Maine, like the rest of the country is restricting gatherings and associations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  While our town and county have had very few infections (none in over a week), restaurants and non-essential retail remain shuttered.  Ingrid is teaching her fourth grade class remotely.   Our governor has closed some of the more popular birding spots (beaches) but otherwise our little hobby remains a great way to stay active and to responsibly social distance.

Yesterday, I drove and hour north to the town of Warren where an abandoned gravel quarry was known some interesting birds.  We hiked up over the rim and then down into the pit and were treated to a first of the year Lesser Scaup, 15 Ring-necked Ducks, Common Mergansers, Buffys and Hoodies.

Not surprisingly, we had absolutely no problem keeping 6 feet away from other people  

Our second stop was on a back road in Jefferson where there had been a report of a Red-shouldered Hawk.  We drove through for several miles through an old growth hard wood forest that was so dense we couldn’t see much.  

Suddenly we saw a half dozen crows flying into a wood lot clearing . . . they were on a mission . . . a sure sign of a rapture or owl being present.  Upon rolling down the windows we heard the shrill scream of a Red-shouldered and soon on appeared on a distant tree.  

Another soon came in, and then the male made several passes over our car.