Bald Eaglets in Aroostook

Paul Cyr recently took a buzz around central Aroostook coutny and checked on our nesting eagles. What he saw was very encouraging. After several seasons of poor production it looks like many of the nests have successfully hatched eggs!

In all Paul counted seven eaglets at four nests: three in Presque Isle and one in Fort Fairfield. He commented that most of the nests had small caches of meats and fish to feed the young birds. You can see what appears to be a fish next to one eaglet in the top picture and an impressive pile of red meat around the rim of the second nest!

It was also interesting to note how most of eagle nests are located in mature Poplar trees rather than White Pines as is often the case in the state south of here.

We are looking forward to monitoring the birds progress from here.

Thanks to Paul for these great pictures

Northern Maine Birds, 3 - 11 May 2010

The weather in northern Maine has gone from exceptionally pleasant to unusually chilly in a little over a week. A trend of increasingly colder temperatures through early May has slowed the development of vegetation in the area. One local birder even suggested that the ferns in his yard are rolling back up into fiddleheads...

Temperatures at Caribou ranged from the mid 70's on the third down to the low 30's at the end of the period. These cooler temps, coupled with regular periods of rain, have left some of the earlier migrants struggling a bit to stay warm and fed. Rainfall has totaled about 1.75 inches in 8 days putting the area about .8 inches above normal.

Leaf development is at about 30 to 50% across the area.

There were 30 new and arriving species reported in northern Maine this week:

Blue-winged Teal 5/4
Greater Scaup 5/6
White-winged Scoter 5/9
Bufflehead 5/9
American Bittern 5/1
Merlin (migrant) 5/4
Sora 5/4
Lesser Yellowlegs 5/9
Solitary Sandpiper 5/9
Spotted Sandpiper 5/5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 5/7
Eastern Kingbird 5/10
Bank Swallow 5/10
Cliff Swallow 5/4
Barn Swallow 5/4
Gray Catbird 5/10
Nashville Warbler 5/9
Northern Parula 5/5
Magnolia Warbler 5/9
Black-throated Blue Warbler 5/11
Black-throated Green Warbler 5/4
Yellow Warbler 5/10
Ovenbird 5/5
Northern Waterthrush 5/4
Common Yellowthroat 5/10
White-crowned Sparrow 5/4
Lincoln's Sparrow 5/11
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5/8
Bobolink 5/10
Northern Oriole 5/6

Though the later waterfowl migrants are still trickling through the area, earlier ducks and geese, taking advantage of the early season, have gotten down to business and are already on nests. The earliest nests may be hatching within the next week or so!

Noteworthy among waterfowl seen this week, newly arrived Greater Scaup were reported in a small pond in Fort Fairfield (6th) and a pair was seen on Long Lake in St. Agatha on the 9th. An uncommon migrant, a pair of Buffleheads were also spotted at Long Lake on the 9th. Another pair of the buoyant little divers was seen at Lake Josephine in Easton on the 10th.

The first Blue-winged Teal seen in central Aroostook were found and photographed by Paul Cyr. The ducks were resting in a farm pond in Fort Fairfield off the Dorsey Road.

Migrating sea ducks were brought down by the bad weather conditions on a few occasions this week. A flock of over 50 Common Eiders were reported on the St. John River near Hamlin on the 5th. A small raft of (16) White-winged Scoters was loafing mid-pond at Madawaska Lake on the 9th. Two pairs of uncommon Red-breasted Mergansers were feeding on the shallow north end of Second Musquacook Lake in T11R11 on the 5th.

Two pairs of Redheads are being seen regularly at Lake Josephine and appear to be settling in to breed again. Likewise is the situation with at least 3 pairs of Ruddy Ducks. The large flock of Common Goldeneyes, Ring-necked Ducks and Lesser Scaup has begun to thin out as the pairs disperse. The remaining flock is rapidly becoming a boys club. The last date for the pair of Barrow's Goldeneyes at this location was the unusually late date of May 2nd.

Double-crested Cormorants are being seen regularly at the larger lakes and ponds as well as the Aroostook River. A high count of 74 were loafing on the little islet on the north end of Long Lake on the 9th. American Bitterns are being heard in wetlands across the area now. Great Blue Herons have been in short supply but it is likely these birds have moved into the small wetlands where they nest.

Most breeding raptors have arrived and are on nests. American Kestrels are much harder to find in the area lately as these cavity nesters have begun incubating eggs. A Merlin has been seen (and heard) around Collins Pond regularly and these little hawks may again be nesting in downtown Caribou. Another vocal pair was seen on the 5th near the campsite at the south end of Musquacook Lake in T11R11. Reports of Bald Eagles feeding young at a couple of the area nests has not been confirmed. Other species of hawks reported include many Ospreys, Northern Harrier (Easton), Broad winged Hawk (T11 R11) and Red-tailed Hawk (in Fort Fairfield). Paul Cyr found these Ospreys hunkered down in their nest in Fort Fairfield on the 4th.

A vocal Sora went unseen in a rank cattail patch in Easton on the 4th.

