Great Pond
“Around dusk on April 11 Great Pond was abuzz with activity.”
Through the year
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In his words
Ten of the 22 passages, oldest first.
Despite the unsavory weather conditions that persisted through mid-April, Cape Elizabeth saw the return of Osprey - on April 8 a first of season bird was spotted fishing the northwest side of Great Pond.
On February 2 I witnessed a flock of 50 or more Pine Siskins over Great Pond Cove.
Around dusk on April 11 Great Pond was abuzz with activity.
On one particularly noteworthy outing on Sept. 14 along the Great Pond Boardwalk (which is a dynamite birding location) I caught good glimpses at short range of two Blue-headed Vireo’s and a Philadelphia Vireo travelling among the boisterous chickadees.
On September 21 somewhere within the depths of the 21 acres of CELT land next to Great Pond, I came across a Ruby throated hummingbird chasing a late season male Rose breasted Grosbeak through the mid canopy.
Adding to the count there were lots and lots of Yellow-rumped (Myrtles) and Black-throated Green Warblers travelling together in the Greenbelt swath of land and small pond area just up from the boat rack area at Great Pond.
On one of many exceedingly still and sultry evenings in late July I slipped into the tall timber section of Great Pond Preserve II.
I ran into several significant flocks of these little gems across the backside of Crescent Beach State Park and along the Greenbelt swath of land and small pond area just up from the boat rack area at Great Pond (both dynamite birding hot spots).
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.
On the windy bluebird day of February 21 my wife, son and I were exploring the farmost fringes of a frozen over Great Pond and spotted an immature light-phased Rough-legged Hawk.
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A few nights later on August 1 as I was passing by the smaller pond near Great Pond I heard the familiar hiss of a young Barred Owl, and in the same instance noticed a cat sitting in a little open area near the pond’s edge.
…a Wilson’s Snipe in Kettle Cove and a Spotted Sandpiper on Dyer Point on September 25 and in Winnick Woods and Great Pond and Preserve on September 26 continuing Blackpoll Warblers and White-throated Sparrows and many first of season Yellow-Rumped Warblers, several Ruby crowned Kinglets and six Brown Creepers singing.
Later that same afternoon I spotted two Hooded Mergansers on Great Pond and four within Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.
On June 1 I discovered a Warbling Vireo singing high up in a White Oak Tree in our back yard and on June 5 my son and I listened to this bird’s tender, liquid strains of music as we paddled along the fringes of Great Pond.
Additionally, while fishing with my son on July 18 along the bank of Great Pond, a new family of four Eastern Kingbirds appeared on a snag overhead and launched into their metallic-sounding chatter and chase.
Additionally, on September 10 I recorded seeing a single Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Swamp Sparrow and American Redstart along the Great Pond Boardwalk and on the same day three Black-and-White Warblers, a single American Woodcock and singing Common Yellowthroat along Gull Crest.
On June 12 and June 26 I heard a Warbling Vireo singing high up in an Oak Tree in our back yard and on June 16 my son and I listened to this bird’s tender, liquid strains of music as we fished along the fringes of Great Pond.
The first Red-winged Blackbirds of the season showed up at Great Pond on March 1st.
One late afternoon in late July, my youngest son and I skimmed along the fringes of Great Pond in our canoe.
The day prior, November 14 on Great Pond and from a distance I spied four foraging Ring-necked Ducks.
Last spring, after hearing one singing, I located its pouch like nest high up in a birch tree along Great Pond.
Additionally, one late afternoon in July, my two sons and I travelled along the fringes of Great Pond in our canoe listening for the Marsh Wren song.