Marginal Way Birding

Ogunquit, Maine

One late March afternoon my husband Eric and I set out on a trip to Ogunquit. It was about 48 degrees, a bit windy, and partly cloudy. A gorgeous late winter day in Maine and perfect for birding. I had read in A Birder's Guide to Maine (Pierson, Pierson, and Vickery), that Marginal Way and Perkins Cove were great places to spot, among many other species, the beautiful Harlequin duck and perhaps even the majestic King Eider. I have never had the opportunity to see either of these two ducks. Knowing that they might be there was all I needed for motivation.

Within minutes of arriving, I spotted the Harlequins! A male and female feeding not far off the shore. As we continued to explore Marginal Way, we saw larger rafts of them. Sometimes they fed on the fringes of a large Common Eider raft. I took my time to scan the groups of Common Eiders hoping to catch a glimpse of a King Eider. There were males and females riding the waves and diving for their next snack and I even spotted a some immatures, but the King Eider was not to be seen today.

Many other species can be seen and heard in the Perkins Cove area and off of Marginal way. In the inlet where the tidewater meets the Josias river, we spotted two loons in winter plumage. One was pretty close to the docks and we watched as it dove several times and came up with small lobsters never seeming to get its fill. Also in this area were mallard pairs, house sparrows, gulls, and rock doves.

While walking along the Marginal Way path we spotted, White-Winged Scoters, a Black Scoter, Old Squaw, and Herring gulls. A little further away from sure I saw small rafts of diving ducks that I was unable to identify. My guess is that they may have been Buffleheads or more Old Squaw. On the land side we saw a yellow rumped warbler putting on a bit of a display for us, a common grackle, and sounds of many other species.

This area had some of the best shore birding that I have had the pleasure of experiencing. Besides the fantastic birding and the amazing rocky coastline, the area boasts quaint shops and good seafood restaurants. Ogunquit is a small resort town which is just bustling with folks during the summer months. A short ride from the center of town will bring you to the Perkins Cove area and if you have never experienced the Maine coast, I highly recommend a trip to this area.

 

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