Cape Elizabeth birding report

On the 5th of November a flock of nineteen Pine Siskins arrived on our property. A goldfinch in disguise, the Pine Siskin is similar in size and shape to that of our resident American Goldfinch, however its bill is longer and slimmer. A siskin’s body and head are also distinctly streaked – capped off with subtle yellow edgings running wingtip to tail. One of my favorite things about these nomadic finches is the unique buzzing, “zzz-ing” calls that fill the air as a flock springs out from a sheltered nook, swirling back and forth and round-about.

On November 9, I observed four resident bluebirds giving playful chase to a nearly crow-sized male Pileated Woodpecker (males have a red stripe on their cheek). Minutes later two of the bluebirds were chased off the suet by a mouse-sized Downy Woodpecker, which in turn was shortly run off by a Northern Flicker passing through on its trek south. The rhythm of the natural world is a wonderful thing.

Time spent in Robinson Woods during the middle half of November yielded good numbers of one of my favorite forest denizens, the Brown Creeper. While trying to focus my son’s attention on an impressive v-shaped formation of Canada Geese chasing the last rays of sunlight overhead, the tender song notes of more than a couple creepers could be heard all around us.

For those that care to look, Creepers seem most easily found at this time of year. A small bird, brown above, speckled and streaked with whitish below, often tags along with a little group of woodland birds such as chickadees, nuthatches, kinglets, and woodpeckers. Much like our Cape resident Northern Flying Squirrel who climbs a tree and then sails down to the next and repeats, the creepers favorite foraging habit is to climb straight up a tree or spiral around, and when it reaches the top it will glide down to the bottom of another tree and begin the process over.

On Veteran’s Day, I heard House Finches singing and I spied a Carolina Wren snooping about in the pachysandra berm. Oddly I’ve seen very few Black-eyed Juncos so far this season, and after an early wave of action the White-throated Sparrow count is behind last year’s tally as well. Lastly, As for new arrivals – Harlequin and Long-tailed ducks have just arrived along our coasts. Other first of season birds being seen are Horned and Red-necked Grebes, Red-throated Loons and White-winged and Surf Scoters.

There have been several reports of Snow Buntings in Cape as well. Another winter visitor from northern latitudes, aka the Arctic Tundra, these chunky ground-dwelling birds feed mostly in fields and farmyards. Bluebird in size, their snow-white underparts contrast with black wing tips and rufous overtones.

Around the 14th there was also a very late, lingering Cave Swallow spotted in Two lights State Park. Fast-moving low pressure systems have most likely pushed this bird thousands of miles from its southern range in the fall. This species breeds throughout much of Texas and New Mexico and winters in the tropics.

In avian related news, a mega rarity of a bird showed up in Johnson, Rhode Island during the second week of November that had birders flocking from Maine and much further. The attraction, a Common Cuckoo (whose voice is imitated by cuckoo clocks around the world) has been seen in the United States only three times on record. This uniquely elegant creature of the heathland, farmland and hedges of Europe is similar in appearance to that of our Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoo.