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Posts Tagged ‘common eider’
Saturday, December 19th, 2015
 Purple Sandpiper. Up early for the annual National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for our neck of the woods. This year, we diverged a bit from our customary first leg—the Rockland Breakwater—to make sure we recorded a noteworthy bird in our region: a Yellow-throated Warbler that had been seen for the past several days on the grounds of the Samoset Resort. Got it.
 Common Ravens. The weather was balmy compared to most CBCs I remember—low- to mid-30s (F). (Typically, it seems like it’s been 12 degrees with a high wind.) But that meant odd birds, and not that many of ’em. Instead of a dozen or so Purple Sandpipers, for instance, we got one. Instead of fifty-plus species, we got forty-something. Since I never do the afternoon trip, I got thirty-four.
But those included two “warblers”: the yellow-throated and a Yellow-breasted Chat (arguably not really a warbler)—only the second of that species I’ve ever seen. Also a pair of vocal ravens flew over, and we had a little flurry of bird activity near the cemetery, and we counted about a hundred coots.
 Ring-billed Gull. Afterward, I rescued a house-bound Jack and we took a quick Beech Hill hike. Only two species up there today.
Windy as hell tonight.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Crow* (v)
2. Black-capped Chickadee* (v)
Elsewhere
3. American Goldfinch
4. Herring Gull
5. Mallard
6. House Sparrow
7. Common Raven
8. Yellow-throated Warbler
9. Ring-billed Gull
10. Canada Goose
11. Common Eider
12. Red-necked Grebe
13. Horned Grebe
14. White-breasted Nuthatch
15. American Black Duck
16. Great Black-backed Gull
17. Long-tailed Duck
18. Surf Scoter
19. Purple Sandpiper
20. Black Guillemot
21. Great Cormorant
22. Bufflehead
23. Yellow-breasted Chat
24. Rock Pigeon
25. Tufted Titmouse
26. Brown Creeper
27. Downy Woodpecker
28. Red-tailed Hawk
29. Hairy Woodpecker
30. Common Goldeneye
31. Bonaparte’s Gull
32. American Coot
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
 Owls Head Light.
Tags: American black duck, American coot, American crow, American goldfinch, black guillemot, black-capped chickadee, Bonaparte's gull, brown creeper, bufflehead, Canada goose, common eider, common goldeneye, common raven, downy woodpecker, great black-backed gull, great cormorant, hairy woodpecker, herring gull, horned grebe, house sparrow, long-tailed duck, mallard, purple sandpiper, red-necked grebe, red-tailed hawk, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, surf scoter, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, yellow-breasted chat, yellow-throated warbler
Posted in Lists, Observations | No Comments »
Sunday, September 20th, 2015
 Common Raven. Scrambled around this morning to make sure to get to the boat on time. Made it! And within the hour, daughter and I were setting foot on Monhegan Island. A more magical place I’m not sure I’ve ever been to.
 Monarch butterfly. The usual fall-migration birding hasn’t really taken off yet, from what I understand. And I didn’t spot many species—nor any “lifers” yet, as I seem nearly always to do out here. But it’s great to be here, wonderful to introduce Sarah (no birder, although she likes birds) to the place, Lovely to run into old friends whom I see just once a year.
Perhaps the most inspiring thing I’ve witnessed out here is the large number of Monarch butterflies moving through. What with the bane that is Roundup®, and the decline of milkweed, this lovely butterfly’s numbers have taken a nosedive lately. I’d seen just one this year before setting foot out here—and now, barely ten hours later, I can attest to having seen at least fifty or sixty—plus, a few chrysalises.
Also ravens, sharpies, an Osprey, an oriole, and other birds.
I can hardly believe we’re here for five more days.
Monhegan Island List
Beginning at about 11:30 a.m., I walked around Monhegan.
1. Herring Gull*
5. Northern Mockingbird
6. Northern Flicker
7. Sharp-shinned Hawk
8. Common Raven
9. Osprey
10. Peregrine Falcon
11. Common Grackle
12. Eastern Phoebe
13. Black-capped Chickadee
14. Red-breasted Nuthatch (v)
15. Song Sparrow
16. European Starling
17. American Crow*
18. Great Cormorant
19. Cedar Waxwing**
20. Common Eider
21. Yellow-rumped Warbler
22. Yellow Warbler
23. Baltimore Oriole
Elsewhere
24. Mourning dove
25. Bald Eagle
26. Belted Kingfisher
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, bald eagle, Baltimore oriole, belted kingfisher, black-capped chickadee, Cedar waxwing, common eider, common grackle, common raven, eastern phoebe, European starling, great cormorant, herring gull, Monhegan, mourning dove, northern flicker, northern mockingbird, osprey, peregrine falcon, red-breasted nuthatch, sharp-shinned hawk, song sparrow, yellow warbler, yellow-rumped warvler
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Saturday, December 20th, 2014
Today was our local Aubudon Society Christmas Bird Count day. Forty-four species for our group, and thirty-five for me this day. Highlights were a Clay-colored Sparrow, bluebirds, and a hundred forty-eight coots. Rather than throw a bunch of words at you, I’ll simply post some photos.
 Clay-colored Sparrow.  Red-necked Grebe
 Black-capped Chickadee. 
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 2:30 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. American Crow* (v)
2. Pileated Woodpecker (v)
3. Northern Flicker
4. Red-tailed Hawk
Elsewhere
5. House Sparrow (v)
6. Herring Gull
7. Tufted Titmouse (v)
8. American Goldfinch
9. Mallard
10. Red-breasted Merganser
11. Common Eider
12. Ring-billed Gull
13. Black Guillemot
14. Common Goldeneye
15. Horned Grebe
16. Red-necked Grebe
17. Common Loon
18. Long-tailed Duck
19. Canada Goose
20. American Black Duck
21. Black-capped Chickadee
22. Northern Cardinal
23. Common Raven
24. White-breasted Nuthatch
25. Mourning Dove
26. Blue Jay (v)
27. Clay-colored Sparrow
28. House Finch
29. Bohemian Waxwing (v)
30. Eastern Bluebird
31. Common Redpoll
32. Bufflehead
33. American Coot
34. Bald Eagle
35. European Starling
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
Tags: American black duck, American coot, American crow, American goldfinch, bald eagle, black guillemot, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, Bohemian waxwing, bufflehead, Canada goose, clay-colored sparrow, common eider, common goldeneye, common loon, common raven, common redpoll, European starling, herring gull, horned grebe, house sparrow, long-tailed duck, mallard, mourning dove, northern cardinal, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker, red-breasted merganser, red-necked grebe, red-tailed hawk, ring-billed gull, tufted titmousea, white-breasted nuthatch
Posted in Lists, Observations | No Comments »
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| Bird Report is a (sometimes intermittent) record of the birds I encounter while hiking, see while driving, or spy outside my window. —Brian Willson |
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