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

To: <BIRDEAST@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>

Subject: [BIRDEAST] Maine Bird Alert 3/23/04

Date: Thursday, March 25, 2004 1:58 PM

 

Name: Maine Audubon Bird Alert March 23, 2004

 

Date: March 23, 2004

 

Area: State of Maine

 

Number: (207) 781-2332

 

Compilers: Steve Pollock and Kay Gammons

 

Transcriber: Maine Audubon (birdalert@maineaudubon.org)

 

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Two SNOWY OWLS were seen in the vicinity of Pine Point this past week.

One SNOWY was behind the Clambake Restaurant, while the other was seen

at the same time in the dunes near the jetty at Pine Point. Another

SNOWY OWL is still holding court on the roof of a barn on the Hinkley

Road, just east of the Poverty Flats airport, in Clinton, as of 3/17/04

 

A TUNDRA SWAN has been present at the north end of Scarborough marsh

northbound near the Scarborough industrial park.

 

FOX SPARROWS were reported earlier in the reporting period this past

week. SONG SPARROWS increased in numbers slightly. KILLDEER seem to be

confined mostly to the southwestern coastal marshes. WATERFOWL numbers

have increased slightly.

 

An early GREAT EGRET was seen at Pine Point in Scarborough.

 

York County

 

At the Nubble Light in York there was a small flock of SNOW BUNTINGS

flying around the parking lot.

 

A stop at some feeders just south of the Cliff House in Ogunquit, on

Shore Road, produced nice looks at a FOX SPARROW.

 

The KING EIDER is still in Wells Harbor.

 

At Gooserocks Beach there were 3 KILLDEER and 1 SNOW BUNTING.

 

The river along Boom Road in Saco yielded 7 WOOD DUCKS, 30+ RING-NECKED

DUCKS, and 2 COMMON and 5 HOODED MERGANSERS. An AMERICAN KESTREL and 20

TURKEYS were seen on the Boom Road in Saco. In Laurel Hill Cemetery this

past week there were about 250 CANADA GEESE, 10 WOOD DUCKS, 4

RING-NECKED DUCKS, and 1 COMMON and 3 HOODED MERGANSERS. Also in Laurel

Hill was a flock of approximately 125 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS. This flock was

also seen near the Saco yacht club and down the Ferry Road from the

cemetery. A flock of 200 CEDAR WAXWINGS were along the Ferry Road. In

the woods off the ferry road there was a small flock of PINE SISKINS.

 

Greater Portland

 

Seen around Scarborough marsh were some 20 SNOW GEESE (including a

couple of juvenile birds), a partial albino CANADA GOOSE (body entirely

off-white on the tannish side, neck and head as usual) who was keeping

the TUNDRA SWAN company.  A KILLDEER was seen at the Clambake

Restaurant. A NORTHERN FLICKER was heard at the Clambake, as were a

couple of singing Song Sparrows. At Pine Point there were 21 BRANT, 1

NORTHERN RAVEN, 1 dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and a FOX SPARROW. The

SNOWY OWL was seen regularly on its usual perch out behind the Clambake

Restaurant near the duck blind. Elsewhere in the marsh the following

birds were seen: AMERICAN Coot, 3-Red-tailed HawkS, 2 Killdeer, 26 Snow

Geese, 6 Northern Pintail, and 2 Wild Turkey. A SHORT EARED OWL was seen

along Marion Jordan Road in Scarborough.  On Ross Rd in Scarborough

there were 3 WOOD DUCKS.  At the Rite Aid on Route One in Scarborough

there were 100 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS.  At Grondin Pond in Scarborough there

were singing EASTERN BLUEBIRDS.

 

About 15 HORNED LARKS remain in the strawberry fields on the Two Lights

Road in Cape Elizabeth. Sixteen BRANT were at Kettle Cove, also in Cape

Elizabeth.

 

A very early OSPREY was seen flying in Portland over the mouth of the

Presumpscot River near I-295 late last Thursday morning. A female

green-winged teal was seen at the pond in Evergreen Cemetery. An adult

Iceland gull was feeding and soaring with herring gulls at Portland's

East End Beach shortly after 5 p.m. on the 22, at near low tide.  A

PEREGRINE FALCON took a pigeon on Munjoy Hill in Portland.

 

 

 

In South Portland at the golf course there were 190 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS.

Flying over Broadway in South Portland was a GREAT BLUE HERON.

 

 

 

A FOX SPARROW was seen in Cumberland.

 

 

 

In Falmouth there was a NORTHERN GOSHAWK.

