Peaks Island's Bird Lists, 2018

​

Michael LaCombe's daily bird sightings from 2018 are shown below along with the number of birds for each species, weather conditions, and observation times.

​

These bird lists are listed sequentially - the most recent one on top.

​

Michael's individual lists are submitted to Cornell Lab of Ornithology eBird.

​

By providing these lists, we hope you will compare birds seen within each month for 2016, 2017, and 2018.

​

Page Design by Marty

Page Assembled by Patty Wainright

​

​

​

__________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

​

Peaks Island Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) Lists (include ferry ride counts)

December 15, 2018

Participants/Team: Dan Nickerson (Leader/Ravenwatcher), Beth Nickerson, Kathryn Ostermier (Scribe), Krista Grotto, Joseph Grotto, Michael LaCombe (PI; Driver 1), and Sam Wainright (PI; Driver 2)

​

​

​

Early morning ferry to Peaks Island
6:51- 7:11 AM
Distance: 1.00 mile
Comments: Portland's Peaks Island CBC team (DN, BN, KO, KG, JG)
Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.8.2 Build 15

5 Mallard (Domestic type)
18 American Black Duck
1 Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid)
14 Common Eider
23 Surf Scoter
25 Long-tailed Duck
45 Herring Gull
1 Iceland Gull
7 Great Black-backed Gull
2 Common Loon
2 American Crow

Number of Taxa: 11

 

___________________________

On Peaks Island
Start: 7:11 AM
Distance: 5.00 miles
448 Minutes
Comments: Portland and Peaks Island CBC team (DN, BN, KO, KG, JG, ML, SW)
Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.8.2 Build 15

12 Canada Goose
5 Mallard
13 American Black Duck
100 Common Eider
17 Surf Scoter
63 White-winged Scoter
12 Black Scoter
45 Long-tailed Duck
49 Bufflehead
3 Common Goldeneye
25 Red-breasted Merganser
4 Wild Turkey
1 Horned Grebe
25 Red-necked Grebe
25 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
13 Mourning Dove
6 Razorbill
8 Black Guillemot
2 Ring-billed Gull
9 Herring Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gull
32 Common Loon
1 Great Cormorant
1 Red-shouldered Hawk -- Identified by CBC members and coordinator Dan Nickerson. Buteo with slower wing beats and buoyancy; Rusty breast, upper wings dark, banded tail (put on with a 1” brush); generally more colorful than your average hawk. 
4 Red-bellied Woodpecker
5 Downy Woodpecker
2 Hairy Woodpecker
1 Northern Flicker
1 Peregrine Falcon
20 Blue Jay
10 American Crow
16 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Tufted Titmouse
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
3 White-breasted Nuthatch
2 Winter Wren
1 Carolina Wren
2 Golden-crowned Kinglet
1 Hermit Thrush
1 Northern Mockingbird
16 European Starling
12 Cedar Waxwing
4 House Finch
15 American Goldfinch
3 American Tree Sparrow
1 Fox Sparrow
20 Dark-eyed Junco
2 White-throated Sparrow
16 Song Sparrow
5 Red-winged Blackbird
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
16 Northern Cardinal
150 House Sparrow
Number of Taxa: 53 

 

______________________________
Afternoon ferry back to Portland
2:30 - 3:05 PM
2.00 miles
Comments: Portland's Peaks Island CBC team (DN, BN, KO, KG, JG)
Submitted from eBird for iOS, version 1.8.2 Build 15

85 Canada Goose
20 Common Eider
12 Surf Scoter
28 Long-tailed Duck
10 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
3 Ring-billed Gull
150 Herring Gull
45 Great Black-backed Gull
25 Common Loon
1 Bald Eagle

Number of Taxa: 10

​

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

​

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for December 6, 2018

1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Distance: 2.0 miles
Comments:  Cold, 17 degrees with wind chill; blue skies; ebbing high tide.
17 species

American Black Duck  1
Common Eider  47
White-winged Scoter  2
Black Scoter  6
Bufflehead  7
Common Goldeneye  1
Red-breasted Merganser  8
Black Guillemot  1
Herring Gull  8
Great Black-backed Gull  3
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  3
Black-capped Chickadee  2
American Goldfinch  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  2
Northern Cardinal  1
House Sparrow  50

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for October 31, 2018

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Distance: 1.0 mile
Comments:   Overcast, low forties, cold wind;  very few birds on back shore; with Sam Wainright
19 species

Mallard  6
American Black Duck  2
Common Eider  22
Black Guillemot  2
Ring-billed Gull  4
Herring Gull  12
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Northern Harrier  1               Low, thirty feet in the air overhead; female or immature bird; the bird of the day.
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet  2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2
European Starling  14
American Goldfinch  4
Dark-eyed Junco  8
Song Sparrow  12
Yellow-rumped Warbler  3
House Sparrow  4

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for October 28, 2018

1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
Distance: 1.0 mile
Comments:   One hour before high tide; huge surf; storm abated early this AM
12 species

American Black Duck  6
Common Eider  100
Black Scoter  6
Semipalmated Plover  2
Laughing Gull  2
Ring-billed Gull  100    Large numbers of gulls in Wharf Cove, equally divided between herring and ring bills; six BLSC's in with them.
Herring Gull  100
Great Black-backed Gull  20
Double-crested Cormorant  2
American Crow  4
European Starling  40
Yellow-rumped Warbler  300    A conservative estimate; clearly a fall-out of them, swarming all along the back shore in flocks of 25-50 or more each.  Large flocks reported at Monhegan and Hurricane islands two weeks ago, and smaller numbers all over the Maine coast; Quite a spectacle.

