10 March 2010 Rockport, Maine, USA 
comprar viagra españa viagra pasteque levitra venta libre sildenafil moins cher cialis en ligne mejor viagra cialis generico en españa cialis montreal comprar viagra generica viagra generico funciona commander du cialis viagra pfizer mexico sildenafil farmacias similares viagra 50 mg precio tadalafil precio andorra viagra sin receta viagra 50 achat cialis forum viagra andorra precio viagra por internet comprar viagra online ventajas cialis viagra meilleur prix viagra marocain achat cialis en suisse viagra à vendre viagra generica en españa firmel sildenafil cialis livraison rapide pharmacie en ligne cialis generique belgique viagras en pharmacie viagra precios sildenafil farmacias del ahorro pastillas sildenafil viagra en belgique andorre cialis viagra au luxembourg vente cialis france generique levitra viagra ne marche pas viagra remboursement secu diferencia cialis viagra levitra pour femme viagra pour femme en france viagra vente en pharmacie medicamento sildenafil cialis sans ordonnance sildenafil receta farmacias viagra sin receta achat viagra en ligne viagra naturel cialis pas de la case viagra andorre vente cialis en ligne acheter cialis en ligne viagra a vendre cialis generique pharmacie precio vardenafil acheter viagra femme sildenafil comprar sildenafil 50 mg magnus comprar levitra contra reembolso viagra es con receta kamagra en belgique pastillas impotencia cialis achat forum impotencia sexual achat viagra en belgique vendo viagra sevilla comprar viagra generico achat viagra generique precios cialis viagra 100mg prix cialis precio españa pildoras cialis achat tadalafil tadalafil para mujeres comprar viagra a contrareembolso viagra generique pharmacie cialis de 5 mg pharmacie viagra cialis tabletas levitra sur le net cialis ou acheter pastilla cialis receta sildenafil viagra cialis levitra comparison forum viagra en ligne kamagra en pharmacie comprar viagra mar del plata comprar sildenafil sin receta sildenafil bajo receta sildenafil precio acheter cialis 20mg levitra en suisse viagra generique france tadalafil diario comprar viagra en farmacia achat pharmacie vente cialis generique generique sildenafil viagra venta libre viagra nombre de la droga viagra andorra sin receta sildenafil masticable cialis 20mg achat viagra generique prix precio de levitra viagra a andorre levitra prix pharmacie achat cialis generique comprar cialis barato cialis tiempo remboursement levitra venta viagra farmacias kamagra sans ordonnance acheter viagra sur la net viagra se puede comprar sin receta compra cialis generico acheter viagra pas cher receta viagra achat viagra original cialis necesita receta medica levitra andorra oferta viagra cialis quebec viagra naturel pour femme cialis 5 mg 28 comprimidos precio sildenafil similares sildenafil farmacias ahumada viagra farmacias del ahorro precio viagra generico viagra medicament cialis generic belgique opiniones cialis generico acheter cialis pas chere vardenafil hcl cialis ca marche viagras en ligne viagra avec ordonnance cialis achat france viagra le prix acheter cialis pharmacie acheter du cialis venta cialis generico cialis pas cher en france comprar levitra 20 mg comprar viagra por internet tabletas sildenafil cialis espana cialis chez la femme levitra tabletas viagra moins cher sildenafil femme viagra sur paris comprar viagra generico contrareembolso sildenafil venezuela viagra comprar españa comprar cialis online cialis en suisse cialis quotidien viagra farmacias cialis moins cher compra levitra cialis sin receta viagra precio ecuador viagra quebec tadalafil generico colombia levitra moins cher viagra vente libre en pharmacie