The Rockbound Coast of Maine

text and photos by Maeve - Bernie stayed in Jericho Center, stacked next winter's firewood, worked in the garden, and did a lot of "inverting" at Mobbs Farm - His wonderful photos can be viewed on iNaturalist.

I love the ocean, so my first extended birding trip since COVID was to a few of Maine's many islands and peninsulas. I explored birding hotspots on ebird and decided on the Harpswell area and then Deer Isle. Here are some photos; I may add more later.

The Harpswell Heritage Land Trust has done an extraordinary job of identifying plots of land that are part of the area’s history and are also important to wildlife of many kinds. The many refuges were a real treat! 

If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the Skofield Shores Preserve, with its dense woods and shoreline. I saw and heard twenty-eight species of birds there. The woods were FULL of warblers! 

end of the trail at Skolfield Preserve

The Curtis Farm Preserve features trails around an open area and into woods.

The Johnson Field Preserve represents a thoughtful desire of local residents to save this view of Mackerel Cove.

I did a lot of birding and ambling - but I also spent hours and hours just sitting and staring at waves and rocks and listening to the cries of gulls.

This handsome tom turkey appeared to be reading the information on old gravestones, but stopped to glare at me.

I also enjoyed a lot of seafood!

On the way from Harpswell to my next destination, I took a ferry ride to Isleboro. I love boat rides!

Harpswell and nearby Bailey's Island and Orr's Island are fairly crowded. I liked being there, but I much preferred Stonington on Deer Isle - right before the summer crowds arrived. Stonington is a working village: unpretentious and "real". I stayed at the Inn on the Harbor: several old buildings that still look old on the outside but hide beautifully-decorated and comfortable rooms.

A much longer ferry ride took me to Isle au Haut and close to Black Guillemots and two flying Razorbills.

The whole list of birding locations and birds seen can be found in my ebird Trip Report. 

Red, White, and Blue against a backdrop of Yellow at our bird feeders today

 

These two goldfinches are outsized nearly 2 to 1 by the bluebird.

   Against a white snowy background, our birdfeeders recently drew in red, white, and blue, not to mention black and white checkered patterns, as well as nearly a hundred splotches of yellow. 

Between the birdfeeders and the seed spread on the ground, we attracted nearly 100 goldfinches. We were able to count 82 but surely that was a big undercount. 

Chickadees, white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches had a heck of a time squeezing in for a quick seed grab-and-fly. 

This red-breasted woodpecker had no trouble shooing away the goldfinches (temporarily).

He gets top billing!

 

Male R.B. Woodpeckers have a bright red crown that starts at the forehead at the beak and goes down to the nape. 

There is room for everyone on the ground. 

Can you find each of the three bluebirds?

Don't forget me!

Psst. They are trying to circle around us.

Male and Female Bluebirds.

It's musical chairs and rotating colors

 at the tray feeders today. 

Mouser atop our bird feeder pole

 Barred Owl photos in our Jericho, VT backyard were taken from 7:19 AM to 10:58 AM, Jan 15, 2025. We think its name is either Fred or Fredericka. 

I hear a mouse, but I don't see one.

Distance from our kitchen window to the owl 7. 3 feet. 

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

                                            We look the same way before our morning coffee.

My, that other bird is so small.                                 

My, that other bird is so big!

Life is a balancing act.

Smug as a bug in a rug. 

Reflecting on last night's Rabbit Stew. So good.

Barred owls (Strix varia) are generalist predators. They feed primarily on mammals (rats, shrews, and voles to name a few), but will also consume other birds, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, and even fish and earthworms. In the Pacific Northwest flying squirrels make up a large portion of barred owl prey, while in urban North Carolina birds made up 50% of barred owl diets.            - Hawk Moutain

A few years back we viewed an owl eating a rabbit it had taken on our driveway. 

Picturesque

Smiley face - one Happy Owl

"Is that big fellow gone?" 

"I think so." 

I won't say goodbye; "Owl be back". 

In a year, an owl can eat over 1,000 rodents. 

If you poison mice, you poison owls too.