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for October 26, 2018

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Distance: 2.0 miles
Comments:   Sunny, low forties, near high tide
28 species

Mallard  11
American Black Duck  15
Common Eider  55
Hooded Merganser  3              In Ice Pond
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  18
Semipalmated Plover  4
Dunlin  2     at Wharf Cove
Pectoral Sandpiper  1             At Wharf Cove, as yesterday
Semipalmated Sandpiper  4
Ring-billed Gull  12
Herring Gull  10
Great Black-backed Gull  2
American Crow  5
Black-capped Chickadee  3
Brown Creeper  1                 Alder Brook Road
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2       Low, darting in bushes, back shore
American Robin  6                Small flock behind Battery Steele
European Starling  15
House Finch  2
Dark-eyed Junco  14
White-crowned Sparrow  2
White-throated Sparrow  1
Savannah Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  30
Orange-crowned Warbler  1   
Palm Warbler  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler  25    Still very active along back shore; hawking insects at Wharf Cove
House Sparrow  25

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for October 25, 2018

8:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Distance: 4.0 miles
Comments:  Mostly sunny, low forties with wind chill at 30 degrees; rising tide
37 species

Mallard  10
American Black Duck  16
Common Eider  47
Red-breasted Merganser  5
Semipalmated Plover  4       Demonstrating that he is semipalmated
Dunlin  4
Pectoral Sandpiper  1
Semipalmated Sandpiper  2
Black Guillemot  1
Ring-billed Gull  40
Herring Gull  11
Great Black-backed Gull  3
Common Loon  3
Great Cormorant  7
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Sharp-shinned Hawk  1
Bald Eagle  1                      Immature; flying low over back shore to Trout Pond
Blue Jay  5
American Crow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Brown Creeper  1                In woods on Prince Street
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Hermit Thrush  1     

American Robin  1
Northern Mockingbird  2
European Starling  11
Purple Finch  12                  In a flock of a dozen in one large bush, the three I saw clearly all had pink only
American Goldfinch  14
Snow Bunting  4
Dark-eyed Junco  30           Very numerous and all over the island
White-crowned Sparrow  6
White-throated Sparrow  5
Song Sparrow  80               The most numerous species on a very busy back shore scene
Red-winged Blackbird  3
Yellow-rumped Warbler  22  All over the back shore area; probably twice as many that I didn't identify. they were even competing with the shore birds at Wharf Cove
Northern Cardinal  5
House Sparrow  120

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for October 11, 2018

7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Distance: 3.0 miles
Comments:   Steady rain, fifties, fog 100 yards off chore; with S. Channon
16 species

Mallard  3
American Black Duck  5
Common Eider  18
Black Scoter  19                  In Diamond Pass, far out
Common Goldeneye  1         Off Evergreen Landing; solitary
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  18
Herring Gull  45
Great Black-backed Gull  5
Common Loon  1
Great Cormorant  2
Double-crested Cormorant  3
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  5
Northern Mockingbird  1
Song Sparrow  5
Yellow-rumped Warbler  7

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for October 9, 2018

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Distance: 3.0 miles
Comments:  High tide; sunny, hot, 78 degrees and very humid
23 species

Wood Duck  2
Mallard  2
American Black Duck  15
Common Eider  65
Mourning Dove  4
Semipalmated Plover  1
Semipalmated Sandpiper  2
Ring-billed Gull  21
Herring Gull  8
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Common Loon  2
Double-crested Cormorant  2
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  5
Common Raven  2
Brown Creeper  1        Scuttled up large shag-barked tree behind Battery Steele; distinctly uniformly brown
Gray Catbird  1
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  4
American Pipit  1         Solitary, feeding in weed wrack Wharf Cove; tail bobbing when still
Savannah Sparrow 
Yellow-rumped Warbler  7
House Sparrow  8

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for October 7, 2018

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Distance: 3.0 miles
Comments:  Cloudy, fifties, intermittent light rain; high tide today at 10:07 AM; with Sam Wainright
22 species

American Black Duck  7
Common Eider  30
Mourning Dove  1
Semipalmated Plover  1
Semipalmated Sandpiper  22     Feeding in weed wrack at Wharf Cove; no LESA in the flock
Ring-billed Gull  40                   At Wharf Cove, high tide
Herring Gull  4
Great Black-backed Gull  2
Common Loon  1
Double-crested Cormorant  4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  2       In trees upper Centennial St. near Island Ave
Blue Jay  3
American Crow  3
Black-capped Chickadee  1
European Starling  20
Dark-eyed Junco  2
White-throated Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  8
Baltimore Oriole  1                 High in tree at junction of Centennial Street and Island Ave
Yellow-rumped Warbler  20     Along back shore, concentrated most in shrubs bordering Wharf Cove hawking behavior frequent
Northern Cardinal  1
House Sparrow  14

