Articles by Chris Corio
ON THE WING
A birding trip that doesn’t go as expected
A birding trip with a friend this past weekend to look for migrating shorebirds didn’t turn out quite as planned. It would have, had I paid closer attention to the tide schedule (and my own). A receding tide, which exposes mud and sand flats to the probing beaks of hungry ...
ON THE WING
Breeding, migration seasons mixing
The waxing month of August heralds many changes in bird populations. Shorebird migration is in full swing, having started back in July, and there are reports of gathering songbirds and appearances of warblers not normally seen in certain areas during the breeding season. For other birds the breeding season is ...
ON THE WING
One good tern gets its supper
Living close to the ocean has many advantages. In my case, it does a lot to support my hobby of bird-watching as there is almost always something to observe; the sea supports a variety of birds and lately it has been teeming with life. About a month ago I began ...
ON THE WING
Feathered friends bring neighborhood together
I’ve always been more of a country and nature girl than a city girl. But there is something to be said for having a good neighborhood around you, especially when it includes people who share your interests. A few weeks back, I was reminded of this while out on my ...
ON THE WING
Sounds an important identifier for feathered friends
I heard the song, it took me a minute to place it and I almost couldn’t believe my ears. I hadn’t heard it in years, and a neighborhood is the last place I’d expect to hear it. The maker of this song is a bird of northern spruce-fir forests. In fact, if I ...
A fruit-tree filled with songbirds
It was one of those moments that birders covet but can never really expect to have — at least not 100 percent. Birds being what they are — quick and highly mobile, and dependent upon conditions such as wind, cloud cover and temperature, which in turn affects many of their food ...
ON THE WING
Return of the raptors
As April in Maine creeps along, the trickle of returning migrants has become a steady stream. Ducks, herons and egrets are increasing in number, and we have an out-of-range trumpeter swan in Biddeford. Sparrows multiply daily, and even swallows and the first warblers, as well as other songbirds, are making an ...
Turkey vultures’ appearance betrays their significance
By Chris Corio on April 15, 2011, at 8:46 p.m.
Waiting for the light to turn green at an intersection, I glanced at the sky when two dark birds high up caught my attention. I quickly identified them as turkey vultures based on their mode of flight: Due to the positioning of their wings, which arc up from their bodies in ...
ON THE WING
Familiar sounds herald onset of spring
As is always the case at this time of year — especially in Maine — I rely more on the behavior of wild birds as an indication of the season rather than on current climate conditions. The first full day of spring brought a few inches of wet, heavy snow and ...
ON THE WING
Cemetery walk yields bird sightings
Arelatively mild break in a frigid weather pattern recently brought me to Evergreen Cemetery in Portland for a walk with a friend. She had explained it was a great place to walk during the winter as the roads bisecting it are kept clear of snow and ice. Its 239 acres, ...
A visit from an old friend: the sparrow
The calls reached me across the snowy meadow, sweet little notes that sounded as if they were drifting through the air from different directions. It was hard to tell if they were coming from the trees to the left of me or from a thicket of shrubs straight ahead. It ...
Birds still come out despite cold conditions
A biting onshore wind brought tears to my eyes as I ran into it, and I upped my pace in an effort to keep the cold at tolerable levels. I had wanted to take advantage of the late-day light and go for a short run, as I had been indoors ...
Saw-whet steals educators’ show
The little saw-whet owl and I peered intently into each other’s eyes as she perched barely 6 inches from my face. She seemed to be studying me, sizing me up, and I found myself wondering whether I passed muster. After a few more moments of silent communion, the owl turned ...
Rare goose a first for bird count
Thin bands of altostratus clouds were turning pink and gold in the eastern sky as the sun began to rise on the cold morning of Dec. 18 — the day of National Audubon’s 111th Christmas Bird Count in Greater Portland. We had started our count at the Falmouth Town Landing. ...
New year, new start for bird seeking
As birdwatchers go, I tend to be more laid-back than some. When I first took up the hobby more than 10 years ago, I was quite passionate and more involved in the birding community than I have been of …
Gillys, mergansers make for a good outing
It was late in the afternoon as I went in search of seabirds in the waters of Casco Bay.
Seabirds cooperate on coastal trek
Short trips to good birding spots in the area yielded some great results recently.
Generalist habits good for survival of plover variety
A walk on my local beach isn’t always conducive to good bird sightings, unless conditions are just right. Those conditions usually include low or midtide, cool weather (thus the absence of beach-goers) and the absence of dogs. Only two of those conditions were met the last time I birded along ...
Springlike weather brings out the birds
The springlike weather we had last weekend seemed just right for birding a few choice spots.
The familiar sound of the ‘butterbutt’
It was a gorgeous fall day, the slight chill in the air lessened by the bright sun shining from a sky streaked with wispy cirrus “mare’s tails” clouds. I was walking during my lunch break at work, hoping to see some interesting birds. I wasn’t disappointed. The pathway I was ...
Police find remains believed to be Nichole Cable, 15, in Old Town woods
Orono man charged with murder in death of Glenburn teen
LePage hopes to eliminate income tax by end of second term
Family remembers Nichole “CoCo” Cable, warns of social media dangers
Nichole Cable: In our minds, hearts
Obama’s boyfriend line
Ignore LePage politics, get to root of DHHS funding needs
Basketball season never ends for Worcesters of Washburn, a family of 1,000-point scorers
UMaine narrows candidate list, hopes to name men’s hockey coach next week
Eastport teen notches first ‘Bandolero’ racing victory
Former Dexter, Nokomis coach Pratt takes Mount View football post
Houlton makes plans for new hockey boards at Millar Civic Center
Fun, informative or just plain strange: 8 museums in Maine worth a road trip
Not even chemotherapy could quell Maine woman’s longing to be in the kitchen
Keyboardist Ray Manzarek of The Doors dies at age 74
Microsoft unveils new Xbox One game console