Birding report for last two weeks of October

Across parts of the northern boreal forests this year happens to be a less than robust year for coniferous cone and birch seeds. When this happens many of the birds that depend on the seeds will up and leave come late fall, travelling south in search of better, more reliable food sources.

What this means is that Cape Elizabeth has a better chance of seeing many of the spectacular more northernly “winter” finches that often elude us down here in our neck of the woods. With November upon us the increased number of red-breasted nuthatches and slight uptick in purple finches is perhaps a harbinger of what is yet to come.

In my mind the most spectacular of these winter finches is the Evening Grosbeak and it would be a real treat to see a flock of these elegantly heavy-set wanderers in Cape Elizabeth this winter. Other possible “snowbirds” include pine grosbeaks, pine siskin, redpolls, and both red and white-winged crossbills.

Our yard hosted the first dark-eyed Junco’s of the season on Oct. 24. There are significant geographic range differences between the fifteen different races of junco. The “slate-colored” dark-eyed junco is one of the two most widespread forms, and the one found in our backyards starting around this time every year.

Late season lingerers – There was a report of a yellow-breasted chat in Two Lights State Park on Sunday, Oct. 28. Yellow-breasted Chats are the masters of skulking amongst the deep dense thickets and I have yet to catch a glimpse of one. In the springtime the male will expose its location by performing a cascade of cackles, whistles, gurgles and chuckles.

Just as I had hoped, golden-crowned and ruby crowned kinglets are taking their time migrating south. The fall migration is especially conducive to viewing these tiny sprites given that they often flit and forage about very low in the woods and brush.