Hi-Def Birding Videos

Streaming video has come to Birding In Maine! After many, many hours of finding a way to bring our visitors birding videos, I have found a solution. Great resolution, small file size and birds in all their glory!

After making a video with our Sony High Definition camcorder, I convert the movie to Windows HD WMV format. I then use the SoThink Video Encoder for Adobe Flash to further convert the clip, without degrading the end result.

You must have a flash enabled browser to view the videos. (most browsers are flash enabled) If you see a link to get Adobe Flash, then your browser is not flash enabled. Simply click the link to go to Adobe’s site to get the player. It is completely safe.

The videos can be seen by selecting “Videos” in the menu bar at the top of any page on this site. Once on the page, you will see the player. Simply click the black area of the player to begin the video. Immediately below the player, you will see the play list. Select a clip to play by clicking the title. There is a small scroll bar to the right of the play list to scroll through the available videos.

As of the time this post was written, I have five videos available. From a Gray Catbird enjoying some suet, to a Snowy Egret feeding on fish. I even have a clip of female Common Eiders watching over chicks learning how to dive for food. More birding videos will be forthcoming!

Your feedback on this new feature will be greatly appreciated.

Happy birding!

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Maine Audubon Rare Bird Alert: June 6

Name: Maine Audubon Bird Alert
Date: 6 June 2008
Area: State of Maine
Compilers: Eric Hynes, Luke Seitz, Kay Gammons

 

Of Special Note

A very compelling report was received of a KIRTLAND’S WARBLER at the Kennebunk Plains on June 2.  Efforts to relocate the bird have been unsuccessful; however, birders are urged to keep an ear and eye out for this extremely rare species.

 

Other unusual sightings this week included: RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD,
SUMMER TANAGER, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, DICKCISSEL, RED-HEADED
WOODPECKER, LITTLE GULL, and SANDHILL CRANE.

Late migrants continue to move through the area, with OLIVE-SIDED and
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, GRAY-CHEEKED and SWAINSON’S THRUSH, and
MOURNING WARBLER being particularly noteworthy.

York County

A KIRTLAND’S WARBLER was reported from Kennebunk Plains the morning of
June 2.  A single observer had a prolonged, close observation of a
singing male in a pitch pine stand near the pond north of McGuire Road.
Photographs accompanying the good description were limited but
compelling.  Despite efforts, the bird has not been relocated.  Six
UPLAND SANDPIPERS and two GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS were at the Kennebunk
Plains on May 30. 

Greater Portland

Five RED KNOTS continue at Pine Point in Scarborough along with a single
LITTLE GULL on June 3, while two PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were in the salt
pannes off Eastern Road Trail in Scarborough Marsh.  Also in Scarborough
Marsh, A WINGS tour group discovered what appeared to be a hybrid GLOSSY
X WHITE-FACED IBIS, observed in the pannes on the west side of the north
end of Eastern Road.

A SOOTY SHEARWATER was seen off Stratton Island in Saco Bay on June 3.

A MOURNING WARBLER was singing in Evergreen Cemetery on June 1, along
with an OLIVE-SIDED and YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS, SWAINSON’S THRUSH,
FISH CROW, and COMMON NIGHTHAWK.

The powerline cut that runs from Hurricane Road to Blackstrap Road in
Falmouth continues to be productive, this week producing 1 OLIVE-SIDED,
5 YELLOW-BELLIED, and 20+ ALDER FLYCATCHERS, 2-3 MOURNING WARBLERS, a
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, LINCOLN’S SPARROW, and
breeding YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS.

Two WILLOW FLYCATCHERS were noted at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth on June
5.

A pair of AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS was seen at Scarborough Beach State
Park on June 2.

Midcoast

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues to be seen on private property in the
Georgetown area.

An OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER was seen on Old County Road in Sedgwick.

Monhegan Island

Monhegan Island continues to be active, this week hosting SUMMER
TANAGER, YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, DICKCISSEL,
TENNESSEE WARBLER, and three MOURNING WARBLERS.

Kennebec Valley (Augusta-Waterville)

A YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was seen in Richmond on June 1.

SANDHILL CRANES continue in Belgrade, along with OLIVE-SIDED, WILLOW,
and ALDER FLYCATCHERS.

Northern Maine- Aroostook

A newly arrived SWAINSON’S THRUSH was in Fort Kent on June 3.

Gulf of Maine

A RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD was reported from Matinicus Rock last Tuesday.
This is likely the same individual that has summered in those waters for
several years now.

 

Eric Hynes
Staff Naturalist / Gilsland Farm Center Manager
Maine Audubon
20 Gilsland Farm Road
Falmouth, ME 04105
ehynes@maineaudubon.org
www.maineaudubon.org

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A visit to Biddeford Pool

Sharon and I visited Biddeford Pool this morning. We met with Bob Malbon at Granite Point around 6:30 a.m. and had great views of a Great Egret feeding on fish. The marsh was alive with Willets and Snowy Egrets, Tree Swallows swooped low over the pannes and Northern Mockingbirds sang their many songs.

