Winter Birding in Rockland and Owls Head

 Rockland Harbor, Maine 2-7-15

After leaving Wiscasset on February 7th we drove north to Rockland, Maine. I have not been here to bird since moving back to Maine and I have never birded here as an eBirder. I was hoping to find a new Life Bird, like maybe a murre or a Razorbill, or a dovekie! But that was not to be. The cold and gray and wind continued and while I did see birds, I did not see anything new.

 Herring Gull on a chimney 2-7-15

After the long drive we stopped at a fast food restaurant first to grab a quick bite to eat. These hungry and tired gulls watched us from the chimney stacks and rooftops hoping for a scrap of food tossed aside by anyone.

 

 

Down at the harbor we found even more gulls and some ducks.

 

 Long-tailed Duck in Rockland Harbor 2-7-15

 

Common Loon in Rockland Harbor

Next it was on to Owls Head, a place I had heard of but never visited.

It was late in the day when we finally arrived at Owls Head Harbor and the sky was heavy with the pending storm. I did not know where to go, so I just followed the birds! There were robins flying all around in the trees and i could see water ahead, so Gus drove me closer and stayed in the car while I got out to photograph birds. I wanted to walk out on this pier, but was not sure it was okay for me to do it, so I stayed on the road and walked around the parking lot instead. If I could have gone out there I think I might have seen more birds, but I did not know who to ask.

Common Eider’s in Owls Head Harbor

 

Herring Gull on the shore of Owl’s Head Harbor

 

Great Black-backed Gull on the beach of Owl’s Head Harbor

After driving around in a monochromatic world, finding a shed  wall covered in colorful buoys was almost a shock to the system!

Lobster buoys on a shed wall in Owl’s Head Harbor 2-7-15

We tried to drive up to the Owls Head State Park and Lighthouse but while the road to the park was plowed, the path to the shore was not and I dared not risk walking out there in the deep snow with my still healing dislocated shoulder. It is so frustrating to me to find myself so limited like this, but I am doing the best I can not to let it get the best of me, and I still keep going out to see and count birds whenever I can! The constant storms, low temperatures and high winds restrict me even further, but there are always birds out my windows and once in awhile I find something new, like the Bohemian Waxwings I found in Brunswick, Maine just a few days later. Still, I had a fun day out with my husband and I enjoyed seeing and finding new places to bird. I hope to go back when the weather and my arm improve. I know there is another Life Bird out there just waiting for me somewhere!

Birds seen in Knox County on 2-7-15:

1. *Red-tailed Hawk—Thomaston
2. *Ring-billed Gull
3. Herring Gull
4. *Rock Pigeon
5. *American Crow
6. *American Black Duck—Rockland
7. *Mallard
8. Common Eider
9. *Long-tailed Duck
10. *Bufflehead
11. *Common Loon
12. Great Black-backed Gull
13. *Surf Scoter—Owls Head Harbor
14. *American Robin

*New Knox County Life Birds

I had only birded in Knox County one time before, and that was last year when Chris Rohrer was here and we took a boat ride out to Eastern Egg Rock to see Puffins. I recorded my first 11 bird species in this county on that day, but I paid a dear price for it as I got very seasick on the boat. While it was a cold and gray day here today, it was much better than being so seasick.  Today’s birding added 11 new species to my Knox County Life List for a total of 22 species. I hope to add more as I dream of summer birding here later this year!