Birding Livermore, Jay, and Wilton, ME

 Great Crested Flycatcher in Livermore, Maine 6-29-15

When I first became a birder, I did not pay much attention to the flycatchers. In fact, I did not even know there was such a thing as a Great Crested Flycatcher until I went to the New River Birding and Nature Festival in West Virginia in 2009. That was where I saw my first one. Back then I was was living in Tucson, AZ and had already learned about and seen both Brown-Crested Flycatchers, and Ash-throated Flycatchers. The Great Crested Flycatcher is their Eastern counterpart and a very pretty and loud bird! I found this pair in a friend’s front yard in Livermore.

A pair of Great Crested Flycatchers had taken over an old Purple Martin bird house. You can just see a bit of the nest peeking out one of the holes on the end. I observed these birds for several minutes as they flew in and out of the bird house with insects in their beaks.

 Flyaway Flycatcher!

When I left this location I drove farther up the Crash Road (yes, that is its name) to Pine Island in the middle of the Androscoggin River. The Androscoggin is one of the major rivers in Maine and it starts in the western mountains and flows down through Brunswick to Merry Meeting Bay where it joins the Kennebec and 3 other rivers on its journey to the sea.

I crossed this bridge to get to the Island with turbulent water flowing beneath.

 

After parking I wandered down one of the paths to some quiet areas along the shore where I found several species of birds. while I was standing there quietly a mink came wandering along the path towards me. I tried to slowly raise my camera to get a photo without scaring it off, but it saw me and disappeared into the undergrowth.

So, I took a picture of this Hairy woodpecker instead!

 

The bridge on the main road over the Androscoggin River 7-22-15

This area is technically in Jay, Maine and is also in Franklin County instead of Androscoggin County, which is where Livermore, Maine is located.

Before heading home I took a short drive up to Wilton, Maine to see if there were any birds at the lake. While it was nearing sunset, I did find a few species of birds, and I always enjoy the view of the western mountains with Mount Blue beyond.

 Wilton Lake, also called Wilson Pond 7-22-15

 

Mount Blue is seen in the distance and somewhere out there are loons.

 

Links:

• My eBird checklist for Pine Island
• My eBird checklist for Wilson Pond
• Maine Rivers—Androscoggin River
• Ash-throated Flycatcher in Arizona