Trip Highlights

Four observers had a good, close sighting of a Mourning Warbler at Laughing Brook, where we also heard a Louisiana Waterthrush.  Five male bobolinks were in the field at the top of North Road, while on Hollow Rd we heard a possible Worm-eating Warbler.  We had good looks at a singing Alder Flycatcher, heard and observed several Chestnut-sided Warblers, Redstarts, and various other local species.  One observer spotted a Black Vulture.

There were eight members who braved the weather forecast to visit the Island this year, some staying at The Island Inn and others opting for the Shining Sail’s Fish and Maine location.  We counted a total of 74 species over the weekend.

‍Day 1 - The ferry ride over to the island was a bit rough, but calmer than the usual morning departure would have been.  On the way we spotted a Common Loon and some Black Guillemots.  The Island Inn had their fireplace in the lobby going when we arrived, but the rooms upstairs were quite cold.  We ventured out for a late afternoon walk, wandering to the little Ice Pond and then back to the Cove, hearing a Mourning Warbler that only gave us a glimpse.  A few other warblers also only gave us brief looks, probably also due to the cold temperatures.  A Sora was heard in the marsh and again many times each day. At the two ends of the small Island there were flocks of Guillemots with a total count of about 75.  A Perergine was circling overhead, chased by Grackles.

Day 2 – Breakfast was good with variety and quality, and much appreciated after a short morning bird walk.  Song-birds came out more easily as the day warmed.  Some highlights were a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, a White-eyed Vireo, a Philadelphia Vireo, 2 Wilson’s Warblers, a Canada Warbler, and a Summer Tanager female that another group was looking at near the back of marsh on our return from an afternoon walk to the cliffs of Whitehead.  Another big moment of the day was when the Mourning Warbler came out in the open to sing quite a few times. Two Cattle Egrets showed up browsing in the lawn across from the Monhegan House where we search and found the Orange-crowned Warbler with other groups.  

‍Day 3 – The morning walk was on a trail to Burnt Head and back on the trail leading to a grassy hilltop overlooking town.  It was our first experience with this trail.  From the cliff heads our scoper had two Gannets going by, and 2 Razorbills, and elsewhere 5 Laughing Gulls and 5 Common Terns.  A group of 5-6 Kingbirds and a Spotted Sandpiper were on rock levee behind Fish and Maine Inn. The most common songbirds of the trip were 6 Red-eyed Vireo, 20 Yellowthroats, 12 Redstarts, 12 Parula, 25 Yellow Warbler, 6 Magnolia, 8 Chestnut-sided, 20 Blackpoll, and 8 Black-throated Green.  There were smaller numbers or singles of Black-billed Cuckoo (heard), Wood Pewee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Swainson’s Thrush, Brown Thrasher, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-White, Blackburnian, Black-throated Blue, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Towhee, Chipping and Savannah Sparrow, and Baltimore Oriole.  We saw a Green Heron in the marsh and heard a Least Bittern call once.

Four members of the Allen Bird Club, George Kingston, Jean Delaney, Kathy and Myles Conway joined together to enjoy the birds at this lovely location.  A total of 40 species were identified, highlights included, Black Vulture, Purple Martin, Bank Swallow, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Bobolink, Scarlet Tanager, Veery, Wood Thrush, Blue-winged Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Savannah Sparrow, Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Double-crested Cormorant, Raven and Turkey.   We finished with lunch at the Vanilla Bean Café.

The day started out cool at 7 a.m., but the birding turned hot by 8 a.m.   Seven participants ended up seeing a total of 52 species, including the Green Heron and Eastern Kingbirds scouted out at the route 9 swamp.
Of the 8 warblers seen, a pair of Blackburnians at Windsor Park was heart stopping.   The female dropped into the low trees in front of us and pulled material from the tent caterpillar nests.   She proceeded to come back and forth in front of us while the male flew around.   We walked down the road from Windsor Park to the culvert, getting a Bay-breasted Warbler, a Yellow-throated Vireo, an Indigo Bunting and a Sapsucker.   It got quieter after that until a Ruby-throated Hummingbird buzzed the group, a mere 2 feet away, and a Chestnut-sided Warbler picked at nesting material close by.   We walked down Gate 52.  There we had a Gray-cheeked Thrush that seemed to have no knowledge of people.   He hopped in the trees at the water's edge modeling his fine features as we watched him for at least 10 minutes.   A Pewee had given us a similar show at the spillway.  Birding as it should be!

A whopping number of birders, 25 in all, gathered to enjoy a total of 57 species in three hours of birding the refuge.   Highlights included Common Nighthawk sleeping on a branch of a Maple tree, Red-shouldered Hawk, two Willow Flycatchers, and two Canada Warblers (unfortunately only seen by a few in the group).   Only seven species of warbler were spotted, but other specialties made up for that disappointment.