tadalafil pas cher vendo viagra contrareembolso viagra precio en españa viagra sans ordonnances prix viagra au maroc levitra generico precio venta viagra generica cialis venta libre viagra natural contrareembolso firmel cialis cialis achat internet viagra livraison rapide prix levitra tadalafil mexico cialis marca viagra tabletas kamagra livraison rapide pfizer viagra 100mg forum viagra internet comprar cialis sevilla comprar levitra comprar viagra con seguridad probleme erection viagra feminino femme viagra costo sildenafil viagra fiable prix viagra cialis cialis espagne cialis maroc tadalafil generico españa viagra sans ordonnance viagra pharmacie paris cialis compra acheter kamagra oral jelly comprar cialis españa viagras prix levitra pas cher acheter cialis sans ordonnance tadalafil moins cher viagra 25 mg vardenafil generique vardenafil bayer levitra farmacias del ahorro commander viagra generique viagra au maroc achat cialis andorre viagra sin receta en farmacias sildenafil venta comprar sildenafil generico levitra au maroc sildenafil comprimidos viagra 50 mg viagra pfizer precio viagra suisse ordonnance viagra precio cialis original cialis temoignage viagra ventajas y desventajas sildenafil mexico levitra sans ordonnance viagra en tunisie viagra sans prescription cialis berlin cialis internet viagra lyon sildenafil venta sin receta vente viagra en ligne medicament levitra cialis generique acheter vente viagra libre viagra autentica viagra sur internet viagra prix canada viagra tarif vente de viagra vente viagra canada cialis commander kamagra paris sildenafil efectos en mujeres cialis requiere receta comprar viagra con paypal acheter viagra pas chere viagra natural en farmacias cialis 20mg belgique cialis marketing strategy vrai viagra viagra livraison 24h viagra sin receta medica achat cialis pas cher viagra sous ordonnance vardenafilo levitra viagra 25 mg precio viagra authentique comprar viagra cialis comprar cialis 20 mg cialis riesgos medicament cialis 5mg acheter cialis generique viagra ventas venta viagra cialis femme kamagra 100 acheter viagra generique precio viagra con receta levitra 20mg prix cialis vente libre forum viagra generique precio cialis 5 mg 28 comprimidos venta viagra pfizer vendo cialis generico receta cialis cialis veritable viagra remboursé par la sécu effet viagra sur femme cialis remedio kamagra inde achat viagra france precio de sildenafil viagra venta en farmacias viagra prix officiel marcas sildenafil mejor viagra cialis levitra viagra vente libre equivalent viagra pour femme viagra a vendre quebec achat viagra femme viagra bruxelles comprar vardenafil levitra achat generique viagra france ventajas viagra kamagra femme viagra prix en pharmacie achat viagra 20mg cialis remboursement secu viagra sans ordonnance belgique precio cialis españa tadalafil en chile comprar sildenafil contrareembolso viagra venta a domicilio levitra generico comprar viagra le vrai impuissance homme medicament cialis 20mg farmacia levitra cialis a vendre viagra a vendre montreal achat cialis en pharmacie comprar tadalafil tadalafil similares achat viagra andorre comprar cialis en españa viagra prix de vente andorra viagra pilule viagra acheter viagra en ligne forum viagra paris comprar viagra sin receta en españa viagra 100mg kamagra vente cialis commande prix cialis belgique cialis le vrai sildenafil genericos prix viagra suisse vente cialis pharmacie cialis precio genericos viagra acheter cialis forum cialis acheter en france sildenafil espana viagra internet achat viagra pfizer viagras genericos masticable viagra acheter cialis sur internet magnus sildenafil 50 mg cialis pas cher paris viagra espagne

