Monhegan this past week

[Kristen Lindquist]

I was out on Monhegan Island this past week, Mon. — Fri. Having never been out there this time of year, it was fun to see what was around for birds in early spring.

Highlights:

Owls: 

-A recently dead Saw-whet Owl was found by an island resident in their yard (my guess is that it starved). 

-Another resident reported hearing a Great Horned Owl hooting nightly in the back of the Meadow, but my nightly listening did not, alas, coincide with its vocalizing.

Offshore: 

-Rafts of Long-tailed Ducks offshore, as well as a number of Common Loons, Black Guillemots (only a couple still in their winter white), and Red-breasted Mergansers 

-A handful of Great Cormorants

-An adult and a sub-adult Bald Eagle on the offshore islands/ledges 

-My most exciting sighting of the week was a fly-by drake Harlequin Duck, very close to shore near Lobster Cove, an island first for me. 

On-land migrants: 

-The Meadow was loud with Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles. A few Brown-headed Cowbirds arrived mid-week.  

-The island was crawling with Song Sparrows everywhere. I only managed to find one White-throated Sparrow amid them all, as well as 1-2 Fox Sparrows (another island first for me) at a feeder. Juncos also came to that feeder and were throughout Cathedral Woods.

-American Robins increased in numbers over the week and a few were singing. 

-I was surprised to come across a pair of Brown Thrashers already in their “usual” spot up on Horn Hill near the Burnt Head trailhead. 

-Carolina Wrens were vocal around the island. Heard FOY Winter Wrens (2) in the trees near Lobster Cove. 

-My first night I also heard at least two American Woodcocks displaying near the Meadow. 

-Another surprise was a singing male House Finch in town (another, more orange HOFI was photographed last week by an island resident, so there were at least two), a species I’ve only seen out there once or twice before. No Purple Finches.

-Heard a small flock of White-winged Crossbills in the treetops of Cathedral Woods. 

-Found what seemed to be fairly fresh, intact wings of a Northern Flicker along the road, body completely gone.

-First one and eventually a pair of Canada Geese were hanging out in the vicinity of the Meadow

-Ring-necked Pheasants were very much present, both sexes, the males quite vocal 

Non-bird observations:

-FOY Mourning Cloak in Cathedral Woods

-Pussy willows! 

-Birders will notice that many of the mature spruce trees around town fell and/or were removed over the winter, including two of the three “magic spruces” or “Cape May spruces” at the top of Wharf Hill. 

-The White Head trailhead has been slightly re-routed.

Looking forward to getting back out there in May!

Kristen

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Kristen Lindquist

Website: kristenlindquist.com
Haiku blog: www.kristenlindquist.com/blog/