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for October 6, 2018

8:50 AM - 10:10 AM
Distance: 2.0 miles
Comments:  High tide; sunny, high forties, low fifties, high surf
28 species

Mallard  4
American Black Duck  11
Common Eider  98
Semipalmated Plover  1     HUGE, compared to the LESP's with which it was feeding
Least Sandpiper  22          Quite small, and dwarfed by the single SEPL among them; yellow-green legs; feeding carefully amid the kelp at high tide.  The clinchers are the leg color and the striking size difference with the plover
Black Guillemot  2
Ring-billed Gull  88            In Wharf Cove at high tide, feeding on an insect hatch
Herring Gull  12
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Common Loon  2
Great Cormorant  1           Size and thick neck striking compared to the few DCCO's still around
Double-crested Cormorant  4
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  2
Tree Swallow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Gray Catbird  1
European Starling  2
American Goldfinch  9
White-crowned Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  22
Red-winged Blackbird  7
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
Northern Cardinal  1
House Sparrow  11

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for September 23, 2018 

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Distance: 2.0 miles
Comments:   Sunny, sixties, falling tide
14 species

Wood Duck  3
Mallard  3
American Black Duck  6
Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid)  2
Common Eider  87
Black Guillemot  4
Herring Gull  33
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Double-crested Cormorant  14
Blue Jay  2
Common Raven  1
Cedar Waxwing  1
American Goldfinch  1
Song Sparrow  2
Yellow Warbler  1

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for September 16, 2018 

9:00 AM - 12:15 PM
Distance: 3.0 miles
Comments:  With Sam and Patty Wainright; 65 degrees, sunny
34 species

Wood Duck  5
American Black Duck  2
Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid)  8
Common Eider  172
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  6
Mourning Dove  3
Black Guillemot  10
Ring-billed Gull  2
Herring Gull  20
Great Black-backed Gull  5
Common Loon  4
Double-crested Cormorant  43
Great Blue Heron  4
Osprey  1
Bald Eagle  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue Jay  13
American Crow  17
Tree Swallow  18
Black-capped Chickadee  17
Tufted Titmouse  1
Red-breasted Nuthatch  4
Gray Catbird  8
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  2
Cedar Waxwing  3
American Goldfinch  12
Song Sparrow  3
Eastern Towhee  1
Yellow Warbler  1
Pine Warbler  3
Northern Cardinal  2
House Sparrow  30

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for September 2, 2018 

7:15 AM - 10:00 AM
Distance: 2.0 miles
Comments:   With Sam Wainwright; sixties, humid, falling tide   

                    Highlight of the AM - minke whale off back shore
31 species

American Black Duck  5
Common Eider  157
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  4
Mourning Dove  7
Laughing Gull  2
Ring-billed Gull  2
Herring Gull  42
Great Black-backed Gull  8
Northern Gannet  1
Double-crested Cormorant  13
Osprey  1
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Alder Flycatcher  1
Blue Jay  11
American Crow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  5
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
Gray Catbird  14
Brown Thrasher  1
Northern Mockingbird  3
European Starling  8
Cedar Waxwing  3
American Goldfinch  9
White-throated Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  4
Eastern Towhee  3
Red-winged Blackbird  9
Kentucky Warbler  1     Low in bushes, with good long looks from both of us; uniform olive above with more striking green of tail; uniformly yellow underneath, down to coverts; no white (in contrast to female COYE); slight black horizontal streaking at lores, cap olive, without any contrasting crest; prominent eye ring, but white and not yellow, and only with posterior half of a complete ring.  (see p. 633 Stokes, female)  Medium in size; judging from photos in Sibley's, Crossley, Stephenson & Whittle, and Peterson Warbler Field Guide, this is a first fall female.  Seen at corner of Seashore Drive and Alder Brook Road.
Common Yellowthroat  5
Northern Cardinal  2
House Sparrow  34

​

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for August 29, 2018

9:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Distance: 2.0 miles
Comments:   What started at 75 degrees and 70% humidity ended at noon as another intolerable example of global warming
18 species

Common Eider  89              (11 immature male eiders; 15 immature female eiders)
Mourning Dove  4
Herring Gull  55
Great Black-backed Gull  11
Double-crested Cormorant  13
Great Egret  1                    (Fly over from Cushing's I.  Also, one seen on Peaks by Palfreys)
Empidonax sp.  1               (Probably an ALFL, but not a sound)
Eastern Phoebe  3              (Three together at Brackett St. marshes; migrating flock?)
Blue Jay  2
American Crow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Gray Catbird  3
Northern Mockingbird  5      (Together; migrating? four seemed smallish; immatures?)
European Starling  5
Cedar Waxwing  13
American Goldfinch  5
Song Sparrow  11
Chestnut-sided Warbler  1   (Call only; behind Battery Steele)
House Sparrow  97

