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Some of us were thrilled to catch the silhouette of an American Woodcock during its aerial display at dusk, but we were all blown away when a female American Woodcock marched her brood across the road in Brownfield! This well-developed juvenile was not as clever as its mom. She headed for cover while her kids paraded across a lawn. (Photo by guide Eric Hynes)

Last June was our first tour in Maine in a long time, and it went famously. Our second run of the new itinerary was no letdown. Shifting the dates back into May helped catch the tail end of migration and likely was the primary factor for our additional ten species. We were a merry bunch of birders and tallied an impressive list of regional specialists in just over a week's time.

We got to know one another and learn about the week ahead over lobster rolls at Dyer Point in Cape Elizabeth our first evening. Skeins of scoters winged up the coast, Common Eiders in sharp breeding plumage loafed along the shore, and Purple Sandpipers snuck around the rocks.

Day two began at Scarborough Marsh. Nelson's and Saltmarsh sparrows surprisingly were not in yet, so we settled for Least Terns and "Eastern" Willets before shifting to the coast. Thanks to a tip from a friendly birder, we made a beeline to the end of Pine Point Beach, where the bird of the tour was waiting for us: Little Gull. We savored fantastic looks at it on the water and in flight. The shorebird showcase featured White-rumped Sandpipers, gorgeous male Black-bellied Plovers in breeding plumage, gaudy Ruddy Turnstones, and a displaying Piping Plover. Four Brant flew in just before we turned our attention to Biddeford Pool. Highlights from Biddeford were American Oystercatcher, Roseate Terns, and Black-crowned Night-Herons.

The next morning we ventured out well before sunrise to Kennebunk Plains. Eastern Whip-poor-wills were waiting for us and, as they faded, a chorus of sparrows erupted: Grasshopper, Vesper, Field, Savannah, and Song. Other highlights from this unusual habitat were Upland Sandpiper, Prairie Warbler, Brown Thrasher, Scarlet Tanager, and Eastern Meadowlark. After a hearty breakfast back at the hotel, we visited two parks in Portland. Capisic Pond Park was a quick stop, but we gained some gems: Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Green Heron, Wood Duck, and Blackpoll Warbler. Over at Evergreen Cemetery we were serenaded by a very cooperative Wood Thrush and had nice looks at a Red-bellied Woodpecker. In the afternoon we drove up to Bar Harbor with a quick detour for a Bobolink fest in Gardiner.

Day four was our scheduled boat trip, but we had the morning free so we birded Sieur de Monts Spring in Acadia National Park. The wind was howling, but we managed to scare up a cluster of American Redstarts, great looks at Swamp Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Hermit Thrush, and a remarkably obliging Ovenbird. Our cruise out to Petit Manan Island was on the bumpy side, but it was well worth it. Razorbills, Atlantic Puffins, and Arctic Terns were all beside the boat, and en route we picked out Great Cormorant, Black-legged Kittiwake, Red-throated Loon, Northern Gannet, and some adorable newborn Harbor Seals.

We began our birding on day five at Valley Cove on Somes Sound. This beautiful patch of spruce hosted Winter Wren, warblers, a very responsive Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, and a territorial Peregrine Falcon patrolling the cliff face. Over at Seawall, we scoped a lingering Red-necked Grebe in breeding plumage, and our last stop on Mount Desert Island was the Blagden Preserve at Indian Point. Merrill's blueberry barrens failed to clean up Upland Sandpiper for us, but we added a handsome American Kestrel. Our last birding area of the day was around Messalonskee Lake in Belgrade. Gorgeous Black Terns floated above the surface among a host of swallows which included our first Bank Swallows. Purple Martins were busy around the colony, and then it was a haul up to Rangeley.

The western mountains region of Maine offered extensive northern forest with plenty of boreal habitat. Over the next day and a half we added quite a few migrant warblers to our list and ticked three of the four resident boreal obligate species. Day six began with roadside birding west of Oquossoc along Route 16. From our first stop we watched Nashville Warbler and Northern Waterthrush sing, studied a teed up Alder Flycatcher and chased after a Boreal Chickadee. An agitated Pileated Woodpecker put on quite a show. Old Route 16 offered Olive-sided Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, and a heard-only Mourning Warbler. After waiting out a brief thunderstorm in the van, those who choose not to take the afternoon off picked up Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and more helpings of the always striking Blackburnian Warbler. After dinner back in Rangeley, a select few of us still had the energy for a night outing. Our first big hit was an American Woodcock. We caught it in flight as its silhouette broke the treeline and we stayed on it as it spiraled up and them tumbled back down. A Moose crossed the road in front of us for our big mammal twitch. We also heard the tail-slap of a beaver at one wetland stop, which was remarkable considering how deafening the Spring Peepers were. An incessantly calling Northern Saw-whet Owl rounded out our evening adventure.

Day seven started just after dawn on Boy Scout Road. An overhead Black-backed Woodpecker, Gray Jays taking peanuts from our hands, singing Olive-sided Flycatcher, and a number of warblers (including Canada Warbler) were our rewards for getting up early. In the afternoon we traveled through Grafton Notch, pausing to add Philadelphia Vireo to our list.

Our last full day in the field began with a special charter up the Auto Road on Mount Washington. Bicknell's Thrush proved much easier to hear than see, but I think everyone had at least quick looks in the end. The American Woodcock parade across the road in Brownfield was incredible. A midday stop at Brownfield Bog added Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Willow Flycatcher, oodles of Warbling Vireos, a flighty Black-billed Cuckoo, and our best looks at Black-and-white Warbler and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Knowing Saltmarsh Sparrow was still high on the wish list for some of you, we dashed back to the coast. Our first stop in Scarborough Marsh at Dunstan Landing did the trick. We started seeing the newly arrived Saltmarsh Sparrows straight away, and we eventually called in its duller cousin -- the subvirgatus subspecies of Nelson's Sparrow. A scrumptious feast at a special restaurant all to ourselves was icing on our cake.

Pepe and I had a lot of fun sharing Maine and all it as to offer with you. Thanks for choosing Field Guides and for being so agreeable and respectful of each other. Good birding and have a great summer!

Until our birding paths cross again,

--Eric Hynes

KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Totals for the tour: 175 bird taxa and 11 mammal taxa