Northern Maine Birds 28 Feb-11 March 2008

I'll be away (spending a couple days skiing in Baxter State Park) this week, so thought I'd get a report out a bit early.

Winter's kept a firm grip on northern Maine so far this March. Temperatures continue to run below normal, almost all water is frozen and another 2 feet of snow have fallen in the first 10 days of the month. As a matter of fact, the meteorologists say fourteen FEET of the white stuff has landed in central Aroostook this winter. Only about 13 inches to the total snowfall record...great....

Needless to say, there is little change to report in the numbers or diversity of birds. Generally, a trend towards increasing numbers of American Crows and less Pine and Evening Grosbeaks was noted by several reporters.

Two Hooded Mergansers photographed by Ken Lamb on Arnold Brook in Presque Isle may have been over-winterers rather than early migrants. The birds were photographed on the 28th but had been seen at this location for almost a month. Mallards and American Black Ducks continue in Presque Isle stream in PI. Since the Aroostook River has almost completely frozen over at the Caribou Dam, no Common Goldeneyes or Mergansers have been seen here in over a week.



An apparent Sharp-shinned Hawk was photographed by Russ Mount in Castle Hill on the 2nd following a big snowstorm. The hawk was attracted to a good sized collection of Pine Grosbeaks, Mourning Doves and Common Redpolls at a feeder here. Bald Eagles have been seen recently adding sticks to the nest on the Aroostook River in the Stevensville section of Fort Fairfield.

A Snowy Owl was reported at an in-town location in Presque Isle on the 1st.

Also in Castle Hill, a Common Raven pair has been observed constructing a nest in a dense stand of mature spruce trees. As previously noted, the number of American Crow arrivals continues to increase.

Blue Jays are increasingly vocal.

Over fifty Bohemian Waxwings were seen in Mount Chase on the 10th. The Northern Shrike continues to thin the chickadee flock at my yard in Woodland.

Paul Cyr found a gorgeous male Pileated Woodpecker excavating a hole in Presque Isle on the 8th and was kind enough to share what he saw.


This has been an exceptional winter for Northern Cardinal reports in Aroostook County with as many as a dozen different birds being reported from around the region. Again, this week, we hear of these birds in Caribou, Houlton, Island Falls, Fort Fairfield and Presque Isle. Ted Roberts recently snapped a picture of this brilliant male wallowing in the snow with a group of Mourning Doves in Presque Isle

Small Snow Bunting flocks have been reported regularly from throughout the region, with larger flocks being seen in the vicinities of feedlots and horse barns (Oakfield, Fort Fairfield, Woodland). I imagine with 3+ feet of snow in the fields that its difficult to find seeds elsewhere. I suspect if the snow cover continues for more than few more weeks, we may find an abundance of migrating sparrows visiting our feeders by necessity.

On a sad note, the intrepid Eastern Towhee that was overwintering in Sherman was killed by a neighbor's cat on the 28th.

Pine and Evening Grosbeaks are still widespread. In Bancroft, a Pine Grosbeak flock grew to its greatest numbers of the season (20+), but overall numbers continue to drop a bit. A nearly all white (leucistic) Pine Grosbeak was photographed in Fort Fairfield on the 2nd (See previous post).

A few American Goldfinches (Presque Isle, Fort Fairfield) and Pine Siskins (Presque Isle) were reported this week. Common Redpolls seem to be conducting guerrilla-style raids on unattended thistle feeders around the area. One observer said their long-neglected feed sock was emptied in a single day but that the flock did not return once it was refilled. I wonder if these are not flocks on the move.

We should have some migrants to talk about next time!

Northern Maine Birds 14-27 February 2008

The pattern of regular precipitation in northern Maine continued in the second half of February. Of course, most of that precip has come down in the form of snow. Despite a brief thaw and rain event on the 18^th, snow depths weren’t impacted much and remain at about four feet in the woods. The Caribou weather station noted a couple of daily record snowfalls during the period and totals now stand at about 12 feet of snow this season. About four feet of this snow came down in February. Southern portions of Aroostook County seemed to get more snow than the north. A couple of recent storms also resulted in some significant icing there. Patty Jennings photographed this Hairy Woodpecker in Stacyville after one of the ice storms.