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for August 16, 2018

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Distance: 3.0 miles
Comments:  Very hot and humid; low tide; with Sam and Patty Wainright
29 species (+3 other taxa)

American Black Duck  7
Common Eider  131                (125 female adults; 4 immature males; 2 immature females)
Mourning Dove  1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
peep sp.  12
Ring-billed Gull  1
Herring Gull  15                      (11 adults and 4 juveniles)
Great Black-backed Gull  9       (8 adults and 1 juvenile)
Double-crested Cormorant  41
Great Blue Heron  1
Osprey  3
Broad-winged Hawk  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  2
Empidonax sp.  1
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay  6
American Crow  20
Black-capped Chickadee  11
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Carolina Wren  1
American Robin  2
Gray Catbird  8
Northern Mockingbird  1
Cedar Waxwing  1
American Goldfinch  20
Song Sparrow  4
Eastern Towhee  3
warbler sp. (Parulidae sp.)  1     (Possibly a Wilson's Warbler)
Northern Cardinal  12
House Sparrow  4

​

 

Peaks Island Bird List for August 15, 2018

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Distance: 2.0 miles
Comments: The long way to the grocery store; hot and humid
21 species

American Black Duck  1
Common Eider  140             (135 females and 5 immature males)
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  11
Mourning Dove  3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Black Guillemot  1
Herring Gull  12
Great Black-backed Gull  7
Double-crested Cormorant  9
Osprey  4
Downy Woodpecker  1
American Crow  3
Gray Catbird  2
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  1
Cedar Waxwing  5
American Goldfinch  8
Song Sparrow  4
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Yellow Warbler  2
Northern Cardinal  1

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for August 1, 2018

8:15 AM - 10:20 AM
Distance: 3.0 miles
Comments:   With Sam and Patty Wainright
37 species

American Black Duck  13
Common Eider               (20 female adults and 4 immatures)
Double-crested Cormorant  17
Great Blue Heron  2
Black-crowned Night-Heron  2
Glossy Ibis  1
Osprey  1
Black Guillemot  3
Herring Gull  51               (40 adults and 11 juveniles)
Great Black-backed Gull    (10 adults and 2 juveniles)
Common Tern  29
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  1
Mourning Dove  5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  2
Eastern Phoebe  3 (Family)
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Red-eyed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  3
American Crow  20
Black-capped Chickadee  24
Red-breasted Nuthatch  3
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Carolina Wren  2
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  7
Northern Mockingbird  1
Cedar Waxwing  1
Common Yellowthroat  1
Yellow Warbler  2
Song Sparrow  12
Northern Cardinal  15
Red-winged Blackbird  5
Common Grackle  3
American Goldfinch  26
House Sparrow  22

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for July 29, 2018

7:30 AM - 9:30 AM

2.0 miles
23 species (+1 other taxa)

Comments: Brackett Church Silent Auction Bird Trip with Claudine Weatherford, Jeremy Wyant, Timothy Wyant

Mallard  1                          Female mallard x black duck hybrid (?)
American Black Duck  5
Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid)  1
Common Eider  2
Double-crested Cormorant  7
Black-crowned Night-Heron  1
Herring Gull  2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
American Crow  2
Tree Swallow  5
American Robin  1
Gray Catbird  15
European Starling  6
Cedar Waxwing  10
Common Yellowthroat  2
American Redstart  2
Yellow Warbler  3
Black-throated Green Warbler  2
Song Sparrow  6
Eastern Towhee  2
Northern Cardinal  2
Red-winged Blackbird  8
American Goldfinch  4
House Sparrow  12

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for July 21, 2018

7:30 AM - 10:45 AM
4.0 miles
Comments: Near full tide; 60's with dense fog clearing by 9:30AM 
41 species

​

American Black Duck  8

Common Eider  41

Double-crested Cormorant  2

Great Blue Heron  1

Great Egret  1

Green Heron  1

Black-crowned Night-Heron  1

Cooper's Hawk  3

Spotted Sandpiper  1

Herring Gull  34

Great Black-backed Gull  13

Caspian Tern  2

Common Tern  3

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  4

Mourning Dove  3

Downy Woodpecker  1

Northern Flicker. 1

Great Crested Flycatcher  1

Eastern Kingbird  3

Blue Jay  2

American Crow  8

Tree Swallow  5

Black-capped Chickadee  1

House Wren  1

American Robin  1

Gray Catbird  18

Northern Mockingbird  1

European Starling  13

Cedar Waxwing  3

Common Yellowthroat  2

Yellow Warbler  4

Black-throated Green Warbler  1

Chipping Sparrow  2

Song Sparrow  13

Eastern Towhee. 4

Northern Cardinal  1

Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 1

Red-winged Blackbird  2

Common Grackle  1

American Goldfinch 5

House Sparrow  32

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for June 26, 2018

7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
3.0 miles
Comments:  Sunny, sixties, rising tide; with P. Wainright, A. Whitman, K. McCarthy
42 species

American Black Duck  4
Common Eider  53    (46 females, 3 males; 4 immature ones)

