Bird Alert

February 5 , 2010

Name: Maine Audubon Rare Bird Alert
Reporting Period: January 30 – February 5, 2010
Area: State of Maine
Compilers: Eric Hynes, Stella Walsh

Of Special Note

Top birds this week are: KING EIDER, NORTHERN HAWK OWL, SNOWY OWL, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, and PAINTED BUNTING.

Other noteworthy species include: SNOW GOOSE, BRANT, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, BLACK-HEADED GULL, NORTHERN SHRIKE, BOHEMIAN WAXWING, RED CROSSBILL, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL.

York County

In Kittery on January 30, eight AMERICAN PIPITS were at Seapoint Beach and a HERMIT THRUSH and was at Fort Foster.

A RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET was seen along the Pilger Trail at Laudholm Farm in Wells on February 2.

Birds at Biddeford Pool on January 31 included a SNOWY OWL on an islet off of Ocean Avenue, 13 AMERICAN PIPITS, a continuing SNOW GOOSE and small flocks of DUNLIN in several locations.

Greater Portland

Through at least the 4th, a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER continues to take several foraging bouts per day at the feeders at 51 Carroll Street in Falmouth.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen on Eastern Road Trail in Scarborough on January 31.

BRANT continue to come and go at Kettle Cove and Dyer Point in Cape Elizabeth.

A SWAMP SPARROW was visiting a feeder in South Portland on January 31.

A YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and a PEREGRINE FALCON were seen at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth on February 4 and a MERLIN was present on the 5th.

A drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE continues at Lower Falls Landing in Yarmouth.

A RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was perched on the north side of Rt. 295 just east of the mile 18 signpost in Freeport on February 1.

Lewiston-Auburn

An adult ICELAND GULL was seen just below the falls on the Androscoggin River in Auburn on February 3.

A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was spotted along Leeds Junction Road in Leeds this week.

Kennebec River Valley (Augusta-Waterville)

A large number of gulls are still frequenting the Hatch Hill Landfill in Augusta off Route 105. ICELAND and GLAUCOUS GULLS were present this week but no observers were able to pick out the THAYER’S GULL. Turnover at this site seems high so birders should continue to search carefully for this bird.

A single BOHEMIAN WAXWING was with a small flock of Cedar Waxwings in the development off Ridge Road in Waterville near the end of Blue Jay Way on February 1.

Midcoast

A HERMIT THRUSH was seen on the Maquoit Bay Trail off Bunganuc Road in Brunswick.

Single NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen this week on Highland Road a half mile from the intersection with Bunganuc Road in Brunswick, at 35 Pennellville Road in Brunswick, and in Bremen at private feeders.

A flock of 20-30 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS flew over the Bath Town Landing on February 2.

Several ICELAND GULLS and up to four GLAUCOUS GULLS continue to be seen on the Kennebec River above the Route 1 Bridge in Bath.

A drake BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was seen from Old State Highway on the New Meadows River in West Bath.

A drake GADWALL was at the Newagen Town Landing on February 2.

A drake NORTHERN PINTAIL was at Cod Cove in Edgecomb on February 2.

Ducks in the river at Warren village include a female AMERICAN WIGEON and two BARROW’S GOLDENEYES.

Penobscot Bay

Two BLACK-HEADED GULLS and several ICELAND GULLS persist around the lobster pound in Owls Head Harbor.

A few WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS are being seen on the east side of the basin on Vinalhaven Island.

A female GREATER SCAUP remains near the Monhegan Boat that is moored in Rockland Harbor.

A NORTHERN FLICKER was seen at Beech Hill in Rockport.

Downeast

A PAINTED BUNTING continues through at least the 4th at a private feeder in Blue Hill.

Sightings on Mount Desert Island this week included: COMMON REDPOLLS on Gilbert Farm Road in Town Hill, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK caught in somebody’s coop, and four RED CROSSBILLS in Somesville.

Two ICELAND GULLS and two GLAUCOUS GULLS were in Prospect Harbor on the 29th.

Reported first in December, an immature drake and a hen KING EIDER continue at Clark Ledge in Eastport. Other wintering ducks in the Eastport area include a pair of NORTHERN PINTAILS and 24 GREATER SCAUP.

Western Mountains

Particularly unusual away from the coast in winter, a BELTED KINGFISHER was seen on Butterfield Brook in East Dixfield on January 31.

Northern Maine

A NORTHERN HAWK OWL continues on Pierce Road near the intersection with Old Houlton Road in Blaine.

Small flocks of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were spotted in Mars Hill and Presque Isle on January 30.