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.

A Mid-Winter Report

The days are noticeably longer and small hints of things to come are evident from local bird behavior. I’ve heard male Black-capped Chickadees doing some tentative singing and the Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers have been drumming a bit as the sun rises. I’ve also noted the Common Ravens are starting to get a little territorial and crabby about trespass by others. Optimistic observations, yes…, but I know there’s still plenty of winter left.

So far, January weather has been quite varied. A record breaking warm spell in the second week brought steady rain and dropped snow levels by about half. The ice cover on some area streams opened up and wintering waterfowl took advantage and moved around a bit. Some icing at the tail end of the warm spell probably made it difficult for the birds that make a living picking cocoons and pupae out of crevices on trees... Recently, its been bitterly cold and snow depths have resurged back to their early January depths.

A notable observation this month, is the dramatic lack of birds out in the woods. Several northern Maine birders, who spend significant time outdoors, have noted the dearth of birdlife in most woodlots in eastern Aroostook County. The near complete cone failure coupled with an early winter onslaught of frugivores and finches have left little in the forest for passerines to eat. I’m sure the ice cover didn’t help the few gleaning species like chickadees, nuthatches and Brown Creepers.

The good news is, that things are busy at area feeders. Some county birders are reporting a fairly dynamic feeder population with regular changes in species and overall numbers. Seed sales have been brisk at the Presque Isle seed store.

The Mallard and American Black Duck flock has held steady in Presque Isle. Black Ducks were seen in Fort Fairfield and Mars Hill during the thaw. The Common Goldeneye flock at Caribou Dam on the Aroostook River grew to over 50 birds following the warm spell. A few Common Mergansers continued here as well. Some Common Goldeneyes were seen on the open water on the St. John River in Madawaska.

Bald Eagles continue to be seen in Ashland, Caribou, Fort Fairfield, Presque Isle, Island Falls and near Oxbow. An adult was eyeing the aforementioned Goldeneyes at the Caribou Dam on the 15^th. The Coopers Hawk was reported in Presque Isle in the first week of January but not since.

A Ruffed Grouse was seen sunning itself in Westmanland on the 20^th. Barred Owls were heard in Fort Fairfield in early January.

The Three-toed Woodpecker was seen on the 5^th at the usual spot along the Muscovic Road in Stockholm. A group of three Gray Jays were also seen here. Pileated Woodpeckers were seen in Presque Isle, New Sweden and Woodland.

Blue Jays were one of the most widely reported bird species in Aroostook County this month. Ken Lamb photographed this jay at his feeder in Chapman. A few American Crows continue to winter all they way up to Madawaska and Fort Kent. The only waxwing reported so far this month was a window-killed Bohemian Waxwing found in Caribou on the 9^th. Northern Cardinals were reported in Caribou and Presque Isle.

Several observers reported declining Mourning Dove flocks recently.

Large numbers of Black-capped Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches have been reported at feeders across the area. White-breasted Nuthatches are being seen at feeders in Caribou and Presque Isle. An uncommon Brown Creeper was a one-day visitor to my yard in Woodland on the 6^th.

An adult Northern Shrike was chasing redpolls at a feeder in Mt Chase.

Sparrow species seem well represented so far this winter. This is surprising considering the duration and depth of the snow cover we’ve experienced so far.

A sharp looking male Eastern Towhee over-wintering at a feeder in Sherman is only the fifth winter record/report for this species in Aroostook County. The bird was first seen in early fall and continues to show at this time. Patty Jennings got this great image on the 11th.

A White-throated Sparrow was reported in Presque Isle and American Tree Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos were seen in several locations in the past week. Reports of Snow Bunting flocks have declined a bit but single birds were seen over last weekend in Caribou and Woodland.

Large numbers of Pine Grosbeaks continue to be reported from across the area. High counts included 35 in Mt Chase, 30+ in Castle Hill, 20+ in Portage Lake and 45+ in Woodland. Smaller counts were reported from Ashland, Caribou, Presque Isle and Stacyville, St. Agatha and Sherman. 62 Evening Grosbeaks were counted at my feeder in Woodland on the 17^th.

