We tend to save most 'rare bird alerts' on this blog to national rarities like the Redwing in Portland or the famous Steller's Sea-Eagle, but last week a bird considered rare anywhere along the east coast was found at Gilsland Farm, a Sage Thrasher! This Sage Thrasher was found during our weekly …
Birds
‘Seeing’ the Forest Through the Birds
We’ve probably all heard someone say ‘You can’t see the forest for the trees!’ to let someone know they are too caught up in the weeds to see the bigger picture. I’m happy to say that I’m seeing the forest through the trees AND the birds now after coordinating Maine Audubon’s Song Meter Project …
Maine Audubon’s 2022 Loon Count Brings in New Lakes, Counters!
Final results from Maine Audubon’s Annual Loon Count for 2022 estimate that adult loon numbers dipped slightly this year but chick numbers are up! Long-term trends continue to show a strong adult population that has grown steadily over the years, and a stable population of chicks over time. The …
Native Plants for Winter Finches
By planting or encouraging native woody plants in your yard, you can attract these winter visitors. The arrival of “winter finches” is one of the most anticipated events in winter birding. Several species, including Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, and Common Redpolls, move southward in winter …
Bringing birds into the classroom
Last week, as a member of Maine Audubon’s education team, I was able to do one of my favorite things: partner with students and teachers in the classroom. Two seventh-grade science teachers at Lyman Moore Middle School in Portland, Hazel Cashman and Margaret Paisley, were doing a unit on owls. …
Banding a rare Rufous Hummingbird
Here at Maine Audubon, each fall we encourage you to keep hummingbird feeders up. We write blog posts and newspaper articles and that is because while we all know Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are in Maine from the beginning of May, through the end of September, it is later in the fall that …
Becoming a bird-safe school
Something’s happening during recess these days at Yarmouth Elementary School. Instead of the shouts and sounds of a soccer game, there’s quiet. Groups of kids are standing, looking, listening. Yes, they’re birding! According to Nicole Colfer, the school’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, …
Backyard Bird of the Month for November: White-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatches are one of the most charismatic backyard birds. They frequently visit feeders, digging through the seeds and tossing aside undesirable selections until they find a good one. They will often take seeds away and cache them in crevices of trees to save for later. They will …
Commonly Misidentified Species: Cold Weather Sparrows
It’s not always easy to identify Maine’s most beloved birds. Maine Audubon biologists and naturalists commonly field identification questions along the lines of “is it this, or is it that?” Many species look similar from a distance, but there are some great telltale signs, both visual markers and …