A few shorebirds have started to trickle in. New arrivals include Solitary Sandpiper at Lower LaPomkeag Lake in T8R7, 3 Spotted Sandpipers on Second Musquacook Lake in T11R11 and a Lesser Yellowlegs at Fort Fairfield on the 9th. Other Spotted Sandpipers have since been seen at Easton and Garfield.

Paul Cyr got the photo of the newly-arrived yellowlegs at the top of this post. Though I admit I struggled a bit with the ID of the bird in this photo (Greater vs. Lesser Yellowlegs), I've decided its a Lesser Yellowlegs... We don't see alot of good, breeding plumaged yellowlegs in these parts! Though the bill is a bit long for a Lesser, it is thin and without a paler base that most Greater Yellowlegs usually show.

American Woodcock were amazingly early nesters this season. Two reports of fledgling woodcock were received this week. In Woodland, Del Ramey found a female on a nest under a small fir on his lot back on the 16th of April. The bird had 3 eggs at the time and added another the following day for a typical clutch of four. He's been watching the bird closely and on May 6th the eggs hatched and the female quickly led the young away! Del sent over a picture of the incubating bird on her nest earlier this spring.

Another woodcock was reported seen doing an impressive "in your face" flushing distraction in T8R7 on the 9th. On closer inspection a couple of well camouflaged, fuzzball chicks were seen nearby. Eleven displaying Woodcock were tallied on a survey along the Realty Road T11R12 in the North Maine Woods. Seven winnowing Wilson's Snipe were also heard on the 3.6 mile survey route.

Woodpeckers have quieted a bit and I assume that most are now beginning their incubation periods. A Pileated Woodpecker nest was found in a large poplar in-town Portage Lake. Most exciting is the presence of a rare Red-bellied Woodpecker being seen at a feeder at a house on Madawaska Lake. Though Red-bellied Woodpeckers are slowly spreading into southern and mid-Maine, there are few records of the species in the northern third of the state. Alton and Brenda Ketch sent over this nice photo of the female as it fed (with a Chipping Sparrow) under their feeders.

An Alder Flycatcher seen in Garfield Plantation was exceptionally early. Arriving Eastern Kingbirds were quick to assert their claim to prime territories in Easton on the 10th.

Gray Jays were spotted on the McLean Brook Road in Sinclair on the 9th. These birds too, have been decidedly quieter and shy in recent days, suggesting nesting and/or young are about.

A big flock of about 1,200 swallows were seen feeding over Lake Josephine on the 10th. The breakdown appeared to be about 900-1,000 Tree Swallows, 100-120 Barn Swallows, 60-80 Cliff Swallow and 40 -50 Bank Swallows. The Bank Swallows were new arrivals in the area on that date. A similar congregation was reported at Eagle Lake over past couple of mornings. The slightly warmer air over these waterbodies probably offers a bit more insect activity and feeding opportunity on chilly mornings.

Arriving warblers are still just starting to trickle into the area. Eight new species were seen or heard this week: the first Nashville Warbler was seen in New Sweden; Northern Parula was first heard singing at T11R11; Magnolia Warbler was heard at New Sweden and an early-arriving Black-throated Blue Warbler was first encountered along the Rocky Brook Road in T13R7. In Caribou the first Black-throated Green Warbler and Northern Waterthrush were heard singing off of the Hardison Road. The first Ovenbird was heard singing at Westfield and a Common Yellowthroat was first found at Lake Jo.

The sparrow highlight again this period has to be the Clay-colored Sparrow in Caribou. The bird continued at the Hardison Road location through at least the 6th. White-crowned Sparrows arrived all at once on the 4th and continue to been seen at many locations throughout the county. Only slightly early, a first Lincoln's Sparrow was found near the bog off the Moscovic Road in Stockholm on the 11th. A Fox Sparrow was seen on Rocky Brook Road in T13R7 on the 11th. This area near the Chase Brook bridge, is a dependable spot for singing male Fox Sparrows during the breeding season.

A first-of-the-season Bobolink was heard singing in flight high over Lake Josephine in Easton on the 10th. The first Northern Oriole was seen at a feeder near Mantle Lake Park in Presque Isle on the 6th. The homeowner was quick to treat the early bird to some fresh organic orange slices. This young male Red-winged Blackbird "sang" to Paul Cyr in Easton last week

Flocks of American Goldfinches continue to be seen at yards where feeders have been maintained. White-winged Crossbills and Purple Finches remain dependable in the larger areas of softwoods. Evening Grosbeaks continue to be reported in small numbers but are well distributed throughout the county.

With some warmer temperatures and good migration weather predicted, I expect the next couple weeks will see the peak in new arrivals in northern Maine. Good birding.

Northern Maine Birds 22 April- 2 May 2010

As April waned, the last throes of winter passed quietly in northern Maine. Though few inches of short-lived snow fell on the 27th in the northern parts of Aroostook county, the weather has continued to be seasonable. All lakes are now ice free and the last shady snowbanks can only be found in northern-most locales.

Lawns have greened up, potatoes, broccoli and grain are all being planted and trees have begun to leaf out. The first black flies were reported on the first of May this year...early.

Migration has progressed steadily with two discernible pulses on the 23rd of April and May 2nd. After many record early arrivals of short distance migrants, things seem to be getting back on a bit more normal schedule.