Axis shift?

March 9th, 2010
Cloudless, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 09 March 2010.

Cloudless.

The morning sun blasted yellowly against the hill first thing, as if whipped into some kind of photovoltaic lather while zipping in across the bay. While making breakfast, I saw through the kitchen window a crow, a pair of downy woodpeckers, and a mourning dove. I stepped out to photograph the dove, and a cardinal hopped up into some naked branches nearby. I snapped some shots of the cardinal—and then noticed a handsome pileated woodpecker near the top of one of the big oaks. It flew before I had a chance to focus.

Redbird, Glen Cove, Rockport, Maine, 09 March 2010.

Redbird.

A bit chillier than yesterday, seemed like—maybe mid-30s (F) early—but just as unseasonably gorgeous.

The peculiar jogger tiptoed by at his usual hour, and I counted the crows waiting for him: nine again. This time no herring gulls descended on whatever it is he sprinkles in the motel parking lot across the road. Just the crows.

I didn’t mention it a couple days ago, but when in Warren Village photographing Barrow’s goldeneyes along busy Route 90, I thought for sure I heard the call of an American woodcock. And it’s not like I’m unsure of what they sound like—I’m pretty damn familiar with woodcocks. However, it was midday, and it was early March, and I just couldn’t get the sound I heard to fit with the scene I occupied at that moment. I attributed it to some crazy vehicular sound on the highway or something.

Well, come to find out woodcock sightings are coming in from across the state. Heard calling and displaying in southern Maine last night, heard migrating nearer here… When you combine those sightings with the appearance of turkey vultures in Camden, seen by my birding friend Kristen (there can be no better authority), and my friend Shannon’s report of ospreys arriving in Camden today—well, you’ve just got to wonder what the hell’s going on. I understand the recent earthquake in Chile slowed the earth’s rotation by a few milliseconds or something. Perhaps it knocked the planet off its axis altogether.

Common goldeneye, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 09 March 2010.

Common goldeneye.

Speaking of axes, while checking out the early birds this morning, I couldn’t help noticing the moon’s waning crescent caught in the branches of some trees. And tonight, low in the western quadrant of a midnight blue sky, the Evening Star.

But a few hours earlier, I walked the breakwater. I had to. For one thing, to get my blood moving while watching ducks, and for another, to look for a particular chunk of granite out in the middle of the nearly-mile-long structure. I’d seen this chunk a few weeks ago—a slender, light-colored stone that stretched clear across the width of the breakwater, a distance of some fifteen feet. Then I heard last weekend that it’s the only such block out there, and that it marks the mid-point. I wanted to find it again.

I met a couple ladies about half-way out and mentioned this stone to them. But we agreed we’d already walked more than half-way out by then so I turned my attention to the usual ducks—common eider, common goldeneye, red-breasted merganser, bufflehead, long-tailed duck. The ducks seemed anxious. I saw many flying, including great strings of long-tails far out over the bay. Eiders flew. Mergansers. A solitary goldeneye. I imagine their contemplating migration.

Long stone, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 09 March 2010.

Long stone.

On my return trip, I found the stone. Sure enough, it seemed about half-way.

Back on shore, I watched a handful of buffleheads dive and dive. Too soon, they will be gone.

Today’s List

Tufted titmouse
Mourning dove
Northern cardinal
Black-capped chickadee
American crow
Downy woodpecker
Pileated woodpecker
Herring gull
Ring-billed gull
Rock pigeon
Bufflehead
Common goldeneye
Common eider
Red-breasted merganser
Common loon
Long-tailed duck

Buffleheads, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 09 March 2010.

Buffleheads.

Beech Hill buddy

March 9th, 2010
Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 08 March 2010.

Beech Hill.

Rose about 6 this morning. Sunlight angled sharply against the bronzed hill out back. Heard the love songs of a titmouse, a chickadee, a house finch, a cardinal, and a crow. OK, I’m not exactly sure what the love song of a crow is—but whatever it is, I bet I heard it this morning. Just another outlandishly spring-like winter day.

A day brimming with sweet complication: I had a visitor. An Australian cattle dog mix named Roo. Or that’s possibly his name—it’s unclear. He came from a rescue shelter, and he’s a real sweetie. However, any dog of mine will have to put up with a little birding. So at midday I took him on a walk up Beech Hill.

The little guy’s a fast walker. I bet I made it up and down the wooded trails about 15 minutes quicker than usual. But I’m pleased to report that at a simple command of “Wait,” he’d stop and stand looking at me quietly while I cast about for something to take a photo of. Like Beech Nut at the summit (which I photograph on every hike). Or the common raven that, squawking, flew swiftly over our heads on the way back down. Alas, there were tree limbs in the way of the raven.

