Merlin visits our backyard (May 2008) (formerly misidentified)

 

I learned about another bird in our neck of the woods. I photographed, and mis-identified this bird back in 2008. I thought it was an immature Cooper's Hawk, but I learned today that it is a Merlin! Merlins are small raptors in the falcon family of birds. One identifying feature is long pointed wings when they fly. 

Here is a close-up view. There are so many physical characteristics to note when trying to identify birds, and since I am incredibly bad at I.D., I am glad to have birding acquaintances that teach me. One of my birding experts said this about the Merlin, "Note the dark eyes and slight 'mustache' - this is a Merlin!" (The mustache is below his eye.) 

Also, if you look at his beak, he must have just finished lunch when I snapped this photo! There is a bit of blood on it. These birds are very fast fliers who snatch birds and insects from the air. They are found in wide-open spaces and open woods. Our back woods had recently been logged when I saw this bird, so it is a perfect habitat for this species.

Sharp-shinned Hawk visits the bird feeding area

I have never seen a Sharp-shinned hawk before. But, today I got lucky. As I glanced out the kitchen window this morning, an adult was sitting quietly on a branch of the maple tree that holds the bird feeder. I have so much trouble identifying birds as different species often have similar characteristics. Here is what a more experience bird watcher said about this bird,

"Adult Sharp-shinned Hawk on this one. Although the first pic makes it look like it has a darker cap, this bird shows a small head, large eyes, tiny bill, and tail feathers all the same length—perfect for a Sharpie."

He flew to another branch and I was able to photograph his chest, so you can see all the pretty feathering. But, I learned that the birds of the Genus Accipiter are short-winged, long tailed birds that look so much alike that they are difficult to distinguish from one another. When perched, look at the "color and pattern of the head, nape (neck), and underparts and leg thickness." In flight, observe "shape, wingbeats, and overall color and pattern of underparts." For Sharp-shinned Hawks versus Cooper's Hawks (which I originally though this one was), the tail is different. The Sharp-shinned Hawks have shorter, square tails while the Cooper's Hawks have longer rounded tails. Cooper's Hawks also have bigger heads with longer beaks. Sooo much to learn! And, that is what makes birds so fun to see!

For quotes: Sibley, David A. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, 2000.

Sunset on Caesar Pond

Gotta love Caesar Pond sunsets, especially in wintertime. 

The clouds and reflections are stunning...

New Year Resolutions/Adventures

Okay, it is a new year. And, there are a few resolutions and tons of adventures to consider. Here are a few old ones that I never got around to last year, as well as a few new ones:

1. Try new photographic techniques: 
a) Use a neutral density filter when taking moving water and cloud photos (longer exposures like a minute long.)
b) Learn and practice stacking photos.
c) Use the Apeman Underwater camera at the beach.
d) Go to Popham Beach and photograph the tide pools, seaweeds on the rocks at Fox Island, Piping Plovers (bring long lens)
e) Get together with Greyhound friends more often and do lots of photography.
f) Play around with the lensball with photos.

2. Plant Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), male and female plants, for berries for birds during the winter months. The Maine Cooperative Extension link has more information. Planting guide for Winterberry. Buy from Gammon's Garden Center in Auburn, ME  (207) 783-6986. (1 mile past Lake Auburn toward Turner.)

2. Visit Saco Heath Preserve (Nature Conservancy) to do some photography and butterfly watching during late May to early June when the heathland plants bloom AND when the Hessel's Hairstreak Butterfly is feeding off the heath flowers.

3. Photograph Piping Plover chicks on Popham Beach (by July 4th many of the chicks have hatched and they are flightless for 25-30 days). So, go to Popham Beach any time during the month of July to photograph the chicks.

4. Messalonskee Lake for Sandhill Cranes and Black Terns. The Messalonskee Lake boat ramp is one of the most popular birding hot spots in the county, because it is so easy. All birding can be done from the ramp. It's often an easy place to see the black terns that arrive in mid to late May. The boat channel runs through excellent marsh habitat before entering the lake. Dabbling ducks and pied-billed grebes are likely. Virginia rails may call at any time of day. Warbling vireos and Baltimore orioles are common among the trees along the shoreline. Northern harriers are regularly seen above the marsh. Directions: The boat launch is obvious on Route 27, 3.5 miles north of the split with Route 23.  

5. Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center - Rent a canoe for an hour or two to photograph the marsh along the Dunstan River. Opens 9:30am. Glossy Ibis migrates in during April.

6. Seguin Island with Ethan DeBery. Gulls nest on the island and young gulls can be seen in nests in early to mid-July.

7. Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Trails AS WELL AS Potts Point Reserve AND Stover's Point Preserve - South Harpswell - Short walk.

8. Maquoit Bay Conservation Land - Brunswick Land trust - over a 1 mile trail.

9. Vaughan Woods, and Historic Homestead - Kennebec Land Trust, Hallowell - Short walk.

10. Woodbury Sanctuary - Stanton Bird Club -Litchfield/Monmouth. 3 miles of trails. AND Purinton Homestead Conservation Area - West Road, Bowdoin. Part of the Androscoggin Land Trust. 1 mile of walking trails

11. Ovens Mouth Preserve - Edgecomb - Boothbay Region Land Trust - 4 mile walk

12. Orono Bog Boardwalk - One mile boardwalk loop trail through part of the 600 acre bog that is part of the Caribou Bog Complex.

