Cape Elizabeth birding report

Continued muggy and buggy weather stretched through the first two slow birding weeks of August. Lack of rain has dried up many of our feeder streams and this has pushed many songbirds deeper into our forests. A few observations over the last two weeks include Great crested Flycatchers calling at twilight deep within Robinson Woods I and a common yellowthroat female with daughter exploring the haunts surrounding a crab apple tree in our yard. Numerous molting young Blue Jays continue to decimate my suet supplies. In late summer, molting takes place and Blue Jays often lose all of their head feathers. Fittingly, the saying goes, “When the blue jays are bald, it must be August.”

Other notables include three Great Egrets, most probably two adults and one young flying over Robinson Woods III at sunset. Regarding this sighting, initially I had thought the young egret was a White Ibis (which would have been very uncommon and improbable). I am also very pleased to report that I finally spotted a Warbling Vireo. This happened largely by chance although it does help to always be looking up. Although I did not have the pleasure of hearing the rich, cheerfully warbled song of this special creature (would seem a little late in the season for this sort of thing) I was more than happy to see one passing through.

More from our yard, the local bluebirds have re-used the woodpecker cavity in the side of our house for the second straight season. At this point in the summer the young birds are skillful enough to help their parent protect the precious mealworm “lodge” from intruders. Also, both Carolina and House Wrens seem quite common across Cape Elizabeth now.

Additionally, on more than one night I have heard a Great-horned Owl calling (rather softly) along Shore Road. As for shorebirds, there are good numbers of Semipalmated and Black-bellied plovers along Crescent Beach. I also spied a Spotted sandpiper and two Greater Yellowlegs along the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Lastly, an American Avocet has been reported along the Scarborough Marsh. This elegant, long-legged wader is a joy to watch as it swishes its upturned bill back and forth fishing for tiny aquatic invertebrates.