Mid-coast Maine

Went up to Damariscotta, Maine for a Puffin boat trip.   We travelled 30 minutes out to their breeding island.  There were dozens of puffins, mostly in the water and flying right past the boat.  Some were on land.  It was a total success.

The other highlights on the island were a pair of razorbills flyby

And a ton of Guillemots and Terns (arctic, common, and roseatte - good luck differentiating from a boat).

Puffins aside, it turns out the birding on the Maine coast is great.

We stayed at the Hawk House.  Got up there Thursday and found a B&B surrounded by Northern Parula's, American Redstarts, and Chestnut sided warblers.  In fact, we saw more chestnut sided warblers this weekend then we saw in our entire lives total.  

Also saw yellow warbers.  It was hard to put the binoculars down.

Lastly, on the way home stopped at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and saw, in addition to beautiful plants, a really ugly turkey vulture

and a red-eyed vireo

Gnatcatcher

 Went to Great Meadows on Sunday.  Lots of yellow warbler and common yellowthroat warbler sightings. The new bird was the blue gray gnatcatcher.

Pine Hill Grasslands

Pine Hill Grasslands seems to be part of Bolton Flats WMA.  I was there for the first time today and it provided excellent birding.

I spotted an Indigo Bunting as soon as I arrived, and heard and saw them throughout the visit.  Really great views.

I also heard a Prairie Warbler (I learned the call at Mt Auburn this year - it is similar to a Parula) at the very start, but it took me a while to find one.  Much nicer view today than at Mt. Auburn.

Other highlights included several Orioles, a yellow warbler, a small group of cowbirds, and some cedar waxwings.

Post Migration Birding

Well, the migration is over and we have what we have.  Not all bad though.  I've had good luck with Scarlet Tanagers, finding them both at Acton Arboretum and NARA.

My next target is Indigo Buntings.  So far, nothing.  I went to MNP this morning based on a BBC walk that mentioned indigo nesting.  Struck out, though I did get nice views of a Great Crested Flycatcher and a small flock of Cedar Waxwings.

The Alder Flycatcher is one of the big birds in that area.  Doesn't look that great to me.  But a passing jogger said he heard it, and I used Merlin to ID the two syllable call.

There were plenty of chipping sparrows

and Merlin ID'd a couple of swamp sparrows

I don't think I saw that one.  Their calls are similar though and I'll need to pay more attention.