Maine Outdoor Journal

Of Special Note

Continuing to top the reports this week are TUFTED DUCK, NORTHERN HAWK OWL and VARIED THRUSH.

Other highlights in this week's RBA include PACIFIC LOON, DOVEKIE, THICK-BILLED MURRE, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, KING EIDER, and ICELAND and GLAUCOUS GULLS.

WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and PINE SISKINS continue to be widespread in good numbers, and the more recent, smaller invasion of PINE GROSBEAKS, COMMON REDPOLLS, and BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS continues as well.

York County

HARLEQUIN DUCKS continue on the coast from Cape Neddick to Marginal Way in Ogunquit.

A NORTHERN FLICKER was seen at the Cliff House in Ogunquit on February 7.

Two male VARIED THRUSHES continue at a private home in Saco at 169 Watson Mill Road at least through January 31. The gracious homeowner continues to allow visitors and requests that you park in the driveway and not on the street for safety purposes. In order to view the thrush(es), you must walk around the right side of the house and look under the feeders to the back and left. Please honor the home owner's hospitality. A female RING-NECKED PHEASANT was also seen at this location on February 7.

Greater Portland

An adult male KING EIDER continues to be seen intermittently off Dyer Point in Cape Elizabeth at least through the 10th.

HARLEQUIN DUCKS continue to be seen regularly off Dyer Point and Two Lights State Park in Cape Elizabeth.

A GLAUCOUS GULL and two ICELAND GULLS continue to be seen at the Fish Pier in Portland, at least through the 9th.

The drake TUFTED DUCK, at least one RING-NECKED DUCK, and up to three NORTHERN PINTAILS continue in open water just below the dam on the Presumpscot River in Westbrook on February 9, along with a GLAUCOUS and three ICELAND GULLS.

Lewiston-Auburn

A small flock of PINE GROSBEAKS was in crabapples near McDonald's on Center Street in Auburn on February 9.

Kennebec River Valley (Augusta-Waterville)

Two GLAUCOUS GULLS were roosting in the field at the intersection of Church Hill Road and Route 3 in Augusta.

A mixed flock of ~50 HORNED LARKS and LAPLAND LONGSPURS were spotted in a field in Fairfield on February 7.

Midcoast

A PEREGRINE FALCON reappeared at Fort Andros on lower Maine Street in Brunswick on February 7 after a month's absence.

A late report was received of a VARIED THRUSH photographed in Brunswick on January 27.

The NORTHERN HAWK OWL continues in Bristol. It is consistently being found perched atop trees along Rt. 130, ~0.4 miles south of the Bristol Consolidated School.

An adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK was seen in Bristol along Route 130, about 3.5 miles north of the Bristol Consolidated School.

Birds seen on Monhegan Island over the weekend of February 6 included a single PACIFIC LOON off of Lobster Cove, one DOVEKIE, four THICK-BILLED MURRES, one COMMON GRACKLE, and a single NORTHERN FLICKER.

Downeast

A PACIFIC LOON was reported from Ocean Drive in Acadia National Park, between Thunder Hole and Otter Cove Road, on February 11. The bird was fairly close to shore and seen well.

A distant DOVEKIE was seen in Arey Cove on Schoodic Peninsula on February 7.

Gulls at the Stinson Caning Factory in Prospect on February 7 included four ICELAND GULLS: three first cycle birds and one adult.

The continued expansion of RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS is marked again by one reported in Columbia Falls.

Central Maine

A male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER has been a regular in a yard in Garland.

Visitors to an Orono yard this week included a female RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, three male PINE GROSBEAKS, and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK.

Two NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen on I-95 on February 7, with one at the Stillwater Avenue exit in Old Town and another near the Route 7 overpass in Newport.

A flock of PINE GROSBEAKS has been reliable at the McDonald's in Newport.

Western Mountains

An unconfirmed report of a GREAT GRAY OWL was received from Dennistown, north of Jackman, in the woods off Route 201. No further details were given.

Northern Maine

Visiting a yard in Greenville on February 9 were 17 EVENING GROSBEAKS and 10 PINE GROSBEAKS.

PINE SISKINS, COMMON REDPOLLS, and both PINE and EVENING GROSBEAKS continue to be widely reported in Aroostook County.

Two ICELAND GULLS were seen over Caribou on February 9.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen in Limestone on February 9.

A NORTHERN SHRIKE and a NORTHERN GOSHAWK were in Caribou the past weekend.

A SNOWY OWL continues on Route 10 near Presque Isle, Easton town line.

Gulf of Maine

Seen in Maine waters on a trip to Jeffrey's Ledge and beyond on February 6 were 42 NORTHERN FULMAR, four BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, 78 DOVEKIE, one THICK-BILLED MURRE, two RAZORBILLS, 13 BLACK GUILLEMOTS, and three ATLANTIC PUFFINS.

Compiled by Luke Seitz & Stella Walsh of the Maine Audubon Society