Category Archives: Week Reports

 This Week’s Highlights 8/13– 8/20/2026.

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Even though 1-2 pairs of Red-necked Grebes have oversummered off of Ocean Avenue in Biddeford Pool for at least 6 years, I still get a kick out of seeing RNGR in spiffy breeding plumage, especially while wearing shorts and sandals! Not my “best” bird of the week, but definitely my best photo session.

I enjoyed some excellent birding over the eight days, from oodles of shorebirds to a State Bird! I also covered a lot of ground but had some great birding right in the backyard as well. Since I covered all of my shorebird “data points” in the last week, and with so many observations of note, I thought it was best to post now.

  • Highlights from our Durham property this week included a Yellow-billed Cuckoo on 8/18, 2 Cape May Warblers on 8/19, and a juvenile Peregrine Falcon on 8/20 that was our 161st property bird!
  • 1 imm. FORSTER’S TERN, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty and Bill Thompson).
  • 1 continuing imm. FORSTER’S TERN, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 20+ Roseate Terns, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty). Quite a few continue elsewhere around the area as well, many with juveniles in tow. High numbers for this late in the summer continue.
  • 4 continuing adult Red-necked Grebes, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty). See above.
  • 1 imm. Great Cormorant and 1 female Black Scoter, Ocean Ave, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
  • Migrant passerines at Florida Lake Park in Freeport on 8/15 included one each of Cape May and Prairie Warblers (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • THE continuing THICK-BILLED MURRE, Western Beach as viewed from Pine Point Beach, Scarborough, 8/16 (with Birds on Tap – Shorebirds and Steins! Tour group). At the request of Avian Haven, I wrote a short essay addressing the bird’s condition and current recommendations. You can read that here.
  • 1 continuing CRESTED CARACARA, Rustlewood Farm, York, 8/18 (with m.obs). Present here for at least three days, I caught up with the bird on the morning of its final (for now?) morning here. This was my 409th species in Maine, and #6 on my “My Next Birds in Maine” list thanks to the spate of regional sightings over the last few years. Due to fog and distance, my phone-scoped photos don’t quite do this Mega justice!

And here are my shorebird high counts over the past 8 days (see previous blogs for an explanation of the “data” included here), with a goodly total of 20 species:

  • AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 4, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/16 (with Birds on Tap – Shorebirds and Steins! Tour group).
  • Black-bellied Plover: 124, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
  • Killdeer: 5, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 8/15 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • Semipalmated Plover: 345, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
  • Piping Plover: 5, Hill’s Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
  • Ruddy Turnstone: 28, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
  • STILT SANDPIPER: 1 ad. (FOY), Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/20 (with Jeannette).
  • Sanderling: 4, Hill’s Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
  • BAIRD’S SANDPIPER: 1 juv (FOY), Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
  • Least Sandpiper: 40+, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 8/16 (with Birds on Tap – Shorebirds and Steins! Tour group.
  • White-rumped Sandpiper: 1, Hill’s Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty) and 1 Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/16 (with Birds on Tap – Shorebirds and Steins! Tour group).
  • Semipalmated Sandpiper: 296, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty). Still a low single-location high count for this time of year.
  • Short-billed Dowitcher: 52, The Pool, Biddeford, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty)
  • Spotted Sandpiper: 6, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
  • Solitary Sandpiper: 6-7, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 8/15 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • Lesser Yellowlegs: 67, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/20 (with Jeannette).
  • (Eastern) Willet: 3, Jones Creek, Scarborough Marsh, 8/16 (with Birds on Tap – Shorebirds and Steins! Tour group.
  • Greater Yellowlegs: 26, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/20 (with Jeannette).
  • RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: 8, First Chance Whale Watch, Kennebunk, 8/19 (with Ian Doherty and Bill Thompson).
  • RED PHALAROPE: 1, First Chance Whale Watch, 8/19 (with Ian Doherty and Bill Thompson).
Bill Thompson and I joined Ian Doherty on a First Chance Whale Watch out of Kennebunkport on the 19th, and enjoyed a great day of sea life. In addition to the phalaropes mentioned above, we tallied 297 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, including this one, 6 Great Shearwaters, 2 Arctic Terns, 8 Northern Gannets, 1 most-cooperative Humpback Whale, 1-2 Minke Whales, and 2 Blue Sharks.