Worked up a sweat on the hill. High temps in the 50s (F) again. A lot of us birders are keeping our eyes and ears peeled for early arrivals. The natural world seems oddly discombobulated at this season in this year.

Today’s List

Tufted titmouse
Northern cardinal
House finch
Black capped chickadee
American crow
Herring gull
Ring-billed gull
Rock pigeon
Common raven

This time of year

March 7th, 2010
Barrows goldeneyes, St. George River, Warren, Maine, 07 March 2010.

Barrows goldeneyes.

Another springlike day. I took off in late morning with an idea I might see the Barrow’s goldeneyes Don Reimer has reported for much of the winter above the St. George River bridge in Warren Village. Already looked for them once, didn’t find them.

Black-capped chickadee, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 07 March 2010.

Black-capped chickadee.

En route under sunny skies, I began to wonder if I was overdressed in my hooded sweatshirt. Pulled over at Mainely Poultry to check for bald eagles. Spotted a couple or three, is all—most having already scattered for watery points unknown—but I did see starlings and house sparrows and crows and other small birds I couldn’t identify.

Don had reported seeing the goldeneyes just this morning, so I was hopeful. Parked, walked to the Main Street bridge, looked up river, saw three or four pair of mallards sailing along the edges out of the current—and a couple diving ducks far upstream. Likely the goldeneyes but too far away to confirm. (I could, however, confirm a handsome male hooded merganser.) Decided to drive around to the bridge at Route 90. Took a little walking near traffic, but I got me some photos of the ducks.

From Warren I headed to Beech Hill. Not many Sunday hikers despite temperatures hovering up near an implausible 60 degrees (F). Definitely overdressed at this point, I thought, as sweat beaded under my hatband. Gangs of chickadees were patrolling the hill, several singing their spring fee-bee. Last remnant bits of snow in the shady spots melting fast. The overall bronze-brown color of things astounded me—I don’t guess I’ve walked the hill much at this time of year.

Evidence of fowl, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 07 March 2010.

Evidence of fowl.

It occurred to me that this is one of the most changeable seasons. Change is swift now—possibly swifter even than in autumn. A few short weeks ago the hill was white as a snowshoe hare; now its that rich color of hay and old oak leaves and hardwood trunks and limbs. A few short weeks hence, all will be green. But this time of thaw and mud and sky is a beautiful time of year.

Headed home from Beech Hill, I watched a pair of mourning doves fly up from somewhere and perch on a utility line.

Today’s List

Tufted titmouse
American crow
Herring gull
Rock pigeon
European starling
House sparrow
Bald eagle
Mallard
Hooded merganser
Barrow’s goldeneye
Black-capped chickadee
Mourning dove

Mature oaks, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 07 March 2010.

Mature oaks.

Outlandish warmth

March 6th, 2010
Leaf, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 06 March 2010.

Leaf, Beech Hill.

You could just feel it. Something about the angle of the sunlight, something in the ambient sound outside. Soon after rising I was antsy to get out of doors—even before I checked the thermometer, which showed 40s (F) early. But I had a couple obligations, which I handled responsibly despite the fishhook in my gills.

Northern cardinal, Rockland Breakwater parking lot, 06 March 2010.

Northern cardinal.

In the wild blue sky on a quick trip to town, I saw herring gulls circle, rock pigeons wheel, and a couple ring-bills sitting on a roof near the fast food places. Then I turned off toward the breakwater.

By then, the temperature had reached the mid-50s. I heard then saw a male cardinal sitting in tangles at the edge of the parking lot. The breakwater was packed with walkers. It was mid-tide, so what water birds there were stayed at a little distance. More loons (heard one call), a raft of common eiders on the island side, loose flocks of long-tails in the harbor emitting their conversational calls. At the lighthouse end, I counted three humans sunning themselves on the great granite blocks with their eyes closed.

Common loon, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 06 March 2010.

Common loon.

Then I took a spin by Weskeag Marsh. Not much hoppin’ there—a few Canada geese, a pair of black ducks, a solitary gull. That’s all I saw.

