Day 19.168: Sandhill cranes and a blurry mystery

Today, Exile #2 and I had a day out. We set off arounr 8 am, spent the morning and first part of the afternoon in Norway (a town in Oxford County) and then took a detour to Belgrade (a town in Kennebec County) before returning home at around 6 pm. 

The reason for our detour was to see if we could succeed where I had failed a few weeks ago and see Sandhill cranes. We arrived at the boat launch to find that other birders had caught some fleeting glimpses recently from there, but after a while without luck, (we did see other birds including the blurry mystery below) we gave up and decided to leave. We allowed ourselves a quick stop at another vantage point nearby but there was no sign from there either. Exile #2 spotted something and we both took a closer look despite thinking it was not likely to be anything interesting, and then, as we were looking through binoculars and camera, two large birds flew into our field of  view. 

Success!

Here is the blurry mystery. A distant water bird that looks vaguely like a northern pintail, but that seems unlikely so it remains a mystery for anyone who is interested to attempt to solve.

Day 19.167: Hawk watch

The broad-winged hawks have hung around again this spring. They didn’t nest in the same spot they used the last two years but they have been staying nearby - presumably nesting in a different tree in the same patch of trees behind our house. 

Mostly we’ve been hearing them calling but we’ve had a few sightings. Today I took the opportunity to get a few photo looking almost straight up from the deck. 

Day 19.166: Birds at Great Pond and in the woods

Here are some of the birds we saw on Father’s Day (before and after our time on the beach) at Great Pond and in the woods nearby. 

Black-crowned night heron

House finch

Northern yellow warbler (skulking)

Black-crowned night heron 

Snowy egret

Glossy ibis

Glossy ibis, mallard, black-crowned night heron

Day 19.165: Other sights at the beach

Still recapping our visit to South Point beach on Sunday. Here are some more sights:

After more than a decade here, I shouldn’t be surprised to see sparrows and crows and the like on the beach but somehow I still am. Sunday’s example were these house sparrows

We watch the piping plover successfully sending them away and one of the chicks even joined in

Semi-palmated plover

There were lots of terns hunting just off the beach

As usual, I couldn’t resist getting some photos of their dives

Eyes fixed on its prey even at this moment

Success

Jellyfish washed up on the sand

Day 19.164: More beach babies

The eiders also had their babies at (or technically just off) the beach:

Day 19.163: Beach babies

Exile #2 and I were not the only parents with our babies at the beach yesterday evening. Here - for example - are the piping plovers:

 

Day 19.162: Exile #2's Sunday Column #556

Exile #2 writes...

This has historically always been one of the busiest weekends of the year. Exile #3’s dance school usually has their dance show this weekend, often involving Exile #3. For probably a decade, however, it has also involved Exile #1, who films, edits, and reproduces videos of the show. Exile #3’s birthday is usually on or around dance show day, too, and to cap it all off, Father’s Day usually rounds off the weekend.

This year was not too different. Exile #1 filmed the show. Exile #3 went to watch and cheer on the dancers, we celebrated Exile #3 on Saturday evening, and today we celebrated Exile #1, mostly by letting him have a very rare lie in, and the opportunity to choose an evening outing. He chose Biddeford Pool and, although we had had a rainy, thundery afternoon, this evening was absolutely perfect.