13. River Run Tours around Bath, Arrowsic, Georgetown (through July 28th)

14. Maine Maritime Museum Lighthouse and Nature Cruises (through Oct. 29th.)  YAY! My buddy, Shannon, has gifted me a 4 hour lighthouse boat tour for 2021!

15. Whale Watching - 
a) Odyssey Whale Watching Tour - Portland.  
b) Quoddy Link Marine - Whale Watch out of St. Andrews New Brunswick. - Humpback Whales and Finback Whales in August. Ha! This means that we would have to stay in Campobello for a few nights...Awesome!

16. Monhegan Island - Monhegan Boat Line out of Port Clyde AND Hardy Boat Cruises out of New Harbor. Go in May for the migration of Warblers and other birds.

17. Casco Bay Lines - Cruises and tours.

18. Machias Seal Island Puffin Tours - Bold Coast Charter - out of Cutler. Late July to early August is when seas might be calmer.

19. Maine Mineral & Gem Museum - Bethel, Maine

20. Mt. Washington Cog Railway (New Hampshire)

Happy New Year!

Drew constructed a new bridge!

With my knee instability and Toby's blindness, Drew decided to construct a new bridge over the creek. Here, Drew is inspecting the old bridge that he put in place 15 years ago. The goal is to move that bridge to another location and replace it with a bridge that is 6" wider. In the foreground, you can see that Drew carried the boards from home using a firewood hauler.

Drew decided to construct the new bridge at the creek because it was to be made from super heavy, recycled, pressure treated wood from Ernie's old dock and our old front deck. Drew had to make several trips from home to the creek to haul all the materials there. By the way, the air was a frigid 15F feel-like temperature!

After watching big bridge construction over the years, Drew remembered that the old bridge would be moved off to the side and the new bridge would be installed in its place. So, that is what Drew did. He moved the old bridge to the left (and tested its capability of keeping stable,) hauled the new bridge up and slid it as far as he could across the gap. The end of the new bridge ended up in the water. But, Drew just walked across the old bridge, to get to the far side of the creek, and pulled the new bridge up into place. You can see him hauling the old bridge to its new location. Super genius!

And, voila! Both bridges are now in place and ready to use. Drew pounded a couple of rebar rods into the ground, and fashioned some wood stakes as well, to hold the bridges in place in high, rushing water. Now, we can keep our feet dry and neither Toby nor I will fall into the creek!

Longish walk in the woods

Whoooeee! I took the longest time yet to traverse the woods! We took 112 minutes (almost 2 hours) to walk 1.37ish miles. Poor Drew and Toby... I am such a slow poke.

But we had uneven trails to walk, mud to slog through, ice to navigate, a creek to cross, brush to remove from the trails, photos to take and Toby with his blind dog stand-up strikes because he didn't want to go where we wanted to go! 

Here is the old county road where water has iced over a bit in the tracks of the ATVs that traverse it.

I took a photo of the edge of the track where you can see the frost crystals that have formed.

Drew's bridge is still standing after all the rushing water from the rain, wind, and snow melt.  

You can see the rushing water under the bridge. It took me a few tries to cross it as I got a bit of vertigo from the motion of the water. But, I figured if Toby could do it, so could I! It is a bit skinny for the unsteady of foot, and for a blind dog. Toby fell off it several years ago, but was successful at crossing it today as he took it very slowly. Drew is so great at guiding him. 

Further up the trail, I found more crystals and ice to photograph. There were lots of wet areas and lots of drainage from all the melting. I love this photo as you can see layers of ice and crystallization patterns. And, the sun was hitting it in such a pretty way.

I also love this frosty ice on a tiny puddle. So pretty...

Happy Winter Solstice!

 

Snow Day # 1

The table shows the last 8" of snow in the afternoon as the snowfall was just about done.

 We got 15 inches of light, fluffy snow today! It was easy to shovel and was so pretty.

Here is a photo of the bird feeding area after the first 7" of snow had come down. There was double that amount at the end of the storm.

I love mourning doves, and this one spent a lot of time near the feeder station

Drew took the screen out of the guest room window so that I can have an unobstructed view of the outdoors for photo purposes. All I have to do is bundle up and open the window to the snowy world!

I took this photo through the kitchen window in the morning.

There were a lot of bluejays at the feeder today. This bluejay was patiently waiting his turn.

Once I went into the guest room, I could get closer to the birds.

It was nice to finally be able to photograph them without a dirty window between me and the birds, and they didn't get spooked.

First measurable snow of the season

 We got 7" of snow from this awful storm. First it rained, followed by snow, followed by rain, followed by snow. By the time we got around to shoveling it, it was hardened like a brick. This was by far the heaviest snow we have ever tried to move around.