Backyard Boreals
April 7, 2007  

On Saturday, April 7, 2007, Bob and Sandi Duchesne led adventurers off on a search of boreal bird species surprisingly close to Bangor. Good spruce/bog habitat exists in Milford's Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The County Road and Stud Mill Road navigate the borders of the refuge and boreal species such as Gray Jay, Black-backed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Spruce Grouse and others may be found next to the road. Ten enterprising birders easily located a dozen Gray Jays, plus a handful of Boreal Chickadees. Recently returned American Woodcocks displayed their resilience by finding the muddy edges of melting snow banks, and they were amazingly easy to see during the trip. Many White-winged and Red Crossbills were viewed at close range, joined by Pine Siskins and Purple Finches picking gravel from the road.