So I headed to Beech Hill. Also relatively packed, with a number of vehicles in the parking lot. Still warm and bright as I strode up the trail—but with strong, variable breezes that scattered last fall’s leaves like miniature herds of springboks beneath the tall bare hardwoods on either side of the trail. I heard only the voices of chickadees, dogs, and people.

Deer trail, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 06 March 2010.

Deer trail, Beech Hill.

Curiously, I ended up alone on the summit. A stout west wind bent the stalks of old wildflowers on the sod roof of Beech Nut. You could see open water on the fringes of Chickawaukie Lake below, and Monhegan Island—and neighboring Manana—floated hazily on the southern horizon.

For early March, the day was unnaturally, outlandishly warm. I didn’t mind it—in fact, consciously savored it on more than one occasion—but it made me worry a little. A sort of nebulous, hard-to-pin-down worry. It wasn’t so much fear of climate change as it was concern about migrating species and their arrival times and the possibility of a late, killing blizzard. Crazy, dreamlike worry. Not anything I take too seriously.

Later today, I took an unscheduled drive to Owls Head. En route, I saw a pair of buffleheads floating alone in the middle of a tidal pool—perhaps contemplating their flight back north on some upcoming day just like today.

Today’s List

Herring gull
American crow
Rock pigeon
Ring-billed gull
Northern cardinal
Common eider
Common loon
Long-tailed duck
Black-capped chickadee
Canada goose
Black duck
Bufflehead

Harbor sky, from the Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 06 March 2010.

Harbor sky.

I love Beech Hill

March 5th, 2010
Beech Hill sky, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 05 March 2010.

Beech Hill sky.

I rose a bit early, and the thermometer out the back door showed a temperature in the upper 20s (F). I can’t remember the last time it was actually freezing around here. Crazy, crazy winter.

American robin, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 05 March 2010.

American robin.

On the other hand, it was a bright one. Sweet, angular sunlight bathing the bare-limbed oaks marching up the back hill. I hit the floor running, though, and barely came up for air until mid-afternoon. Had an antsy, stressed-out, Friday sort of feeling—couldn’t wait to get away from my desk and into the woods.

But first a trip to town. I followed a couple crows flying fast to the south, headed for who knows what sort of roadside meal. Herring gulls and ring-billed gulls hanging out around McDonald’s. I looked for rock pigeons on the little roof they frequent, but there were none. I often wonder where the pigeons go—secret holes and cavities up in the eaves of tall town buildings? Off in some stand of trees?

As I came down the hill toward the Rotary, I saw what at first I thought was a pigeon overhead, but when I ducked for a good look through my windshield, I knew right away what it was: a hawk. In particular, a sharp-shinned hawk—very small, coasting a bit, then rapidly flapping its rounded wings. Maybe that’s why I saw no pigeons. (Then again, a pigeon is arguably larger than a sharp-shinned, so maybe not.)

Evening woods, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 05 March 2010.

Evening woods.

At last, at about 4:30, I arrived at the Beech Hill trailhead. Clear, dry, about 40 degrees (F). The wind rocked the upper branches of the hardwoods as I walked quickly up the wooded trail.

The first bird I heard was a robin, maybe a third of the way up the hill. I wondered if it was a northern bird about to travel or a native just arrived. A skittish robin. Flighty. The thought of it potentially nesting made me realize that our local bald eagles already are.

Up the hill quickly, no other birds seen or heard until the upper trail. I stopped, as usual, to snap a photo of Beech Nut and heard a mourning dove calling from up toward the summit. No doubt the same bird I heard several days ago up here in the same general area. The setting sun shone burnt orange on the barren fields; the vault of blue moved me.

I took the lower trail down. Lots of mud beneath last fall’s leaves—I slipped and slid a bit. But no matter. I loved this hike. I live for hikes like this. I can’t imagine life without Beech Hill.

