Although the summer solstice – the “first day of summer” – was on June 21st, to some birds that may have been the first day of Fall. All of the shorebirds we see in Maine are migratory. Some of them migrate to Maine for the winter (Purple Sandpipers) while some come here just to breed (Piping …
Maine's Naturalist
The Subadult Twitchers’ 2015 Bird-a-thon Recap
The 2015 Bird-a-thon is complete! This is the second year of participation by our team, the Sub-adult Twitchers, which formed last year as an attempt to involve a team of [mostly] youth birders. This year we were able to beat our past record but still fell short of our competitors, the Mighty Marsh …
Reflections on Warbler Walks
Each weekday morning from May 5th through the 15th, I had the pleasure of leading free walks at Evergreen Cemetery and Capisic Pond Park in Portland. In 10 days we saw 99 species, plus one other taxa (American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid). A complete list of these species is located at the end of …
Get More From Our Naturalist on Instagram
This blog has become a great place for me to connect with Maine Audubon members and others by sharing some of my observations of nature. I always try to make the posts relevant to what is going on in the natural world at the time I am writing and I wanted to share another way that you can get some …
Sounds of Spring: American Woodcocks
Now that our nights are finally warm enough that you can tolerate being outside for a few minutes, it is a great opportunity to try observing mating American Woodcocks. While visual observation may be difficult because the displays usually begin around dusk, even just the auditory experience is …
Surfbird Spotted in Maine!
If someone asked what the next new bird species to Maine would be, I wouldn't have guessed Surfbird. Probably not even with 100 guesses. But it happened. On March 20, a group from the Tin Mountain Bird Society spotted an unusual bird amongst some Ruddy Turnstones and Purple Sandpipers. That …
The Mysteries of Crow Roosts
Have you noticed swarms of crows passing over your house, or maybe overhead while driving home in the evening? Throughout the winter, you are likely seeing American Crows as they head off to spend the evening in a communal roost. Crows are very intelligent and social. While crows spend most …
Welcome (but not so charismatic) Signs of Spring
It's hard to be optimistic about the arrival of spring in just 17 days when there is another 3-5 inches of snow in the forecast for this evening. However, we have seen some ‘warmer' days over the past week that presented some welcome (though not-so-charismatic) signs of spring: Snow …
It’s Winter in Maine! Why do I see Robins and Bluebirds?
My phone has been off the hook lately and most calls go like this: “There are robins (or bluebirds) in my yard! Did they forget to migrate? How will they survive? What can I do to save them?!?” Quick Answer: Don't worry, they are fine. American Robins are not a sign of spring in Maine and have no …