Common Redpolls have been frequently reported in northern Maine this month, but the distribution has been spotty. One observer complained that he’d yet to refill his nyger feeder this winter and others, nearby, reported good numbers of the finches in their yards. A few American Goldfinches are visiting feeders in Presque Isle and Caribou. Purple Finches remain unseen.

Its not often that there are as many Hoary Redpolls to report as Pine Siskins but this was the case this week. Usually rare, Hoarys have been seen recently at feeders in New Sweden, Castle Hill and Mt Chase. Russell Mount got this good shot of "his" Hoary holding its own against the Pine Grosbeaks at his feeder in Castle Hill on the 22nd.

(The Siskins were visiting in Caribou, New Sweden and Woodland.)

Presque Isle, Maine Christmas Bird Count 29 December 2007

Despite the snow that fell for most of the day on Saturday, the 2007 Presque Isle Christmas Bird Count broke a couple of records and produced some noteworthy finds.

As expected on a day of less-than-ideal weather, the number of individual birds found in the count circle was lower than the past few years totals. However we managed to tally 35 species which wasn’t too shabby for this northern count. (The average species count for the past eight years is exactly 35 species).

The conditions this year were tough for the birds and the birders. The snow was nearly two feet deep in fields and woods and most water was frozen. Natural food sources were very limited with almost no cones, seeds buried in deep snow and very few berries or small fruit left after the waxwing onslaught earlier this fall. Field observers noted that the woods and fields were very quiet and most of the birds were found around yards with feeders.

New high tallys were made for Mallard and Rock Pigeon this year…ugh. The pigeon’s numbers were almost twice the previous high count. Despite some bold predictions, the Pine Grosbeak numbers were just a bit shy of the record set back in 1987.

The big news of the day was THREE species seen for the first time ever this count. Two staked-out birds: a Rusty Blackbird and a Tufted Titmouse, obligingly lingered long enough to be counted. In addition, a count-first Hoary Redpoll serendipitously showed up at the same feeder as the Titmouse. This was a nice surprise indeed.

If that wasn’t enough, this yard also produced the Presque Isle count’s second-ever Cooper’s Hawk. The hawk buzzed through the yard, as if on cue, while the local television crew was filming the titmouse for news piece on the Christmas Bird Count. The camera man did an impressive job of quickly getting the camera on the streaking accipiter and, it too, made the evening news!

Other notables included the rare Aroostook winterers: Brown Creeper, American Robin and Hooded Merganser. Two Northern Shrikes and three Bald Eagles were also nice finds.

Remarkable in their absence were waxwings of any sort, Purple Finches and Pine Siskins. Common Redpoll numbers were surprisingly low for an “on” year and nowhere near the numbers being tallied on counts to the south. Only a single American Goldfinch was found.

The preliminary numbers:

Mallard 39

American Black Duck 46

Hooded Merganser 1

Ruffed Grouse 3

Bald Eagle 3

Cooper’s Hawk 1

Great Black-backed Gull 1

Mourning Dove 90

Rock Pigeon 617

Downy Woodpecker 4

Hairy Woodpecker 18

Pileated Woodpecker 3

Northern Shrike 2

Blue Jay 40

Common Raven 139

American Crow 138

Black-capped Chickadee 333

Tufted Titmouse 1

Red-breasted Nuthatch 9

White-breasted Nuthatch 2

Brown Creeper 1

European Starling 292

American Robin 1

Northern Cardinal 1

American Tree Sparrow 3

White-throated Sparrow 2

Dark-eyed Junco 6

Snow Bunting 223

Rusty Blackbird 1

Pine Grosbeak 148

Hoary Redpoll 1

Common Redpoll 79

American Goldfinch 1

Evening Grosbeak 25

House Sparrow 19

Total Species 35

Total Individuals 2264

Northern Maine Birds 22-28 December 2007

The weather warmed significantly in the past week in northern Maine and precipitation came in form of a soaking rain on the 23^rd and 24^th. This settled the snow down to about 18 inches locally and opened up a few holes in the ice on the rivers. Despite the break in the cold weather, the numbers of birds at my feeding station in Woodland seemed to increase again with Grosbeaks dominating

A very late juvie Hooded Merganser on Presque Isle Stream appears determined to linger for the Christmas Bird Count this weekend. Plenty of American Black Ducks and Mallards are keeping it company. In Caribou, a Red-breasted Merganser was reported below the Aroostook River dam mixed in with a dozen or so Common Mergansers and Common Goldeneyes.