Though the expected late-February warming trend is being experienced, most streams and rivers remain locked up in a thick layer of ice. The lowest and warmest temperatures of the month occurred on Presidents Day weekend (16-18^th) and made it interesting for travelers.

With the increasing day length and sun intensity, the birds appear to be getting restless and some movement is already being seen. Some early bird song, territorial behavior and breeding displays were noted by reporters. The Great Backyard Bird Count turned up some good birds in northern Maine this year.

Common Goldeneye drakes have started doing their bizarre breeding display for the hens at the Aroostook River dam in Caribou. Mallards and American Black Ducks were seen in a couple of locations in Presque Isle. A mixed flock of ~30 were seen in a pond behind the hospital here.

Judging from the up tick in reports, it appears that Bald Eagles have begun returning to the area and have even started to show up at some nest sites. Adults were seen at the nest on Crystal Lake in Hersey in southern Aroostook County and at the nest on the Aroostook River in Fort Fairfield. Others were seen Ashland, Caribou, Island Falls, Houlton, Littleton and Presque Isle. Paul Cyr photographed this adult in Fort Fairfield on the 17th.

A Northern Goshawk buzzed some feeders in Caribou on Sunday the 24th. An early (overwintering?) Red-tailed Hawk was spotted along Interstate 95 in New Limerick on the 26^th. The Presque Isle Cooper’s Hawk continues.

The only gull species reported in the area was a small flock of 16 Great Black-backeds that returned this week. They have been seen in Caribou and at the Tri-Community Landfill in Fort Fairfield.

A Barred Owl was heard calling in the Woodland Bog Preserve in Woodland on the 24^th.

With the onset of the breeding season, the woodpecker species have featured prominently in many reports. Literally dozens of Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers were reported drumming from around the county. Pileated Woodpeckers were also seen in good numbers especially at in-town locations.

Northern Shrikes were seen in Caribou (21^st), Woodland (23^rd) and Chapman (24^th). As Ken Lamb's picture shows, the weak mask, barring on the belly and bi-colored bill all indicate the Chapman Shrike was an immature bird.

As of yet unsubstantiated, a Black-billed Magpie was reported to have been photographed in Limestone on the 18^th. If it can be confirmed, this would be a first for northern Maine.

Gray Jays were seen last week near Chamberlain Lake in northern Piscataquis county and 5 were reported from the Houlton area over the President’s Day weekend. American Crows appear to be increasing in numbers and spreading out around the countryside. A Common Raven was seen carrying a stick in Mount Chase…an early nest builder for sure!

The Great Backyard Bird Count produced a bunch of interesting discoveries during the count weekend of the 15^th through the 18th. Reports included the first returning Horned Larks in Fort Fairfield, Boreal Chickadees found in Mars Hill and a Brown Creeper in Island Falls. A second over-wintering Tufted Titmouse for northern Maine, was reported in Island Falls on the count. The long-staying Presque Isle titmouse continues as the northern-most in the US!

Both White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches turned up on the count in good numbers. Rare away from feeders in northern Maine, a White-breasted Nuthatch was seen near Chamberlain Lake northwest of Baxter Park last week. Ken Lamb and Trina Coffin photographed these nuthatches in Presque Isle (White-breasted)and Caribou (Red-breasted).

Northern Cardinals were seen in Caribou, Houlton and Presque Isle. The Caribou bird has begun to sing.

The Eastern Towhee continues on in Sherman Mills and according to the GBBC maps, appears to be the northern-most individual of this species on the continent! The bird is reported to be coming to the feeder daily.

Snow Buntings are reappearing in good numbers as winter winds down. Double digit counts were reported from flocks in Ashland, Caribou, Patten, Presque Isle, Smyrna, Washburn and Woodland. Paul Cyrs Game camera captured a couple of squabbling buntings at one of his feeding stations in Presque Isle.

The over-wintering Rusty Blackbird continues in Presque Isle and was seen as recently as the 26^th.

