A Few Of My Favorite Things

A very wet Barred Owl at Acadia National Park

The thing about birding Maine is that there is too much to see in one visit.  Our goal this time around was to explore unknown birding spaces together so that it would be a new experience. On our final trek out, we explored the 2 islands of Acadia National Park.  It was a beautiful trek in rainy weather.  

Along the way, we'd stop to see a lighthouse or check out a Pileated Woodpecker. 

Pileated Woodpecker

At one point, Kathie swore she hit a Barred Owl on the road.  We stopped so that she could pull herself together. Then we went back to the spot to see if she had actually hit the owl.  I saw some live mice on the road and knew why the owl was in the area. In a beautiful and happy moment, I saw the owl fly onto a fallen tree. The bird was okay.  Phew! 

It was something out of a story book.  An owl in a dark forest with rain falling down around us.  You can't make that stuff up.  Acadia was a beautiful visit on my last day in Maine. I wanted to share a few of my favorite things from my visit with Kathie and Gus this past May and June. Here are some cell phone shots that have not made it onto the blog yet. 

Like our Lek trek in New Mexico, Machias Seal Island was a huge birding highlight for me this year.  We watched the birds up close from our hide. 

I couldn't believe how quickly the hour had passed.  We watched Razorbills interact with each other and it was fascinating.  They are very social birds. 

Razorbills begin to "couple" up and some even copulate!  This is a cell phone pic!

 We had a fun trek out to the island and I highly recommend this trip for birders or people who are interested in nature. 

I'll miss my Coda bear.  And Bonnie!  They were so cute.  Every morning I'd wake up to both of them competing for love. 

Gus and I would have a Coda war.  I held a secret bag of doggy treats in my room for her to come visit. For a time, Gus would wonder why she was always waiting for me to get up.  I told him that Coda loved me more:)  LOL!  Coda is unlike any dog I have known.  She reminds me of my own dog Stacy many years ago.  One day I took her in the car and absolutely loved it. I'm a cat person but I don't mind dogs.  I'm just saying that this Coda character is a pretty special friend. She remembered me from the first time I met her as a puppy.  And it's always hard to say good-bye to that furry bundle of love. 

Another fun and absolutely lovely birding outing happened at an alewife nursery.  Alewife in Wisconsin are considered invasive. They are really saltwater fish that got into our Great Lakes.  They breed well but cannot handle the extreme weather changes of the Great Lakes and will often die off in masses creating a stench along the lakeshore.  American White Pelicans came back and now clean up our shorelines naturally instead of the town having a bulldozer come to the beaches and plow piles of alewife off the shore. Anyhow, in Maine, they apparently breed these fish for people to use as bait.  It was a gorgeous spot full of incredible warblers.  It was here that I discovered my lifer Canada Warbler. 

There comes a point when birding needs to take a break.  I used to go go go. Over the years, I have mellowed.  There are days we power bird and then there are days I refuse to pick up my camera or binos.  I'll do light birding, but it's not the focus.  One day I asked Kathie if we could just go shopping at LL Bean in Freeport.  I am a HUGE fan of this store and discovered, thanks to Magill, that there was an outlet near the main buildings.  I spent way too much money, but I love all my new clothes and shoes.  That was SUCH a fun day! I hate malls. I hate shopping.  But it was fun shopping with Kathie. And Freeport is awesome.  I should also mention that Kathie is the only person I will speak to for a lengthy amount of time on the phone. I hate talking on the phone.  I also hated the idea of getting married because I hate weddings. But somehow Kathie makes all of those things I dread, better. That's just one of the things I love about her. She also got me into tea again.

Breakfast in Bar Harbor

 I discovered this top(above) for her at the outlet and absolutely love how it looks on her.  Now if she can keep from staining it with coffee or tea:)  LOL!  I should also admit that I am guilty of doing the same thing.  When we get together, I tend to eat way more than I do at home.  I have a healthy appetite and love trying new things.  Unless there's a taco salad on the menu.  But I will say that I am proud of myself for limiting the amount of taco salads on our restaurant ventures. I'm not a dessert person, but I am a sucker for blueberries. I did splurge and have fresh blueberry pie from Moody's Diner.  One day we stopped along the ocean at sunset for a nice warm cup of chowder. Maine is a real place full of colorful and unique characters.  There is no one cookie cutter type of person.  They are so weird and fun.  I think that's what I love about Maine so much.  The people are down to Earth and they are their own person.  In so many ways Wisconsin and Maine are similar but I think it's THIS detail about people that makes Maine different.  They could give a shit about what the Jones are doing next door. Northern Maine is awesome. From what I understand, the further south you go in Maine, the more you lose that colorful coastal personality. 

