The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) is under attack. We need to share our outrage with our Congressional delegation and implore them to take action. The MBTA is a century-old law utilized by Republican and Democratic administrations to protect birds as they navigate the globe. The law has been …
Birds
Hermit Thrushes are Here!
I didn't want to go at first. I just couldn't ignore those imploring eyes any longer. So, I donned my warm coat, hat and gloves, grabbed the dog leash, and together we headed out into the April Sunday morning sleet. The trail through the woods was covered with hard-packed snow and tiny slippery …
Spring Migration Is Underway!
It's happening! As the days get longer and temperatures rise, we are happy to see migrant birds returning to or passing through Maine. In this blog post I'll present a quick run-through, grouped by alliterate families in taxonomic order, of some of the birds we are seeing lately. Swans through …
South Texas Trip Report
This winter we offered a trip to escape the cold, partnering with Field Guides Inc to travel to southern Texas. We spent this week long tour birding in The Rio Grande Valley which is, in the words of our guide Doug Gochfeld, "One of the most iconic birding destinations in the United States, with a …
Caution: Alcid X-ing
Something is going on with alcids... During most winters, birders strain their scopes along the coast, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of these generally elusive birds. Alcids (short for Alcidae, the family that includes our Atlantic Puffin, Thick-billed and Common Murres, Razorbill, Dovekie, and …
A walk with the Maine Young Birders Club
Last November, Maine Audubon staff joined the Maine Young Birders Club for a nature walk at Gilsland Farm. This became the basis for the feature story in our Spring 2018 issue of Habitat magazine (which you can receive each quarter by becoming a member!). Photographs by Ariana van den …
Rare Bird Alert: Slaty-backed Gull
On Friday, February 23rd, I had the pleasure of meeting with folks from the City of Augusta to talk about improving birder access to the Hatch Hill Landfill. This site, a large municipal active landfill, has become increasingly popular for birders because of the large number of gulls attracted by …
Nature Moments: Birds’ Personalities
If you've watched birds, you know that different species have unique personality traits. Bowdoin professor and Maine Audubon trustee Nat Wheelwright's latest Nature Moment take a closer look at why that is. Have you noticed how different bird species have distinct personalities? Some are shy and …
Trip Report: “Wings of Winter”
Fourteen of us ventured out to see some winter birds this Saturday. We went in two seven-passenger vans with a leader in each van: Richard "Turk" Duddy and myself (thank you to Morong Falmouth for supplying a van for our use!). We saw our first exceptional bird within a few minutes of the …