New and arriving species this period:

Red-breasted Merganser 5/2
Broad-winged Hawk 4/24
Bonaparte's Gull 4/24
Blue-headed Vireo 4/23
Brown Thrasher 5/2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 4/23
Black-and-white Warbler 5/2
Clay-colored Sparrow 5/2
Vesper Sparrow 5/2

Waterfowl highlights over the past ten days was more about increasing numbers than new arrivals. Eighteen species of waterfowl were reported with 3 Red-breasted Mergansers seen on Lake Josephine in Easton as the only arriving species. Common and Hooded Mergansers are still being encountered regularly though the females of those species are already getting hard to spot as they presumably begin nesting. 5 Long-tailed Ducks were seen on Lower LaPomkeag Lake in T8R7 in northern-most Penobscot County on the 24th. High counts tallied at Lake Josephine this week include 16 Gadwall, 44 American Wigeon (5/2), 48 Northern Shovelers (4/23), 88 Ring-necked Ducks, 4 (2 pairs) Redheads (4/27) and 8 Ruddy Ducks (4/23). Eleven male wood Ducks was a nice count at the sewer ponds in Ashland on the 23rd. A drake Gadwall (in Paul Cyr's photo above) shows off its understated finery.

A good assortment of raptors was also reported this week. Raptor species reported this week included Bald Eagle, American Kestrel, Merlin, Northern Harrier, Broad Winged, Red-tailed , Sharp-shinned Hawks and Northern Goshawk. The nesting goshawk has returned to the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle and mountain bikers have already reported some close encounters with the female. I expect the Center will again be closing trails in the area for the nesting season. A substantial flight of migrating hawks passed through the area on April 24. Several newly arrived Broad-winged Hawks as well as a Northern Harrier were seen in Perham on that date.

Paul Cyr is again hosting a pair of nesting American Kestrels on his farm in Presque Isle. The diminutive pair was recently photographed enjoying the raptor platform that Paul graciously provided here. Another pair has taken up residence in a nestbox in Portage Lake.

Pied-billed Grebes were heard at several marshy ponds around the area this week. One stopped in at Lake Jo for a morning and Paul Cyr was there.

Though gull numbers have thinned a bit as migrants move through, the first Bonaparte's Gull of the season was seen on Lower LaPomkeag Lake on the 24th. Bill Hersey was able to digiscope the distant bird. A very rare breeder in Maine, Bonaparte's Gulls nest in spruce and fir trees on remote ponds and lakes (not unlike LaPomkeag). Northern Maine birder's should be on the alert for these gorgeous black headed gulls when in the right area...

Blue-headed Vireos appeared to arrive all at once and on schedule. Several were heard at Salmon Brook Bog in Perham on the 24th. A newly arrived Brown Thrasher was singing loudly at the Skyway Industrial Park on Sunday May 2.

The first warblers have begun to trickle in with Yellow-rumped Warblers making up the bulk of the sightings thus far. Yellow-rumps have been reported at Ashland, Caribou, Limestone, Perham, Mars Hill and Woodland. An early Black-and-white Warbler was singing at Christina Reservoir in Fort Fairfield on the 2nd.

Some rare sparrows are certainly the highlights of this week's report. An uncommon breeder in northern Maine, a Vesper Sparrow singing from a road sign in Caribou was a nice discovery. The bird had apparently just arrived on the 2nd and took no time to proclaim his territory at this address! The bird's white eye ring, dark cheek spot, rufous shoulders and white outer tail feathers can all be made out in the photo at the top of this post (click on it for a larger image!).

Eclipsing the Vesper Sparrow was Aroostook county's second Clay-colored Sparrow in as many years. This bird has just been discovered a feeder in Caribou and more details should be forthcoming. A good documentation photo was provided by the homeowner...

In the finch department, American Goldfinch, Purple Finch and White-winged Crossbill continue encountered regularly in the woods of northern Maine.

Evening Grosbeaks have spread well around northern Maine in past couple of weeks. Reports increased and observations of these gorgeous birds have been reported from Stacyville to Fort Kent. Patty Jennings send over this stunning shot of a watchful male visiting her feeder in northern Penobscot county.

Northern Maine Birds 14-21 April 2010

Weather over the past week was more seasonable with frosty nights and cool days.

Some of the larger lakes are ice free now and the remnant snow banks are getting hard to find in eastern Aroostook. Precipitation has been minimal (snow flurries and showers) and water levels are dropping in the larger rivers.

Some hardwoods have begun to flower and leaf buds are forming well. Butterflies, moths and amphibians have already been well reported at early dates across the area.

Arriving migrants and new species reported this week are:

Lesser Scaup 4/14
Redhead 4/17
Common Eider 4/4
Long-tailed Duck 4/14
Ruddy Duck 4/14
Double-crested Cormorant 4/16
Sandhill Crane 4/18
Lesser Black-backed Gull 4/15
Three-toed Woodpecker 4/17
Winter Wren 4/17
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4/17
Hermit Thrush 4/17
Chipping Sparrow 4/21
Savannah Sparrow 4/21
Swamp Sparrow 4/20

Though large flocks of Canada Geese continue to push through the area no other notable geese were spotted this week. Quite early, one Canada Goose was found on a nest by the 20th.