So along the way, we discovered the Kraut Haus near Waldoboro and Oh Mah Gawd.....Kathie ate her first real delicious sauerkraut at this fine German establishment.  We have them in many places around Wisconsin, but in Maine, it is a rarity.  One day, we had the most amazing lunch at this place. 

I love this feeder at Kathie's place.  A Tufted Titmouse and American Goldfinch share in a brief lunch

Maine, for me, is all about the people, scenery, ocean, food and friends.  The birds are great too but you can see most of them in Kathie's backyard. For the first time in my life, I recognized that I love Maine for Maine and not the birds. The birds were fun, but it was really just about getting out and meeting people.  I was in "vacation" mode and had planned several power birding days out.  But it was more fun enjoying the cool weather with the windows open and listening to the birds call bright and early.  I loved cuddling with Coda and having coffee with Kathie, Gus and Chris.  I enjoyed getting my hair cut by her talented daughter Renee. Birds were always around us, but it wasn't the "Maine" thing:)

A Blue Jay sits out by the feeders waiting to get a sip of water

By the end of my stay, I was sad to say good-bye.  The whole trip flew by so quickly. I watched the Browns work together at home and help each other out.  It was my turn to do the same for my family in Wisconsin.  With my Dad recovering from his triple bypass surgery, I was anxious to analyze the whole situation myself instead of hearing progress reports from people. Those birding and family reports are coming up. I want to thank Kathie, Gus, Renee and Chris for such a fun time.  You guys are the best. Next time Kathie, we'll go visit the Golden Girls down in Connecticut:) The Wisconsin adventures are next.  Until next time....

The Cyclone Bomb

An Eastern Gray Squirrel takes a sip from a warm bird bath to stay warm

At first, it was a snowflake. Then two. And three. Followed by a billion. The forecasted cyclone bomb finally hit. 

Every time Gus heard the words "Cyclone Bomb", he would moan. Why does everything have to be sensationalized?  It was just a good ol' blizzard!

Kathie searches for that elusive Barred Owl on a branch.....somewhere

It was a beautiful disaster.  I watched in fascination as the world came to a screeching halt. The silence of a blizzard is rather spiritual. 

A Blue Jay is one of many birds that use the heated bird bath for a sip

The steam rose from the heated bird bath and kept the wildlife from freezing. We sat with tea watching this historical event unravel before our eyes. 

Coda watches the birds in her first blizzard

I looked down and found Coda watching the winter wonderland outside.  That's when I knew I had fallen in love with her.  It's amazing how quickly I had become attached to this pooch. As she looked out the sliding door, I knew I would miss my little Coda burger.  But there was a bigger question brewing in the back of my mind. Would I ever get home? I was only a couple days away from flying out of the state.

Dark-eyed Junco

Thousands of passengers were stranded along the East Coast in airports as all of their flights were cancelled.  Could Maine get their roads cleaned up in time for my flight back home?  I wish I hadn't worried about such silly things, but I needed to get back in time for work.  So I just threw those thoughts away and enjoyed the views. 

The night before the storm, Mainers hit the grocery stores pretty heavily.  They purchased all of the bread, tomatoes and milk from the shelves.  What a weird combination!  We, on the other hand, purchased lobster meat and other seafood things. 

Gus prepares lobster rolls

A very excellent man by the name of Gus made us lobster rolls.  So we had wine and lobster rolls.  Ok.  What I'm about to admit is embarrassing. 

The magic that is a lobster roll

Gus remembered that I had eaten three of these Maine delights the last time I came to visit. No way!  He was right!  It took three of these lobstah rolls once AGAIN to fill me up.  I was such a pig!  I do not eat fish or seafood in most places, but in Maine, it all tastes SO good!  And like with my visits in Wisconsin, I left Maine 10 pounds heavier.  My doctor had a nice conversation with me.  Now why in the world would I schedule a doctor's visit right after the holidays?   