Common Loon  2
Double-crested Cormorant  8
Great Blue Heron  1
Great Egret  3
Snowy Egret  1
Glossy Ibis  5
Herring Gull  20
Great Black-backed Gull  4
Common Tern  1
Mourning Dove  4
Downy Woodpecker  2
Hairy Woodpecker  2
Alder Flycatcher  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Warbling Vireo  1
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  5
Common Raven  1
Tree Swallow  16
Black-capped Chickadee  3
House Wren  1
American Robin  7
Gray Catbird  11
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  10
Cedar Waxwing  5
Common Yellowthroat  10
American Redstart  7
Yellow Warbler  16
Chestnut-sided Warbler  2
Black-throated Green Warbler  2
Wilson's Warbler  1     Behind Battery Steele, where seen previously; black cap
Song Sparrow  25
Eastern Towhee  5
Northern Cardinal  8
Red-winged Blackbird  17
Common Grackle  1
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  16
House Sparrow  35

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for June 24, 2018 (Annual PeakFest Bird Walk)

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
0.6 mile
Comments:  Partly cloudy changing to sunny skies; incoming tide 3/4's;  PeaksFest Birding on backshore with Anne (PI), Lori (NJ), Megan (PI), Theresa (RI), and Patty (PI)
27 species

Common Eider  30
Common Loon  1
Double-crested Cormorant  9
Great Blue Heron  1
Great Egret  1
Black-crowned Night-Heron  2
Black Guillemot  1
Herring Gull  12
Great Black-backed Gull  5
Common Tern  2
Mourning Dove  3
Alder Flycatcher  1
Eastern Kingbird  1
Blue Jay  3
American Crow  6
Tree Swallow  16
Gray Catbird  4
European Starling  4
Cedar Waxwing  1
Common Yellowthroat  5
Yellow Warbler  9
Dark-eyed Junco  1
Song Sparrow  11
Northern Cardinal  3
Red-winged Blackbird  14
House Finch  6
American Goldfinch  12

 

Peaks Island Bird List for June 23, 2018

7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
1.5 miles
Comments:   With P. Wainright
28 species

American Black Duck  5
Common Eider  103
Double-crested Cormorant  4
Great Blue Heron  1
Herring Gull  7
Great Black-backed Gull  4
Mourning Dove  7
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Red-eyed Vireo  2
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  6
Tree Swallow  18
Barn Swallow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  5
American Robin  6
Gray Catbird  11
European Starling  13
Cedar Waxwing  3
Common Yellowthroat  6
American Redstart  8
Yellow Warbler  27     Peaks seems to be overrun with them this year.
Song Sparrow  18
Eastern Towhee  4
Northern Cardinal  7
Red-winged Blackbird  16
Common Grackle  2
American Goldfinch  9
House Sparrow  6

 

Peaks Island Bird List for June 21, 2018

7:00 AM - 10:00 AM
3.0 miles
Comments:  High tide; overcast; 60 degrees
30 species

American Black Duck  5
Common Eider  109
Common Loon  1
Double-crested Cormorant  19
Great Blue Heron  2
Herring Gull  19
Great Black-backed Gull  4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  1
Mourning Dove  3
Blue Jay  5
American Crow  11
Common Raven  1
Tree Swallow  18
Black-capped Chickadee  1
American Robin  3
Gray Catbird  19
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  22
Cedar Waxwing  6
Common Yellowthroat  5
American Redstart  2
Yellow Warbler  31     All over the island
Song Sparrow  13
Eastern Towhee  3
Northern Cardinal  4
Red-winged Blackbird  17
Brown-headed Cowbird  1
Common Grackle  5
American Goldfinch  13
House Sparrow  9

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for May 26, 2018

Time: 5:15 AM - 6:15 AM
Comments: Across from 8th Maine: On deck with coffee; low tide, sunrise at 5:03, heavy overcast with storm coming in from west
20 species

Canada Goose  6
Common Eider  4                          In the cove
Double-crested Cormorant  7    Flight over the cove
Glossy Ibis  3                                 In flight overhead; curved bill un-mistakeable; first sighting for me this year
Herring Gull  5
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  1
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  5
Black-capped Chickadee  1
American Robin  2
Gray Catbird  1
European Starling  X              Too numerous to count
Cedar Waxwing  1
Bay-breasted Warbler  1         Heard, never seen; thin high pitched two note call repeated three times, identical to call in iBird Pro:  zee-se, zee-se, zee-se.  Answered the call but would not come in.  Just after sunrise at 5:15; not call of BAWW, AMRE, or CMWA;  could not get a recording with iPhone.
Yellow Warbler  3                    Came readily to call; evident very early, just after sunrise
Song Sparrow  3
Northern Cardinal  1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak  1     In silver maple next to deck
House Sparrow  X                      Too numerous to count

 

​

Peaks Island Bird List for May 25, 2018

Time: 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
3.0 miles
Comments:  With Sam and Patty Wainright
41 species

