Sunday, May 12, 2013

Spring Census Mystery Bird Makes Number 100

 I've been working on the Spring census for the town of Portland and having a blast! It's so much easier to look for birds in your own town because you know where everything is. If you want to add a Great Blue Heron to the list just visit the local rookery. Of course it doesn't matter if there are 150 herons there because you can only count 1. I also found one Great Egret at this sight which was pretty cool.
I visited some of the nature preserves but found more flowers than birds. What kind of flower is this? 
I can usually count on finding Peregrine Falcons around the bridge this time of the year. They like to spend time making friends with the pigeons before giving them the bad news. I didn't have any luck on this particular morning but it was a nice view of the river though. I don't know where the falcons are hiding but I still have until this weekend to find one.
You never know what you'll find this time of the year. I went looking for warblers and then just when I Least expected there was a sandpiper.

My most exciting moment so far came when I heard a bird singing a song at the power-lines. I was unable to get a good look at the bird because it was hidden back in some cedars. It kept repeating the same song but I had no idea what it was. I recorded the song and the members of Birdforum identified it for me. It's a White-eyed Vireo which aren't that uncommon along the shoreline but I've never seen one in Portland. Later I was able to go back with my spotting scope to get a decent look at it. Don't bother watching the video but if you listen closely you can hear the White-eyed Vireo singing which turned out to be the 100th recorded species for the Portland Spring Census this year. Update: final total was 117.

6 comments:

Kathie Brown said...

Larry, what fun to do that census! I would love to participate in something like that! Congrats on species 100!

P.S. Love the photo of the Portland Bridge!

Larry said...

Kathie-it sure is a lot easier than doing a Big January!

Chris said...

the 100th, not bad ;-) Lucky you or it to be the 100th ;-) Nice sandpiper picture and story Larry...

Larry said...

Chris-Thanks Chris-My final tally was 117 with a little help from a birding friend.

Unknown said...

How do you get access to the old rail-bridge there? Might try my luck at spotting those peregrines.

Larry said...

James-I can tell you but would rather post the directions by e-mail.Send me an e-mail by clicking on my-mail link at top right of page and I'll give you some direction.