by Marion Sprague
It was a crisp October morning when five enthusiastic young birders gathered at Rustlewood in Kittery. The air had that unmistakable fall chill, but before long the sun warmed things up, making for a perfect morning of birding.
We kicked off the outing with an impressive sight — a huge flock of Red-winged Blackbirds filling the trees above the cornfield. There were far too many to count, but their chorus set a lively tone for the morning. Along the field edge, we spotted a pair of Swamp Sparrows, the first of several that we would see throughout the day.
As we continued, White-throated, Song, and House Sparrows made steady appearances. One of the highlights came when we were able to observe an adult and juvenile White-crowned Sparrow side by side — a great opportunity to compare their plumage differences up close.
Other notable sightings included a large, noisy flock of American Crows and a single Common Raven soaring overhead. We were also treated to two late migrant warblers: a Palm Warbler and a particularly elusive Nashville Warbler that kept us busy as it darted through the thickets before finally giving us a good look.
It was a wonderful morning of birding, filled with great company, lively discussion, and a fine mix of familiar fall birds and late-season surprises.
For a full list of birds seen, please checkout our eBird checklist:
https://ebird.org/checklist/S281611374
Thanks to everyone who joined for a beautiful fall morning at Rustlewood! It was wonderful to share the morning with good birds, great birders, and a bit of October sunshine. Stay tuned for details about our November outing!