 This Week’s Highlights 8/3– 8/12/2026.

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The last of the locally-breeding Roseate Terns have been been putting on quite a show around Pine Point, including this one that still showed a mostly all-black bill.

Jeannette and I returned from our summer vacation on the 3rd, and with shorebird migration in full swing, so I went right back to work, both personally and professionally! Here are my observations of note over the past 10 days:

  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher has been present in our Durham yard since 8/8.
  • 3 Gadwall, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/4.
  • 1 Louisiana Waterthrush, River Winds Farm and Estate (Private), Saco, 8/5.
  • 1 juvenile Little Blue Heron, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 3 continuing FORSTER’S TERNS, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • 1 continuing THICK-BILLED MURRE, Ferry/Western Beach, Scarborough, 8/10 (with Jeannette). Present since 7/18, this first summer bird is in heavy wing molt, but otherwise appears healthy, actively diving, and surviving just fine. Please, just give it some room! We have been monitoring its health in consultation with Avian Haven, but even though it is well south of normal summertime range and it’s standing on the beach, it appears absolutely fine. Murres cannot take off from flat land, plus it’s in heavy molt, so perceptions of it being “sick” are just well-intentioned misunderstanding. It is being monitored, however!
(as viewed across the river from the Pine Point Jetty)
  • 1 continuing TRICOLORED HERON, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/10 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 continuing “PATCHES!” the proposed TRICOLORED HERON X SMALL WHITE EGRETTA(S) HYBIRD. This seems to be the same individual present since at least 2023. Discussion and great photos from Bill Thompson can be seen here.

Prior to our trip, I had a couple of notable observations in the two days after my last post before we departed :

  • 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo (FOY, finally) and 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Old Town House Park, 7/25 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • Highlights from my 7/26 “Whale Watch and Puffin Combo” birder’s special tour with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises out of Boothbay Harbor included: 206 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, 16 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, 3-4 RED PHALAROPES (upon photo review), a mere one Great Shearwater, 1 Northern Gannet, and of course all three terns and a great Atlantic Puffin show (especially for the date) at Eastern Egg Rock.

And here are my shorebird high counts over the past 10 days (see previous blog for an explanation of the “data” included here):

  • AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 8, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Black-bellied Plover: 64, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/7.
  • Killdeer: 7, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 8/12.
  • Semipalmated Plover: 125, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Piping Plover: 3 each at Biddeford Pool Beach and Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Hudsonian Whimbrel: 1 each at The Pool and Jones Creek, Scarborough Marsh, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Ruddy Turnstone: 16 Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Least Sandpiper: 263, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 8/10 (with Jeannette).
  • White-rumped Sandpiper (FOF): 1, Eastern Road Trail, 8/10 (with Jeannette).
  • Pectoral Sandpiper: 1, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group)
  • Semipalmated Sandpiper: 125, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group). Very low high count for the season as I was unable to visit the best locations at the perfect tides this week.
  • Short-billed Dowitcher: 85, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Spotted Sandpiper: 6, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Solitary Sandpiper: 8, Florida Lake Park, 8/12.
  • Lesser Yellowegs: 174(!), Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/4.
  • (Eastern) Willet: 8, Pine Point, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
  • Greater Yellowlegs: 29, Walsh Preserve, 8/4.

Upcoming Tours (that have space):

Birds on Tap℠ – Roadtrip! Shorebirds and Steins

August 16, 2026; 9:00am – 3:00pm​

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!

