Not many Mainers have heard of Sabine’s gull, nor should they. It summers in the Arctic. It winters in the tropics, mostly at sea, and mostly in the Pacific. It’s rare to see one from land, even rarer to see one from land in the Atlantic. But somehow, every year, someone spots one in the waters between Eastport and Campobello, amid hordes of wintering gulls. Read More
The ruby-throat is the only hummingbird to nest east of the Great Plains, and I don’t know why. Read More
Crossbills are notorious nomads. They wander until they find a good cone crop. Read More
Shorebird identification is challenging. So let’s see if we can make identification easier by tearing up a book. Read More
Some babies are ready to leave the nest soon after they hatch. On the other hand, some babies are still underdeveloped when they leave the egg. Read More
Suddenly, long before we’re ready to admit it, the first half of summer is over and southbound migration is happening. Read More
The woods are complicated. Right now is prime season for raising babies. Read More
Birds can be sneaky, but so can I. Nowhere is that more apparent than when I paddle a marsh. Kayaks are the ultimate stealth birding vehicle, gliding almost silently into the shallowest waters, lightly brushing aside lily pads. Read More
Perhaps you’ve been on a mountaintop, admiring the view, and thought to yourself, “Hey, the birds are different up here.” You’re correct. Read More
Mainers live in a special place where the forest talks to us. Read More
Cedar waxwings are highly gregarious. They do not defend territories while breeding. They’ve been known to groom each other and to sit on a berry branch and pass food down the line to hungry compatriots. Read More
Americans can make a competition out of anything. Birding is a gentle pursuit, but a Bird-a-Thon is extreme birding. Read More
It’s amazing that birds can find their way to the tropics in autumn, and then return to Maine in the spring without Google Maps. Read More
The whip-poor-will calls started earlier this month, and they will continue into June. Read More
Birders are nuts. I had time to think about that while surrounded by sharks a couple of weeks ago. Read More
If you think that birding among mosquitoes and alligators is tough, think again. Birding Maine is much tougher. Read More
Secretly, I rejoiced at being wrong. People don’t become good at bird identification by being right all the time. They get better by being wrong, and then remembering the mistake. Read More
Treating the chickadee ambiguously is such a Maine thing to do, because “we’ve always done it that way.” Read More
Don't miss these four birding festivals that are open for registration. Read More
This is the time of year my pet peeves creep up on me. Frankly, there are some things about birding that annoy me. Here are a few. Read More