Interesting duck arrivals were, as expected, found at Lake Josephine in Easton. A returning Redhead was reported on the 17th and two male Ruddy Ducks have been seen here since the 14th. A male Lesser Scaup also arriving on the 14th, tied my previous early date for this species. A very early male Common Eider seen on Easter Sunday was the first to make appearance in northern Maine this season.

Long-tailed Ducks made an unusually good showing after first arriving on the 14th. Pairs were seen at Lake Josephine and Christina Reservoir in Fort Fairfield. These continued at these locations through the week. An unusually large flock of 14 Long-taileds were loudly calling on Arnold Brook Lake in Presque Isle on the morning of the 21st.

One of the two pairs of Barrow's Goldeneyes at Lake Jo was still hanging among the flock of 30+ Common Goldeneyes through the 16th. The Barrow's pair was seen copulating here. I thought this was notable considering the large distances to the nearest nesting locales in Quebec. There was little information available concerning the timing of copulation in the literature on this species, but I eventually found out that this duck species forms long-term pair bonds and is known to copulate on the wintering grounds and on their northward migration. Interesting stuff for a duck head.

The Green-winged Teal numbers built through the week and pairs and small flocks were commonly encountered around the area. Gadwall, Northern Shoveler and American Wigeon pairs continued to increase at Easton during the past few days. Paul Cyr captured this image of a big-lipped shoveler couple on the 21st. Other waterfowl seen this week included American Black Duck, Wood Duck, Mallard, Hooded and Common Mergansers and hordes of Ring-necked Ducks


Though I have heard of no recent assists from local releases, Wild Turkeys seem to be moving north and eastward in numbers lately. The big birds appear to be expanding their range through central Aroostook county this spring. Reports of the birds came in this week from Madawaska Lake (2), Limestone (1), Caribou (2) and Presque Isle (3). Paul Cyr photographed a pair that were strutting through the outskirts of Presque Isle on the 21st. Heres one of the colorful jakes on the wing...

Drumming Ruffed Grouse were encountered by many birders that ventured to the woods during the past week. Ken Lamb photographed and videoed the displaying male seen at the top of this post near his home early last week. Ken also posted a fantastic video he made of the same bird drumming madly on Youtube here. Crank up the volume! Its great.... There's sounds from at least four other species of birds on the video...can you identify them?

More early Pied-billed Grebes were seen this week at Puddledock Pond and Christina Reservoir in Fort Fairfield. A Common Loon was calling as it landed in Christina Reservoir on the 20th. The first Double-crested Cormorant of the season was perched on a small island at the mouth of Presque Isle Stream in Presque Isle on the 16th. This arrival date was right on schedule by my records.

The bird of the week goes to a Sandhill Crane that was spotted flying north along Route 1 in Westfield on Sunday. There are only a handful of records of these birds for northern Maine. As seen in this first through-the-windshield-shot, the bird's big size and extended neck as it flew were key in making this ID at a distance. The much more common Great Blue Heron is big but generally keeps its head tucked in and its long neck looped under it when flying. The big bird was winging its way through a snow squall and we were able to turn around and follow it for several miles before it landed in a large field off the Henderson Road in Presque Isle! Ever at the ready to jump in his vehicle and chase the rareties, Paul Cyr arrived on the scene quickly and was able to get this wonderful shot of this rare visitor as it legged its way around the field. The orange patches on the wings and neck are the result of staining from iron compounds rather than any bird produced pigments. The crane only stayed for a short while then continued on northward.

Rough-legged Hawks (all light phase) were seen in Stockholm (1) and Cyr Plantation (2) on the 17th. Northern Harrier and American Kestrels were reported in increasing numbers through the week.

Gull flocks continue to migrate through the area. Most interesting among these is at least three adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls that are splitting their time between Collins Pond in Caribou and the landfill in northern Fort Fairfield several miles away. I snapped a photo of one of the dark backed adults resting with a bunch of Herring Gulls at the top of the garbage heap on the 20th.

A Northern Hawk Owl was reported seen along Route 1 in Littleton on the exceptionally late date of April 11! The bird was seen near the spot where the first hawk owl of the winter was reported back in December 2009... It could well be the same bird lingering.

After a long dry spell, I was finally able to locate a Three-toed Woodpecker again this week. The male was feeding along a woods road in the northeastern part of Stockholm in an area of overgrown and reverting farm fields known as the California Settlement.

The first Winter Wrens and Hermit Thrushes of the the season were singing just off the Muscovic Road in Stockholm on the 17th. My first Ruby-crowned Kinglet was mumbling in the brush nearby on the same date.

Sparrow migration has been unusual so far this season. It appears that arriving sparrows are well dispersed and not showing up in concentrations at northern feeding stations. New arrivals this week included Swamp Sparrows which are singing at marshy locations in Fort Fairfield and Presque Isle. A Savannah Sparrow was singing near the Presque Isle Airport on the 21st, and my first Aroostook Co. Chipping Sparrow was heard just down the street the following day. American Tree Sparrows continue to linger in small numbers at area feeders.

Mixed flocks of blackbirds continue to migrate through the area.