There were quite a few Bald Eagles seen this week in central Aroostook County. Locations included Caribou, Easton, Fort Fairfield, Presque Isle and Washburn. Several were squabbling over a Red Fox carcass (including this apparent young female photographed by Paul Cyr) last Friday, the 21^st. Rough-legged Hawks were reported from Easton and Westfield. A Red-tailed Hawk was seen in Presque Isle over the weekend. A Cooper’s Hawk continues to be seen in Presque Isle and an apparent Sharp-shinned was seen in Portage Lake over the weekend.

Barred Owls were reported from Fort Fairfield and Presque Isle again this week. Mark Bloomer got this eerie image during a storm a couple of weeks ago as the Barred Owl stalked the Northern Flying Squirrels that frequent his feeders at night.

A pair of vocal Black-backed Woodpeckers were seen on the Ouellette Crossroad in T17R5 near Dickey Brook on the 22^nd. Bohemian Waxwings are still finding food and being spotted in small groups this week. Pairs were seen in Mt. Chase, Presque Isle and Woodland and a flock of 40+ were seen in Caribou on the 22^nd. The intrepid Tufted Titmouse hangs on in Presque Isle and was present as recently as the 27^th.

Both Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches were well reported this week from Caribou, Mapleton, and Presque Isle.

Formerly a rare find in winter in Aroostook County, American Crow flocks are being spotted from Sherman to Fort Kent this year. Groups of 100+ crows were reported near roosting sites in Caribou and Presque Isle this week. 22 were seen in Fort Kent on the 22^nd.

A few American Tree Sparrows visiting regularly at my feeders in Woodland and in Caribou, Chapman and Presque Isle. A single male Dark-eyed Junco was not put off by the recent deep snow and persists at a feeder in PI. Snow Bunting flocks were seen in Mapleton, Mt Chase, New Sweden, Patten, Woodland and T17R4 near Cross Lake this week. The larger group seen at Cross Lake on the 22^nd was about 70 birds.

Northern Cardinal reports continue to pour in and pairs have been showing now in Fort Fairfield, Caribou (2+ pairs), Mapleton, Mars Hill, and Presque Isle (3+ pairs). Prior to this winter, one or two reports of a cardinal at a local feeder was the norm for the whole season. This year, so far, it seems there are quite a few of the red birds about!

Probably the most exciting find of the week was the discovery of a Rusty Blackbird at a feeding station in Presque Isle. This species is rare enough in summer in northern Maine, but a winter record is probably unprecedented. Paul Cyrs photo shows off the understated beauty of this birds winter plumage. The bird may have been present for several weeks now and was seen through the 27^th.

As in the rest of New England, the burgeoning winter finch show continues to draw attention of area birders. The finch highlight this week was a Hoary Redpoll found with 50+ Common Redpolls at a feeder in Mt Chase. Redpoll numbers seem to be increasing this week in the area. Four White-winged Crossbills were spotted gathering grit on a Westmanland Road on the 23^rd. American Goldfinches are still being seen in small numbers with reports coming in from Westfield, Caribou and Fort Fairfield. Large mixed flocks of Pine and Evening Grosbeaks are brightening many feeders in the area. These were enjoying some seed in my backyard in Woodland

on Christmas Day.

Presque Isle Christmas Bird Count is Saturday the 29^th!

Cheers

Bill Sheehan
Woodland, Aroostook Co.

