Day 17.129: Birds at Agamenticus

After Exile #2 and I had a quick trip into Portland to help decorate the church for Pentecost, we returned to collect Exile #4 for a hike at Mount Agamenticus. We had a great walk and mostly stayed dry. Here is the bird report.

This eastern bluebird was one of the few we saw on our way to the summit

We saw several eastern phoebes

At the summit, there were tree swallows circling - and this one nesting

I feel seen

As is often the case, we heard this prairie warbler before we saw it - with the remains of its last meal still stuck to its beak

...even when it was singing

Here's a different one that posed very nicely for me.

While we were discussing the prairie warbler, this female eastern towhee came and perched nearby 

and gave a few distinctive calls

We found the male hiding nearby mostly because of his responding calls.

The most commonly seen birds at the summit were probably the chipping sparrows

Black and white warbler

Indigo bunting

Turkey vulture

Our biggest effort was to see this Blackburnian warbler which was very high in the trees near the parking lot (we heard several). It took a while to get a get an open view. I was slightly disappointed to discover it's named for someone called Blackburne not for the town in England.

Also seen: American robins, American crows, a common raven, a hawk (probably broad-winged) carrying a small animal and some gulls.

Clearly heard: red-eyed vireo, pine warbler, ovenbird, black-throated green warbler.

Picked up by Merlin but not confirmed by sighting or independently identified by sound: blue-headed vireo, northern waterthrush,