Purple Finches and White-winged Crossbills are currently quite common in "the woods" areas north and west of the Route 1 corridor in central Aroostook county . Handfuls of Pine Siskins are also being seen in these locations. A few Evening Grosbeaks are still being encountered as well. Hordes of American Goldfinches are visiting just about any feeder still offering seed. Paul Cyr got some nice shots of nearly-fully-molted males in Presque Isle on the 20th. Here's one.

Northern Maine Birds 1-13 April 2010

There have been several pulses of migrant-arrivals in Northern Maine in the first couple weeks of April and though its hard to find time to post them all, the list is growing unwieldy...

New and arriving species since the beginning of April are:

Cackling Goose 4/13
Wood Duck 4/4
Gadwall 4/8
American Wigeon 4/1
Northern Pintail 4/4
Northern Shoveler 4/8
Ring-necked Duck 4/4
Barrow's Goldeneye 4/8
Common Loon 4/8
Pied-billed Grebe 4/8
Turkey Vulture 4/12
Osprey 4/11
Northern Harrier 4/4
Sharp-shinned Hawk (migrant) 4/8
Rough-legged Hawk 4/4
American Kestrel 4/1
Merlin 4/12
Wilson's Snipe 4/6
Belted Kingfisher 4/1
Northern Flicker 4/4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 4/9
Eastern Phoebe 4/4
Tree Swallow 4/4
Eastern Bluebird 4/5
White-throated Sparrow 4/11
Northern Cardinal (migrant) 4/10
Brown-headed Cowbird 4/4

Its been an unusual spring for arriving waterfowl. Thanks to the rapidly thawing ice and abundance of open water, areas where the ducks and geese usually congregate in spring are not holding birds for long. Many new arrivals have been quick to disperse or move on.

Most noteworthy among arriving duck migrants so far this month were Barrow's Goldeneyes seen at Lake Josephine in Easton on the 8th (2) and the 12th (4-two pairs). Northern Shoveler's didn't break the record for earliest arrival but were a week or so ahead of the typical date. A drake at Lake Jo on the 8th was joined by a female by the 12th. American Wigeon made an early appearance with the first pair showing at Easton on April Fools Day. Eight wigeon were seen in Fort Fairfield on the 4th, a pair at Limestone on the 5th and four were spotted. among a large flock of Mallards in Washburn on the 10th. Gadwall arrived en masse, with 7 seen feeding on the edge of the ice at Lake Josephine on the morning of the 8th. Likewise Ring-necked Ducks with large flocks appearing across the area overnight on the 4th. Though groups of ten to twenty were reported in Caribou, Washburn, Ashland and Presque Isle on that day, 75 migrant Ring-neckeds seen in a pond near the Aroostook river in Fort Fairfield was notable. On the 8th, 108 were tallied in a small wetland near Lake Josephine. Paul Cyr got the shot of the three newly arrived Ring-necked Ducks at the top of this post... You can even see the brown "ring" around the neck of the middle bird...a tough characteristic to spot most of the time.

A pair of Northern Pintails were feeding with a fifty Canada Geese in a flooded field at Fort Fairfield on the fourth. The first Wood Duck reported in the area was a drake seen in some flooded woods in Fort Fairfield. The bird was right on schedule by my records. common and Hooded Mergansers were seen across the county, where ever liquid water and tasty minnows could be found.

Rarest among the birds seen this period, a single Cackling Goose was grazing with a huge flock of Canada Geese on the lawns of Trafton Lake Park on the 13th. The miniature version of the Canada Goose is apparently a rare but regular visitor in the fall but spring records in this area are few...

Also noteworthy was the news that a couple of the marked Canada Geese from Greenland that stopped at Collins Pond in Caribou last fall are on their way north. Project leader, Tony Fox at the University of Aarhus in Denmark said that GC0 and GC7 seen last October by Casey Scheppele were spotted again on March 25 by observers in Quebec at Baie du Febvre, Lac Saint Pierre near Montreal!

Ruffed Grouse were heard drumming in Caribou and Presque Isle. The northern vanguard of Wild Turkeys has reached Portage Lake and, to my surprise, Woodland. I saw two jakes (young males) in the Woodland Bog on the 13th.

Many of the migratory raptors have returned with Northern Harrier being the most widely reported since a first sighting of a displaying male in Easton on the 4th. Male American Kestrels have also begun to appear on utility wires in the open areas in northern Maine. The kestrel's first appearance in Woodland was right on schedule when compared to the last 15years of arrival dates in my notes.. A first of season Merlin was flying due north over Presque Isle on the 1th. A dark phase Rough-legged Hawk was circling over a field near Christina Reservoir in Fort Fairfield on the 4th. Possibly the same pair that has nested in this location in past few years, two Red-tailed Hawks were hunting on the edge of this same field on the 8th.

A Turkey Vulture seen in northern-most Maine at St. John Plantation on the 12th was a notable observation. These big birds are quite rare in the county north of Island Falls.

An early Wilson's Snipe was doing its winnowing display on the warm evening of the 6th over the Nature Conservancy's Woodland Bog preserve in Woodland. Though I've yet to personally hear them, American Woodcock have been reported to be displaying at locations in central and southern Aroostook county.

