Quiet Day

Bird watching this morning along our usual route, was pretty much uneventful for such a beautiful day. Maybe with the bitter cold temperatures this week, the local bird population went to warmer climes.

A single male Common Goldeneye was seen in the Saco River just after sunrise. Granite Point was disappointing, as we failed to even see a Chickadee!

The Gut at Vines Landing in Biddeford Pool held quite a few Common Eider, and a smattering of Common Loons. A few Buffleheads flew through the gut in a big hurry, as if they were being chased by a mad man. The fun began when flocks of Canada Geese flew through the gut into the Pool. The lighting was just right and I share with you a few flight pictures. Click a thumbnail for a larger view.

 

Hopefully the skies will clear tomorrow and our birding adventure will be more rewarding. Stay tuned!

Happy birding!

Technorati Tags: Bird watching, bird, Biddeford Pool, birding

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Pine Point Grebes and Old Squaws

Bird watching was better today than yesterday, mostly due to the fog bank that lowered visibility to mere feet Saturday morning.

My wife and I departed just before sunrise Saturday morning and headed to Granite Point under crystal clear skies and calm winds. We no longer arrived to our destination when clouds and fog came rolling in. We did manage to see a pair of American Wigeons in the Little River, the male in full breeding color.

Once the fog enveloped the area , the surroundings seem strange to me, yet I did not wonder where I was. Most of my vision is obscured by mist, a thick fog that seems to cling to everything around me. What I do see is like dusk, and it all seems to be colored in shades of gray. As I look harder, shadowy figures loom from the fog, depictions of Eiders and Loons, their forms seem sinister in the fog.

To make a long story short, not much birding was done and we retired to our home for some rest and relaxation.

Today started much the same, except that no fog or clouds rolled in. And what clouds that did appear, were well after our bird watching trip.

At Pine Point, near Scarborough, the harbor held no fewer than 19 Horned Grebes, all feeding on sea worms near the docks, as seen in a few of the photos below. Old Squaw (Long-Tailed Ducks), were numerous as well as Mallards, Mergansers and Common Eider.

Canada Geese were everywhere today, with flocks seen at Pine Point, Camp Ellis, Biddeford Pool and Granite Point. Mallards and Common Goldeneye were numerous in the Saco River, and at least 14 Common Loon were seen in the Gut at Vines Landing.

Below are some of the pictures taken of birds today. Simply click a thumbnail for a larger view.

 

Happy birding!

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