The Wilds of Moosehead Lake
June 17-19, 2008
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A Mourning Warbler (right) was
a highlight as
this year's Wilds of Moosehead Tour racked up 82
northern Maine species over two days, including Boreal
Chickadee, Gray Jay, Lincoln's Sparrow, and Olive-sided
Flycatcher. This year's tour included (front row) Cathy
Morgan of Belfast, Maine, and Oregon's Pat and Jim
Crane, plus (back row) Linda Powell of Skowhegan, Maine,
Vermont-based travel writer Lisa Halverson, and guide
Bob Duchesne. Once again, this tour enjoyed the
hospitality of Janice and Hank Dyer at the
Evergreen
Lodge - B&B that rests in the woods right near some of
the area's best bird and moose habitat.
Besides the Mourning Warbler, many other warblers
cooperated nicely, including the Blackburnian Warbler
(left) that showed off right in the parking lot of
Evergreen Lodge. The group scored 16 species - an
average number for this time of year. A Canada Warbler
circled the group several times, providing great looks
despite its reputation for being elusive. Flycatchers
were in abundance, including the Olive-sided Flycatcher
(right) that dominated Shirley Bog. Alder and Least
Flycatchers were numerous, as they usually are. Red-eyed
and Blue-headed Vireos were abundant, seemingly always
within earshot. Several raptors were present, including
Sharp-shinned and Broad-winged Hawks.
An accurate moose count soon became an exercise in
futility. As participants came and went, each observed
several moose not seen by others. Travel writer Lisa
Halverson proposed that her future article would list
ten. That's below the number seen by some (Linda
Powell's sightings nearly doubled that total) but it was
above those seen by others. So ten is a good compromise.
Most of the moose were sighted less than a mile up the
road from Evergreen Lodge.
Rain was the common factor of the trip. The prediction
of "showers" was quite accurate. The group became adept
at birding in the sunlight between raindrops. Indeed, so
adept did the group become at avoiding showers that its
chief bane was insects, which were a little above normal
due to the dampness. It seems that birds are more clever
than humans when seeking shelter. The Cliff Swallows of Kokadjo (right) remained dry in their mud nests below the
eaves of many buildings, while Barn Swallows in the barn and
Tree Swallows in their nest boxes avoided the rain, too. The
Hermit Thrushes were not so lucky (left).
Perhaps due to the unusual lushness produced by the
rain, the Moosehead area was ablaze with floral
abundance. Lupines turned fields and roadsides
purple. Bob also turned up the biggest patch of rare
yellow Ladyslippers that he had ever seen.
Good food, great company, and terrific birding made for an
exceptional tour. Let's do it again next year!
 
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