Northern Maine Birds 6-21 December 2007

The last couple of weeks have been colder and snowier than normal by far. Snow depths continue to be ~3 feet in most sheltered areas and deeper in some of the woodlots downwind of fields. It has snowed on 15 of the first 20 days of December and temps have regularly dipped below zero at night….Caribou received 17+ inches of new snow with last weekend’s wild storm. I can’t wait for winter to start… on the calendar.

Open water is quite limited now (mostly below dams).

The only waterfowl seen in central Aroostook were 60+ American Black Ducks and Mallards in Presque Isle Stream near the wastewater treatment plant and a handful of Common Golden-eyes and Common Mergansers below the Aroostook River dam in Caribou.

Bald Eagles were seen in Presque Isle, Easton, Fort Fairfield and Caribou. Rough-legged Hawks were seen in Fort Fairfield and Easton. An uncommon brown-type, dark phase was photographed on the Aroostook River bridge in Fort Fairfield on the 8^th. Rare for northern Maine, a Coopers Hawk has been visiting yards with feeders in Presque Isle.

A few Great Black-backed Gulls lingered in Fort Fairfield through at least the 15^th

A count of 20+ Mourning Doves were reported from a feeder in Presque Isle following the storm on the 16^th and 17^th. Other larger-than-usual flocks were seen in Mapleton and Washburn. Owl reports continue with the season’s first Snowy Owl that was unfortunately struck by a vehicle in Presque Isle on the 10^th. A hunting Northern Hawk Owl was reported from the Christina Reservoir area in Fort Fairfield on Wednesday, but has not been relocated since. A Barred Owl was hunting in the sunny afternoon on the 21st in Presque Isle when Paul Cyr photographed it. The widespread reports of Barred Owls being seen in the daylight hours in Maine this winter has some people thinking these birds are having a tough winter already and they are stressed and hungry enough to come out in daylight.

Three Pileated Woodpeckers were feeding simultaneously on a single tree trunk near Madawaska Lake in T16R4 on the 15^th. Others were reported from Easton, Castle Hill and Mapleton. Drumming Hairy Woodpeckers were heard in Mt Chase.

A late American Robin was nibbling apples in Presque Isle on the 9^th. Only a couple of Bohemian Waxwings were reported in the area this week. The small flock was seen in Mt Chase. These too, were chipping away at larger frozen apples now that most of the smaller fruits have been eaten.

The rare Tufted Titmouse continued to show up at the feeder in Presque Isle where its been seen for over a month.

Alice Sheppard got this nice photo of the bird. Boreal Chickadees were heard in Woodland on the 15^th.

There are still plenty of American Crows being reported from around the area. Some Common Ravens appear to acting a bit more territorial lately with a few aerial squabbles noted. Paul’s game camera captured this well behaved group late last week. A Northern Shrike was seen along the interstate in Oakfield on the 18th.

Unusual anytime of year, but exceptional in winter was a Field Sparrow reported at a feeder in Presque Isle. Large flocks of Snow Buntings continue to be seen in northern and central Aroostook County. A few lingering Dark-eyed Juncos and American Tree Sparrows have also been seen in Woodland, Caribou and Presque Isle.

Northern Cardinal reports continue from several locations including Caribou (3+), Houlton (1) Mapleton(1) and Presque Isle (2). Tom and Theresa Johnson photographed this female at a feeder in Caribou.

Pine and Evening Grosbeaks are still being seen daily in central and southern Aroostook. Common Redpolls have only been reported in single digit numbers recently and may be departing the area. American Goldfinches have likewise been seen in small numbers. No other finch species were reported.

The Presque Isle Christmas Bird count is Saturday December 29^th!

Northern Maine Birds 21 Nov-5 Dec 2007

There has been alot of traffic reported at northern Maine feeding stations this week. Snow depths in the region now range between eighteen to thirty inches following the Monday night storm. Most lakes are entirely ice covered and only the swifter places on area streams are ice free. The larger rivers St. John and Aroostook still have plenty of open water but the slower stretches are becoming ice-choked. Temps have ranged from single digits to mid thirties over the past week.

