Road Trip Reports

BACK EAST
(New England)
By Garey Harritt

Linda, Nealand and I traveled recently to the New Hampshire and Maine area to see some of the specialties there.  Since Linda is from Massachusetts, she and I went on ahead of Nealand on May 26th to visit relatives in Carver, MA.  The best birds seen in Carver were Gray Catbird and Great Crested Flycatcher. 

On May 29th we drove our rental car back to Manchester, NH, to meet Nealand at the airport and to hook up with guide Mark Suomala.  We left the airport in the late afternoon and headed for the coast.  Being a holiday, you can guess what the beach was like.  (Never travel on a holiday or near a holiday anywhere.)  Stuck in traffic for awhile, we finally got to the coast and some rocks to search for Purple Sandpiper, reported 4 days earlier.  No luck.  Looked for Roseate Tern, but had no luck.  Saw Great Cormorant and Greater Black-backed Gull as lifers for Nealand.  Also saw Common Eider, Double Crested Cormorant, Red-Necked Grebe and Red Breasted Merganser.   

We then traveled to Stratham and Chapman's Landing on the Squamscot River.  Donning goulashes, with Linda and Mark in rubber boots, we trudged out on the saltgrass to the river.  It didn't take long to get a Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow up, but it flew across the river along with another.  One flew back to our side and landed in the grass not too far from us.  After a little pishing it popped up and stood there trying to figure us out.  Fantastic, killer looks at it.  Back to the car and head for Concord, NH, after stopping at a nice seafood restaurant. 

Up early for breakfast and the drive to the Mt. Cannon ski area, located at Franconia Notch on I-93.  Stopped to look for birds at a roadside rest and saw a male American Redstart.  Arriving at the tram we went up to the top of the mountain to look for Bicknell's Thrush.  We heard an angry Winter Wren and then saw a lifer Blackpoll Warbler for Linda and Garey.  Stopped at several places for the thrush and then at the 3rd stop we had an answer. 

The bird was very cautious and then it almost hit us as it buzzed by.  It was in a killing mood.  I saw it later as it walked behind a tree.  Tried again to get it out and Nealand spotted it and Linda and Mark were on it.  I saw it as it flew away.  Lifer.  Time to drive to Machias, Maine.  It is almost 300 miles on two-lane highways through villages and towns.  Six hours later we were in Machias -- Down East as they say in Maine. 

We checked into the motel appropriately  named The Bluebird Motel.  We checked the area around the motel and then went looking for a Woodcock area. Found one and searched and listened but no luck.  Lots of nice other birds.  Went to eat and to bed. 

May 31.   Up early to eat and then drop Linda at the motel as she doesn't do boats.  We were headed for Machias Seal Island 10 miles off the coast of Cutler, ME but actually occupied by Canadians.  (A little dispute there.) 

Only a limited number of people are allowed on the island in a day.  On the way out I spotted a Northern Gannet swinging across the stern at a distance along with some gulls.  Right after that Mark saw 4 more off the starboard.  Since tides run 17 to 21 feet in the area, we had to take a skiff to the ramp.  Two trips to unload and everyone has to move in one group on the island.   

There were thousands of Puffins, Razorbills and Artic Terns flying everywhere. They were on the water, in the rocks and on the blinds.  Blinds were assigned and the 3 of us went out to our blind.  Almost within arm's length the Puffins moved on the rocks or posed and the Razorbills did their courtship preening.  Further out was a group of Common Murres.   

After lots of picture taking we went back to the picnic assembly area and then took pictures of close-by Artic Terns.  Mark found a Black Guillemot on a rock near the water in his scope.  He digiscoped it for me.  Mark also found a Common Tern and we saw a Black Tern flying overhead.  Five lifers for me and three for Nealand.  The Captain took us by a small rock island where Gray and Harbor Seals were loafing. 

Arriving back in Machias shortly after 1 PM, we picked up Linda and went to lunch, then out to a place to look for Spruce Grouse.  On the way out we saw Black Ducks and DC Comorants.  Linda spotted a hawk on the telephone wires and Nealand got Mark turned around.  Sitting there and letting us get good looks was a Broad-winged Hawk.  Lifer for Linda.  First time I had seen a perched one.  No luck on the grouse and then we went to eat and to bed. 

Next morning after breakfast we went to the RR tracks where we went for the Woodcock and hiked it a ways until we heard Alder Flycatcher.  Mark scoped one singing and Linda and I had another lifer.  On the road again (thank you Willie Nelson), we stopped to look for the Spruce Grouse at a Nature Conservancy holding, where we found a Blackburnian Warbler and a Magnolia was heard along with heard only Black throated Green and Golden Crowned Kinglet.

On to Popham Beach.  On the way we saw some Glossy Ibises--a lifer for Linda.  We searched the rock islands for Roseate Tern, but only gulls were found.  A weather front was moving in.  On the road it started to rain.  We finally found a restaurant and then drove back to Concord.  On the way we stopped at a field and Nealand and Linda got the lifer Woodcock doing its courtship flight.  Linda and I had to be a t the airport by 8:30 AM and Nealand had some time until his flight, so he and Mark went to the coast where Nealand got distant looks at the Roseate Tern, another lifer  Also seen were Laughing Gulls. 

We traveled more than 500 miles by car in a total of 4 days of birding over a 5-day period.  We had 85 trip birds.  Each of us had 9 lifers but not all the same birds.  It was a great trip and since Linda has to see relatives once in awhile, we will be traveling New England again.  Maybe even Down East. 

This concludes the four points of the compass trips by either Nealand, Max, Linda and myself, but not all together.  The four of us Out West, (Arizona) Max and Nealand to the Far North, (North Dakota) Nealand, Linda and I, Due South (Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley) and the three of us Back East (or Down East if you like).