Today’s List

Herring gull
American crow
Ring-billed gull
Sharp-shinned hawk
European starling
American robin
Mourning dove

Beech Hill field, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 05 March 2010.

Beech Hill field.

Winter wind

March 4th, 2010
The bay, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 04 March 2010.

The bay today.

The day dawned overcast and chilly. By “chilly,” I mean, oh, a couple degrees above freezing. Not exactly wintry. In fact, this winter’s been crazy—good early snow and some nice cold snaps, then a thaw, and another thaw, and some rain, and another thaw. Now there are no ice houses on the local ponds, and liquid water laps at the shore of Chickawaukee Lake, whose greater expanse somehow still carries a husk of ice. In my yard this morning I saw two small piles of very old snow where gigantic plow-drifts had been a month ago.

Ferry, from Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 04 March 2010.

Ferry.

Not only was it gray, but a brisk wind blew. And in the wind: tiny snowflakes. A little gang of chickadees flitted around the place, gleaning what food they could out of the bare branches of some lilacs. I finally got out of the office in mid-afternoon, as tiny snowflakes danced around. Saw herring gulls and crows and ring-bills, either on the wing or (in the case of the gulls) sitting atop the old mill building in town. In Rockport Harbor, I caught sight of a single male bufflehead.

Late in the day I decided to brave the breakwater, despite the apparent increase in wind and snow. Temperature: mid-30s (F). Sure enough, on the way out I felt myself being blown from behind—which made me cringe at the thought of the return trip. On the island side, waves and whitecaps and a pair of black ducks and a single common loon. The ducks and loon rocked in the waves. The loon had full breeding plumage, I noticed.

On the harbor side, I saw a pair of red-breasted mergansers. And aside from a few herring gulls, that was it as far as birds were concerned. I did see an island ferry coming in—seemingly far off course.

The way back took more effort than I’d imagined. By then a strong headwind had wound up to the point that I had to lean hard into it to get anywhere. Felt like I was walking uphill. Spray and snowflakes stung my eyes. I loved it. I felt alive.

On the way home, a pair of robins flew across the road in front of me. Once I arrived, I felt some tired.

Today’s List

Black-capped chickadee
American crow
Herring gull
Ring-billed gull
Bufflehead
Black duck
Common loon
Red-breasted merganser
American robin

A bit of a blow, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 04 March 2010.

A bit of a blow.

Harbingers

March 3rd, 2010
Lower wooded trail, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 03 March 2010.

Lower wooded trail, Beech Hill.

A sullen, overcast day. OK, maybe not sullen, exactly—more like moody, pensive, introspective. The wacky jogger made his rounds on schedule, and nine crows showed up (as usual) to collect the food he scattered. The solitary herring gull that often accompanies them did not make an appearance.

Birch bark, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 03 March 2010.

Birch bark.

I had a satisfying day of puzzle-solving time of it at my desk, but it took most of the daylight hours to get there. So it was with no small bit of expectation that I headed for the lower Beech Hill trails, with a quick stop in town. Herring gulls circling all over the place, and a single rock dove in (appropriately) Rockport Village. The sky was lowery when I hit the wooded trailhead.

And the trails were soft and muddy. Muddiest I’ve ever seen them, in fact—although I haven’t hiked there much in March or April. And running streams descended the trail down long stretches, leaving noticeable erosion. But I didn’t mind. I loved it. A fickle, temperamental wind blew up in the bare branches of the oak and maple, birch and popple. Limbs squeaked and rubbed together. Plenty of deadfall from our recent windstorms. I heard the shrill peep of a downy woodpecker. Heard the ever-present chickadees.

Met my friend Roger and his dog Zeke descending. (Zeke had been chasing rabbits, apparently.) Little snow remains up there—except along the summit end of the upper trail, where not a lot of sunlight gets through. Slushy snow, is all.

The muck, the loose, greasy footing, the thrilling portentous breezes… I love, too, the coppery, bronzy brown of things at this time of year.