 

Approximately 15 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were on the University of Southern

Maine campus in Gorham.

 

Two american woodcocks were in a yard in Gray.

 

There was a pair of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS in Casco.

 

Western Maine

 

Over in Fryeburg Harbor there were 19 COMMON GOLDENEYES on the old

course of the Saco River and the first RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS arrived in

North Fryeburg.

 

In Bridgton there were a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK and a BARRED OWL.

 

In Naples there was a pair of RING-NECKED DUCKS.

 

Central Maine

 

Thirteen male and 8 female Hooded Mergansers were seen in Messalonski

Stream across from Mid-Maine Medical Center Thayer Unit.

 

 

 

In Turner there were 1 PEREGRINE FALCON and I BALD EAGLE.

 

 

 

In Wilton there were 200 COMMON REDPOLLS, 1 EASTERN BLUEBIRD, and 1

NORTHERN GOSHAWK.

 

 

 

There were 75 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, 5 BALD EAGLES, and TURKEY VULTURES in

Augusta.

 

 

 

One NORTHERN SHRIKE and a SAW-WHET OWL were seen in Dixmont.

 

 

 

In Waterville there were 30 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS.

 

 

 

Fifty COMMON REDPOLLS were in Oakland.

 

Midcoast

 

There was a BALD Eagle sitting on the ice on the New Meadows River in

Brunswick. The Eagle was also seen sitting on its nest in the same area.

In East Brunswick there were a FOX SPARROW, a fly over of EASTERN

BLUEBIRDS, lots of DARK-EYED JUNCOS, and a pair of PINE SISKINS.

Elsewhere in Brunswick there were 20 COMMON REDPOOLS, and 20 BOHEMIAN

WAXWINGS.

 

An "IPSWICH" SPARROW was seen at Popham Beach along with HORNED LARKS.

 

A GREAT BLUE HERON flew over in Georgetown.

 

Birds seen on Samoset Rd. in Boothbay Harbor included TURKEY VULTURE, a

small flock of BOHEMIAN WAXINGS, RUDDY TURNSTONES, and SONG SPARROWS.

 

On Monhegan Island there were mixed flocks of BLACKBIRDS, 1 BALD EAGLE,

1 GOSHAWK, 1 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, and AMERCIAN ROBINS.

 

Eastern Maine

 

In Cutler there were over 50+ WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS feeding on the

seeds of the Black Spruces along the Western Head Trail. In North

Cutler, viewing Cutler tower fields from Ridge Rd., off of Rte. 191

South there were 3 Dark morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS.

 

Near Great Pond in Franklin there was a RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD.

 

In Machias there were 19 BALD EAGLE, 1 SONG SPARROW, and DARK-EYED

JUNCO.

 

Northern Maine

 

In Mars Hills there was a NORTHERN CARDINAL.

 

Twenty SNOW BUNTINGS were in Fort Kent.

 

There were 12 COMMON and 1 HOARY REDPOOLS in Frenchville.

 

A Sharp-shinned Hawk was chasing Mourning Doves in Bridgewater.

 

 

 

A Northern Goshawk was seen flying near the State Police barracks in

Houlton.

 

 

 

Bald Eagles were seen in Houlton and Caribou.

 

 

 

The pair of adult BALD eagles is present at the nest in Fort Fairfield.

 

 

 

 

The season's first Saw-whet Owl was heard late last week near Aroostook

State Park in Presque Isle.   There was a report of a road killed, first

year Snowy Owl on Route 1 in Presque Isle.

 

Boreal Chickadees continue to be seen in Woodland.

 

Horned Larks have returned in numbers and 2's and 3's are being seen in

open fields in Caribou, Presque Isle and Easton.

 

The first Song Sparrow of the season was reported singing in Wade.

American Tree Sparrow numbers seem to be increasing and they are also

starting to sing.

 

 

 

There are still a few flocks of Snow Buntings in the area (Perham,

Woodland, and Presque Isle).  The earliest Red-winged Blackbirds were

seen in Wade and Presque Isle.

 

 

 

 The first Common Grackles were singles seen in Ashland and Mapleton.

 

About 15 Common Redpolls are continuing to visit the thistle feeder here

in Woodland.

 

*** A late breaking addition that occurred Wednesday March 25 is a SNOWY

EGRET next to Route One at the Scarborough Marsh.**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linda Woodard

Maine Audubon

20 Gilsland Farm Rd.

Falmouth, Maine

207-781-2330 ext 213

lwoodard@maineaudubon.org

 

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