A Wild Turkey is like a dinosaur

The Wild Turkeys were wild.  They often chased the smaller birds away. It was Coda's job to keep the feeders open for all birds as she chased the turkeys back into the woods.  

Kathie purchased beef suet for the woodpeckers.  This is a really cheap option that you can purchase in the meat department for a couple bucks.  I know it looks gross but it helps the woodpeckers(and other birds) stay warm in these cold temps.  We had 3 species of woodpeckers visit this station, the Hairy, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers were regulars.  

A male Downy Woodpecker feeds from the frozen beef suet to keep warm

That night I put on my pajamas.  I snuggled with Coda until she had to go to bed. Kathie assured me the roads would be clear the next day. How on earth was that possible?  I lost consciousness that night and woke up to plowed roads!  My gods, she was right!

A juvenile Bald Eagle swoops low to catch a gull

That next bipolar day, the sun blared down upon us as if there had never been a blizzard.  We went to my first landfill in Bath to count gulls.  It was amazing. 

There were thousands of gulls flying all around us.  As many as 10 Bald Eagles flew around the trash to grab a gull for dinner.  I was in awe.  I could've sat there for hours. However, the smell from the trash after awhile made me a little nauseous. In fact, if I lived there, I'd bring the lady at the visitor's drive thru window some lunch.  There she peered down upon us from that trailer window with a smile probably thinking to herself, These people must be crazy.  We visited this epic landfill twice.  There was trash EVERYWHERE! And birds!

But no Glaucous Gulls. I documented every quadrant with gulls in flight and on trash.  I spent several hours scanning photos at home searching and searching for the gull but no luck. Kathie will have to come visit me in Wisconsin during the winter to get her lifer gull. 

Bald Eagles are epic. Two years ago, I had a hard time getting a decent shot of one.  However, 2017 and the start of 2018 have been good to me in the Eagle department. 

As we left the landfill, a snowflake fell.  Then two. And three. Followed by a billion.  I thought it wasn't supposed to snow again.  Then it did. This is the way of Maine. 

During our final days, we'd freeze again as the temps went below zero.  The gray skies were weighing on me heavily and I began to miss Arizona. I love Maine but I could never live there. The magical thing about home is that it feels good to leave, but it feels even better to come back. 

We had such a great time birding in the challenging conditions. It was even better spending time with Kathie, Gus and their kids. 

the beautiful drake Common Eider

The ocean birding was pretty epic.  

We'd stop in wooded areas looking for berries and marvel at flocks of Eastern Bluebirds and American Robins feeding from the bushes. 

An Eastern Bluebird grabs a berry or two to survive the temps

Our last lifer for the trip was a Black-legged Kittiwake.  It's almost embarrassing to admit that it has taken me this long to find one!  We stood along the frigid rocks of the Acadia National Park Peninsula and watched a smaller looking "gull" fly with several Ring-billed Gulls. 

Black-legged Kittiwake

As the sun set, we were still able to get nice views of the bird in flight.  I couldn't feel my fingers. I thought I was pushing my shutter button but nothing was happening.  So I took off my gloves and forced my finger down on the button again.  The camera made painful, almost drawn out, clicks letting me know that the cold was getting to her. It was -12 and the wind was acting quite angry. 

Another snowflake fell. Then two. And three. Followed by a billion.  

This poor man was frozen solid. There was no saving him from the brutal freezing temps.

Thankfully, my flight left on time but I watched as those travelers stranded on Thursday night(night of the Cyclone Bomb) were still trying to re-book their flights home.  The trip seemed to all happen in a blink of an eye.  I guess that's what happens when you bird with a dear friend.  There are still several more adventures in store for Maine.  So Kathie, get ready to grow a pair of sea legs for several islands as we will explore alcids breeding on their home turf:) It's time to get back to sunny Arizona birding. Until next time.......

Our Frozen Smiles

Kathie freezes near the Hardy Boat dock

The historic sub-zero arctic temps continued to challenge humans and wildlife alike.  Each day we layered ourselves with 4 or 5 outfits.  Some days, we'd drive in -11 to -17 temps. 

We spot a VERY cold Red Fox in South Bristol. 

Our focus continued on the tips of several peninsulas in Maine.  We needed the open ocean water where the waves would crash.  It was the habitat for several important life birds, the Great Cormorant and Purple Sandpiper. We brought the scope and scanned the endless "smoking" ocean. But before we did all of this fun ocean birding, we had to begin our daily routine.  