Wood Duck  1
Mallard  5
American Black Duck  7
Common Eider  27
Common Loon  1
Double-crested Cormorant  4
Great Blue Heron  1
Snowy Egret  1
Osprey  1
Black Guillemot  2
Laughing Gull  1
Herring Gull  20
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  8
Mourning Dove  5
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Red-eyed Vireo  3
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  5
Tree Swallow  6
Barn Swallow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  3
Veery  1
American Robin  4
Gray Catbird  4
European Starling  10
Common Yellowthroat  5
American Redstart  4
Blackburnian Warbler  1
Yellow Warbler  8
Song Sparrow  8
Eastern Towhee  3
Northern Cardinal  5
Red-winged Blackbird  13
Common Grackle  5
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  8
House Sparrow  10

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for May 16, 2018

Time: 8:15 AM - 10:15 AM
3.0 miles
Comments:   Cold; 47 degrees, overcast, low tide; with P. Wainright
33 species

Mallard  2
Common Eider  51
Double-crested Cormorant  22
Laughing Gull  2
Herring Gull  8
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Mourning Dove  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Pileated Woodpecker  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Blue Jay  1
American Crow  3
Tree Swallow  11
Black-capped Chickadee  4
Tufted Titmouse  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
American Robin  4
Gray Catbird  7
European Starling  13
Northern Waterthrush  1
Common Yellowthroat  4
American Redstart  3
Yellow Warbler  6
Black-throated Green Warbler  1
Chipping Sparrow  1
Song Sparrow  6
Eastern Towhee  3
Northern Cardinal  5
Baltimore Oriole  2     Florida Avenue, by the geyser
Red-winged Blackbird  13
Common Grackle  5
American Goldfinch  2
House Sparrow  18

 

 

Peaks Island Bird List for May 14, 2018

Time: 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
3.0 miles
Comments:   With Patty Wainright; overcast, chilly wind, 48 degrees, low tide
34 species

Mallard  1
Common Eider  22
Double-crested Cormorant  5
Snowy Egret  1
Osprey  1
Bald Eagle  1
Herring Gull  7
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  9
Mourning Dove  1
Alder Flycatcher  1                       Back shore drive, just to left of Higgins' place
Blue Jay  4
American Crow  5
Common Raven  1
Barn Swallow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  5
Golden-crowned Kinglet  3
American Robin  5
Gray Catbird  7
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  11
Northern Waterthrush  1               Behind SW end of Battery Steele; long views
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  4
Yellow Warbler  9
Blackpoll Warbler  1                     Along Brackett Avenue near marshes
Black-throated Blue Warbler  1     Alder Brook Road
Black-throated Green Warbler  5
Song Sparrow  12
Eastern Towhee  3
Northern Cardinal  9
Red-winged Blackbird  9
Common Grackle  4
American Goldfinch  3
House Sparrow  10

 

​

Peaks Island Bird List for April 23, 2018

Time: 3:30 PM

Protocol: Incidental

1 species

 

Osprey  1    House Island buoy; female on nest, male on rail, standing guard

 

 

Peaks Island Bird List for April 23, 2018

Time: 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

2.0 mile(s)

Comments:   An hour past high tide; high forties, low fifties; bright sunny day, mild wind

25 species

 

Brant  2                               Off back shore

Mallard  6                            In flight in the morning sun, quite beautiful

Common Eider  33

Black Scoter  11

Wild Turkey  1                      Bold, brazen, unafraid; walked right by me on back shore drive

Double-crested Cormorant  3

Great Blue Heron  1             Overhead in flight, on Alder Brook Rd.

Herring Gull  200                 Ram Island alive with them this morning

Great Black-backed Gull  1

Mourning Dove  1

Eastern Phoebe  1

Blue Jay  3

American Crow  5

Black-capped Chickadee  11

Red-breasted Nuthatch  1      Alder Brook Rd. by Wainrights

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  3       High in Wainright's trees, Alder Brook Rd.

Northern Mockingbird  2

European Starling  23

Palm Warbler (Yellow)  1       By marsh waters on Florida Ave.  Very active; a lucky photo

White-throated Sparrow  1

Song Sparrow  14

Northern Cardinal  7

Red-winged Blackbird  16

American Goldfinch  2

House Sparrow  7

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for April 3, 2018

Time: 11:15 AM - 1:45 PM

4.0 miles

Comments:   Overcast, 42, cold SE wind, rising tide 3/4's

30 species

 

Canada Goose  2

Mallard  6

Common Eider  82

Surf Scoter  16

White-winged Scoter  10

Black Scoter  22

Long-tailed Duck  11

Bufflehead  1

Common Goldeneye  5

Red-breasted Merganser  16

Wild Turkey  1

Common Loon  5

Black Guillemot  3

Herring Gull  5                                                             

Great Black-backed Gull  2

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  12

Belted Kingfisher  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  2

Downy Woodpecker  2

Blue Jay  2

American Crow  12

Black-capped Chickadee  6

European Starling  11

Song Sparrow  20

Northern Cardinal  8

Red-winged Blackbird  3

Common Grackle  1

House Finch  2

American Goldfinch  1

House Sparrow  13

​

 

Peaks Island Bird List for March 21, 2018

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

3.0 miles

Comments:   With Patty Wainright; forties, overcast, rising tide

23 species

 

