Eastern Screech-Owl, York Harbor, ME, March 2016

Eastern Screech-Owl is a rather common bird in southern New England, as well as in the western part of the region in VT well north into the Champlain Valley.  But this species is quite uncommon in NH (I’ve only had it twice in the state), and is exceptionally rare in ME.  I’ve unsuccessfully chased after this diminutive owl once in ME, and can’t remember hearing of other reliable sightings of this species there.  Though since many birders don’t report the locations of owls, perhaps there have been more sightings that just haven’t been published.

As a result I was very interested when an eBird Needs Alert from ME appeared in my inbox with a report of a Screech-Owl in York, ME.  Axholme Road was given as the location, and the description included this comment – “Haven't heard one in the area since last summer.”  So maybe this was a regular bird in the immediate vicinity.  Then the next day another Needs Alert came across and this one had a very specific location a short distance from Axholme Road in the same suburban neighborhood in York Harbor.  And then the bird was reported again on a third consecutive day, though the exact location was withheld.  The bird was reported about 8 PM each evening, so I hoped it was calling regularly.  And the location on the second evening was so specific I crossed my fingers that that had been the location of all the sightings.  I guess I had talked myself into deciding that this was a reliable bird worth a chase, especially since this was just a little more than an hour’s drive from home.

The next evening I arrived in the York Harbor neighborhood shortly after sunset and started to get my bearings.  The area was a nicely wooded quiet suburban neighborhood with a small stream passing among the houses.  The directions from the second sighting were perfect and I quickly picked out the exact location where the bird had been heard.  I got out of my car and quietly stood alongside the road to start listening.  It wasn’t quite dusk, and as time passed by, I started to wonder if a lone person standing alongside the road might get someone’s attention.  I certainly wasn’t trespassing, but still have had homeowners call the police on me for a lot less.

A few minutes later I saw two people walking by with their dog.  When they stopped a short distance away and stared at me I figured it was time to tell them what I was up to.  I walked up to them and said I was birdwatching and listening for a rare owl that had been heard there recently.  To which one responded – “I know, I was the one that reported it.”  Just when I was about to heave a sigh of relief a heard a neighbor from across the road say – “What are you people doing out there?”  The birder went over to tell the homeowner what was up, and all was OK yet again.  Thank goodness for friendly Mainers.

I spent a couple minutes talking with the birders and they mentioned I was in the right location, and this was the time they had heard it the last 3 nights.  However, the road noise from the highway to the west that evening was much louder than on previous nights.  And the bird’s calls the past 3 nights had been difficult to hear even with less road noise.  So as they walked away they wondered if anyone would be able to hear the bird on this fourth consecutive night.

Alone again, I cupped my hands around my ears to listen for the Owl.  I was able to hear a twittering Woodcock in the distance, but no owls.  At one point I heard the distant sound of a truck’s jake brakes that sounded a bit like the whinny of a Screech-Owl, but I was trying too hard.  Then all if a sudden there it was – the monotone trill of an Eastern Screech-Owl!  I felt a smile come across my face as I focused my attention in the direction of the call, and heard it a second time.  For a few seconds I thought about staying to hear it again, but figured I shouldn’t push my luck with the neighbors any further, and decided to call it a night.  A most successful trip – a New England statebird plus I didn’t get arrested. (Note that the location I've provided in this post is only approximate as I didn't want to take the chance that I might send additional birders to the location, wearing out our welcome in this quiet neighborhood.)

Eastern Screech-Owl was #338 for me in ME, and the 241st bird I’ve seen (or heard) in each New England state.  My statebird map for this species is pretty well filled in, though I still need it in some of the western states in its region, plus there are the obvious glaring holes in NY and MS.  Interestingly I remember being stopped by police years ago in MS when I was unsuccessfully listening for Screech-Owl.  Luckily my ME experience was a better one.