRDEAST] Maine Bird Alert May 29, 2003

Date: Thursday, June 05, 2003 6:34 PM

Name: Maine Audubon Bird Alert

Date: May 29, 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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York County

A BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was seen at Kittery Point.

A BALTIMORE ORIOLE and PURPLE FINCHES were seen in York.

LEAST TERNS were seen in Wells.

In West Kennebunk there were two BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS and one

YELLOW-THROATED VIREO among 39 species of birds.

The list from Goose Rocks included 2 pair of PIPING PLOVERS, BLACK-BELLIED

PLOVERS, and a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW.

At Biddeford Pool this past week shorebirds included nesting 3 WHITE-RUMPED

SANDPIPERS, about 36 LEAST SANDPIPERS, BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED

PLOVERS, a few SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, 78 BRANT, and NORTHERN GANNETS.

At the Saco Heath there were SWAINSON'S, HERMIT and WOOD THRUSHES, PRAIRIE

WARBLER, FIELD SPARROW and several other warbler species.

BLACKBURNIAN, MAGNOLIA and CANADA WARBLERS were seen in Dayton.

At least 13 species of WARBLERS were in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco with

BLACKPOLLS being the most common. At Goosefare Brook in Saco there were

PIPING and BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, BONAPARTE'S GULLS, RED-THROATED LOON, and

ROSEATE and COMMON TERNS.

A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was along the Atlantic Way Trail off Seaside Ave in

Saco.

Greater Portland and western Maine

There was a WILSON'S PHALAROPE in back of the Pelreco building on Pine Point

Road in Scarborough. Two LEAST TERNS were at Higgins Beach. A birder at

Fuller Farm in Scarborough found 2 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS, 1 calling

YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, BROAD-WINGED, COOPER'S and

SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, and an AMERICAN KESTREL.

Highlights of a 2.5-hour sea watch from Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth

included: ATLANTIC PUFFIN, KING EIDER, and 75 NORTHERN GANNETS. A pair of

ORCHARD ORIOLES was at Hannaford Cove Road in Cape Elizabeth.

A MOURNING WARBLER was in Evergreen Cemetery in Portland, along with

BLACKBURNIAN, BLACKPOLL, and CANADA WABRBLER. Also seen in Evergreen were:

SCARLET TANAGERS, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, 2 YELLOW-BELLIED and LEAST

FLYCATCHERS, and RED-EYED VIREO.

There were 5-6 COMMON NIGHTHAWKS flying around the area of Country Homes and

Blue Seal Feeds on Route 202 in South Windham Village.

A SCARLET TANAGER was seen in Freeport.

At Brownfield Bog there were PIED-BILLED GREBE, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO,

SPOTTED SANDPIPER and several species of warblers.

BLACKPOLL WARBLERS were seen in Wilton along with a BARRED OWL.

Midcoast

There was a YELLOW-THROATED VIREO along Sam Day Hill Rd & Acorn Hill Road

intersects in Phippsburg.

An INDIGO BUNTING was in Georgetown.

At Reid State Park there were BLACK-BELLIED and 8 PIPING PLOVERS. A pair of

MERLIN displaying typical nesting behavior was on campus at the Maine

Maritime Academy in Castine.

An EASTERN TOWHEE was singing near the summit of Mt. Megunticook in Camden.

BLACK and WHITE, BLACK-THROATED GREEN and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS were also

heard or seen.

At the Rockland Bog in Rockland there were PALM WARBLER, NORTHERN

WATERTHRUSH, NASHVILLE WARBLER, PURPLE FINCH, GREATER YELLOWLEGS,

GREEN-WINGED TEAL, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, and SWAMP SPARROW. The Palm

warblers were singing in the bog.

The list from Monhegan was extensive. There were at least 14 species of

WARBLERS including GOLDEN-WINGED. Also of note were SUMMER TANAGER, ORCHARD

ORIOLE, DICKCISSEL, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, LARK SPARROW, and 4 HARLEQUIN

DUCKS.

Eastern Maine

In East Machias there were 133 species seen.

In Machias there were SORA and VIRGINIA RAIL.

At Addison beach a birder counted 140 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS.

Ten WHIP-POOR-WILLS were counted at Hamilton Cove in Lubec along with 10

AMERCIAN WOODCOCK and a LEAST and an AMERICAN BITTERN. A THAYER'S GULL was

on the Lubec flats.

At Quoddy Head there was a BICKNELL'S THRUSH and BOREAL CHICKADEES.

At Dennison Point in Cutler there was another BICKNELL'S THRUSH along with 3

RAZORBILLS, 25 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, and CAPE MAY and TENNESSEE WARBLERS.

The annual warbler walk at the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in

Calaisin Washington County, Maine, sighted over 50 species. Highlights of

the walk included two very vocal SORAS, a male BLUE-WINGED TEAL, two female

HOODED MERGANSERS, BLACK and WHITE, YELLOW-RUMPED, BLACK-THROATED GREEN,

BLACK-THROATED BLUE, CANADA, BAY-BREASTED, TENNESEE, NASHVILLE, YELLOW, and

CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS, NORTHERN PARULA, AMERICAN REDSTART, RED-EYED VIREO,

BLUE-HEADED VIREO, WILSON'S SNIPE, SCARLET TANAGER, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT,

SWAMP SPARROW, SAVANNAH SPARROW, BOBOLINK, EASTERN KINGBIRD, and ALDER

FLYCATCHER. Recent arrivals include LEAST and OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS. The

BALD EAGLE near the intersection of Route 1 and the Charlotte Rd. has at

least one eaglet, and several pairs of ospreys are nesting in the platforms

along the Charlotte Road.

