Taylor Road in Orono (RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, N. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS and others)

[Sean Smith]

This morning Jeff Webb and I found a good assortment of species at the Taylor Road bait ponds and trails in Orono.  No exotic waywards, but there was a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (which I’ve seen so many times there now during spring & summer that I think is safe to assume is a breeding species there), an AMERICAN BITTERN and a very approachable pair of NORTHERN-ROUGH WINGED SWALLOWS perched next to the first pond (one of which I snapped this not-very well-lit photo).  I don’t know whether I have a knack for spotting or just running into them, but this was my fourth NRWS sighting so far this Spring.

 

Also very interesting was a male PURPLE FINCH displaying in a tree near the first pond, with no less than 6 females gathered around him.  The male would put up his crest and arch his body with his wings bowed and flapping rapidly while perched over one of the females, and they seemed to be vying for his attention.  It was nice to see a few Purple Finches after a winter where they seemed scarce.

 

 

 

 

Species: 47

 

Double-crested Cormorant

AMERICAN BITTERN – 1

Canada Goose

Am. Black Duck

RED-SHOULDERED HAWK – 1

Ruffed Grouse

Wild Turkey

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (FOY)

Belted Kingfisher

Y-B Sapsucker

Hairy Woodpecker

N. Flicker

E. Phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher

E. Kingbird

N. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW (2)

Am. Crow

B-C Chickadee

W-B Nuthatch

Veery

Hermit Thrush

Am. Robin

Gray Catbird (FOY)

Cedar Waxwing

Blue-headed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

N. Parula

Yellow Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

B-T Blue Warbler

B-T Green Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Pine Warbler

B & W Warbler

Am. Redstart

Ovenbird

C. Yellowthroat

Canada Warbler

Scarlet Tanager (FOY)

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Song Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

R-W Blackbird

C. Grackle

Purple Finch

Am. Goldfinch