The original BoT Roadtrip! Way back in 2015, our most popular tour returns to Scarborough Marsh at prime time for a good variety of migrant shorebirds. We’ll learn how to identify our common species, and search for the rare. Up to 20 species of shorebirds are possible! We’ll practice identifying our “peeps” (Least, Semipalmated, and White-rumped Sandpipers) and attempt to tease out a rare Western or even a Baird’s among the masses. We’ll look for local breeding American Oystercatchers and Willets, while searching for migrants such as Red Knots on their way from the high Arctic to the southern tip of Argentina.

Juvenile Little Blue Heron, Scarborough Marsh, 8/10.

 This Week’s Highlights 7/15– 7/24/2026.

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While Ian Doherty, Bill Thompson, and I had two Tricolored Herons off of Eastern Road on the 24th, they were fairly distant. This photo was from a much closer encounter with one of the two birds last week from the same location.

Boat trips and shorebirds are the name of the game at this time of year, yet many of my notable species were wading birds during this recent period! Here is a very photo-laden report of my observations of note over the past 10 days, including my aggregated Shorebird High Counts:

  • 1 Glossy Ibis, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 7/15 (my 175th Patch Bird here!). There’s been an impressive showing of GLIB well inland this summer.
  • A trip to Eastern Egg Rock via the Cap’n Fish’s Puffin Cruise out of Boothbay Harbor on 7/16 with a group from the American Bird Conservancy enjoyed a great visit to the island with above-average numbers of Atlantic Puffins in the water, particularly good looks at Roseate Terns, and two seasonal rarities: a drake Long-tailed Duck in the Inner Harbor and a kleptoparasiting PARASITIC JAEGER about 1/2 mile off of the west side of Eastern Egg.
  • 1 continuing SANDHILL CRANE, Bar Harbor Airport from Rte 3 as we were heading into town to catch our boat, 7/18 (with Bill Thompson).
  • Highlights from the Bar Harbor Whale Watch/Flukes Seabird Island and Lighthouse Tour (with Kelley Sharp, Bill Thompson, et all) on 7/18 included 150+ Red-necked Phalaropes, 1 Sooty Shearwater and 60++ Great Shearwaters in all, many hundreds of Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, scattered migrant shorebirds, oh yeah, and a few thousand Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, and Common Murres and all three terns, etc. And breaching Humpback Whales!
  • 2 TRICOLORED HERONS, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 7/24 (with Ian Doherty and Bill Thompson.
  • 1 presumed/suspected WHITE-FACED IBIS, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh 7/24 (with Ian Doherty and Bill Thompson). Bill likely has better photos from Eastern Road, but the photos below are of what appears to be the same bird an hour or so later at Pelreco Marsh (with Ian).  Adult bird in post-breeding plumage aspect and beginning to molt, showing pure red eyes, wide but faded white border to the face and behind the eye, pale pinkish-flesh facial skin, but too far past high breeding to fairly ascertain color. Vocal difference when it took flight: less croaky, and more of a goose-like honking tone. Red knees seen well at Pelreco. While nothing is suggestive of a hybrid, the lack of useful facial skin coloration might make it impossible to fully discount a hybrid given the season and plumage aspect.

As I do every year at this time of year, I post my shorebird high counts. Since most of my – and just about everyone else’s birding at this time of year is focused on migrant shorebirds – I use it to synthesize my observations of the ebbs and flows of the protracted fall shorebird migration season. Each period, I am sure to visit at least one of each: high tide hotspot, a low tide hotspot, freshwater hotspot, Wharton Point in Brunswick, Walsh Preserve in Freeport, and a Killdeer/grasspiper hotspot. In previous years, I have done this every week, but due to my current life and schedule, I’m going to do it every 10 days (which is a long time in fall shorebird migration) this year instead, just to be sure that I hit all 6 of my “data” points each period. Therefore, here are my shorebird high counts over the past 10 days (no Biddeford environs this period):

