Kennebunk Plains

April 23 2018 - Kennebunk Plains, Kennebunk, ME

I started by parking at the parking area off of Maguire Rd which passes through the southern part of the plains. I was birding with an eye for Field Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, Eastern Meadowlark, and Vesper Sparrow. I was also keeping an eye out for Northern Black Racer, which I knew could be found in this area.

I started by walking north from the parking area to the treeline and then east toward the big pond. Along the way I was able to first hear and then see a Field Sparrow which was a first of the year (FOY). I also stopped to take some pictures of a singing male American Goldfinch as I knew that I didn't to take a stab at drawing one later. At the pond I watched a number of Tree Swallows and Eastern Phoebes snatch insects.

As I was heading back I noticed a dog walker with two dogs coming towards me. His dogs instantly took off away from him without listening to his commands. They were clearly on the scent of something and I was expecting to see something bolt out the grass near where they were sniffing. Instead they circled around some area. At this point the man had gotten to his dogs and contained them. He then stopped and looked at something on the ground. I was curious so I headed over to him and asked what they had found. He said a snake and showed me the deceased Northern Black Racer (Life Snake, if it wasn't dead). He and I talked for a little while and after he left I took some pictures of the snake and the numerous insects which were on the snake. Of note, he mentioned that he had been watching a Canada Goose couple at the pond who had been sitting on a nest. One day when he showed up they where both making a huge racket and off of the nest and the next day they were both gone. It did seem like good habitat for a Canada Goose nest and I was kind of looking for one while I was there for the Maine Bird Atlas.

There were clearly Common Greenbottles and some kind of beetle which I wasn't able to identify or get a good picture of. The snake was starting to smell and was grayish/black all over. There was an area were some of its scales had been disturbed but the cause of death wasn't apparent. My guess is that the snake was about 3' long.

More information about Northern Black Racers in Maine can be found here.

eBird checklist #1

I had wanted to see a live Northern Black Racer, but a dead one would work for now. After this I headed over the northern part of the plains and parked on the south side of the road. There I was welcomed by great looks of a Vesper Sparrow (FOY). I poked around a bit more but there wasn't too much of interest at that point.

eBird checklist #2

My final stop was into the parking area just across the street. Here I spotted another birder about 100 yards away and I headed towards him. We talked for a while and he informed that he had a Vesper Sparrow on that side as well, and that he had a number of Eastern Meadowlarks (FOY). As we talked I kept hearing their zert calls but I didn't see any. But after a while of watching we spotted two birds take off together and one landed on the top of a small pine at which point it started to sing.

eBird checklist #3

Posted on 24 de abril de 2018, 09:43 PM by