Two trips to Star Island this spring, May 14th, and May 22, 2011.  Depart the dock (Rye Harbor Marina) at 8am on 22nd and return to dock 2pm or earlier depending on birds.  Cost $60pp May 14, 2011 (includes van transportation to and from the Harris Center in Hancock), and $40pp May 22nd.  Cost for both includes boat fare and island access fee.  There is a $5 charge to park at Rye Harbor Marina.  Each trip limited to 20 (May 14 almost full).

Magnolia

Parula

Perhaps one of the best reasons to visit Star Island is to have lunch on the porch and watch the warblers drop into the apple tree feet from your gaze.  In the last three years, I have seen 19 species of warblers in this tree during spring trips.  See below for more complete spring list.  Star Island has bathroom facilities and shelter but no stores or supplies until May 28th (start of season).

Star Island Spring Trip List 2008-2010:

• Canada Goose
• American Black Duck
• Mallard
• Common Eider
• White-winged Scoter
• Long-tailed Duck
• red-throated loon
• Common Loon
• Manx Shearwater
• Northern Gannet
• Double-crested Cormorant
• Great Cormorant
• Great Blue Heron
• Great Egret
• Snowy Egret
• Treen Swallow
• Green Heron
• Black-crowned Night-Heron
• Osprey
• Northern Harrier
• Merlin
• Black-bellied Plover
• Semi-palmated Plover
• Spotted Sandpiper
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Willet
• Lesser Yellowlegs
• Ruddy Turnstone
• Semi-palmated Sandpiper
• Least Sandpiper
• Purple Sandpiper
• Dunlin
• Black-headed Gull
• Laughing Gull
• Ring-billed Gull
• Herring Gull
• IcelandGull
• Glaucous Gull
• Great Black-backed Gull
• Least Tern
• Roseate Tern
• Common Tern
• Arctic Tern
• Razorbill
• Black Guillemot
• Mourning Dove
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird
• Northern Flicker
• Eastern Wood-Pewee
• Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
• Alder Flycatcher
• WillowFlycatcher
• Least Flycatcher
• Eastern Phoebe
• Eastern Kingbird
• PhiladelphiaVireo
• Red-eyed Vireo
• Blue Jay
• Tree Swallow
• Barn Swallow
• Boneparte’s Gull
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Swainson’s Thrush
• American Robin
• Gray Catbird
• Northern Mockingbird
• Brown Thrasher
• European Starling
• Cedar Waxwing
• NashvilleWarbler
• Northern Parula
• Yellow Warbler
• Chestnut-sided Warbler
• Magnolia Warbler
• Cape May Warbler
• Black-throated Blue Warbler
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Black-throated Green Warbler
• Blackburnian Warbler
• Prairie Warbler
• Bay-breasted Warbler
• Blackpoll Warbler
• American Redstart
• Ovenbird
• Northern Waterthrush
• Mourning Warbler
• Common Yellowthroat
• Wilson’s Warbler
• Chipping Sparrow
• Field Sparrow
• SavannahSparrow
• Grasshopper Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• Lincoln’s Sparrow
• Swamp Sparrow
• White-throated Sparrow
• White-crowned Sparrow
• Northern Cardinal
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
• Indigo Bunting
• Bobolink
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Common Grackle
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Orchard Oriole
• Baltimore Oriole
• House Finch
• American Goldfinch