Coming back down I couldn’t help but glance at a few soggy low spots on the trail where last spring I noticed the drill holes of woodcocks. And now all I can think of is how within a couple weeks I’ll be hearing again the magical, angelic flight songs of these squatty, funny-looking, much beloved harbingers of spring.

Today’s List

American crow
Herring gull
Rock pigeon
Downy woodpecker
Black-capped chickadee

Beech Hill trail, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine, 03 March 2010.

Beech Hill trail.

Divers

March 2nd, 2010
Pair of common loons, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine 03 March 2010.

Pair of common loons.

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, wind and rain and an antic surf; today, calm and sun and a tide sublime.

Horned grebe, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 02 March 2010.

Horned grebe.

The bulk of the day I circled my desk like Mercury about the sun, but I did take a quick trip to Rockport Village, when I confirmed the spring-like nature of the day—and saw a rock pigeon. An early overcast had fled somewhere and the sky was mostly blue.

I thought about heading up Beech Hill, but I couldn’t resist another visit to the breakwater, just to see the contrast. At the parking lot a dozen starlings sat in a bare-limbed tree making subtle, crazy noises. I brought (and wore) my parka, but that was overdressing: what a gorgeous afternoon. The tide was low. A pair of red-breasted mergansers (our local Audubon chapter’s logo bird, by the way) floated off in the cove. A small flock of common goldeneyes bobbed in the gentle surf beyond the flats and boulders a hundred yards or more offshore. A solitary harbor seal perched sidelong on a rock. Common loons on either side of the breakwater.

Juvenile herring gull.

Juvenile herring gull.

Soon I spotted a little horned grebe—very likely the same bird I’ve seen there two or three times before. It posed for photos. Then I came upon a number of herring gulls picking at urchins on the surface of the great granite stones. And then I heard the inimitable voices of the long-tailed ducks and knew they’d begun their evening flight off shore. Sure enough, swift little groups of them began speeding rapidly around the far end of the breakwater, calling all the way.

Black guillemot, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 02 March 2010.

Black guillemot.

At the lighthouse end, I stood a while soaking up the gorgeousness of the world and, lo, saw a tiny water bird floating a short distance away. A guillemot in black and white, nearly breeding plumage. Toward the harbor, in the sunset’s reflection, a pair of loons—one dainty, one robust—sailed slowly around the point. Not long after, I heard one call. And again. Again. Again.

And I heard, behind me, a gutteral sound. Looked up. It was a greater black-back, sitting on the peak of the house. It faced the islands. It made pronouncements. I lifted its head and cried.

Walking back I saw several other loons sailing slowly and silently in the reflective harbor. There must’ve been a dozen out there, their plumage also darkening.

Great black-backed gull, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 02 March 2010.

Great black-backed gull.

Back at the parking lot, a sparrow flitted across my path. A white-throat from its notes.

It’s winter still, but with spring in the air. What a gentle, sweet-smelling day.

Today’s List

American crow
Herring gull
Rock pigeon
European starling
Red-breasted merganser
Common goldeneye
Long-tailed duck
Common loon
Horned grebe
Black guillemot
Great black-backed gull
White-throated sparrow

Sunset, Rockland Harbor, Rockland Maine, 02 March 2010.

Sunset, Rockland Harbor.

Storm surge

March 1st, 2010
Tidal surge, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 01 March 2010.

Tidal surge.

Last night was another windy one. I  mean serious, coarse, full-throated wind. This morning I awoke half-expecting to see snow (which was forecast), but no. No snow. Only more rain—not heavy rain, just enough to make everything wet. No ice at least.

And as the day progressed, the wind kept blowing. One time, I thought I saw a crow flap past my window. Then I spotted the crow-feeding jogger and craned my neck to count the birds—nine again, plus the herring gull. No, wait… two herring gulls this time. I guess no weather is wild enough to discourage either jogger or crow.

Surf, Rockland breakwater, Rockport, Maine, 01 March 2010.

Surf.

