Anniversary Day Birdwalk Highlights, 8/21: Crystal Spring Farm and Wharton Point, Brunswick.

A special Wednesday edition of our "Saturday Morning" Birdwalk as part of our 20th Anniversary celebration began to Crystal Spring Farm.

A short walk produced a nice little variety of local and migratory birds, including an inquisitive BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER, a family of HOUSE WRENS, a couple of southbound BOBOLINKS, an adult and juvenile RED-TAILED HAWK, some TURKEY VULTURES, and plenty of SONG SPARROWS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES.

Just down the road, 26 KILLDEER were in their usual spot, joined by a couple of juvenile LAUGHING GULLS. Overhead, we spotted an adult and juvenile RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS, which are always nice to see in the area.

Arriving at prime time at Wharton Point, the diversity of migrant and breeding birds did not disappoint. 108 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS on the mudflats were joined by about 30 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS and 2 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS. That small flock of peeps also contained one each of LEAST and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS - which we unfortunately could not see until they took off. A group of 6 GREATER with one LESSER YELLOWLEGS dropped in right in front of us for a long moment before heading off to their respective roost on the incoming tide.

Two distant SURF SCOTERS joined loafing COMMON EIDERS, a fairly rare bird in most of Maine at this time of year, but a regular over-summering species here in Maquoit Bay.

A goodly 52 SNOWY EGRETS were hunting the tidal bore, joined - much to our surprise - by a snazzy adult LITTLE BLUE HERON! The little blue put on a good show as it came much closer, moved around, and then soared overhead. Three GREAT BLUE HERONS were also present.

8 more Laughing Gulls joined the GREAT BLACK-BACKED, HERRING, and RING-BILLED GULLS on the mudflats. Here too the skies were productive: 1 OSPREY, 5 BALD EAGLES, a few more Turkey Vultures, and another Red-tailed Hawk.

Even better, Rich Moncreif from Zeiss was with us on this celebratory day, so we had some new toys to play with. We were even among the first people to ever try their new Conquest HDX binoculars! And, with an incredibly generous deal to celebrate the day, at least two people are now outfitted with new Zeiss optics!

In other words, it was a rather productive Wednesday!