We left Granite Point and visited Goose Rocks Beach, where shorebird numbers are increasing. Male Least Terns were serenading females, offering a fish to win over a mate. Piping Plovers were also numerous, with one chick seen and videotaped from a safe distance. Semipalmated Plovers, Black-Bellied Plovers, White-Rumped Sandpipers, Dunlin, Double-Crested Cormorants, Willets and Canada Geese were also seen in great numbers.

A large group of male and female Common Eider were seen with many chicks at Goose Rocks Beach and Fortunes Rock Beach. At the “Gut” at Vines Landing in Biddeford Pool, two Green Herons flew in and perched on some rocks. Several Common and Least Terns were also fishing at this location.

Two new yard birds for us today: a pair of Roseate Terns flying over the yard and a Great Egret feeding with Greater Yellowlegs, Snowy Egrets and Great Blue Herons at low tide.

Enjoy the following bird photos from our trip to Biddeford Pool this morning. Simply click a thumbnail for a larger view. Comments and criticisms are greatly appreciated.

 

Happy birding!

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Psycho Birder and a busy yard bird morning

A bird watching woman is attacked by an uncontrolled dog. She voices her concern to the dogs owner about the leash law…. she is called a psycho birder.

A local news paper runs a story about wind turbines being considered for an area in Western Maine, which is located near an Avian Rehabilitation Clinic. The owner of this establishment was interviewed by the paper. In the comments section at the end of the story, a war of words break out. Birders are being called tree huggers, whining birders, nut jobs, and a few swear words that I will not repeat. In reference to a Mourning Dove that the article reported had been recently released, one fella commented that the Dove makes a great dish, tasting like chicken. Others said that if birds are stupid enough to run into the turbine blades, they should be killed. Misinformation was running rampant.

Let me ask you, what does this war of words solve? Do some people really think that cursing and name calling help solve the problems we have today? If I call my congressman and call him names, and use every derogatory remark known to man because gasoline prices are high, will I be able to step back and watch the price go down? No, it won’t happen! I look like an idiot and the price continues to rise.

It is beyond me why people can’t have a civilized debate about an issue without going off the deep end. There are always two sides to an issue. The environment, politics, global warming, war or any other issue that we have deep feelings about. Nothing is solved when tempers flare, it only makes matters worse. We have to keep calm heads even if our hearts are hot.

Incidents like this are happening nationwide, and not only to birders. I worry over environmental issues, the war, gas prices, how much it will cost to heat my home this winter, and many other things. But my biggest worry is how some people are acting these days. I worry about our nation as a whole and how much longer this can last before we have gone beyond the point of no return.

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On a lighter note, it was a great morning to watch yard birds from the confines of our home on this chilly, rainy Saturday. Between the hours of 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., Sharon and I recorded 33 species!

We put out meal worms in very small dishes and the birds cleaned them all up. Chickadees took 3 to 4 at a time, Nuthatches and Titmice would fly off with single worms. More than likely, there were some happy baby birds this morning with this high protein diet.

Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are making trips to our suet feeders and leaving with beaks full to feed the young ones. Tree Swallows are entering nest boxes with bugs. It won’t be long until fledglings will be visiting the feeders themselves.

We added new yard birds to our tally today, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting and Brown Thrasher.

The 33 species recorded:

• Gray Catbird (pair)
• Rose-Breasted Grosbeak (pair)
• Common Yellowthroat
• Tufted Titmouse (pairs)
• White-Breasted Nuthatch
• Red-Breasted Nuthatch
• Northern Cardinal (pair)
• Downy Woodpecker (pair)
• Hairy Woodpecker (pair)
• Brown Thrasher
• Indigo Bunting
• Blackcapped Chickadee (pairs)
• American Robin
• Song Sparrow
• Tree Sparrow
• Savannah Sparrow
• American Goldfinch (pairs)
• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Red-Winged Blackbird (pair)
• Yellow-Rumped Warbler
• Black and White Warbler
• Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
• Mourning Dove
• Great-Crested Flycatcher
• Eastern Phoebe
• Canada Geese
• Great Blue Heron
• Snowy Egret
• Osprey
• Mallards
• Black Ducks
• Greater Yellowlegs

Happy birding!

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Hairy Woodpecker Video

Male Hairy Woodpecker

Testing out the capabilities of our new Sony HD camcorder.

The above video is a 8mb file, so dial-up users beware!  (clicking the link will open the video in your default wmv player) I am still learning my video editing program, so be patient for videos with smaller file sizes, but in a larger format.

Feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Happy birding!

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