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

To: <BIRDEAST@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>

Subject: [BIRDEAST] Maine Bird Alert 5/11/04

Date: Monday, May 17, 2004 2:56 PM

Name: Maine Audubon Bird Alert

Date: 5/11/04

Compilers: Kay Gammons and Steve Pollock

Transcribers: Maine Audubon (birdalert@maineaudubon.org)

Rarities this week included:

A SUMMER TANAGER weas reported on Shore Road in Cape Elizabeth.

Another SUMMER TANAGER was seen in Sedgewick.

On Lake Josephine in Easton the best find was an unprecedented 12

REDHEADS.

A WORM-EATING WARBLER was seen in Evergreen Cemetery.

A WHITE-EYED VIREO was seen at Forest City Cemetery in South Portland.

A CERULEAN WARBLER was seen in South Unity.

There was an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER at Hinckley Park in South Portland

at the "Y" in the power line cut.

Last Friday, on Outer Green Island (outer Casco Bay) there was a SEASIDE

SPARROW.

In Brooklin there was a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in full breeding

plumage.

A CATTLE EGRET was in Capitol Park in Augusta.

ORCHARD ORIOLES were sighted in Casco, Bluehill and Monhegan Island.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS made a significant appearance over the past

weekend.

Reports of numerous individual birds were received from many localities

from

Fort Foster in Kittery north and east.

A wave of WARBLERS arrived in southwestern Maine on the 11th, along with

numerous CHIMNEY SWIFTS and BOBOLINKS.

York County

A BLUE-WINGED WARBLER was seen at Kittery Point.

There was a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK along

the

Muskie Trail at Laudholm in Wells on May 6.

Maguire Rd. at the Kennebunk Plains had many FIELD SPARROWS, a VESPER

SPARROW, a few PRAIRIE WARBLERS, and 2 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS.

There were 3 TENNESSEE WARBLERS at Rotary Park in Biddeford.

On the 11th in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Saco there were 15 species of

WARBLERS including BLACKBURNIAN, 3 species of VIREOS, SPOTTED

SANDPIPERS, 5 LEAST SANDPIPERS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, and several GLOSSY

IBIS.

Greater Portland and western Maine

A TRICOLORED HERON was seen at Pine Point along with 2 WILSON'S

PHALAROPES, about 12 LEAST SANDPIPERS, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, GREATER

and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, COMMON TERN, BONAPARTE'S GULL, and numerous other

species.

A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was located at the end of Eagle's Nest Drive

off Pine Point Rd. in Scarborough. Two BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS were at

Fuller Farm in Scarborough.

LAUGHING GULLS were reported from several localities in Cape Elizabeth

and Portland.

Fourteen species of warblers were at Hinckley Park in South Portland on

the 11th. Species included NORTHERN PARULA, CHESTNUT-SIDED,

BLACK-THROATED GREEN, CANADA, WILSON'S, PRAIRIE, YELLOW,

BLACK-AND-WHITE, MAGNOLIA, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, NASHVILLE,

YELLOW-RUMPED, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, and OVENBIRD. TWO LINCOLN SPARROWS

were also present.

Twenty-two species of WARBLERS were seen in Evergreen Cemetery on the

11th.

On the 11th, at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth, a quick lunch

break walk produced a few good birds including ROSE-BREASED GORSBEAK,

EASTERN TOWHEE, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, RED-TAILED HAWK, WHITE-CROWNED,

WHITE-THROATED, SWAMP, CHIPPING and SONG SPARROWS, HERMIT THRUSH,

RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, OVENBIRD, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, NOTHERN

WATERTHRUSH, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, BLACK-THROATED GREEN,

YELLOW, YELLOW-RUMPED, MAGNOLIA, NORTHERN PARULA, BLACK-AND-WHITE,

AMERICAN REDSTART, and BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS, plus many BOBOLINKS.

The first COMMON TERN of the year was over the mouth of the Presumscot

River

in Falmouth.

At the marshes of New Gloucester and Gray, last Saturday there were 46

species. Highlights are WOOD DUCK (1 a BEAUTIFUL MALE), VIRGINIA RAIL,

SORA, WILSON'S SNIPE, and 9 species of WARBLERS.

On May 5th in Wilton there was a lingering flock of about 20 BOHEMIAN

WAXWINGS, and the first WOOD THRUSH of the season.