An early Belted Kingfisher was reported at Barren Lake in Caribou on the 1st but no other sightings have been reported since then. On the other hand Northern Flickers were well seen after the first arrival in Fort Fairfield and Presque Isle on the 4th. I had one (still a bit early) in my yard on the 10th and Paul Cyr got this great shot of the gorgeous individual in Presque Isle on the 4th. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers have only just arrived in northern Maine in past 3 days.

Truly advanced in arrival dates were single Tree Swallows spotted on the 4th in Fort Fairfield and the 6th in Caribou. The previous early date I have for these in Aroostook County is April 13th back in 2003, aking these arrivals nine days early. Eastern Bluebirds were new on the 5th in Portage Lake and the 6th in Caribou.

After hardly as single report all winter, male Northern Cardinals seen at both Caribou and Presque Isle on the 10th would appear to be new arrivals. Late Bohemian Waxwings continue in the area with a big flock of 98 seen nibbling last fall's soft apples in Presque Isle on the 8th and 10 in Caribou on the 13th.

White-throated Sparrows have only just started trickling into the area as the first one was reported on Green Ridge in Caribou on the 11th and had reached my yard in Woodland by the 12th. American Tree Sparrows are still being seen and have been singing with gusto since the beginning of the month. No Fox Sparrows were reported thus far this season.

White-winged Crossbills, Purple Finches and American Goldfinches were widely reported. Pine Siskins have been hard to find lately but several were seen near Oxbow on the 10th and 6 Evening Grosbeaks were seen in Limestone on the 13th

Northern Maine Birds, March 2010

The last three weeks of winter were like most of the rest of the season in northern Maine: warm and dry. Temperatures continued well above average and daily high records were broken on five straight days from the 14th to the 18th. Only traces of precipitation fell until the end of the month and the gradual snowmelt did little to raise water levels. A record breaking rain event on the 28th dropped nearly 1 and 1/2 inches of rain and brought monthly totals to near average. This last storm produced some minor flooding and filled the some of the seasonal wetspots that had threatened to go dry this spring.

By month's end the ice had gone out in most of the rivers and streams in Aroostook County. Most larger ponds and lakes still remain ice-bound. Snow cover has melted from most open areas. A foot or so remains in the woods.

The hardier migrant birds have begun to arrive. Most are setting records with early arrival dates for this region:

First dates for arriving species so far this month are:

Canada Goose 3/10
Green-winged Teal 3/19
Hooded Merganser 3/11
Red-tailed Hawk 3/25
Great Blue Heron mid-month
Killdeer 3/21
American Woodcock 3/28
Great Black-backed Gull 3/15
Herring Gull 3/15
Ring-billed Gull 3/18
Northern Saw-whet Owl 3/14
Cedar Waxwing 3/14
American Robin 3/14
Song Sparrow 3/21
Dark-eyed Junco 3/20
Common Grackle 3/13
Red-winged Blackbird 3/13

Arriving waterfowl this season have been about two weeks early.

As seen here, the first migrant Canada Geese were discovered by Ken Lamb at the pond in Mars Hill on the 10th. These were early by more than two weeks. By the 15th, small groups had been seen in Ashland, Caribou, Houlton and Presque Isle. Flocks of 100+ are now being seen in Easton, Fort Fairfield and Caribou and small numbers have reached up to the northern border at Fort Kent. Paul Cyr photographed the freshly-arrived flock of geese at the top of this post at dawn on the 25th.

Hooded Mergansers were reported at Mars Hill (3/10), Collins Pond in Caribou (3/18) and Fish River in Fort Kent (3/20). March 22nd was my previous early arrival date for central Aroostook county.

A pair of arriving Green-winged Teal at the Mars Hill town pond were nine days early on the 19th. They were accompanied by Canada Geese, Mallards, American Black Ducks, Common Goldeneyes and Common Mergansers.

At Robinson Pond in Blaine an arriving flock of 48 Common Mergansers (3/19) was made up mostly of drakes.

Bald Eagles have made a good showing with adults arriving at known nesting spots across the county. Reports of nesting eagles have come in for locations at Ashland, Fort Fairfield, Sinclair, Presque Isle and Van Buren. Paul Cyr found what appears to be a new nest constructed on the east shore of Arnold Brook Lake in Presque Isle. Like many others in northern Maine, the nest is in large poplar tree. The first Red-tailed Hawks were trickling in to the north near the end of the month and were early by just a few days.

An early Great Blue Heron was reported in Island Falls mid-month.

With lots of bare ground available, the early arrival of Killdeer seemed on the minds of several area birders. The first reported bird in Central Aroostook county touched down in Ashland on the 20th. According to my records this was the earliest date by 5 days. Others were seen in Mars Hill, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton by the end of the month. An American Woodcock survived a sub-zero night in the north Maine woods when it was seen on the 27th. The bird was flushed from a rare bare spot along a woods road in T8R10 near Big Reed Pond.

The first returning gulls were just about on schedule. A small flock of consisting of 8 Great Black-backed and one Herring Gull appeared on the ice of Collins Pond in Caribou on the 15th. Herring Gulls were seen over the St. John River in Fort Kent on the 20th. Numbers in Caribou increased rapidly through the third week and the flock was joined by Ring-billed Gulls on the 18th. By the 21st, Ring-billed's had re-populated the parking lots of commercial establishments across the area.

