Bird Alert for January 2008

Source - Maine Audubon
Standout species this week include Black Vulture, Black-headed Gull, Thick-billed Murre, Great Gray Owl, Snowy Owl, Eastern Towhee, and Hoary Redpoll. Bohemian Waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks and a growing number of American Robins continue to be found at fruiting trees throughout the state. Common Redpolls abound at seemingly random feeding stations across Maine.

Numerous reports of NORTHERN SHRIKES and BARRED OWLS continue as well. Several observers have noted that GREAT HORNED OWLS have started to become vocal. Photos of some of the unusual birds in Maine are now being posted in a gallery on the RBA page of the Maine Audubon website at: http://www.maineaudubon.org/nature/birdalert_gallery.php

York County
Four RAZORBILLS were seen on January 19 from The Cliff House at Bald Head in Ogunquit.

On January 20, a flock of 150+ PURPLE SANDPIPERS were feeding on rocks at the far end of Ocean Avenue in Biddeford Pool, near Maine Audubon's East Point Sanctuary while a young male YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen on January 22 on the trail into the sanctuary.

Up to seven BRANT and four GREATER SCAUP were seen in Biddeford Pool at least through January 22.

A male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was feeding on sunflower seeds in York on January 18.

Two WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and a HOARY REDPOLL visited feeders along Hill's Beach Road in Biddeford on January 19.

Greater Portland
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was observed on January 23, perched in the trees just before Anjon's Restaurant on Route 1 in Scarborough .

A lingering NORTHERN FLICKER remains at Maine Audubon's Gilsland Farm in Falmouth . It was most recently sighted on January 24.

One HOARY REDPOLL and infrequently a second continue at feeders in West Falmouth as of January 24.

Lewiston-Auburn
An AMERICAN WIGEON pair was with the flock of Mallards behind 68 Main Street in Lewiston on January 19.

A PEREGRINE FALCON continues to roost atop St. Mary's church in Lewiston.

Midcoast
On January 21, a male BELTED KINGFISHER was seen at Bay Bridge Park in Brunswick .

A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was seen at a feeder in Waldoboro on January 21.

The BLACK VULTURE was sighted again on January 19 and 23 at the turkey farm on Route 1 in Warren .

A flock of approximately 50 SNOW BUNTINGS was in an open field along Stevens Road a few miles north of the Freedom General Store in Freedom.

Kennebec Valley (Augusta-Waterville)
A HOARY REDPOLL was seen in Belgrade on January 20, another in Norridgewock on January 18 and 20, and two in Benton on January 23.

A PEREGRINE FALCON has been frequenting the Kennebec River near the Gardiner-Randolph Bridge .

A female GREEN-WINGED TEAL was on a pond on Colby College campus at least through January 20.

Central - Bangor
A GREAT GRAY OWL, first reported on January 23, has been frequenting the north end of Bog Road in Jackson. Jackson is in section D3 on map 22 of the DeLorme Atlas. Take Rt. 7 north from Brooks, turn east on Village Road; Bog Road is the first right off of Village. Please respect private property.

A MERLIN was perched atop a snag on the Wiswell Road in Brewer on January 18.

Penobscot Bay
Birds sighted from the ferry running between Rockland and Vinalhaven included a THICK-BILLED MURRE , RAZORBILLS and 70 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES on January 20, and a BLACK-HEADED GULL on January 21.

A SNOWY OWL was in a field on Beech Hill in Rockport on January 18.

A COMMON GRACKLE arrived at feeders in Blue Hill on January 16 and continued through at least January 19.

Downeast
A THICK-BILLED MURRE was seen off the Town Landing in Bar Harbor on January 19 and again at Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park on January 23.

A HOARY REDPOLL was reported at a feeder in Ellsworth on January 23.

The Stinson's Canning Plant in Winter Harbor is hosting three first winter ICELAND GULLS, one adult ICELAND GULL, and three immature GLAUCOUS GULLS.

Northern Maine- Aroostook County
Usually rare, HOARY REDPOLLS have been seen recently at feeders in New Sweden, Castle Hill and Mt Chase.

A male EASTERN TOWHEE continues to over-winter at a feeder in Sherman Mills.

PINE SISKINS were visiting feeders in Caribou, New Sweden and Woodland .

Large numbers of PINE GROSBEAKS continue to be reported from across the county.

Sixty-two EVENING GROSBEAKS were the high count at a feeder in Woodland on the January 17.