RESULTS of the Stanton Bird Club's Hermit Island field trip

Thirteen brave souls came out in the 5 below zero temperatures this morning. After discussing our sanity, and a few coffee runs, we started the day off at the New Meadows River along Old Bath Rd in Brunswick. We were hoping to catch the Barrows Goldeneye seen the week before, but the river was mostly frozen. We continued on to Hermit Island and went to the beach. Surprisingly, there was no wind, and temperatures "warmed" to the 20's. The beach was covered with shells, rocks and sea glass. Few birds were in the cove, but a scan w/ scopes turned up the majority of the birds listed below. We then walked along the camp road, where a black-capped chickadee in a sumac posed for camera shots. We heard a raven call in the distance, and enjoyed seeing the various animal tracks in the snow. Our final destination was the Bath boat launch, where we saw an immature bald eagle, common mergansers and various gulls. No white winged gulls were spotted. 20 species were seen, 13 participants.

Participants: Rob Crosby, Lynn Derderian, Jean & Lydia Gilbert, Susan & Tom Hayward, Dan Marquis, Nancy Muir, Jim Walker, Anne Williams, Jim Williams, Alan & Linda Seamans (trip leader and recorder).

Birds seen or heard: Common Loon Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe American Black Duck Common Eider Long-Tailed Duck Black Scotor White-Winged Scotor Common Goldeneye Bufflehead Common Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Bald Eagle Red-Tailed Hawk Ring Billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee 21 species

Photos by Dan Marquis Chickadee eating sumac fruit