Birding Report for May 29 – June 12

Most breeding songbirds are on their summer territories or are already nesting. Across the more interior intact forest sections of Cape Elizabeth, Black-throated green warblers and Ovenbirds make themselves known. Redstarts and Common yellowthroats are abundant and well known to the person that chooses to listen. The male Common yellowthroat dons a broad black mask which is contrasted with a bright yellow nape, crown and throat. Always slinking and clucking, this birds distinctive witchety-witchety-witchety call notes often reveal its presence.

Notable sightings – If the bird looks like a scrap of sky with wings, you just might well have seen an Indigo Bunting! On June 2 and June 3 young male Indigo Buntings were seen and heard calling loudly from the top of a huge dead pine snag (tree). My first and only Eastern Wood Pewee of the season appeared on the second day of June as well.

I had neglected to mention this in my last rambling - starting around May 28 hundreds of Cedar Waxwings could be found throughout our woodlands - mother nature’s way of helping protect our treasured Oak and Maple tree. Waxwings are almost always laser focused on fruit/berry yielding trees - the exception being during peak inchworm periods where they feast on destructive inchworms.

Another phenomenal piece of property to bird in Cape Elizabeth is Turkey Hill Farm. Great-crested Flycatchers and Hermit Thrushes were abundant here during the first couple weeks of the month.

Miscellaneous sightings include three Glossy Ibis, six Great egrets, and three Great Blue Herons along the stretch of Sawyer Road that runs through the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge.

On the early evening of June 12, a female Rose-breasted grosbeak showed up at our feeders. I can’t but help wonder if her mate is nearby. Nesting grosbeaks in Cape would be a special sight.