Funky Tweeters: (See yah) Later sea ducks, hello songbirds!
Naturally Distracted with Kirk Gentalen
So this time of year, things are starting to warm up (compared to February pretty much anything is warm) as daylight hours lengthen (per day).
Avianly speaking, we’re saying our last goodbyes to the winter hardcores – the birds that overwintered in the frigid waters along coastal Maine. Seaducks (such as Long-tailed Ducks), and Seabirds (like Black Guillemot and Common Loon (seasonal seabird)) – have fished all winter, molted into breeding plumage and are heading to mating grounds far and somewhat near. See yah later, thanks for adding life to winter!
Even with this avian exodus, there is no time to get down in the dumps. Migration goes both ways – things leave and things arrive – and there is nothing quite like ‘spring’/pre-breeding migration – and it’s going on right now! From Shorebirds to Songbirds, birds show up daily full of color, songs and/or displays that may rock your socks off.
A robust ‘Peent!’ after sunset announces the presence of an American Woodcock – the ultimate shorebird harbringer of spring! An early arrival to the mid-coast (early March), male Woodcocks perform an amazing ariel display at dusk – they make a ‘buzzing’ sound with their tails while circling and slowly rising hundreds of feet in the air (up to 300ft!) before zig zagging back down to earth. Many females are on eggs as I type, but males will continue displaying into June. Who can blame ‘em!
For many bird appreciators, spring songbird migration is as good as it gets. Lots of warblers are already here – Yellow, Black-throated Green, Black and white, Nashvilles, Magnolia, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Ovenbird, and Northern Parula (to name a few) – with many more to come!
