MAINE 2010: Bold Coast

Our journey began yesterday afternoon, when we left Philadelphia. We broke up the long drive with a night in Portsmouth NH, then started early this morning to spend the day in Maine.

And what a glorious day it has been! Under piercing blue skies and a few white puffy clouds, accompanied by Common Ravens, we drove northeast through quiet mixed deciduous-evergreen forests which eventually gave way to alder thickets, wet meadows and a rocky shoreline.

Not far from the coast we made our first serious birding stop to look for Spruce Grouse. We were thrilled to immediately locate a family of one female (above) with at least 4 chicks in tow. They moved through the moss covered undergrowth then showed wonderfully out in the open as they fed on bunchbeeries. The bog also held Red-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Boreal Chickadee and Hermit Thrush.

We moved on to the quaint border town of Lubec, pronounced loo-bek, finding several new species, including Gray and Harbor Seals, and a majestic Bald Eagle that flew the few hundred yards back and forth between Canada and the U.S., trying to decide which fish tasted best!

The tide was high, and the mudflats south of Lubec were not as productive as we’d hoped, but the rocky shoreline vistas were spectacular, and the weather, in the mid to upper 70’s was wonderful. We did find many things floating out in the distant channels – rafts of Common Eider, a Red-throated Loon, Ruddy Ducks, Black Scoter along with many Surf Scoters. On the edge of the marsh, as many as 5 very drab-looking Nelson’s Sparrows (above) could be seen perched up high on Beach Plum shrubs, calling back-and-forth.

We arrived at Quoddy Head Lighthouse State Park, in time to take gorgeous photos of this picturesque lighthouse (above) in the late afternoon light. Here in the easternmost part of the United States, we looked out across the Manan Channel towards Grand Manan Island in search of whales, but without any luck.

However, the rocky outcroppings and Sail Rock (above) were teaming with life – Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Spotted Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plovers, and Black-legged Kittiwake were all delightful. Walking along the cliff edge we found Palm Warbler, American Redstart and a family of Golden-crowned Kinglets working hard to feed at least 3 youngsters.

Always racing against the clock, we headed back west through Cutler, towards our motel in Machias. This time the tide was out, and expansive mudflats showed around many coves. We pulled over several times, Short-billed Dowitcher and Greater Yellowlegs to our day list. It was fitting end to a fantastic day along the Bold Coast in Maine!