A Visit to Maine: Birds

The Road to Mackworth Island 6-13-13

When I returned from Norridgewock on June 12 I walked into a warm and friendly home where Mom’s cousin Wilma had a fire on the hearth! Anyone who knows me knows how much I love a warm fire on a cold day and it was so nice to sit by the fire and chat with my Mom and her cousin.

 

 

Mom sitting by the fire 6-12-13

 

Wilma sitting by the fire 6-12-13

But I could not leave Maine without at least attempting to count a few birds. Fortunately the next morning we had a break in the rain. I got up early and drove to Mackworth Island, an eBird Hotspot off the coast of Falmouth, ME. It is a small island with a nature trail that encircles it. You can hike the one mile loop trail around the perimeter but I have never yet had tome to do it and today was no exception.

The tide was out as I drove across the causeway to the island. I parked my car on the island and checked the mudflats for peeps, but I did not see any.

 

However, overhead a Double-crested Cormorant flew. I have seen osprey here before, but I did not see any on this day.

Just a couple of Herring Gulls on a sandbar.

 

The path through the wood coaxed me onward and I did follow it for a short distance. I so wanted to keep on going, but I knew I needed to get back and bring Mom home to Colchester.

Out in the harbor I spotted a few Common Eiders and more gulls.

 

Back at the house I found a garden in bloom!

I cannot thank Wilma enough for her gracious hospitality and putting up with me and my crazy birding! I know my Mom had a great time visiting her cousin, who is more like a sister to her. I did get to see a Red-breasted Nuthatch in Wilma's yard, the only one I saw during my whole month back east. It was a fun, though wet and chilly visit and my only complaint was that it was too short! I needed time to see more birds!

These are the birds I did see in Maine in order of first sightings:

1. Ring-billed Gull-Wilma’s 6-11-13
2. Chimney Swift
3. American Crow
4. Red-breasted Nuthatch
5. American Robin
6. Chipping Sparrow
7. American Goldfinch
8. Black-capped Chickadee-Wilma's 6-12-13
9. Black-throated Green Warbler
10. Mourning Dove-Fairfield Center 6-12-12
11. Ovenbird-Grammy and Grampy’s yard 6-12-13
12. Great Crested Flycatcher-Wilma’s Yard 6-13-13
13. Tufted Titmouse
14. American Black Duck-Mackworth Island 6-13-13
15. Common Eider
16. Double-crested Cormorant
17. Herring Gull
18. Red-eyed Vireo
19. Gray Catbird
20. Cedar Waxwing
21. Pine Warbler
22. Song Sparrow
23. Northern Cardinal
24. Turkey Vulture-Rt. 95 in York, ME
25. Red-tailed Hawk

The mainland as seen from Mackworth Island 6-13-13