We were back in action on a very windy day that had us seeking out sheltered birding locales.
First, we began at Wharton Point in Brunswick, where we caught up with the rare MARBLED GODWIT that has been here for nearly a month now. This was the second Marbled Godwit that we've ever had on a birdwalk, but it was pretty far out on the rapidly receding tide.
It was quite birdy overall here, with 8 lingering BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS joining at least 20 DUNLIN, plus 6 distant peeps that were probably late Semipalmated Sandpipers. 26 BONAPARTE'S GULLS were feeding at the edge of the water, and the mudflats featured about 50 RING-BILLED and 40 HERRING GULLS. In the water, a goodly 400 or so AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS were present. Surprisingly, sorting through them didn't yield a single other dabbler, but out in the deeper water, there were at least 50 WHITE-WINGED and SURF SCOTERS.
Four RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS flew overhead, a NORTHERN FLICKER called in the distance, 4 AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS were in the bushes behind us, and two BALD EAGLES stood guard in the distance.
We then sought shelter with a visit to the Topsham Riverwalk. In addition to warm sun and stretches of calm, we found it quite birdy. The highlight was a single crabapple that hosted a late GRAY CATBIRD, a tarrying HERMIT THRUSH, a Northern Flicker, and a few AMERICAN ROBINS. In addition to the usual residents, we had a good look at one of two GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, at least 7 NORTHERN CARDINALS, 1 SONG SPARROW, 1 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, and 28 MALLARDS. Later, a GREAT BLUE HERON dropped in to fish below the dam, and a Bald Eagle was soaring in the distance.