A bit of an ice storm was experienced in some higher locations in Aroostook Co. in late November. Some observers thought the ice might have covered some natural food causing an increase in bird numbers at feeders . The small fruit (berries, cherries and small crabapple) supply is getting quite sparse in some spots thanks to all the Waxwings and Pine Grosbeaks.

Waterfowl numbers have dwindled quickly over the past two weeks. Most Canada Geese had departed shortly after Thanksgiving. Mallards, American Black Ducks, Common Goldeneyes, and Common and Hooded Mergansers continue to be seen on the remaining open water. 3 Common Loons were found at Long Lake in St. Agatha on the 24th.

An adult Northern Goshawk unsuccessfully chased some Pine Grosbeaks around my yard in Woodland on Dec 2nd. Light phase Rough-legged Hawks were seen in St Agatha on the 24th and in Presque Isle on the 28th. A few Bald Eagles were also reported.

A Barred Owl was seen in Woodland several times last week. The male Three-toed Woodpecker was seen at the usual spot on the Muscovic Road in Stockholm on the 24th. The bird was drumming and excavating a cavity. On the 27th few Horned Larks were feeding in association with a flock of several hundred Snow Buntings on the Waddell Road in Mapleton. In central Aroostook county, decreasing numbers of Bohemian Waxwings were noted as the preferred fruit supply was almost exhausted

A very rare Tufted Titmouse continues into its second month at a feeder on Canterbury Street in Presque Isle. A couple reporters noted increasing Black-capped Chickadee numbers at area feeders in the past week. A Boreal Chickadee made a short visit to my yard on Sunday before storm. The bird only momentarily checked over the suet feeder then moved on.

Unusual for winter, a large flock of American Crows remains in the Presque Isle area. The black horde was photographed by Paul Cyr's game camera mounted at feeder late last week. Gray Jays were seen in Easton, Woodland and Sinclair this week.

Also uncommon in northern Maine, Northern Cardinals were seen in Caribou and Presque Isle this week. Trina Coffin got this nice photo of a male cardinal at her feeder. Other than the fore-mentioned Snow Buntings, the only members of the sparrow family reported recently were Dark-eyed Juncoes, American Tree Sparrows and a couple of reluctant-to-leave White-throated Sparrows at feeders in Caribou and Presque Isle. A young Red-winged Blackbird huddled under my feeder on the 5th was the latest I've ever had.

Many observers reported increasing numbers of Pine Grosbeaks over the past week. Flocks were seen in Ashland, Caribou, Chapman, Fort Fairfield, Presque Isle, Westfield and Woodland. Evening Grosbeaks are making a good showing as well, with flocks reported from Caribou, Portage Lake, Presque Isle and Woodland. Common Redpoll numbers increased but Pine Siskin numbers remain low. There was only a single report each of American Goldfinch and Purple Finch in the area this week.

Northern Maine Birds 1-13 November 2007

It seems like the cold weather has finally settled in and things are changing rapidly -birdwise in northern Maine.

The month started out with a couple of warm-ish days but, since the passing of the remnants of Hurricane Noel on the 3rd and 4th, it seems to get colder with each passing day. Small ponds and wetlands across the area are now frozen and some of the larger ponds (Christina Reservoir in Fort Fairfield/Arnold Brook Lake in Presque Isle) are also skimmed over. The pattern of regular precipitation continued with over two inches of rain falling during the storm and some accumulating snow on the 6th. The snow did not last in southern and central Aroostook though some is still hanging on in the higher terrain in northern Aroostook. Water levels are still quite high in streams and rivers. Most lakes have recovered a bit from the dry fall.

As previously reported, the cone crop is quite meager following two bumper years and fruit supply is dwindling fast under the onslaught of the frugivores.