My first Northern Saw-whet Owl of the season was giving its tooting call in the Woodland Bog Preserve on the 14th. Barred Owls were reported calling from nearly a dozen localities. A two night owl survey (26-27th) in the woods near Chamberlain Lake and the Allagash River failed to detect an owl of any flavor. Bright moonlight, frigid temperatures and a light breeze were all likely turn-offs for calling owls on those nights... The last report of the Blaine Northern Hawk Owl was 5 March...coincidentally this was about the time when American Crows were reappearing in numbers in the area.

The more common breeding woodpeckers were well reported. Hairy, Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers caught many area birder's attention this month, thanks, no doubt, to their loud advertising drumming and vocal territorial squabbles at this time of year. A female Black-backed Woodpecker was seen drumming near Fourth Lake in T7R11 on the 27th.

Rarely reported in Aroostook co. this winter, a Northern Shrike was hunting in a brushy field in Woodland on the 28th. Gray Jays were seen in Cross Lake on the 6th and T7R11 on the 28th.

As previously mentioned, numbers of American Crows were arriving in northern Maine in the first week of the month. Though crows have overwintered in higher numbers in northern Maine in past few seasons, it seemed this year their numbers had dropped down to more "normal" levels.

The large mixed-species flocks of chickadees and nuthatches that were so common in woods all winter had all but disbanded by mid-month. Boreal Chickadees were increasingly vocal and easy to find through the month. These were seen in Cross Lake, Garfield, New Sweden, Stockholm, T7R11 and T8 R11. A noticeable uptick in the number of Brown Creepers occurred early in the month, Creepers were heard singing on the 4th in Stockholm and the 6th in Woodland. At least
5 Brown Creepers were heard singing in the Big Reed Preserve in T7R11 on the 27th. The Red-breasted Nuthatch horde continued with high numbers noted across the region. Uncommon in central Aroostook Co. White-breasted Nuthatches were heard in several townships in north Piscatquis Co. on the 27th and 28th. Four were seen in the mature hardwood stand at Big Reed Preserve in T8R10.

On the 14th a flock of 22 Cedar Waxwings was spotted in Presque Isle. 35 Bohemian Waxwings were seen in Caribou on the same day. Both flocks were catching flying insects, a good indicator of the unseasonable warm spell!

Arriving flocks of migrant American Robins were first noted in Wade on the 14th. The birds had reached my yard by the 18th.

More notable, though a bit after the fact, the record of a Varied Thrush in Fort Kent in early December 2009 was confirmed with some nice photographs by Sue Roy. Sue said the bird came to her feeder regularly for a couple weeks.

The sparrow migration left a bit to be desired in March. On the 20th and 21st, a small pulse of migrants brought Dark-eyed Juncos and the years first Song Sparrow to the area but little else notable turned up. A few Snow Buntings continued in the area...most recently 16 were spotted in Garfield on the 26th. Small numbers of American Tree Sparrows continued through the end of the month.

The first Common Grackle landed in my yard in Woodland on the 13th. this too was about about a week earlier than any previous arrival date in my records. An arriving flock Red-winged Blackbirds were also spotted on this date in Stacyville in northern-most Penobscot county.

Flocks of "winter" finches continue in numbers out in the woods. American Goldfinch is still the most commonly reported but numbers dropped significantly by months end. The songs of both White-winged Crossbills and Purple Finches are a feature of most larger softwood stands these days. Though still far from abundant, the numbers of Pine Siskins seemed to tick upward in the last week of March. A small flock was observed foraging on the edge of the melting ice of Big Reed Pond on the 27th. A single Pine Grosbeak was also seen on the 28th at T7R11 and Evening Grobeaks were observed regularly at feeders Castle Hill, Stockholm, Madawaska Lake and Portage Lake.

Northern Maine Birds, February 2010 winter wrap up

February 2010 was one of the mildest in memory in northern Maine. Though the month came in with a few days of sub-zero temperatures, most of the days the thermometer stayed in the thirties. Cloud cover seemed the norm for much of the period yet precipitation in central Aroostook County was 25% below normal. Considering a good portion of our precipitation was in the form of rain, snow packs are quite thin in the area. While precip was detected at the Caribou weather station on 22 of the 28 days, only 10 inches of snow fell here during the entire month! This was a minimal amount compared to the 18 inches that we received last year or the 48(!) in record-breaking 2008.

In comparison, Central Park in New York received almost 37 inches of snow in February...

Snow cover is spotty in the open areas in southern Aroostook and bare spots have appeared in the fields in the central areas as well. Well over a foot of snow remains in the woods in the eastern areas. A deep snow pack (3 feet in places) continues west of Route 11 (the North Maine Woods) where snow fell when it rained in the east and south. Many smaller and mid-sized streams have opened up and an early ice-out has been forecast by those knowledgeable in ice-melt prognostication.

Overall, activity at feeders was reported to increase a bit over the period. A response possibly to dwindling natural food supplies for some species of birds or perhaps some shifting of the population in preparation for spring migration. Plenty of birds could be found in the woods with the conifer stands having the advantage.

