Moosehead Lake 2009
Evergreen Lodge -
It just gets better and better...
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Sunny, warm, and relatively bug-free
- the 2009 Moosehead Lake tour was just the OPPOSITE of
the soggy 2008 tour! This was Moosehead at its best, and the
birds cooperated nicely.
(From left to right) Brian Campbell,
Jim McKeon, Donna Fife, Paula Wright, Bob Duchesne,
Sally Libby, and Betsy Edmondson enjoyed great looks at
many of the 86 species that were encountered over the two
day tour. Friday evening got off to a great start when a
chorus of Swainson's Thrushes tuned up behind the lodge
as dusk approached. |
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The next morning's warbler walk had
trouble even getting out of the driveway, because
the warbler activity was so intense. We had to tear
ourselves away in order to get to the south end of
Shirley Bog in timely fashion. Once there, a pair of
obviously nesting Brown Thrashers demonstrated proper
concern for our presence. Remarkably, they were in the
same spot in 2008 - pretty good for a species that is
not common in the area. By now, the warblers were in
full voice. We had no trouble observing Canada and
Nashville Warblers. The Magnolia Warblers made us work
for a sighting (as they often do), and then the thrushes
opened up. We heard Veery call notes next to us, a
Hermit Thrush in the distance, and a Swainson's Thrush
just ahead, which obliged us with great views. Back at
the Lodge in time for breakfast, we were startled by a
Boreal Chickadee calling by the driveway. |
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Then it was off to the east side of Moosehead Lake. We sped
up to Kokadjo for the swallow show - there were more
Cliff Swallow nests than usual this year, and the Barn
Swallows also seemed to be having a good year. The road
to Second Roach Pond was as productive as ever, with
good looks at Boreal Chickadees, a Lincoln's Sparrow, a
Bay-breasted Warbler, and a dust-bathing Ruffed Grouse.
The picnic lunch at Lazy Tom Stream garnered the usual
Common Mergansers and Goldeneyes, with a plethora of
American Redstarts in the bushes. We picked up great
looks at Pine and Blackburnian Warblers at the Lily Bay
State Park group campground, and then worked our way up
to the
B-52 crash site on Elephant Mountain. Multiple singing
Blackpolls refused to show themselves despite valiant
efforts. |
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Evening dinner at the Rod & Reel was
late but tasty - made even more celebratory by the
Northern Goshawk flyover as we made our way to
Greenville. By dinner's end, it was dark, and we headed
immediately to where the guide had staked out a calling
Saw-whet Owl the night before. Upon reaching the exact
spot: zilch. It must have been out hunting. The morning walk on the second day
scouted the north end of Shirley Bog. A Hooded Merganser
and Pied-billed Grebe were cooperative. We rushed down
to the best boreal spot, but got skunked again on Gray
Jays and Spruce Grouse. (To be fair, they both play hard
to get when on the nest. Give 'em a week and they'll be
easier.) "Ollie" the Olive-sided Flycatcher was in his
usual spot. We heard a Wilson's Warbler just below him,
but couldn't coax it out. Palm, Black-throated Green,
and Black-and-white Warblers gave us good looks, and the
din of singing birds gave everybody practice at
birding-by-ear. The afternoon got a little breezy, the
woods quieted, and we had more luck with moose than
birds as we explored the west side of the lake.
All told, 19 warbler species, 6
sparrows, 6 flycatchers, 4 thrushes, 4 raptors, 4
woodpeckers, and an assortment of oddballs made for
another great year. Looking forward to 2010.
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