  • Black-bellied Plover: 2, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 7/22.
  • Killdeer: 9, Highland Road, Brunswick, 7/22.
  • Semipalmated Plover: 55, Pine Point, Scarborough, 7/21 (with Jeannette).
  • Piping Plover: 5, Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg 7/20 (with Jeannette).
  • Hudsonian Whimbrel: 3, Pine Point,7/24 (with Ian Doherty). 1 on 7/21 (with Jeannette) was my FOY:
  • Ruddy Turnstone: 9, Matinicus Rock via Bar Harbor Whale Watch/Flukes Seabird Island and Lighthouse Tour, 7/18 (with Kelley Sharp, Bill Thompson, et all).
  • Sanderling: 6, Popham Beach State Park, 7/20 (with Jeannette).
  • Least Sandpiper: 30+, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 7/24 (with Ian Doherty).
  • Semipalmated Sandpiper: 125, Pine Point, 7/21 (with Jeannette).
  • Short-billed Dowitcher: 17, Pine Point, 7/21 (with Jeannette).
  • Spotted Sandpiper: 1, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 7/15.
  • Solitary Sandpiper: 3 (FOF), Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 7/15.
  • Lesser Yellowegs: 103, Walsh Preserve, 7/24.
  • (Eastern) Willet: 24, Pine Point, 7/21 (with Jeannette).
  • Caption: photo from the Eastern Road Trail on 7/14…I just didn’t get my photos sorted in time for the last blog entry…but I had to share this one!
  • Greater Yellowlegs: 21, Walsh Preserve, 7/24.
  • RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: ~150 between Machias Seal Island and Mt. Desert Rock via Bar Harbor Whale Watch/Flukes Seabird Island and Lighthouse Tour, with Kelley Sharp, Bill Thompson, et all, 7/18.

Upcoming Tours (that have space):

Boothbay Harbor Whale-Puffin Cruise with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises

This Sunday, July 26 – 9:00AM.

​​This is the second of the two trips this summer where Derek will be onboard as a Guest Naturalist for this special “Whale Watch & Birding Buffs Combo” Cruise. The itinerary will include a visit to Eastern Egg Rock as well as whale feeding grounds. Nesting colonies and pelagic sightings will be highlighted. Around EER at this time we can expect to find Atlantic Puffins, Common Terns, Arctic Terns, Roseate Terns, Laughing Gulls, Double-Crested Cormorants, Common Eider, Black Guillemots, with a chance of Razorbill and Common Murre. Off-shore sightings may include Northern Gannets, up to 4 species of Shearwaters (Great, Sooty, Cory’s, and Manx), and Wilson’s Storm Petrels. Who knows? Perhaps the wandering TUFTED PUFFIN will be spotted! Sorry, no chumming this time, but we tend to get a little more time around Eastern Egg, and if there’s enough of us, a little more freedom to chase birds offshore!

Trip Report:

Speaking of photo-laden reports, here is my trip report from our new “The Magic of Machias Seal Island,” tour which took place on July 5th and 6th.

The Magic of Machias Seal Island Trip Report, July 2026

And finally this week, Jeannette had some quality time photographing Roseate Terns on our 7/21 visit to Pine Point.

This Week’s Highlights 7/5– 7/14/2026.

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I led a tour to Machias Seal Island on the 6th, and I’ll let two snapshots with my phone do the talkin’  This place is just so special and needs few words.

In addition to our new The Magic of Machias Seal Island Tour downeast this period, my birding took me around southern Maine as well, including lots of quality time with Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows, Roseate Terns, and migrant shorebirds,.  Here are my observations of note over the past 10 days.

  • 1 COMMON GALLINULE, 1-2 American Bittern, etc, Penjajawoc Marsh, Bangor, 7/5.

