Delimited Site Visit #5 - The Junk Pond
May 12 and 13, 2018, Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, ME
During this time of year I am often visiting the junk pond looking for birds and not really taking the time to stop of do a full sit. But yesterday evening (May 12) and again this morning (May 13) I had the opportunity to sit and watch a very special little bird which was found in my delimited site by another birder. At some point in the afternoon of May 12th a LEAST BITTERN (Ixobrychus exilis) was found by B. Bunn. It was then seen by a number of other birders. In the last 5 years this was one of the few easily viewed Least Bitterns to be seen in Southern Maine. The last was seen at Capisic Pond in 2015. I was there that day and got to see that bird. So I wasn't in a hurry to see this one.
That said, after dinner with some friends my wife and I made the trip over to the junk pond and got there at about 7:22pm. It was starting to get dark but there was enough light to see clearly see and a number of birds were still out singing. When we got there a couple of local birders that I know, the Morellis, were looking at the bird. We watched it the entire we were there about 25 minutes. It was actively feeding during that time. In fact, as we were watching it, it snatched a large frog (Bull or Green) from the water. The frog was about the same size as the bird's head. It then proceeded to “chew” the frog. Basically it moved and crushed he frog with its bill for about 3 minutes. Finally it swallowed the frog and gulped a few times. The bulge in its throat was prominent. It then dipped its bill in the water a few times before starting to look around again. We were both so fascinated. I attempted to take a video but was so shaky it is only good for giving people motion sickness.
This morning I decide to see if the bird was still around and headed down to the junk pond. Along the way I ran into LOWBUSH BLUEBERRY, FIELD PUSSYTOES, and MOSS PHLOX. None of these were at my site, that I know of, but I did stop to identify them. I got to the junk pond a little after 6:25am and another birder, B. McKay, was already on the bird. Interestingly the bird was on the same stick this morning as it had been the evening prior. We talked for a little while and watched the bird. Another birder showed up, M. Zimmerman, and the three of us watched the bird for at least 25 plus minutes. During this time it didn't really do much. At one point, the bird very actively moved another the stick, down into the water, and then behind a log. We watched it a bit longer and then I left.
Both times that I visited by site in these two days I kept eBird checklists which can be found here for the 12th, and here for the 13th.
The only other observation I made both times which is worth making is that the local MUSKRAT (Ondatra zibethicus) was out in the pond doing its work. Both times it looked like it was eating something that it had found in the grass.
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