Machias 2009
From Ida Giriunas:
Nineteen birders headed up to Machias for the 28th Annual BBC Machias, ME Weekend from July 3-6, 2009. The goal of this trip was to seek out the Boreal Species and birds not usually seen in Massachusetts. Several of the birders were very experienced, a few were beginners. All contributed greatly to the sightings because of their ability to spot and hear the birds and their knowledge about them. The weather was perfect for birding; cloudy but mild when birding on land, sunny but cool when out to sea and on Machias Seal Island.
Participants drove through fog most of the way, arrived separately at the Bluebird Motel in Machias on Friday, July 3 and met at 2 PM to bird around the Motel and the Rogue's Bluff Area. Within minutes from stepping out of the car on Birch Point Road, in Rogue's Bluff, a hen SPRUCE GROUSE was spotted along with two chicks.
On Day 2, we birded in Topsfield, ME in a vast Boreal forest with Marion
Bates as our Guide. Native orchids and other flowers were abundant along the trails. A moose crossed the road ahead of us, and then later a black bear scooted by. The Gray Jays and Spruce Grouse were unusually abundant, but both the Boreal Chickadee and the Black-backed woodpecker took a lot of time and patience to find.
We went out to sea on day 3 to Machias Seal Island. We enjoyed a pelagic birding experience on the trip out. First a few shearwaters, then a FULMAR, then 2 more. Also seen were the usual storm-petrels and gannets. On the return trip, the captain brought us to an area with an Eagle’s nest containing two young being fed.
In the Afternoon, we drove to West Quoddy Head State Park. This park with its light house and cliff-edge trails along the ocean is in contention for one of the most beautiful places in America. The group walked the boardwalk out to the bog at Quoddy head. A singing Lincoln’s sparrows was found along with numerous bog plants.
We returned to the Boston area on Day 4, but stopped at Lake Messalonskee in Belgrade to see more than 4 BLACK TERNS. Next we drove over to the Weskeag Marsh in Thomaston and saw several NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS before finishing the trip.
Highlights of the trip were the 4000 PUFFINS, 2000 RAZORBILLS, 1000 COMMON MURRES, 3 FULMAR, and an Eagle's nest with two young, 14 SPRUCE GROUSE, 12 GRAY JAYS, one BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, ONE BOREAL CHICKADEE, a female MOOSE in the road, 3 BLACK TERNS and several NELSON's SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS.
I think this was the most successful trip we have ever had. It may never be this good again!
Total species = 107 birds.
And some pictures from Diane Silverstein (her full set can be viewed here):
Orchid
MACHIAS, July 3-6, 2009
Nineteen birders headed up to Machias for the 28th Annual BBC Machias, ME Weekend from July 3-6, 2009. The goal of this trip was to seek out the Boreal Species and birds not usually seen in Massachusetts. Several of the birders were very experienced, a few were beginners. All contributed greatly to the sightings because of their ability to spot and hear the birds and their knowledge about them. The weather was perfect for birding; cloudy but mild when birding on land, sunny but cool when out to sea and on Machias Seal Island.
Participants drove through fog most of the way, arrived separately at the Bluebird Motel in Machias on Friday, July 3 and met at 2 PM to bird around the Motel and the Rogue's Bluff Area. Within minutes from stepping out of the car on Birch Point Road, in Rogue's Bluff, a hen SPRUCE GROUSE was spotted along with two chicks.
On Day 2, we birded in Topsfield, ME in a vast Boreal forest with Marion
Bates as our Guide. Native orchids and other flowers were abundant along the trails. A moose crossed the road ahead of us, and then later a black bear scooted by. The Gray Jays and Spruce Grouse were unusually abundant, but both the Boreal Chickadee and the Black-backed woodpecker took a lot of time and patience to find.
We went out to sea on day 3 to Machias Seal Island. We enjoyed a pelagic birding experience on the trip out. First a few shearwaters, then a FULMAR, then 2 more. Also seen were the usual storm-petrels and gannets. On the return trip, the captain brought us to an area with an Eagle’s nest containing two young being fed.
In the Afternoon, we drove to West Quoddy Head State Park. This park with its light house and cliff-edge trails along the ocean is in contention for one of the most beautiful places in America. The group walked the boardwalk out to the bog at Quoddy head. A singing Lincoln’s sparrows was found along with numerous bog plants.
We returned to the Boston area on Day 4, but stopped at Lake Messalonskee in Belgrade to see more than 4 BLACK TERNS. Next we drove over to the Weskeag Marsh in Thomaston and saw several NELSON'S SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS before finishing the trip.
Highlights of the trip were the 4000 PUFFINS, 2000 RAZORBILLS, 1000 COMMON MURRES, 3 FULMAR, and an Eagle's nest with two young, 14 SPRUCE GROUSE, 12 GRAY JAYS, one BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER, ONE BOREAL CHICKADEE, a female MOOSE in the road, 3 BLACK TERNS and several NELSON's SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS.
I think this was the most successful trip we have ever had. It may never be this good again!
Total species = 107 birds.
And some pictures from Diane Silverstein (her full set can be viewed here):
Spruce Grouse
Orchid
Razorbills
Birding the Boreal
Murres
Pitcher Plant at Quoddy Head Bog
Birding
Birding the Boreal
Murres
Pitcher Plant at Quoddy Head Bog
Birding
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