American Black Duck  3

Common Eider  14

Black Scoter  20

Long-tailed Duck  3

Bufflehead  10

Common Goldeneye  3

Wild Turkey  12

Black Guillemot  2

Herring Gull  1

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  12

Mourning Dove  1

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1

Downy Woodpecker  1

Blue Jay  1

American Crow  21

Black-capped Chickadee  18

White-breasted Nuthatch  1

Dark-eyed Junco  2

Song Sparrow  2

Northern Cardinal  6

House Finch  4

American Goldfinch  2

House Sparrow  6

​

 

Peaks Island Bird List for March 20, 2018

Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

3.0 miles

Comments:   Bright sun; low forties; rising tide; little wind

18 species

 

Common Eider  73

Black Scoter  21

Long-tailed Duck  2

Red-breasted Merganser  7

Wild Turkey  12    The person who tipped me off says he has 30-50 in his woods, feeds them 10 lbs of sunflower seeds a day, and his neighbor feeds them cracked corn.  The birds are huge.

Common Loon  7

Turkey Vulture  2

Black Guillemot  1

Herring Gull  12

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  23

Mourning Dove  1

Blue Jay  2

American Crow  11

Black-capped Chickadee  21

White-breasted Nuthatch  1

Northern Mockingbird  1

Northern Cardinal  2

House Finch  5

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for March 18, 2018

Time: 11:00 AM - 1:15 PM

3.0 miles

Comments:  Bright sunny day; cold, with 15 degree wind chill

17 species

 

American Black Duck  2

Common Eider  28

Black Scoter  32

Long-tailed Duck  5

Red-breasted Merganser  3

Herring Gull  9

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1    Tolman Heights

Downy Woodpecker  2          Tolman Heights

Pileated Woodpecker  2        Alderbrook Road

Blue Jay  1

American Crow  7

Black-capped Chickadee  9

Carolina Wren  1                 Alderbrook Road

American Robin  3               Together, outer Brackett Ave

Song Sparrow  3

Northern Cardinal  4

House Finch  5                    At junction of Alderbrook and Brackett

 

​

Peaks Island Bird List for March 16, 2018

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM

4.0 miles

Comments:   Mostly sunny, 35 degrees, with cold NW wind, wind chill 22; incoming tide

17 species

 

Mallard  11

American Black Duck  1

Common Eider  107

Black Scoter  47

Long-tailed Duck  2

Red-breasted Merganser  7

Herring Gull  9

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  18

Blue Jay  1

American Crow  6

Black-capped Chickadee  8

Brown Creeper  1           Behind Wainright's; on its large shaggy barked tree

Song Sparrow  6

Northern Cardinal  5

Red-winged Blackbird  1

House Finch  4               Sounded like forty

House Sparrow  5

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for March 15, 2018

Time: 9:45 AM - 11:15 AM

3.0 miles

Comments:   Mostly cloudy; thirties, cold wind, high tide

21 species

 

Mallard  7

American Black Duck  6

Common Eider  85

Surf Scoter  4

White-winged Scoter  6

Black Scoter  34

Long-tailed Duck  6

Bufflehead  6

Red-breasted Merganser  9

Common Loon  1

Herring Gull  9

Lesser Black-backed Gull  1    Yellow legs, on chimney over by City Point

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  13

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1

American Crow  9

Black-capped Chickadee  3

European Starling  60

Song Sparrow  1

Northern Cardinal  5

Red-winged Blackbird  4

House Sparrow  5

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for March 8, 2018

Time: 4:30 PM

Incidental Sighting

Comments:  Crossing on 4:30 ferry; large migrating flock; flock seen early over Jamaica Bay, Brooklyn

1 species

 

Brant  55   Large string over Casco Bay, while crossing on 4:30 ferry

"They are impressive:  fly in single file, quite low and fast, with a purpose and not much talk.

Headed for Hudson Bay, where they summer." (ML)

 

​

Peaks Island Bird List for February 28, 2018

Time: 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM

4.0 miles

Comments:  High tide, overcast early, then sunny; 40's

32 species

 

Mallard  11

American Black Duck  4

Common Eider  107

White-winged Scoter  1

Black Scoter  27

Long-tailed Duck  5

Bufflehead  8

Common Goldeneye  1

Red-breasted Merganser  11

Common Loon  3

Great Cormorant  11

Herring Gull  5

Great Black-backed Gull  1

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  11

Mourning Dove  2

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1

Downy Woodpecker  2

Pileated Woodpecker  1

Peregrine Falcon  1    Swooping over Battery Steele marshes, scattering birds everywhere; breathtaking

Eastern Kingbird  1    This is a puzzler; seen at a distance and photo taken with 700mm telephoto; appeared larger and darker than an eastern wood-peewee; no recorded sighting of an EAKI on bird before April

Blue Jay  5

American Crow  7

Black-capped Chickadee  11

Tufted Titmouse  1

Carolina Wren  1

Northern Mockingbird  1

European Starling  14

Song Sparrow  1

Northern Cardinal  6

Red-winged Blackbird  11

American Goldfinch  2

House Sparrow  45

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for February 20, 2018

Time: 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

3.0 miles

Comments:  Overcast with occasional light rain; 40's, fog off shore; rising tide

19 species

 

