The Rain in Maine

Rain, that odd phenomenon, rarely interferes with birding in southeast Arizona, but here in Maine, when it rains, it truly does pour, as I found on looking out the motel window this morning. A steady drizzle, and a forecast of more of the same for the next two days: not good for tomorrow’s field trip with the great birders of the ABA’s Physical Limitations Track.

We’ll still visit Acadia tomorrow morning, of course, but I spent a couple of hours today looking for sites along the way that can be birded from the car if it’s still drizzling. And we hit pay dirt (whatever that is). Kittridge Road, just north of Bangor, has houses scattered in scrubby deciduous woods broken by weedy fields; many of the houses have feeders. The abundance of edge habitats means an abundance of birds, and we were able to see a good variety of species this morning without having to brave either rain or insects by stepping out of the car.

Our best birding was on the edge of the weedy fields, filled with bright American Goldfinches, singing and chasing and methodically butchering the tragopogon seedheads. A male Indigo Bunting was a good find in one small weedy patch, while Savannah Sparrows were singing out in the more purely grassy fields. And what’s that funny spink-spank from atop the ridge? At least 4 male Bobolinks floated over the wildflowers as they sang, definitely a species we will be excited to see on our trip tomorrow. The edges also sheltered 3 Wild Turkeys, the first we’ve seen this week.

The houses along Kittridge range from suburban pomo to almost insufferably quaint Maine authentics, and the birds at their feeders reflect the mix. Purple Finches were sharing the oilseed with their newly arrived congener the House Finch; and Blue Jays, always a Maine bird, clashed with Northern Cardinals, also a recent addition to this northern clime.

Add in the Great Crested Flycatchers, Red-eyed Vireos, and ubiquitous Cedar Waxwings, and not even the heaviest rain is going to keep us from a great trip tomorrow morning.