Birding in Maine» goose rocks beach

Goose Rocks Beach Shorebirds

John Briggs — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 17:46:49 +0000

As I parked my car along the marsh bordering Goose Rocks Beach on Tuesday, I noted a Great Blue Heron feeding in a salt panne. Fog was lifting and it looked to be a beautiful day in southern Maine. Song Sparrows filled the early morning air with their melodic songs. Walking the sandy path from the end of the road to the beach, I filled my lungs with fresh sea air and thought to myself that it’s great to be alive.

The tide was falling, a great time to see shorebirds. I stayed in the shadows of the rocky hill along the beach so as to not startle any of the birds that were present. Before me lay a wide expanse of sand and water. Hundreds of “peeps” were probing the sands and waters for unseen marine organisms. At times, for no apparent reason, they all would take flight and swirl about until landing once again in nearly the same spot from which they took flight.

Looking to the skies, Snowy Egrets and Double-crested Cormorants flew toward unknown feeding grounds. Least Tern dove into the water retrieving small fish. Bonaparte and Laughing Gulls screeched trough the air wanting only the fish that another of their kind has caught. Off in the distance, a Northern Harrier soars above the marsh looking for a quick meal.

I left satisfied with all the different birds that I have seen. Fall shorebird migration has just started here in Maine and I know there will be more trips to Goose Rocks Beach in the coming months.

Not a bad hour and a half at one of my favorite shorebird spots near Kennebunkport, Maine. The following list are species seen on and near Goose Rocks Beach.

Location: Goose Rocks Beach
Observer: John Briggs
Observation date: 7/28/09
Notes: Clear skies, light southwest winds. Falling tide.
Number of species: 46

Canada Goose 12
American Black Duck 4
Common Eider 11
Common Loon 1
Double-crested Cormorant 9
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 5
Snowy Egret 23
Northern Harrier 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Semipalmated Plover 30
Piping Plover 5
Willet (Eastern) 7
Lesser Yellowlegs 4
Semipalmated Sandpiper 150
Least Sandpiper 1
White-rumped Sandpiper 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 9
Bonaparte’s Gull 4
Laughing Gull 2
Least Tern 6
Roseate Tern 1
Common Tern 1
Mourning Dove 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 2
Blue Jay 1
American Crow 5
Tree Swallow 8
Barn Swallow 11
American Robin 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 1
Cedar Waxwing 15
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Wilson’s Warbler 3
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 6
Red-winged Blackbird 4
Common Grackle 2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 http://ebird.org

The following photos were taken on July 28th, 2009. Clicking a thumbnail will open a shadowbox with a larger view of the photo. At the bottom right of the full sized photo, arrows allow you to go to the next photo without having to click each thumbnail.

Happy birding!

Skywatch Friday – Sunrise over sand dune

John Briggs — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 23:36:22 +0000

One of my favorite birding spots in all of Maine is Goose Rocks Beach near Kennebunkport. Shorebirds, including the endangered Piping Plover and Least Tern, nest in the marshes behind the beach. Most of the time I can fill 3 or 4 eight gigabyte CF cards not only of birds, but of the beautiful surroundings.

The Baston River meanders through the marsh and exits into Goosefair Bay. During low tide, Sharon and I sit on beach chairs at the edge of the river. Semipalmated Plovers, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Dowitchers and a plethora of other shorebirds feed on the mud flats. At times, shorebirds will come very close to where we sit. And if we are really still, Plovers and Sandpipers walk under the very beach chairs we are sitting in!

I am counting the days until warmer weather comes and we can return to our “Shorebird Heaven”.

Sunrise over Goose Rocks Beach | Click for larger view

: Skywatch Friday

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A visit to Biddeford Pool

John Briggs — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:54:25 +0000

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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Glossy Ibis and a new camera

John Briggs — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:54:28 +0000

Hoping all week long that at least one of the weekend days would be bright and sunny, Saturday was just that. I finally had the chance to try out my new camera, a Canon 40D, that was purchased earlier in the week.

Sharon and I traveled down to Biddeford Pool area early Saturday morning for some bird watching and bird photography. We encountered Piping Plovers at Goose Rocks Beach, a Glossy Ibis at Granite Point and an early Common Tern at Fortunes Rock Beach.

While walking through Eastern Point Sanctuary, we flushed a Merlin in the woods near the gate. A Brown Thrasher was singing from the brush on the Wood Island side of the point, near an artist painting a landscape scene.

Through this week, the area around our home continues to be a hot spot for Osprey and Bald Eagles. Nearly every evening, these Raptors are everywhere. Some carrying fish, while others are looking for food. Just this morning, as the tide was coming in, Sharon and I watched an Osprey bathing just offshore.

A few new yard birds this week, including a Northern Mockingbird, Savannah Sparrow, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Northern Harrier, House Finch and a Yellow-Rumped Warbler. I will update the list on my 2008 Bath, Maine Yard Bird List shortly.

The following is a tally of birds seen during our birding trip to Biddeford Pool on Saturday.

Location:     Granite Point (traveling count)
Observers: John and Sharon Briggs
Observation date:     4/26/08
Notes:     Frosty and clear, temps mid 30′s, light NW winds.
Number of species:     38

Canada Goose     5
American Black Duck     7
Mallard     4
Northern Pintail     4
Green-winged Teal     2
Common Eider     16
Common Merganser     2
Common Loon     1
Double-crested Cormorant     50
Great Blue Heron     5
Great Egret     6
Snowy Egret     9
Glossy Ibis     1
Turkey Vulture     4
Red-tailed Hawk     1
American Kestrel     1
Merlin     1
Common Tern     1
Mourning Dove     3
Blue Jay     4
American Crow     16
Tree Swallow     20
Barn Swallow     1
Black-capped Chickadee     7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     2
American Robin     13
Northern Mockingbird     9
Brown Thrasher     2
European Starling     11
American Tree Sparrow     2
Savannah Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     5
White-throated Sparrow     1
Northern Cardinal     2
Red-winged Blackbird     4
Common Grackle     6
American Goldfinch     12
House Sparrow     9

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2

The following pictures were taken with a Canon 40D camera with an attached Canon 100-400mm L IS lense. Simply click a thumbnail image for a larger view. Comments and criticisms are greatly appreciated!

Happy birding!