Finch highlights this period included three Hoary Redpolls at a feeder in Mount Chase, a Red Crossbill in Island Falls and House Finches at northern outposts in Caribou and Houlton. Carroll Knox documented his House Finch in Caribou with this photo. Both American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins were seen as increasing in numbers, following the lead of Common Redpolls which are dominating counts at many area feeders. Rare this winter, Purple Finches were seen in Washburn and Mars Hill.

Pine Grosbeaks remain widespread and numerous throughout the county. Evening Grosbeaks are more spotty, but good sized flocks are still being reported. 50+ of each species visit my feeders daily in Woodland.

Northern Maine Birds 23-30 Jan 2008

The achy-cold, sinus freezing weather northern Maine felt this week has got to be hard on birds. Taking in enough calories to sustain their bodies for another frigid night is serious business for the small passerines these days.

It was barely light enough to see, on another -20 morning this week, and the American Tree Sparrows were already hunched in the gloom, scratching under my feeders. Likewise, the ever-growing Black-capped Chickadee flock here in Woodland starts its sunflower seed-shuttle early and runs late. Feeding looks like desperate business for these birds and they’re singularly focused on the process of grabbing a seed, flying to a perch, shelling and eating it and getting back to the feeder for another…If the feeders run low, few will even flit in and grab a seed before I’m finished pouring the refill.

I noticed that, early in day, some of the chickadees tail feathers are bent in a curve, I assume from a night of roosting in a tight cavity somewhere.

The Pine and Evening Grosbeaks use a different tactic on really cold mornings. The birds arrive in small groups from their roosting spots down in the bog and assemble in the top of the tallest tree in my yard. Here they wait for the sun to crest the hill to the east and provide some solar heating prior to feeding. Once they warm up a bit, they’ll start to descend down to the platforms a few at a time.

My last remaining Mourning Dove just sits in the sun and looks miserable. Not much of a cold weather survival strategy for these late-comers to northern Maine... Though the dove population has seemed to build in the area in the past few years, the reports would indicate they are taking a hit this year.

Most water remains frozen. This should be no surprise, when you look at the map of low temperatures for the 24^th and 25^th prepared by the NOAA weather guys in Caribou.

Snow levels remained about the same as last report (prior to the current rainy weather we had today). There is about 2 to 2.5 feet in the woods and around a foot in the open areas.

The Common Goldeneyes haven’t been reported in Caribou this week, but a few Common Mergansers continue there. The regular crowd of Mallards and Black Ducks continue on Presque Isle Stream An adult Bald Eagle was seen on Sunday near the nest east of Presque Isle.

This apparent Sharp-shinned Hawk was puffed up against the cold in a yard in Presque Isle when Alice Sheppard photographed it. The dark red iris indicates the little hawk is an adult.

Unusual in January, 17 Great Black-backed Gulls were spotted on the ice of the Aroostook River in Presque Isle on the 28^th.

As previously mentioned, Mourning Dove numbers have been thinning out in January’s cold weather.

10 Bohemian Waxwings were seen in Caribou on the 28^th. Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches are frequenting feeders in Caribou and Presque Isle. The Tufted Titmouse continues to over winter in Presque Isle and was visiting as recently as the 26^th.

Northern Cardinals are still being spotted at two locations in Presque Isle. No reports of this species were received this week from other locales. Snow Bunting flocks were seen in Cross Lake (T17R5), Van Buren and Easton. A White-throated Sparrow lingers on in a yard in Presque Isle.

The Sherman Eastern Towhee was photographed again this week by Patty Jennings. The bird obligingly showed off its diagnostic wing pattern that separates this species from its western counterpart, the Spotted Towhee. A sparrow authority looked at Patty’s pictures of the Sherman bird and noted the white on the bases of the primary wing feathers. The degree of white varies geographically and he indicated this bird appeared typical of northern populations of the Eastern Towhee.

Pine Grosbeaks continue to be so common and widespread that they are barely noteworthy. An unusually bright yellow Evening Grosbeak showed up in the flock at my feeder in Woodland this week. The bird didn’t have the usual “sooty” look to the yellow of the upper parts. Pine Siskins are increasing but still only showing in single digit flock sizes. No new Hoary Redpolls were reported but some bright male Common Redpolls are being seen. Ken Lamb photographed this guy at his feeder in Chapman.