#ogunquit

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Had a Small Adventure today, driving up to Ogunquit, Maine. There I discovered the cutest little lighthouse (Lobster Point Lighthouse, top), overlooking Ogunquit beach in the distance (2nd pic). Had a lobster roll in Perkins Cove (lower two) and walked around a bit.

Talked to some birdwatchers, who had a scope, and got to see some hooded mergansers, a red-breasted merganser, and some Harlequin ducks. It’s really great when birdwatchers who have a scope are so welcoming to all of the people walking up to them asking what they’re looking at. This couple was very generous with their time, urging folks to take a look and talking about the birds.

While I was chatting with the guy (his wife was busy talking to another couple who’d wandered up), a couple of young men came from the bar next door, and looked through the scope at the red-breasted merganser, a male that was preening not far away (visible with the naked eye, but better through the scope of course). One of the guys exclaimed that he had NEVER seen one of those before, even though he lived just across the cove, and takes out charters in good weather (but not really during the winter).

He was just so excited to see a bird he wasn’t familiar with, and like many people, was also excited to talk about other birds he’d seen (like a bald eagle that comes and sits on the rocks around the cove for about a week each year in late summer). It’s so much fun to see people who aren’t “birders” get excited about seeing and identifying birds. (The other guy with him was pretty excited by it too. They both kept calling over other people, saying, “You gotta see this!”)

Most businesses weren’t open yet, though. So I’ll have to go back up later in the spring. I really want to go take a walk on that beach.

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