Two UPLAND SANDPIPERS were in Deblois.

Central Maine

Our reporter in Turner saw 4 AMERICAN PIPITS, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, 3

SOLITARY SANDPIPERS and several species of warblers.

Birds in Belgrade Bog along Route 27 in Belgrade included 5 BLACK TERNS, 3

PIED-BILLED GREBES, 7 BOBOLINK singing males, OSPREY, 3 GREATER YELLOWLEGS,

4 PURPLE MARTIN, BANK SWALLOWS, and YELLOW WARBLER.

One AMERICAN BITTERN by a small marsh area was found in Corinna on the

Greenbush Rd.

Northern Maine

The list from Houlton this week included GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER, NORTHERN

PARULA, OVENBIRD, MAGNOLIA, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, and

CAPE MAY WARBLERS, BOBOLINKS, RED-EYED and WARBLING VIREO, and WINTER WREN.

On Memorial Day morning, 78 species were seen in 3 hours (from 5 to 8 am) at

the former Loring Airbase in Limestone. The highlights were 16 UPLAND

SANDPIPERS, HORNED LARK, singing WARBLING VIREO, BLUE-WINGED TEAL,

GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIGEON, AMERICAN BITTERN, BOBOLINK, both

KINGLETS, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATHERS, fifteen species of

warbler, all the common ones, including numerous TENNESSEES.

Arriving in Fort Kent this week were YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, AMERICAN

REDSTART, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, NASHVILLE WARBLER, BAY-BREASTED WARBLER,

NORTHERN PARULA WARBLER and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and SWAINSON'S THRUSH.

UpComing Maine Audubon Programs

Please call 781-2330, ext. 215 or email lledoux@maineaudubon.org

Boreal Birding

The spruce-fir forests and higher altitudes of Maine's Western Mountains

offer some special birding opportunities. In the boreal forest areas north

and west of Rangeley, species such as black-backed woodpecker, gray jay,

spruce grouse, yellow-bellied flycatcher and Bicknell's thrush can be found.

On this late-day birding trip we will drive part way up the access road to

East Kennebago Mountain, then walk and linger near the top to enjoy the bird

song and gathering dusk. Join us for this bird walk and add some possible

"lifers" to your list.

Rangeley

Saturday, June 14 (weather date: June 21)

3-8:30 p.m.

Led by J Dwight

$25/member, $35/nonmember

Limited to 15 participants

Father's Day Cruise on Casco Bay

What better way to spend a Sunday morning in June than to take a cruise on

scenic Casco Bay? Add to this the informative and entertaining patter of

popular naturalist guides Chris Lewey and Pete Salmansohn, and you have the

makings of a great Father's Day outing. Our planned route goes out to Junk

of Pork and Outer Green Island, where biologists are restoring a tern

colony. Gannets, storm-petrels and other seabirds are possible sightings,

and we can expect to see plenty of eiders, osprey and seals. With Chris and

Pete as guides, you're sure to see and learn new things about Casco Bay.

From Portland

Sunday, June 15

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Led by Pete Salmansohn,

Chris Lewey

$35/member, $45/nonmember

Limited to 100 participants

Maine's Plains: A Special Habitat

In a state that is more than 90 percent forested, a grassy plain is rare

habitat. The Kennebunk Plains is just such a place, and because it is

unusual, it is home to a whole group of birds and plants that are unusual in

Maine as well. Grasshopper sparrow, vesper sparrow, horned lark and upland

sandpiper are notable nesters of this open land, where blue toadflax,

flowering dogbane, frostweed and wood lily bloom. Plains' management

specialist and naturalist Parker Shuerman leads this easy morning

exploration of one of Maine's most rare habitat types.

Kennebunk

Saturday, June 21

9-11 a.m.

Led by Parker Shuerman

$8/member, $12/nonmember

Limited to 15 participants

Stratton Island

Stratton Island, less than a mile and a half off the Scarborough shore, is a

nesting colony and roosting site for a remarkable diversity of coastal

birds. Owned and protected by Audubon, the island is a sanctuary for great

blue, little blue, green and tricolored herons. Snowy egret, glossy ibis,

common and roseate terns, wood and black ducks, common eider and the state's

only pair of breeding American oystercatcher also can be found here.

Additionally, hundreds of seals haul themselves out onto the surrounding

rocks to soak in the sun. Because Stratton Island is not normally accessible

to visitors, this trip provides a special opportunity for birders. A portion

of the fee helps keep the island a sanctuary for these birds. This trip is

timed to see the sun set and the herons return to their roosts on the

island. Participants will need to get in and out of boats and inflatable

dingies; agility is required.

From Prouts Neck

Wednesday, June 25

4-8 p.m.

Led by Linda Woodard, Pat Moynahan

$32/member, $40/nonmember

Limited to 12 participants

207-781-2330, ext. 237

Linda Woodard

Maine Audubon

20 Gilsland Farm Rd

Falmouth, Maine

207-781-2330 ext. 213

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