Cape Elizabeth birding report

Over the last several weeks an array of winter visitors have arrived across Cape. Inland, the winter finch irruption continues to unfold, yielding more and more reported sightings of Evening Grosbeak, Pine Grosbeak, Common Redpoll, Pine Siskin as well as White-winged and Red Crossbill. Along our rocky windswept coastlines, the seabird spotting is excellent this time of year as well with over a dozen newly arriving species of seabird spotted over the same time.

As for my own observations, on November 17 at 7:03 a.m., two pairs of Evening Grosbeaks appeared on our platform feeder. This was the first time I have seen Grosbeaks in our yard in the five years that I have been keeping record. To quote Edward H. Forbush’s personal account upon first seeing this creature, “seen for the first time amid the snows of winter and against a background of darkling pines, these strange and beautiful waifs of the northland seem somehow out of place, as would some rare and singular exotic plant blossoming in a New England winter.”

On a related note, I find it amazing to read reports coming in from folks across the state that have not seen Evening Grosbeaks on their feeders in twenty, even thirty years. Unfortunately, these magnificent birds only spend a minute dining on black sunflower seeds before disappearing. Amazingly, almost two hundred years ago this species did not exist in the Northeast. In fact, James Audubon never saw a live species of the bird. Evening Grosbeaks began to extend its breeding range all the way to the Atlantic coastline between the 1850s and early 1930s. In recent decades, the eastern populations of these remarkable birds have declined significantly due to habitat loss and also the irregular cycles of spruce budworms.

On November 20 I came across two southbound stragglers - a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a Norther Flicker, both in the same crab apple tree! While the Yellow-bellied is a true short-to-long distance migrant, the Flicker is more of a short-distance migrant with some more southerly populations not moving at all during the winter months. Also, on November 24 my son spotted a lingering Great-blue Heron along the uppermost tidal dog-legs of the Spurwink river.

On November 29 there were eight Greater Scaup ducks diving for pondweeds at some distance from the shore on Great Pond, and on December 3 I observed two pairs of Hooded Mergansers on Grondin Pond in Scarborough. Always a delight to see, adult males have a flamboyant oversized head with a large white patch contrasted with a black “hood” and bright yellow eyes. The male and female communicate, especially during the courting season through a range of rough frog-like grunting noises and guttural chattery cries. Similar to the wood duck, these bird nest in hollow trees which are often very high above the ground and the young in many cases jump from the nest when they are just one day old.

Over the last several weeks Dyer Point and Trundy Point have both afforded excellent looks at Common and Red-throated Loons. An interesting fact about loons is that once juveniles reach coastal waters on the ocean during their first fall migration, they will remain on the ocean for the next two years. Only in the third year may they return to their inland haunts (lakes, ponds) and they may not actually begin to mate until they are six years of age! Other noteworthy mentioning’s at these two locations include, Buffleheads, Surf Scoters, White-winged Scoters, Horned Grebes Long-tailed Ducks, Great Cormorants, and the fantastically adorned Harlequin duck – seemingly at home amid the tumult of the crashing seas. Because of their rough lifestyle these resilient ducks often endure broken bones. Additionally, the Harlequins entire global population primarily winters in Penobscot and Casco bays.

On December 6 Brant geese showed up in Kettle Cove. On the same morning a sizable flock of Purple Sandpiper caught my eye along Crescent Beach State Park before heading out to the exposed rocks (Seal Rocks) a ways offshore. These hardy little denizens winter farther north on the Atlantic coast than any other shorebird.

Lastly, as we approach 2021 I would be remiss not to mention the ABA Code of Birding Ethics. A key excerpt of the code is “to avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger, exercise restrain and caution during observation and photography.” This is of particular importance when observing and advertising the presence of a rare bird such as an owl. Remember if the bird is constantly staring at you then you are too close - risking unnecessary disturbances that may further stress a bird out and/or scare the bird away so the next person does not get to see it.