Waterfowl numbers have been declining throughout the period. Canada Geese flocks seem to have aggregated a bit with the freeze up. *Largest concentrations were 4000+* at Trafton Lake in Limestone and 2000+ in Mapleton and Washburn. Smaller flocks reported include 700+ at Long Lake in St Agatha, 400+ at Collins Pond in Caribou and 300+ in Westfield. No unusual geese were seen other than a white headed Canada that continues to be seen at Collins Pond.
Duck highlights were young *Black Scoter*, *4 Buffleheads*, 4 Lesser Scaup and a pair of *rare Greater Scaup* all spotted on the 3rd at Lake Josephine in Easton. Two late Wood Ducks and a lingering drake Gadwall were found on Presque Isle Stream on the 2nd. Diving duck numbers seemed to peak just before the storm. A high count of 220+ Hooded Mergansers were seen on Christina Reservoir and 59 Common Goldeneyes were tallied at Lake Jo.

Some late-season lake watching paid off with an *uncommon Horned Grebe* found on Madawaska Lake in T16 R4 on the 10th. More surprising, were two discoveries of the (usually) less-common *Red-necked Grebe, *one at Long Lake (10th) and another at Lake Jo (9th). A few Common Loons are lingering in whatever open water is available and probably the last Double-crested Cormorant of the year was seen on the 3rd at Christina Reservoir. A tardy juvenile Great Blue Heron was hanging out with some Mallards on the north end of Long Lake on the 10th.

*Rough-legged Hawks were seen regularly* across the area with reports from Hersey in southern Aroostook to St David in the northern part of the county. Of the seven Rough-leggeds seen, 5 were light morph and two were dark. Northern Harriers were reported from Caribou, Easton, Fort Fairfield, Limestone and Presque Isle. A few Bald Eagles are still being spotted where the open water remains... An adult-like, fourth year eagle was seen at Long Lake and juvies were reported from Christina Reservoir and Presque Isle. Four were seen at LaPomkeag Lake Uncommon in northern Maine, Red-tailed Hawks were observed in Presque Isle and Easton this week.

An American Coot feeding on Lake Josephine on the 9th and 3 Dunlin at Christina Reservoir on the third were good finds for this late in the season. The premier Iceland Gull of the season was a first winter bird found with some lingering Ring-billed Gulls at Collins Pond in Caribou on the 12th.
A Black-backed Woodpecker was found at the boat launch of the newly re flooded Nadeau Pond in Fort Fairfield. A high count of 11 Pileated Woodpeckers were reported from locations across the county this week. A few Horned Larks continue to linger in area potato fields. Numbers are down from a high count of 120+ seen in Limestone at the beginning of the month. Five late-ish American Pipits were also seen at Limestone on the 3rd. An uncommon White-breasted Nuthatch was photographed in Presque Isle.

The early arrival of a few Bohemian Waxwings noted last month, has grown into widespread affair. These waxwings are being seen in medium sized flocks from Madawaska to Houlton consuming trees worth of crabapples and berries in a few hours. Largest flocks seen were *170+ at Presque Isle* and 120+ at Caribou. Most other groups were 20-50 birds. A few lingering American Robins also spotted nibbling fruit in Presque Isle and Fort Fairfield.

Gray Jays were seen at Madawaska Lake and Woodland.

Lingering sparrows included a Fox Sparrow in Woodland until the 8th, Song and Swamp Sparrows seen in Presque Isle on the 2nd and White-throateds reported through the 8th in Caribou and Woodland. Dark-eyed Junco numbers have thinned a bit recently but are still widely reported. American Tree Sparrows have settled in for the winter at my feeders in Woodland. Snow Buntings have been reported in Presque Isle and Grand Isle in flocks greater than 500 birds. A group of 50+ was seen in St. Agatha on the 10th.

A very late Brown-headed Cowbird was found with a group of House Sparrows in Presque Isle. A single Red-winged Blackbird and Common Grackle were in Woodland until the 4th.

Evening and Pine Grosbeaks are not hard to find this week. Small flocks of each have been reported from around the area. Common Redpolls, Pine Siskins and a few reappearing American Goldfinches are starting to sample the thistle seed in Woodland. White-winged Crossbills are heard daily here. Purple Finches were reported from Caribou.