Canada Goose  11

Mallard  11

American Black Duck  3

Common Eider  35

Black Scoter  13

Long-tailed Duck  1

Bufflehead  18

Common Loon  3

Herring Gull  5

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  9

Mourning Dove  2

Blue Jay  3

American Crow  9

Black-capped Chickadee  1

European Starling  5

Song Sparrow  1

Northern Cardinal  1

American Goldfinch  2

House Sparrow  14

 

 

Peaks Island Bird List for February 17, 2018

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM

4.0 miles

Comments:  Bright sun, rising tide, cold, high twenties; with Patty and Sam Wainright

28 species

 

American Black Duck  3

Common Eider  138

Surf Scoter  5

White-winged Scoter  2

Black Scoter  28

Long-tailed Duck  13

Bufflehead  22

Common Goldeneye  2

Red-breasted Merganser  11

Common Loon  16

Great Cormorant  1

Turkey Vulture  1

Bald Eagle  3

Red-tailed Hawk  1

Herring Gull  3

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  29

Downy Woodpecker  2

Hairy Woodpecker  2

Blue Jay  1

American Crow  12

Black-capped Chickadee  5

White-breasted Nuthatch  1

Northern Mockingbird  1

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for February 14, 2018

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

3.0 miles

Comments:  45 degrees, sunny, low tide

16 species

 

Canada Goose  41

Mallard  17

American Black Duck  2

Common Eider  63

Long-tailed Duck  7

Bufflehead  13

Common Loon  5

Red-necked Grebe  1

Herring Gull  9

Blue Jay  1

American Crow  15

Black-capped Chickadee  1

European Starling  5

Northern Cardinal  1

House Finch  5

House Sparrow  43

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for February 8, 2018

Time: 8:45 AM - 11:45 AM

3.0 miles

17 species

 

Canada Goose  9

Mallard  13

American Black Duck  2

Common Eider  4

Surf Scoter  11

Black Scoter  8

Long-tailed Duck  12

Bufflehead  20

Common Goldeneye  2

Red-breasted Merganser  1

Common Loon  1

Herring Gull  32

Great Black-backed Gull  1

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  11

American Crow  17

Northern Cardinal  3

House Sparrow  6

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for January 24, 2018

Time: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

3.0 miles

Comments:  With P. Wainright; overcast, low thirties, after ice storm

15 species

 

Canada Goose  5

American Black Duck  4

Common Eider  105

Surf Scoter  3

White-winged Scoter  19

Black Scoter  225               Raft of 130 in Diamond Pass with 10 WWSC

Long-tailed Duck  3

Bufflehead  9

Red-breasted Merganser  7

Common Loon  10

Herring Gull  7

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  21

American Crow  2

Northern Mockingbird  1     At junction Great Pond Road and Seashore Drive

House Finch  8

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for January 15, 2018

Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

3.0 miles

Comments:   With Peter, Jill King; very cold

18 species

 

Common Eider  55

Surf Scoter  4

White-winged Scoter  4

Long-tailed Duck  5

Bufflehead  32

Common Goldeneye  9

Red-breasted Merganser  6

Common Loon  6

Black Guillemot  5

Ring-billed Gull  3

Herring Gull  17

Great Black-backed Gull  1

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  33

Blue Jay  2

American Crow  5

Black-capped Chickadee  2

European Starling  13

House Sparrow  7

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for January 9, 2018

Time: 9:15 AM - 12:15 PM

Distance: 3.0 miles

Comments:  Sunny, low thirties, falling tide

23 species

 

Canada Goose  175

Mallard  2

American Black Duck  2

Common Eider  88

Surf Scoter  5

Long-tailed Duck  4

Bufflehead  18

Red-breasted Merganser  2

Common Loon  2

Great Cormorant  2

Herring Gull  18

Great Black-backed Gull  1

Mourning Dove  2

Blue Jay  1

American Crow  7

Common Raven  2

Black-capped Chickadee  1

White-throated Sparrow  5

Song Sparrow  1

Northern Cardinal  2

House Finch  1

American Goldfinch  4

House Sparrow  30

​

​

Peaks Island Bird List for January 3, 2018

Time: 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Distance: 3.0 miles

Comments:  Sunny, 'warm', in the 20's; high tide

17 species

 

Canada Goose  43   In bay by TEIA, very close to shore, at high tide

Common Eider  187

Surf Scoter  5

White-winged Scoter  6

Black Scoter  12

Long-tailed Duck  13

Bufflehead  37

Common Goldeneye  13

Hooded Merganser  1

Red-breasted Merganser  5

Common Loon  7

Northern Harrier  1

Black Guillemot  3

Herring Gull  2

Great Black-backed Gull  1

Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  33

Blue Jay  1

 

​

Peaks Island Bird List for January 2, 2018

Time: 2:30 PM

Comments:  Crossing on ferry to Peaks

1 species

 

Bald Eagle  1   Above Diamond Pass between Peaks and Little Diamond; being harassed by four crows

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​