Blue Jays mob the feeders in great numbers

Kathie filled her feeders and did backyard bird counts.  Because it was so cold, every creature with feathers and fur fed from her feeders.  These backyard birds were otherwise scarce in most places we visited.  By feeding the birds in these historic freezing temps, we gave them a fighting chance to survive.  And yes, there were birds that froze to death.  Most of the birds here are hardy, but I discovered that Mourning Doves do not do well in these temps. 

The Slate colored Dark-eyed Juncos enjoy the cold snap as only juncos can

After we had a little breakfast, fed the birds and put on thousands of layers of clothes, I kissed my buddy Coda good-bye.  This pooch stole my heart. 

My Coda....I mean their Coda.  This dog was my new best buddy

It was out into the wild world away from the safety of the warm house and bird feeders to find ocean birds. Kathie was excited about an area known as Pemaquid Point. Looking back at our adventures, it continues to be one of my favorite places to look for birds. 

Pemaquid Point was an important spot to visit as it has historically had Purple Sandpipers 

We had birded here back in the summer of 2014 so I was somewhat familiar with the area.  In the gray hazy skies, we unloaded our gear and moved to the ocean's edge. I looked down and observed movement along the rocks. Before the trip, I studied the Purple Sandpiper well. For me, understanding the Purple Sandpiper would be like understanding the Rock Sandpiper of the West Coast.  Their habitat is similar. 

Purple Sandpipers reminded me of a cross between American Dippers and Spotted Sandpipers as they bobbed and weaved in and out of the ocean waves

So I watched from the distance and carefully planned my descent to the edge of the ocean.  It was a bit scary but I needed better pics of these birds. I had Kathie spot me from above.  Snow covered ice patches between slippery rocks.  At one point, the snow stopped and the ocean began.  The water was deep and the current was strong so I stayed a safer distance from these birds.  But I was able to see their orange bills and legs well.  

Pemaquid Point is a bit magical.  It's a lovely snapshot of coastal Maine.  

Kathie took me to a local store where they sold Whoopy Pies.  I hung out in the back of the store and listened to the Mainer's accents and it made me smile.  I bought a Blueberry Muffin and Kathie had the Whoopy Pie.  However, we did not purchase any cigarettes for the road:)

Kathie loves creating checklists so we were constantly adding data.  I did not like listing outside and freezing my fingers off. 

So we'd stop for coffee and do our lists inside of a nice warm cafe. 

For days, we continued our ocean adventures counting gulls, guillemots, eagles, ducks, scoters and grebes. We always kept our eyes open for an alcid close to shore.  

A Black Guillemot in winter plumage

I'd scan the shorelines and look for blips on the ocean's horizon. If I saw rafts of ducks, etc, we'd get the scope and count birds. 

Depending on the tide, birds were either close or far.  If the tide was high, we wouldn't move on. Sorry Blondie. We'd stay because the birds were close.  If the tide was far out, we'd have a difficult time spotting birds. So we planned everything around high tide. 

The frost tinged winds challenged many birders.  At one area, I tried getting close to the Harlequin Ducks but it was too dangerous. If we stood on the point, we froze.  If we scoped below off the point, we were warmer but then, we weren't able to see everything on the ocean.  It was a Catch 22. 

Another birder joins us with his dog as he searches for his last US duck of the year, the Harlequin Duck

Sometimes we'd see a large blip in the distance.  It was either a seal or a large cormorant sitting awkwardly on a rock.  I thought I'd have difficulty ID'ing this bird but when I saw how massive this cormorant was, it was a no brainer! Another lifer achieved!

The Great Cormorant is a winter visitor to the coastal waters of Maine.  It's a large bodied cormorant that flies with rapid shallow wing flaps.  When it sits on a rock, it looks like a seal folded over.  

We thought it would get better but little did we know, the worst was yet to come, the Bomb Cyclone.  To top it off, there was a supermoon which would wreck havoc on the coastal towns with the higher than normal tides.  After a week of beautiful birding in horrible conditions, we'd discover just how challenging the birding would get.  

Example of clothing layering.  Under that gray coat, there is a vest, sweater and shirt. The sweater provided a hood that would cover my hat and head from the severe winds.  The scarf would cover my large nose and face. 

My final write explores the last treks of our days in Maine.  Stay tuned for more!