Location: Baring: Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge
Guides: Maurry Mills, Kirstin Underwood & Chris West
Fee: None
Description: We will begin with a brief indoor presentation including photographs and calls of some of the species we hope to see during the trip. Participants will then drive north to the abandoned railroad grade off US Route 1, parking along the highway. We will walk along the old rail bed which goes through two impounded wetlands. Guides will broadcast vocalizations of several waterbirds and hope that a Sora or a Virginia Rail will respond. Watch for waterfowl such as American Black Duck, Wood Duck, and teal. Common Yellowthroat, Swamp Sparrow, and Red-winged Blackbird should be common. Listen for the winnowing of courting Wilson’s Snipe and watch and listen overhead for foraging Common Nighthawk. Other species seen in this area in the past include Northern and Orchard Oriole and Warbling Vireo.
We will then turn around and head back to the Woodcock Trail in hopes of viewing a male American Woodcock at close range. These birds are quite punctual and begin their courtship flights 15-22 minutes after local sunset, depending on cloud cover.
The final leg of this trip will be a drive along the Refuge’s 5-mile auto tour route, a one-way gravel road. Listen for several species of frogs and possibly the call of a Common Loon from Vose Pond. We will stop at an area where Whip-poor-will usually display and attempt to elicit a response from a broadcast of their call. If time permits we will also try to call for owls.
The tour route ends at US Route 1, just outside of Calais. Turn right and you will be on Rte. 1 South heading toward Calais and eventually Whiting; turn left and you will be on Rte 1 North headed back toward Charlotte Rd.
GPS Coordinates: 44.799204 -67.146377
Directions: Meet at the YCC Building on the grounds of the Refuge headquarters (turn onto the Headquarters Rd from Charlotte Rd and follow signs). From there you can caravan your own vehicle or car pool to park along Charlotte Rd near the Barn Meadow trailhead (on the left, marked by a sign) and Magurrewock dike. CAUTION: Watch for high-speed traffic on Charlotte Rd.
Note that travel time from the Cobscook Institute Festival HQ to the Refuge Baring Division is 45 to 60 minutes depending on the route you choose. Restrooms are at MNWR HQ in the YCC Building and at the Raven Trail parking area further up Headquarters Rd.