More waterfowl overwintered in the north this season than in recent memory. As many as 40 Common Goldeneyes could be found along the reach of open water below the Aroostook River Dam in Caribou and few were seen in Presque Isle as well. Mallards and Black Ducks were seen in numbers in Presque Isle as usual, but Ashland, Caribou, Fort Kent, Fort Fairfield and Houlton also had a few of these dabblers hanging where the open water was available.

Wild Turkeys in Ashland and Castle Hill had a good winter and Ruffed Grouse survival seems to have been excellent at this point. Paul Cyr got the image above of the Ashland turkey flock on the 25th.

With the exception of Bald Eagles, there was little raptor activity reported in February. Sharp-shinned Hawks were seen in Presque Isle (2/11), Woodland (2/12) and Easton (2/13). Dottie Dudley got a shapshot of the Easton accipiter from her window.




Again this month, Bald Eagles were widely reported with the bulk of the observations coming in from along the Aroostook River. Paul Cyr was able to document an early season copulation at the nest in the Stevensville section of Fort Fairfield on the 18th.

A single adult Great Black-backed Gull in Caribou on the 9th was the only gull reported for the month.






Owl activity picked up substantially in February with Barred Owls showing well through the month. Daylight observations of the species were made in Cyr Plantation (2/15), Woodland (2/13) and regularly near Paul Cyr's giant feeding station in Presque Isle. Paul and Ken Lamb have been able to photograph the owl as it hunted for rodents. The photo of the flying Barred Owl at the top and this great action shot were taken by Ken Lamb on the 17th.

The Northern Hawk Owl continued through a second full month at the Pierce Road in Blaine. Most recently the bird was seen on the 24th. Luke Sietz got this sweet image of the bird wallowing in the snow on the 17th.










Woodpeckers are becoming increasingly territorial and noisy. Lots of drumming can be heard in area woodlots on calm mornings. Hairy, Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers have been widely reported. There has been no sign of the Three-toed Woodpeckers along the Muscovic Road in Stockholm though Luke Seitz found this male Black-backed Woodpecker as it foraged near the bog.

Scarce this year in northern Maine, Northern Shrikes were seen in Blaine on the 5th and Easton on the 12th.

2 Gray Jays were visiting a feeder near madawaska lake in T16R4 on the 18th. Common Ravens have paired up and begun to defend territories. Mid air squabbles are common place these days. American Crow numbers are increasing and these birds have started to disperse from wintering spots and are increasingly appearing out in the countryside.

Good numbers of Boreal Chickadees are being found in the woods now as these birds are vocalizing regularly. Boreal's were seen in mixed flocks with Red-breasted Nuthatches and Black-capped Chickadees in Caribou, Caswell, Conner, Limestone, Stockholm, T16R4 and Woodland. The banner season for Red-breasted Nuthatches continues with high numbers across the area. Uncommon north of Presque Isle in winter, a White-breasted Nuthatch at a feeder at Madawaska Lake in the 18th was noteworthy.

Uncommon in mid-winter in the northern parts of the county, Golden-crowned Kinglets were spotted in Woodland early in the month.

A few American Robins were reported in the area mid month. One was seen in Presque Isle on the 12th and another in Mt Chase on the 1st but not since then. A late report of a Varied Thrush was tantalizing. The bird apparently spent two weeks visiting a feeding station in Fort Kent in mid-December. Photos of this very rare bird are being sought!

Scattered mid-sized flocks of Bohemian Waxwings were observed across the region through February. Waxwings were reported in Conner (26), Easton (40+), Houlton (8) and Presque Isle (12).

Two Rusty Blackbirds were reported in Masardis on the 17th. Uncommon during the breeding season, any winter record is a noteworthy find.

Sparrow supplies were light again this month with only Snow Buntings and American Tree Sparrows reported. Snow Buntings were able to take advantage of the very open conditions this month and flocks of these were widely reported. Highest count reported was 120+ seen in Fort Fairfield on the 18th.

Unlike the rest of New England, finches were found in good numbers and diversity in northern Maine this winter. Certainly, American Goldfinches have dominated the counts at feeding stations in the region. Patty Jennings sent up this great shot of part of the flock visiting her feeder in Stacyville last month. While not showing well at feeders, daily counts of 50+ Purple Finches were not uncommon for birders venturing out into the woods of northern Maine.

White-winged Crossbills and Evening Grosbeaks were decidedly less common, but flocks of these were fairly regularly encountered. High counts for Evening Grosbeaks included 60 seen in a days birding in central Aroostook county on the 17th and 25+ that are visiting a feeder in Castle Hill. Not quite like the "good old days" but a noteworthy number, no less. Luke Sietz took this nice shot of a male evening Grosbeak at a feeder near Madawaska Lake on the 18th. A few Pine Siskins were seen at feeders including one at Madawaska Lake on the 18th and two in Woodland on the 19th. Pine Grosbeaks were seen in Stockholm (3) and New Sweden (1) on the 7th and 2 were seen in Masardis on the 17th. No Redpolls were detected thus far this winter.

An uncommon bird this far north, House Sparrows remained in moderate numbers this winter. A pair showed up at my feeders on the 13th and other small groups were seen in Frenchville and Fort Kent in northern-most Maine.