It’s May, and things are happening whether the weather wants it to or not! But finally, the migratory floodgates opened, with huge overnight flights Monday into Tuesday and Wednesday into Thursday. It’s on! The flood of new arrivals those days got things back closer to schedule, until the second half of the week, when progress slowed down once again. The warm weather ushered in by an extensive southwesterly flow all of the way down to the Gulf Coast and South Atlantic Bight from Monday night into Wednesday ushered in a wave of “southern overshoots’ around the state. Here, for example, is the wind map from mid-day on Wednesday, showing the extensive southwesterly flow originating way down in the Gulf of Mexico.

I didn’t try to chase any of the reports but was certainly monitoring my feeders and local patches with extra vigilance! Not surprisingly then, most of my observations of note over the past seven days were of the FOY variety.

• 1 Louisiana Waterthrush, Leon Gorman Park in Freeport on 5/2 (incredible views too with my Saturday Morning Birdwalk group!)

• 10 Lesser Scaup, 1 Blue-winged Teal, 10 Lesser Yellowlegs, etc, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 5/4 (with Jayden Mowry).

• 10 species of warbler (FOY, finally), led by only 15-20 Yellow-rumped Warblers and 5+ Black-and-white Warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/5.

• 66 Lesser Scaup, etc, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 5/7.

My extensive (finally!) list personal “first of years” (aka “FOYs”) this week also included:

• 6 SANDHILL CRANES, over I-295 at Exit 22, Freeport, 5/2 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
• 1 Spotted Sandpiper, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/2 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
• 1 Gray Catbird, feeders here at the store, 5/2.
• 1 American Pipit, flying over our Durham property, 5/3.
• 1 White-crowned Sparrow, feeders here at the store, 5/3.
• 1 Northern Parula (finally! Quite late), Hinckley Park, South Portland, 5/4
• 1 Solitary Sandpiper, Hinckley Park, 5/4.
• 1 Nashville Warbler, Hinckley Park, 5/4.
• 11 Vesper Sparrows, Kennebunk Plains, Kennebunk, 5/4.
• 2 Prairie Warblers, Kennebunk Plains, 5/4.
• 2 Marsh Wrens, Sanford Lagoons, Sanford, 5/4.
• 2 Yellow Warblers, Sanford Lagoons, 5/4.
• 1 Green Heron, Sanford Lagoons, 5/4.
• 2 Bank Swallows, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 5/4 (with Jayden Mowry).
• 1 LITTLE BLUE HERON, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 5/4 (with Jayden Mowry).
• 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird, our feeders in Durham, 5/4.
• 1 Baltimore Oriole, our feeders in Durham, 5/5.
• 2 Northern Waterthrushes, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
• 2 Black-throated Green Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
• 1 Chimney Swift, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
• 3 Common Yellowthroats, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
• 1 Ovenbird, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
• 1 Magnolia Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/5.
• 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Hidden Pond Preserve, Freeport, 5/5.
• 1 Eastern Kingbird, Hidden Pond Preserve, 5/5.
• 1 House Wren, Runaround Pond Road, Durham, 5/5.
• 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler, Runaround Pond Preserve, Durham, 5/5.
• 3 Least Sandpipers, Florida Lake Park, 5/6.
• 3 Least Flycatchers, Old Town Hose Park, North Yarmouth, 5/7.
• 4 Eastern Warbling Vireos, Old Town House Park, 5/7.
• 5 Bobolinks, Old Town House Park, 5/7.
• 1 American Redstart, Old Town House Park, 5/7.
• 1 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, Old Town House Park, 5/7.
• 1 Great-crested Flycatcher, our property in Durham, 5/7.
• 3 Veeries, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/8.
• 5 Black-throated Blue Warblers, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/8.
• 1 Blackburnian Warbler, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/8.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch.

The 20^th year of the project began on March 15^th and will conclude on May 15^th. The quickest and clearest way to view daily reports is by clicking on the Hawkcount link contained on the website link above. Meanwhile, we will continue to post weekly summaries on the News Page of our website. Here’s the Week 7 report.

Upcoming Tours (with space available).

Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! Warblers and Wort -THIS SUNDAY, SPACE AVAILABLE!

May 10, 2026; 8:00am – 2:00pm

Portland Explorer (formerly Maine Brew Bus) and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are excited to continue our collaboration for 3 very special outings in 2026. 

These unique, relaxed birding and beer-ing adventures that you have come to love combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with visits to sample the delicious creations of some of our favorite local breweries. These tours are a perfect introduction to birding and/or craft beer, and a great opportunity to travel with significant others, friends, and family that have interest in one topic, while your interest is primarily in the other (for now!). Seasonal birding hotspots and great local beer – a perfect combination, and we’ll even do all of the driving!

We’re bringing back the “Mother’s Day Special” in 2026, with a return to Portland on one of our most popular annual itineraries. May means warbler migration, and the destination for Warblers and Wort will hit two of Maine’s most famous springtime migrant traps, Portland’s Evergreen Cemetery and nearby Capisic Pond Park. Two oases in the urban jungle, featuring water sources and a mix of various habitats, help concentrate migrant birds that found themselves in or over the city come sunrise. After migrating all night, tired travelers look for refuge: food, water, and shelter, and urban greenspaces are absolutely critical for refueling.  

Warbler diversity will rapidly be increasing, over 15 species possible by the middle of May, depending on the progression of the season. Other species, such as sparrows, raptors, and other Neotropical Migrants such as orioles and tanagers are also on the move, increasing our chances of seeing a diversity of species. If the cemetery’s apples and cherries are blooming, we may be in for quite a treat as these are absolute magnets for hungry migrants.  Meanwhile, most trees have yet to fully leaf out, making them easier to spot! 

It’s sometimes hard to leave Evergreen on a busy spring morning, but if we do, it will be for the very short trip over to Capisic Pond Park, where we’ll continue to seek migrants of all shapes and sizes.

​After about 3 hours of birding, we will be transported to two of our great local producers to sample their offerings and learn their styles. Our brewery destinations are subject to change, but the current plan is to visit Foundation and Rising Tide Brewing Company.