A BICKNELL'S or GRAY CHEEKED THRUSH was in NW Atkinson, north of

McCorrison Rd above an open / forested seep interface.

Around Moosehead Lake, a total of 63 species were seen over about 5

hours, including: GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RING-NECKED DUCK, NORTHERN HARRIER,

RUFFED GROUSE, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, WILSON'S SNIPE,

NORTHERN FLICKER, PILEATED WOODPECKER, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, WARBLING

VIREO, RED-EYED VIREO, GRAY JAY, BOREAL CHICKADEE, WINTER WREN,

GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, NASHVILLE WARBLER,

NORTHERN PARULA, YELLOW WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, MAGNOLIA

WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER,

BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, PALM WARBLER,

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, OVENBIRD, and NORTHERN

WATERTHRUSH.

Central Maine

WOOD THRUSH arrived at several localities in this region.

A bird walk at Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick produced the following

highlights FIELD SPARROW, YELLOW, BLACK-AND-WHITE, BLACK-THROATED GREEN,

PINE, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and SOLITARY SANDPIPER, and MERLIN.

Merry Meeting Audubon had 18 people turn out for their second Tuesday

trip at Bradley Pond in Topsham. They saw or heard 53 species. Those of

interest were: AMERICAN BITTERN, GREAT BLUE HERON, NORTHERN HARRIER,

MERLIN, BELTED KINGFISHER, OLIVE-SIDED & LEAST FLYCATHERS, SWALLOWS

(TREE, BANK, BARN), HERMIT THRUSH, WARBLING & BLUE-HEADED VIREOS (MAKING

A NEST), WARBLERS (PARULA, YELLOW, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE &

BLACK-THROATED GREENS, YELLOW-RUMPED, PINE, PRAIRIE,PALM, BLACK & WHITE,

REDSTART, OVENBIRDS, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES, COMMON YELLOWTHROATS,

CANADA), and SPARROWS (CHIPPING, SONG, SWAMP, SAVANNAH, WHITE-THROATED).

A male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was at a suet feeder at Minot Corner, just

west of Auburn.

In Readfield along the Sturtevant Hill Road there was an AMERICAN

BITTERN.

CAPE MAY, BLACKBURNIAN and MAGNOLIA WARBLERS were in Capitol Park in

Augusta.

Three BLACK TERNS were on route 27 west of Augusta.

North from Dexter on the railroad bed there were BROAD-WINGED HAWK,

RUFFED GROUSE, BELTED KINGFISHER, YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, a

ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, BROWN CREEPER, NORTHERN

PARULA, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, NORTHERN

WATERTHRUSH, OVENBIRD, WARBLING VIREO, SWAMP, WHITE-THROATED, and SONG

SPARROWS.

A RUDDY DUCK was seen on Sebasticook Lake in Newport.

On the trails at Newman Hill and by the third pond on Taylor Road there

were 2 WOOD DUCK, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, 4 BLUE-HEADED VIREO, 5 (heard)

WINTER WREN, 2 HERMIT THRUSH, 2 NASHVILLE WARBLER, 7 NORTHERN PARULA,

CHESNUT-SIDED WARBLER, 2 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, 5 BLACK-AND-WHITE

WARBLER, 4 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, 6 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER,

5 OVENBIRD, and 6 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW.

A venture into Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge produced COMMON

MERGANSER, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, LEAST FLYCATCHER, and 12 species of

WARBLERS

Northern Maine

Seventeen new/arriving species were found in Aroostook Co this week.

They were SNOW GOOSE (5/4), REDHEAD (5/10), WILD TURKEY (5/9), SORA

(5/5), GREATER YELLOWLEGS (5/9), LESSER YELLOWLEGS (5/10), SOLITARY

SANDPIPER (5/9), SPOTTED SANDPIPER (5/6), LEAST FLYCATCHER (5/10), GRAY

CATBIRD (5/8), AMERICAN PIPIT (5/11), NORTHERN PARULA (5/5), NASHVILLE

WARBLER (5/11), YELLOW WARBLER (5/10), BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (5/5),

OVENBIRD (5/9), and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK (5/8).