Today I kept watch on the clock. And at high tide, in late morning, I grabbed my camera and drove to the breakwater. Today’s tide was forecast to reach 12.4 feet, but I do believe it exceeded the forecast. The wind came strong again from the northeast, and I took my position at the foot of the granite structure and began snapping photos. The surge and spray impressed. At one point, a rogue wave splashed high enough to soak my jeans clear up the my back pockets. Chilly winter ocean water.

I saw a couple herring gulls hovering over the breakwater, but their must’ve been fruitless. The entire seven-eighths-mile length of it was getting overrun with swells. (I have evidence.) Yesterday’s flotsam got washed off, for sure.

On the way back, I stopped at Clam Cove. Its bowl was brimming, and its contents two-tone—near, a muddy brownish color, and far, a rich sea green.

The rain continued, light and intermittent, all day. The temperature never dipped below freezing. The daffodil shoots inched up a bit. Just another late-winter’s day in coastal Maine.

Today’s List

American crow
herring gull

Clam Cove, Rockport, Maine, 01 March 2010.

Clam Cove.

Flotsam

February 28th, 2010
Juvenile herring gull, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 28 February 2010.

Juvenile herring gull.

Woke up. Lay in bed. Listened to crows.

The nearest crow gave out a common call, in my experience: two caws, a pause, and two more caws—like five caws with the middle one missing. It called this continually, waiting between calls for the reply of another crow at some distance away. The other crow gave out the long, low, guttural caw that everyone’s heard. Usually in pairs. Then I heard a third, calling rapidfire:Cah-cah-cah! Cah-cah-cah-cah-cah!

Herring gull, Rockland Breakwater, Rockland, Maine, 28 February 2010.

Herring gull.

Perhaps most humans think of crows as noisy, scavenging, ominous birds. Maybe curious, or annoying, or just—there. I think of them with perpetual fascination. If you pay attention to crows you’ll notice very quickly how smart they are. Then you’ll start recognizing their many calls and squawks and growls. Crows have a complex language.

But I still can’t decipher it, so I got up, showered, had breakfast, went about my usual morning routine to the sweet strains of the love song of the resident tufted titmouse out back.

The morning turned sunny early, and the air turned warm. I happened to notice that the daffodils lining my stone wall have two- to four-inch shoots already. The day felt positively springlike, in some crazy, out-of-kilter way. If you were somehow plunked down here today with no memory of the past nor expectation of the future, you’d swear it was early spring.

But it’s still February. Late today I chose to walk the breakwater. It’d clouded up again by then and gotten chilly. In fact, when walked out to the truck, some light rain had begun to spatter down. Well, a little rain wouldn’t stop me.

It’s stopped drizzling by the time I reached the breakwater parking lot. The tide was near dead low. I saw pairs of red-breasted mergansers, a raft of eiders, a common loon, a great black-backed gull. Plenty of herring gulls, of course, and at least one ring-billed. The wind was whipping in from the northeast, but not too bad. The most notable part of the walk, to me, were the piles of seaweed and chunks of waterlogged driftwood littering the granite stones. I walked out there the day after the big recent storm and didn’t see anything like that. Perhaps the storm loosened things up, and a following high tide rolled the flotsam over the surface—flotsam that included at least two wayward lobster traps.

About half-way out, I saw a little flock of long-tailed ducks headed out to the islands, as they do at the end of the day. Then it began to rain. I felt the rain on my back at first, then felt the dampness on the backs of my calves. Returning, the rain increased—as did the headwind. I doubted I’d use my binocs or camera in such weather and so decided to count my paces instead. The rain and wind were cold and thrilling. Not comfortable exactly, but they made me feel alive.

From the lighthouse it took me 1,679 paces to reach the shore again.

Today’s List

American crow
Tufted titmouse
Herring gull
Ring-billed gull
Great black-backed gull
Mallard
Red-breasted merganser
Common eider
Common loon
Long-tailed duck

 
Bird Report is an intermittent record of what's outside my window in Rockport, Maine, USA (44°08'N latitude, 69°06'W longitude), and vacinity. —Brian Willson



3IP Logo
©1997–2010 by 3IP