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A Mourning Warbler (right) was the top 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.
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The
Wilds of Moosehead Lake
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.
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 (left) 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 (right).
Perhaps
due to the unusual lushness produced by the rain, the Moosehead area was
ablaze with floral abundance. Lupines (left) 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! 