Tuesday, May 21, 1996
Quick jumps:
This week's reports | Reports from the press | Downeast Birdline -- transcript of current telephone message | Black fly report for May 15-21 |This week's reports
Tuesday, May 14. Otis (Map 24) First hummingbirds of season sighted. B.G.
Wednesday, May 15. Otis (Map 24) First rose-breasted grosbeaks and northern orioles sighted. B.G.
Thursday, May 16. Columbia Falls (Map 26) Bearberry in bud. B.G.
Thursday, May 16. St. John (Map 67) At Bird feeder: a pine siskin, albino head!! This did cause some difficulty in identification at first. But, the bird definitely was a siskin. S. Z-B.
Saturday, May 18. Garland (Map 32) Many grasshoppers, about an inch an a half long, hopping in meadow grass. Earliest we've seen these at this location! P.J.
Monday, May 20. Fort Kent (Map 67) Three different locations in the Fort Kent area have reported a greyish hawk which is larger than a kestrel marauding smaller birds at their feeders. Two actually saw a kill--in both cases the prey were Evening Grosbeaks. Every description fits that of a merlin--from size and color to perchings habits and flying pattern. S. Z-B.
Monday, May 20, 1996. East Orland (Map 23). Toddy Pond, near the dam: In the past week we have seen the biggest variety of birds this year visiting our feeder and back yard. Shore birds, nuthatches, rose breasted grossbeaks, purple finches, and many goldfinches are new and among the 15 or so species we have been seeing within any daytime few hours. Sea gulls have returned, even with fish in beaks, so fish must be passing up the ladder. Many large painted turtles continue to be visible on rocks a hundred yards across. Some browned pines are reviving with the change in weather. Loud motorcycles, rubber spinning cars, neighbors blasting radios, and campers towing even Tauruses are building their assault on whatever is beautifully reviving. The air is full of burned kerosene with the traffic, which leaves its breath on the soil and water as well. W.D.
Tuesday, May 21. Otis (Map 24) Indigo bunting sighted. B.G.
From the press
Maine Sunday Telegram Sunday, May 12, 1996, page 4C
"For rough-winged swallow, Maine now summer home; Once absent, today it may nest throughout the state."
"The sight of a northern rough-winged swallow sweeping past is increasingly common in
Maine. The beauty of the sight is the more remarkable because it once was said Maine may
be the only state in the Lower 48 without nesting rough-wings. The rough-winged swallow is
one of those species that has been pushing steadily north, however... It prefers using an
old burrow, or just a crevice will do..."
Downeast Birdline -- transcript of current telephone message
Downeast Birdline -- transcript of current telephone message
Maine black fly report in map form
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