Springtime at Land’s End in Harpswell, Maine

 Land’s End, June 16, 2015

With fall coming on in full force, it’s almost hard to remember the beauty of Maine in June, when the lupine were in bloom and birds were nesting and hatching their young. Gus and I took a drive one evening down to Land’s End in Harpswell. Little did we know then that we would soon be living in that town! This is one of my favorite drives to take down Route 24 from Brunswick as you cross over Orr’s island to Bailey Island and end at the sea.

 I don’t know the name of this island or who owns this house, but they sure do have a sweet spot in the bay! You can easily see this house from Land’s End, which is a gift store and a location!

 Common eider’s and ducklings in the bay 6-16-15

 Female House Finch in the brush on the shore.

 Gulls on the rocks 6-16-15

Song Sparrow on roses 6-16-15

Winter Birds on Orr’s and Bailey Islands

 February 17, 2015: Ever since my daughter moved back to Maine last November I had been wanting to take her for a drive to Land’s End in Harpswell. With the crazy, snowy winter we had the weather was usually bad when she came over to visit me and we could not go anywhere. Finally we had a nice enough day to take a drive and so we did. Of course, I always have my binoculars and camera with me on occasions like this, and I counted birds along the way. My daughter drove my car, so I could pay attention to the birds, and she stopped for me whenever we saw something good. The drive down Route 24 to Land’s End is a pleasant and scenic drive and well worth the trip. Here is some of what we saw along the way.

 Common Loons in the cove 2-17-15

 Female Surf Scoter

 

 Herring Gulls Landing on Seaweed Covered Rocks

Male Common Goldeneye in flight

 Looking across the cove to Harpswell Neck

 Mallards in the bay

 Pigeons flying over the cove

 

 First Winter Male Common Eider, note the white breast and dark back.

The classic eider bill shape is clearly visible with the “widow’s peak” of feathers coming down from the forehead in the middle of the bill.

 Wild Turkeys on a side road.

 House on the island at Land’s End

 

 A soft light shines over Casco Bay as seen from Land’s End.

Land’s End is in the town of Harpswell which has three different peninsulas or necks that stick out into Casco Bay. Harpswell Neck is down Route 123, while Orr’s and Bailey Islands and Cundy’s Harbor are all reached via Route 24 out of Brunswick. There is only one road  that connects the two main peninsulas of Harpswell. It is called Mountain Road and crosses a bridge over the Ewing Narrows. Other than that you have to drive into Brunswick to get from one side of Harpswell to the other. Bailey Island and Land’s End are both eBird Hotspots.

• Bailey Island—an eBird Hotspot
• Land’s End—an eBird Hotspot
• Cundy’s Harbor—Maine’s Oldest Commercial Fishing Village