Popham Beach Birding

The days are beginning to get shorter now that the first day of summer has passed. With the sun still rising a few minutes before 5 a.m. and the roads tourist-free, Sharon and I headed to Popham Beach for some bird watching.

A fog bank played tag with the coast line, but the sun eventually won out and clear skies prevailed. The tide was coming in, thus fishermen, Harbor Seals and Double-Crested Cormorants took advantage of the concentration of fish in the current. Seagulls screamed at each other for who knows why, and a pair of Fish Crows explored a moored boat.

We watched Harbor Seals surface, looking like a lost puppy dog, then rolling over to disappear into the cold waters of the sea. (This mornings water temperature was 52° F.) A lone adult Bald Eagle flew in from one of the islands with a Herring Gull in hot pursuit. Later, from the opposite direction, an Osprey flew by close enough to get good views.

Not a particularly birdy morning, but good enough for a day that was supposed to be rainy.

• Double-Crested Cormorants
• Bald Eagle (adult)
• Osprey
• Least Terns
• Common Eiders
• Black Ducks
• Great Blue Heron
• Snowy Egrets
• Eastern Phoebe
• Red-Winged Blackbirds (+fledglings)
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Mockingbird
• Gray Catbird
• Black-Capped Chickadee
• Bluejay

Some scenes from this morning, including Osprey, Harbor Seal and some wildflowers.

 

Happy birding!

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Osprey and Herons

This weekend started out dreary, with rain, wind and temps in the upper 30’s. Although forecasters were calling for fog, drizzle and a few wet snowflakes for Sunday morning, I was surprised to find clear skies when I woke up this morning at 5:30 a.m. Rousing Sharon from her slumber, we went for our morning coffee and decided to go to the “Abby”, where 10,000+ waterfowl have been reported on the Maine BirdList.

Traveling through Bath, heading towards Bodoinham, clouds began to overspread the area. My main objective was to photograph birds. After a few choice words, we decided to head south to Popham Beach where skies looked clear. It was a race against the clouds and the clouds won! At times the sun would peek through, but it would be at the wrong time.

Near the Winnegance Bridge, an Adult Bald Eagle was soaring in circles approx. 300 feet in the air, with a 2nd year Bald Eagle soaring under the adult approx. 100 feet in the air. The marshes near Popham Beach greeted us with an unusual sight. A Northern Harrier sat on a pice of driftwood watching four Great Blue Herons feeding not more than 30 yards away.

We did record impressive numbers of Great Blue Herons. From the Winnegance Bridge to Popham Beach, we recorded 50+ GBH. Our tally for Sunday April 13th, 2008:

• Great Blue Heron
• Ring-Necked Duck
• Common Merganser
• Red-Breasted Merganser
• Common Loon (including one calling this morning at home.)
• Bufflehead
• Common Goldeneye
• Mallard
• Black Duck
• Green-Winged Teal
• Common Eider
• Red-Tailed Hawk
• Sharp-Shinned Hawk
• Northern Harrier
• Osprey
• 2nd Year Bald Eagle
• Adult Bald Eagle
• Blue jay
• Northern Cardinal
• Eastern Phoebe
• Black-Capped Chickadee
• White-Breasted Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Tree Swallow
• American Goldfinch
• Red-Winged Blackbird
• Common Grackle

Enjoy the few bird photographs that I did manage to get, including the pair of Osprey tending their nest.

I am working on putting together, by numerous requests, a two part series on how I get my bird photographs. The first part will deal with preparation and how to find birds. The second part will deal with equipment and camera settings.

 

 Happy birding!

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Birds around the yard

Not much birding was done during the last week and a half. We learned that Sharon’s mother was in grave condition in a hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania. We immediately left for Erie and arrived on March 19th. After a battle with a bad heart, diabetes and other health problems, she passed away peacefully on March 21st. We returned home on the 26th.

This post is dedicated in memory of Phyllis Sulzycki.

This weekend, we observed and photographed birds that visited our yard here in Bath, Maine. The high point was the close flybys of a 2nd Year Bald Eagle, 3rd Year Bald Eagle and an Adult Bald Eagle today. Ducks and Geese fleeing from the river was the only warning that these Eagles were around.

An influx of Fox and Song Sparrows arrived this weekend.  Singing from the bushes and scratching around under the feeders, I estimated 25 Sparrows. Quite a few American Robins also stopped by, with a vigorous flock of approx. 50 taking a few minutes to look for food on the small patches of yard not covered by snow. I could not believe my eyes as I watched a Robin pull a worm from the ground. I figured with the ground still frozen solid, worms would not be anywhere near the surface, but I was proved wrong.

Sharon and I got good looks at a Northern Shrike, Ring-Necked Duck, Red-Tailed Hawk and a Great Blue Heron today. Other birds visiting the feeders were Nuthatches, Titmice, Gold Finches, Chickadees, Brown Creepers, Blue Jays, Cardinals and that dastardly squirrel.

Last night, White-Tailed Deer came through our yard, flipped the large covered platform feeder and ate every bit of seed. They also knocked around one of our hanging feeders and helped themselves to what fell to the ground.

The Kennebec River continues to be a hot spot for hundreds of Ducks and Geese. American Wigeons, Pintails, Mallards, Black Ducks, Green-Winged Teals, Canada Geese and Ring-Necked Ducks are present every day. It is comical to watch them waddle on the mud flats during low tide.

The following are photos of birds viewed in and from our yard. Comments and criticisms are always welcomed!

Happy birding!

Technorati Tags: birding, birds, Maine, Bald Eagle, photos

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Bald Eagle with nesting material

We were really excited this morning to see an adult Bald Eagle carrying a large branch just yards from our home. We were near the bridge at Winnegance Lake, and the Eagle was traveling towards our home. This fella was obviously gathering nesting materials.

Not more than a few hours later, an Adult Bald Eagle (possibly the same one?) cruised over our back yard twice in the span of about an hour. I am hoping that there will be a family of Eagles nearby this summer, as I am sure the nest making is happening nearby.

I have a picture of the Eagle carrying the branch and will post it and other birds tomorrow evening.

In the mean time, I have started a page solely dedicated to the bird species recorded in our yard for 2008. It may be accessed under the menu heading 2008 Bath, Maine Yard Bird List at the top of every page. Suffice to say, the Bald Eagle is at the top of our list! The list will be updated when new species are encountered in our yard.

Happy birding!

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