Maine (Statewide) RBA
July 20, 2010
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:17:03 -0400
Reply-To: Eric Hynes <ehynes@MAINEAUDUBON.ORG>
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From: Eric Hynes <ehynes@MAINEAUDUBON.ORG>
Subject: [BIRDEAST] Maine RBA - July 20, 2010
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o6KDFiZF064921
Name: Maine Audubon Rare Bird Alert
Reporting Period: July 15-19, 2010
Area: State of Maine
Compiler: Eric Hynes
Of Special Note
Top birds in this report are: EARED GREBE, TRICOLORED HERON, and AMERICAN
THREE-TOED WOODPECKER.
Other noteworthy species are: Spruce Grouse, Cory's Shearwater, Leach's
Storm-Petrel, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Common Moorhen, American
Oystercatcher, Whimbrel, Red Knot, Baird's Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Common
Murre, Black-backed Woodpecker, Tennessee Warbler, Fox Sparrow, Rusty Blackbird,
Red Crossbill, and White-winged Crossbill.
The dominant themes to bird movements in Maine right now are post-breeding
dispersal of wading birds and southbound migration of shorebirds. Egrets and
herons are ranging farther from their rookeries and Lesser Yellowlegs,
Short-billed Dowitchers, and Semipalmated Sandpipers are leading the charge
along the coast.
Gulf of Maine
CORY'S SHEARWATERS, as well as GREATER, SOOTY, and MANX SHEARWATERS, are being
found fairly consistently on whale watch cruises out of Portland. A COMMON
MURRE was noted back on the 12th and single LEACH'S STORM-PETRELS were noted on
the July 13 and 15.
Seawatching bouts from Lobster Cove on Monhegan Island lately have produced
ROSEATE TERN, RAZORBILL, and ATLANTIC PUFFIN, in addition to the four shearwater
species.
York County
An EARED GREBE, several RUDDY DUCKS, and breeding COMMON MOORHEN continue at the
Sanford Sewerage District on Gavel Road in Sanford.
Remarkable for the date, four BRANT were observed off Strawberry Island in
Kennebunk over the weekend. An AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER was spotted there as
well.
One of the three pairs of AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS out on Little Stratton Island
managed to fledge three young this year. While the fledglings seem to be
sticking to the island, the adults frequently come into the mouth of the
Scarborough River on a falling tide to forage.
Greater Portland
Two adult BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS and three adult STILT SANDPIPERS were foraging in
the salt pannes of Scarborough Marsh, off Eastern Road Trail, the morning of the
19th. The first STILT SANDPIPER was noticed on July 15.
An adult TRICOLORED HERON continues to be found sporadically from various
locations in the Scarborough Marsh area.
Three WHIMBRELS and an assortment of other shorebirds were in view from the
Lobsterman's Co-op at Pine Point in Scarborough in July 18.
Kennebec River Valley (Augusta - Waterville)
A pair of MERLINS and their recently fledged offspring has been frequenting the
area around 52 Pleasant Street in Gardiner. Check the steeple on the Christ
Episcopal Church.
Midcoast
Up to nine WHIMBRELS are frequenting the mouth of the Morse River in Phippsburg
with reports coming from both Seawall Beach and Popham Beach State Park. The
highest concentration of SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS so far came from Popham on the
16th with 110 in a flock.
On the 15th, three WHIMBRELS and four RED KNOTS were foraging on the mudflats of
Atkins Bay in Phippsburg.
The bridge over the Androscoggin River at the Brunswick-Topsham town line is
once again a regular hunting area for a pair of PEREGRINE FALCONS. Look for
them perched on the mill on the Brunswick side. A pair was present on the 18th.
Downeast
A report was passed along of an immature YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON on private
property in Bar Harbor on July 15.
The Boot Head Preserve in Lubec continues to be a reliable spot for SPRUCE
GROUSE with successful reports coming on July 15 and 18.
The Burn Road, off Route 1 north of Topsfield, produced SPRUCE GROUSE,
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, and GRAY JAY on the 18th.
Northern Maine
Birds encountered on July 15 in Tomhegan Township on the northwest side of
Moosehead Lake included: BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, MOURNING WARBLER, FOX SPARROW,
RUSTY BLACKBIRD, RED CROSSBILL, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.
Square Lake Township continues to be a good spot to try for AMERICAN THREE-TOED
WOODPECKER. A female was seen on July 17.
A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER and a singing TENNESSEE WARBLER were noted along the
Muscovic Road in Stockholm on the 16th.
Eric Hynes
Gilsland Farm Naturalist /
Adult Education Program Coordinator
Maine Audubon
20 Gilsland Farm Road
Falmouth, ME 04105
207-781-2330 ext. 237
ehynes@maineaudubon.org
www.maineaudubon.org
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