A good waterfowl show this week, with 20 species seen in the area. SNOW

GEESE made their late arrival in Grand Isle where a flock of 100+ was

photographed with some CANADA GEESE. Lake Josephine in Easton had

several hundred ducks on it. These included AMERICAN WIGEON, a pair of

GADWALLS, 80+ GREEN-WINGED TEAL, a pair of NORTHERN PINTAILS,

BLUE-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN

SHOVELERS, WOOD DUCK, RING-NECKED DUCKS, a dozen LESSER SCAUP, COMMON

GOLDENEYES, a single drake LONG-TAILED DUCK, a pair of BUFFLEHEADS, and

5 RUDDY DUCKS. However the best find was an unprecedented 12 REDHEADS at

this location. HOODED and COMMON MERGANSERS were seen on Collins Pond in

Caribou. PIED-BILLED GREBES, COMMON LOONS, and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS

were widely reported.

Another northward venturing TURKEY VULTURE was sighted in Presque Isle

this week.

BALD EAGLES are still on the nest at Fort Fairfield but no chicks are

visible. OSPREYS are present on nests in Sherman, Island Falls, Hodgdon

and Easton. A pair of BROAD-WINGED HAWKS is constructing a nest in

Presque Isle. A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK was seen in Woodland and a NORTHERN

GOSHAWK was sighted in Easton. AMERICAN KESTRELS and NORTHERN HARRIERS

were seen throughout the area.

A calling SORA was right on schedule for its arrival at Christina

Reservoir in Fort Fairfield.

It was a good week for shorebirds with the on-schedule arrivals of 7

GREATER YELLOWLEGS and a SOLITARY SANDPIPER at Aroostook National

Wildlife Refuge in Limestone. LESSER YELLOWLEGS were at Lake Jo in

Easton and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS on the Aroostook River in Caribou. Two

BONAPARTE'S GULLS were also seen on Lake Jo. A slightly early LEAST

FLYCATCHER was heard in Easton and a pair of HORNED LARKS was seen in

Presque Isle.

Barn Swallows have joined the TREE SWALLOWS over water bodies in

Caribou, Easton, Fort Fairfield, Presque Isle, Garfield and Woodland. A

pair of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS has taken up residence in Wade. WINTER WRENS

were heard in Woodland and Caribou and seen at Aroostook National

Wildlife Refuge. An early GRAY CATBIRD was reported in Caribou. A

first-of-the-season flock of 60+ AMERICAN PIPITS were feeding in a

potato field in Easton. Singing BLUE-HEADED VIREOS are widespread.

Arriving warblers this week were NORTHERN PARULA in Caribou and

Limestone, NASHVILLE WARBLER in Easton, YELLOW WARBLER in Caribou,

BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER in Presque Isle, and OVENBIRD in Limestone.

Other warblers seen this week were YELLOW-RUMPED, BLACK-THROATED GREEN,

and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH.

A male ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK was seen one day this week. PURPLE and

GOLDFINCHES along with a handful of PINE SISKINS and EVENING GROSBEAKS

are frequent visitors at feeders in Woodland.

Midcoast

On Monhegan Island there were numerous species including a late FOX

SPARROW, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, VEERY, RED CROSSBILL, BLUE GRAY GNATCATCHER,

and 17 species of WARBLERS.

Eastern Maine

In the Mount Desert Island area 12 HORNED GREBES were in near breeding

plumage. In Frenchman Bay on 5/11 there was a RED-THROATED LOON. In

Acadia National Park on 5/9 there were GREAT CORMORANT, which are still

common in Frenchman Bay. As of 5/11 there were 100+ pair on nests of

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT on Thrumcap Island in Bar Harbor. Two

WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were off Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park on

5/9. OSPREY are on nest on Yellow Island in Frenchman Bay on 5/11. BALD

EAGLES are nesting on Sheep and Long Porcupine Islands. PEREGRINE

FALCONS seen daily on nesting site on Champlain Mountain. They are also

seen daily in downtown Bar Harbor.

LAUGHING GULL numbers are increasing daily this past week in Bar Harbor.

RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS were seen at several locations starting on

5/8.

EASTERN PHOEBES are increasing in numbers this past week. A trip around

Acadia National Park on Tuesday 5/11 produced TENNESSEE, PARULA,

YELLOW-RUMPED, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, PINE, PALM, BLACK AND WHITE

WARBLERS, and an OVENBIRD.

Linda Woodard

Maine Audubon

20 Gilsland Farm Rd.

Falmouth, Maine

207-781-2330 ext 213

lwoodard@maineaudubon.org

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