Local birding report

Although March can be unpredictable and unpleasant, for me this late winter month also brings a unique anticipation along with a re kindled sense of hope and possibility for seeing and hearing both the expected and unexpected in the days ahead. February’s siege of cold and snow undoubtedly impacted the early birds of spring migration.

On the last day of February in the three prior years Cape had already started to see Common Grackles announcing their arrival with croak-like whistles and iridescent bluish hoods and Woodcocks were sounding off deep within the Gull Crest Marsh. The first Red-winged Blackbirds of the season showed up at Great Pond on March 1st. Single males were also found along Wells and Sawyer Roads. From year to year there are always slight variations to when certain species arrive or pass through.

On a particularly cold mid-February afternoon along the Sawyer Road section of the Spurwink Marsh I was watching what was likely a family group of three Red-tailed Hawks chasing each other along the tree line when my eyes pivoted to two large objects out on the marsh.

Upon closer inspection there were two immature Bald Eagles engaged in playful behavior. One eagle briefly took to the wing to give chase, then both eagles tumbled to the ground. This apparent commotion flushed a flock of more than thirty Horned Larks that sprung out from the tundra-like landscape and took to the air in a swift, twisting and turning flight that headed right over Sawyer Road. From my vantage point I could hear their jumbled, high-pitched tinkling call notes as they disappeared out of view.

According to Cornell’s eBird, Cape Elizabeth is home to many of the top birding hotspots in all of Cumberland County. In fact, 25% of the top twenty birding hotspots (define by both number species recorded and by submitted eBird checklists) are in our town including, Kettle Cove, Dyer Point, Trundy Point, Portland Headlight – Fort Williams Park and Two Lights State Park. Great Pond was ranked 24th and Crescent Beach State Park came in at 39th out of 100 locations with only 28 individual species recorded.

Spurwink River Crossing has been the number one birding hotspot YTD across all of Cumberland County with a total of 70 different bird species spotted so far this year and 175 individual checklists submitted from birders across the state and beyond.

It’s also amazing to know that so many different species have been spotted at this one location, highlights include a Yellow Rumped Warbler, Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspur, Horned Larks, a Rusty Blackbird, an American Pipit and particularly noteworthy ducks include, American Widgeon, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Northern Pintail, Hooded Merganser, Lesser Scaup and Wood Duck. Reasons why this location attracts both birds and birders include overall accessibility, a running tidal river and the exposed Saltgrass along the river’s banks.

One bird that was reported along the Spurwink River in February is a bird that I have never laid eyes on before, the American Pipit. This sparrow-sized songbird has a rather unremarkable brownish gray body and streaking across breast and sides. American Pipits are among just a small handful of species of American songbirds that nest in both the Artic tundra and alpine meadows. Remarkably, this state-listed endangered species is known to nest in only one place in Maine, Mount Katahdin.

Lastly, on the late afternoon of the second day of March I rather suddenly came upon two Snow Geese hunkered down upon Trundy Point’s rocky promontory. What stood out to me most about these geese were their long very thick necks and pink bills with grin-like appearances.

I also noted all three types of Scoter ducks, Surf, White-winged and Black and a Great Cormorant passed overhead and I could hear the bird murmuring to itself as it flew through the frigid air.