Watching, Learning, Protecting

Eight submissions were made for the Semiquincentennial Scavenger Hunt. People were asked to report sightings for birds in categories for each of the letters in Semiquincentennial. It was harder than initially thought as it was easy to put the same species in multiple categories which was against the rules.

Since this was a virtual event, people participated from varying places. Melanie Jerome completed her hunt in Ohio. Susan Markum reported from Black Rock Mountain State Park. Nancy Brown made it a family event while in Maine that included an Atlantic Puffin boat tour. The other 5 reports were from Charleston County. Some people included a note beside their bird name which was educational.

As a refresher, the categories were:

S – Seabird or Shorebird
E – Early bird
M – Marsh bird
I – Indigo or blue bird
Q – Quick or Quiet bird
U – Ugly or unusual bird
I – Inky bird
N – Noisy bird
C – Caching bird
E – Energetic
N – Night bird
T – Tapping bird
E – Extra big bird
N – Nut eating bird
N – Nestbox bird
I – Impersonators
A – American bird
L – Lots of colors bird

So here are the results:

S – Seabird or Shorebird
* Black Skimmer (2)
* Brown Pelican (2)
* Wilson’s Plover
* Arctic Tern – longest flyer pole to pole

E – Early bird
* Tufted Titmouse
* Northern Cardinal (4)
* Cedar Waxwings – It’s a favorite
* Mourning Dove
* Purple Martin

M – Marsh bird
* Clapper Rail
* Green Heron (2)
* Red-winged Blackbird (2) – nests in the marsh
* Black-throated Green – seen at the Orono Bog
* Tricolor Heron

I – Indigo or blue bird
* Eastern Bluebird (4)
* Blue Jay (2)
* Black Guillemot – so black it looks blue
* Indigo Bunting

Q – Quick or Quiet bird
* Mourning Dove (2)
* Barn Swallow (3) – Quick
* Merlin – fast
* Tree swallow (2)

U – Ugly or unusual bird
* Wood Stork (3)
* Black Skimmer-Unusual bird . Has many unusual adaptions- Vertical Pupils, long lower mandible enabling foraging style of skimming the water, and resting style of sprawling completely flat on their stomachs. Would qualify for coolest bird too IMHO!
* Wilson’s Storm-Petral – surprise sighting on the Puffin Cruise
* European Starling
* Turkey Vulture
* Pied-billed Grebe – first time I’ve seen in summer

I – Inky bird
* Fish Crow
* Common Grackle
* Boat-tailed Grackle (2)
* Common Murre
* Osprey
* American Crow
* Purple Martin

N – Noisy bird
* American Crow
* Great Crested Flycatcher
* Northern Mockingbird
* Common Loon – saw both on lake and ocean
* Black capped chickadee
* Blue Jay (2)
* Laughing Gull

C – Caching bird
* Blue Jay
* White Breasted Nuthatch
* Red-bellied Woodpecker
* Black-capped Chickadee
* Downy Woodpecker
* Tufted Titmouse (2)

E – Energetic
* Carolina Wren (3)
* Dark-eyed Junco
* Ruby-throated humming bird (3)
* Laughing Gull

N – Night bird
* Chuck-wills-widow
* Northern Mockingbird
* Black-crown Night Heron (2)
* Great-horned Owl – plastic on dock of the Puffin Cruise
* Killdeer-Often hunt after dark especially in non- breeding season when the moon is full or where there is artificial lighting(ball parks, etc.)

T – Tapping bird
* Downy Woodpecker (4)
* Red Bellied Woodpecker
* Carolina Chickadee-seeds
* Hairy Woodpecker
* Piliated Woodpecker

E – Extra big bird
* Great Egret (4)
* Brown Pelican (2)
* Great black-backed Gull
* Great blue heron

N – Nut eating bird
* Red-bellied Woodpecker (2)
* Blue Jay (2)
* Tufted Titmouse
* Red-breasted Nuthatch
* House finch
* Brown Thrasher

N – Nestbox bird
* Carolina Chickadee (4)
* Eastern Bluebird
* Razorbill – nests in crevices on cliffs
* House sparrow

I – Impersonators
* Northern Mockingbird (4)
* Brown Thrasher (2)
* Common Eider – female impersonates every other duck
* Brown headed cowbird

A – American bird
* Northern Cardinal
* American Robin (2)
* American Crow (3)
* American Goldfinch
* Wild Turkey

L – Lots of colors bird
* Painted Bunting (3)
* European Starling
* Atlantic Puffin !!!!
* Baltimore oriole
* Scarlet Tanager
* Roseatte Spoonbill

Thanks to all who joined the fun. It was interesting to see which birds appeared in different categories. Some people were creative in their submissions but I was surprised no one listed Mosquitoes as an Extra Big Bird

Submitted by: Judy Morr
Photos: Credit given where known