Gull Crest
“Noteworthy indeed is the local population of Carolina wrens, seen and heard in Pond Cove, along Julie Ann Lane, Gull Crest, Cranbrook and a duetting pair on Hannover Cove Road!”
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Year by year
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In his words
Ten of the 46 passages, oldest first.
Noteworthy indeed is the local population of Carolina wrens, seen and heard in Pond Cove, along Julie Ann Lane, Gull Crest, Cranbrook and a duetting pair on Hannover Cove Road!
Other notables: an Eastern Phoebe (FOS) on April 2nd along the Gull Crest Trail.
In the late afternoon of May 28 the Gull Crest trails were absolutely teeming with American Yellows, Redstarts, Ovenbirds and Common Yellowthroats.
On July 8 a single Eastern Towhee was heard along the back of the Transfer site of the Gull Crest trails thick undergrowth.
I have also had good looks at immature American redstarts (warbler) both in the yard and across the Gull Crest trail system.
One within the Gulf Crest Trail system and one out by the Spurwink trail.
On October 8th I came across a Ruffed Grouse along outskirts of the Gull Crest trails.
Also, while wandering the Willow Brook Trail (connector trail to Gull Crest Trail running back behind Cape Memory Care) a Chestnut-sided Warbler was spotted feeding a juvenile.
On July 10 a single Eastern Towhee was heard along the back of the Transfer site of the Gull Crest trails thick undergrowth.
One within the Gulf Crest Trail system and one out by the Spurwink trail.
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On the evening of the last day in January I was lucky enough to find two of Maine’s smallest owls, Northern Saw-whets, not far from where the Gull Crest trails meet the Spurwink river crossing boardwalk.
The following day while riding my bike in Gull Crest I flushed a second “mudsnipe” at very close range.
Earlier that same day my wife and son heard a Barred owl calling (and responding to call backs) in Gull Crest.
While wandering the Willow-brook Trail (connector trail to Gull Crest Trail running back behind Cape Memory Care) a Chestnut-sided Warbler was spotted feeding a youngster.
Alas from the depths of Gull Crest there are still singing warblers including - American Redstarts, Black-throated Green, Chestnut-sided and Ovenbirds.
On the evening of October 9 I heard two Great-horned Owls calling to each other along Shore Road and on October 11 while biking in Gull Crest I practically ran over a Woodcock who did not seem the least bit concerned with my presence.
On the last day of February in the two 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.
On the afternoon of March 26 within the tangles boarding Gull Crest and Runaway Farm, I came upon a male Ruffed Grouse.
Other mention worthy sightings this day in Gull Crest were a single Golden-crowned Kinglet and a Solitary Sandpiper.
Later that afternoon along the Spurwink footbridge towards Gull Crest I briefly crossed paths with a night heron that was being badgered by a Red-winged Blackbird as it flew towards a nighttime roost.
Many American Redstarts and several Pine Warblers also were seen across Gull Crest and Cross Hill.
Lastly, on the afternoon of March 13 I heard the far-carrying cry of Killdeer along Gull Crest.
And under the dim evening light of March 21 I lost track after counting a dizzying thirty-six American Woodcocks – four along Shore Road and the remainder along the Willow Brook, Spurwink River and across Gull Crest (uplands included).
On April 4 I came upon a single Hermit Thrush deep within the bog bridge section of Gull Crest.
On one occasion around sunset, I observed five nighthawks feasting on flying insects above the Gull Crest athletic fields.
Additionally, along the fringes of the town dump and Gull Crest there were American Redstarts, Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warblers, and Chestnut-sided Warblers all vigorously defending their bushy fiefdoms through song.
Other notes from my field journal include on June 29 before sunset along the margins of the field in Robinson Woods III, a Great-horned Owl was spotted being scolded by two Great-crested Flycatchers and on June 30 along the woodland paths in Gull Crest two fledgling American Woodcocks were testing their wings.
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.
Additionally on 9/24 along the Gull Crest trails I came across five Eastern Phoebes, several Black-and-White Warblers and a single male Blue-throated Black Warbler.
The autumn Yellow-rumped Warbler migration phenomenon along our coastline continued through October 10 with many hundreds of warblers both high and low across Gull Crest, Robinson Woods, Fort Williams, Crescent Beach State Park and the old White Oak Trees in my yard.
On November 8 I flushed a lingering American Woodcock in Gull Crest and on November 12 my son and I watched a Great Blue Heron along Sawyer Road hunting in the grass and later spotted sixteen American Coots and three wild Mute Swans on Grondin Pond in Scarborough.
A few additional notes from the field include, on Thanksgiving around dusk on Two Lights Road a Woodcock flew right over my mothers-in-law’s head and on December 9 along the Gull Crest Trails I came across a small flock of seed foraging American Tree Sparrows.
Later on that day I spotted my first Common Grackle of the season perched atop a Maple tree in Gull Crest.
Additionally, on June 6 within bushy borders of Gull Crest’s woodlands I heard a Swainson’s Thrush.
Additionally, on the afternoon of September 28 while travelling through the depths of Gull Crest I came across a small party of foraging moss-green birds with bluish heads and bright white “spectacles.”
The previous spring I came across my first Connecticut Warbler singing within the deepest tangles of Gull Crest.
Lastly, on the afternoon of March 31 along the tangles boarding Gull Crest and Runaway Farm, I came upon a male Ruffed Grouse.
Within bushy borders of Gull Crest’s woodlands I heard a Swainson’s Thrush calling.
In the first two weeks of July, Robinson Woods, Gull Crest, Winnick Woods and along the Cross Hill Trail/Marsh Trail property teemed with Black-throated Greens.
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.
Across the more interior intact sections of Cape Elizabeth like Gull Crest, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Ovenbirds and Pine Warblers are settling in as are Veerys.
A few additional notes from the yard and field: On June 30, deep within one of the upland sections of Gull Crest, the dusk-dappled understory came briefly alive.
Lastly, and most notably, on November 17 around sunset along the upland section of Gull Crest I came upon a bird sitting high atop a leafless White Ash Tree.
Later that afternoon, crossing the Spurwink footbridge toward Gull Crest, I briefly encountered a night heron being harassed by a Red-winged Blackbird as it flew toward its evening roost.
Although a buggy affair, Gull Crest is a true hotspot for birds.
On September 14, while passing through Gull Crest at twilight, I came across a Common Nighthawk foraging on the wing above the giant compost piles.