Observations of note from my 2+ day tour to Machias, including a visit to Machias Seal Island included the following (the full trip report, chock full of photos, can be seen here):

  • 1 Tennessee Warbler singing each morning and 1-2 Common Nighthawks each evening for those of us staying at the Bluebird Motel in Machias.
  • 1 SPRUCE GROUSE, Edmunds Twp, 7/7.
  • 1 pair Northern Harriers, 6 White-winged and 3 Surf Scoters, 10 Red-breasted Mergansers, etc, The Bar and Carrying Place Cove, Lubec, 7/7.
  • 1 Red-throated Loon, 1 Laughing Gull, 30++ Razorbills, Quoddy State Park, 7/7.
  • Migrant shorebirds included 9 Short-billed Dowitchers and 5 Least Sandpipers on MSI on 7/6; 2 Greater Yellowlegs along the Downeast Sunrise Trail in Machias on 7/6; and 6 Least Sandpipers at the Lubec Bar on 7/7.
  • 2 Upland Sandpipers, Schoodic Road, Columbia, 7/8.
  • 1 continuing proposed TRICOLORED HERON X SMALL WHITE EGRET SPP (“Patches!”) and 1 continuing TRICOLORED HERON, 12 Least Sandpipers, 9 Lesser Yellowlegs, 4 Little Blue Herons, etc, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 7/10.  I only saw Patches flying away, but I saw very few dark flight feathers. This could be yet another individual in the complex. I’ll need to look at photos from others and see it better myself, but regardless, this is year 14 of this quagmire in the marsh!
  • 2 Pectoral Sandpipers (FOF), Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 7/11 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • The continuing TRICOLORED HERON and a growing number of shorebirds, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 7/14 (with clients from Florida and Virginia).

Upcoming Tours (that have space):

Boothbay Harbor Whale-Puffin Cruise with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises

July 26 – 9:00AM.

​​This is the second of the two trips this summer where Derek will be onboard as a Guest Naturalist for this special “Whale Watch & Birding Buffs Combo” Cruise. The itinerary will include a visit to Eastern Egg Rock as well as whale feeding grounds. Nesting colonies and pelagic sightings will be highlighted. Around EER at this time we can expect to find Atlantic Puffins, Common Terns, Arctic Terns, Roseate Terns, Laughing Gulls, Double-Crested Cormorants, Common Eider, Black Guillemots, with a chance of Razorbill and Common Murre. Off-shore sightings may include Northern Gannets, up to 4 species of Shearwaters (Great, Sooty, Cory’s, and Manx), and Wilson’s Storm Petrels. Who knows? Perhaps the wandering TUFTED PUFFIN will be spotted! Sorry, no chumming this time, but we tend to get a little more time around Eastern Egg, and if there’s enough of us, a little more freedom to chase birds offshore!

This Week’s Highlights 6/25– 7/4/2026.

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These atrocious “doc shots” of the Gull-billed Tern as it flew even further down Seawall Beach as I was viewing from Popham Beach State Park in the late morning on 7/1. Unfortunately for me, this was the closest I would get! But note the whiteish wings and very pale upperparts, with the narrow black trailing edge on the primaries and the thick, blunt namesake bill. Its swooping feeding behavior was also evident. I wondered if it was feeding on tiger beetles, or hopefully, greenheads, on the beach!

I have been thoroughly enjoying local breeding birds with my self-limited tour schedule in June. However, my tour season is ramping up again, led by several boat trips, the first of which was last weekend, and the next is Monday. Meanwhile, despite the heat, “fall” southbound shorebird migration is underway! Here are my observations of note over the past 10 days, even with 3.5 of them being out of state:

  • 2 RAZORBILLS, including one carrying food or nesting material, Eastern Egg Rock, 6/28 (with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises/Freeport Wild Bird Supply “Puffin and Whale Combo Tour” tour group). The Puffin Project recently reported the first nesting of RAZO on EER in over 100 years!
  • 39 Great Shearwaters and 30+ Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, offshore, 6/28 (with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises/Freeport Wild Bird Supply “Puffin and Whale Combo Tour” tour group).
  • 1 Willow Flycatcher, our property in Durham, 6/28 (Yard Bird #161!).
  • 22 Short-billed Dowitchers and 2 Least Sandpipers (first of “fall!”) and 8 Black-bellied Plovers, Popham Beach State Park, 6/30 (with Jeannette).
  • The continuing GULL-BILLED TERN, Seawall Beach/Popham Beach State Park, 7/1 (with m.obs. Photo above). This was #11 on my personal “Next State Birds for Me” list.
2026 “Next Maine Birds” Predictions Blog
  • Migrant shorebirds between Hill’s Beach and The Pool, Biddeford, 7/3: 7 Least Sandpipers, 5 Short-billed Dowitchers, 2 Semipalmated Plovers (first of fall), 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers (FOF), 2 Black-bellied Plovers, and 1 Greater Yellowlegs.

Upcoming Tours (that have space):

Boothbay Harbor Whale-Puffin Cruise with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises

July 26 – 9:00AM.

​​This is the second of the two trips this summer where Derek will be onboard as a Guest Naturalist for this special “Whale Watch & Birding Buffs Combo” Cruise. The itinerary will include a visit to Eastern Egg Rock as well as whale feeding grounds. Nesting colonies and pelagic sightings will be highlighted. Around EER at this time we can expect to find Atlantic Puffins, Common Terns, Arctic Terns, Roseate Terns, Laughing Gulls, Double-Crested Cormorants, Common Eider, Black Guillemots, with a chance of Razorbill and Common Murre. Off-shore sightings may include Northern Gannets, up to 4 species of Shearwaters (Great, Sooty, Cory’s, and Manx), and Wilson’s Storm Petrels. Who knows? Perhaps the wandering TUFTED PUFFIN will be spotted! Sorry, no chumming this time, but we tend to get a little more time around Eastern Egg, and if there’s enough of us, a little more freedom to chase birds offshore!

 This Week’s Highlights 6/15– 6/24/2026.

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Caption: Bill Thompson found this Black Skimmer at Pine Point on the 18th, and I was able to successfully chase it with a client from Australia who hoped to “experience a twitch” while we were out together. We saw it about 20 minutes later, just before it flew by Bill for the second time.

After my Bicknell’s Thrush Weekend tour in New Hampshire and Vermont (full-frame views of Bicknell’s Thrush!), I returned home late on the 14th.  I’ll summarize the tour with these two photos from Bill Thompson.

And here’s the full tour report:

2026 Bicknell’s Thrush Weekend Trip Report.

Upon my return, catching up from the yard to the store and everywhere in between, and finding myself involved in a most interesting project, reduced my dedicated birding time. Now in the heart of the breeding season (and with a concerted effort to make time to enjoy it!), my observations of note over the past 10 days included the following:

  • 11 Grasshopper Sparrows, numerous Vesper Sparrows, etc, Kennebunk Plains, Kennebunk, 6/16.
  • 1 continuing drake Northern Pintail and 2 Greater Yellowlegs, Sanford Lagoons, 6/16.
  • 1 BLACK SKIMMER (see above), 2 continuing Purple Martins, 7 American Oystercatchers, etc, Pine Point, Scarborough, 6/18 (with client from Australia).
  • 1 pair ORCHARD ORIOLES (at nest), Capisic Pond Park, Portland, 6/18 (with client from Australia).
  • 1 Green Heron, our property in Durham, 6/20 (Yard Bird # 160!)
  • 1 pair ORCHARD ORIOLES, 8 Glossy Ibis, etc, Old Town House Park, North Yarmouth, 6/20 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 9+ Grasshopper Sparrows, California Fields Wildlife Area, Hollis, 6/21.
You are what you eat!
  • 1 drake Long-tailed Duck, 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, Purple Martins and Fish Crows, etc, Drake’s Island and Wells Harbor, 6/22 (with Ian Doherty).

But mostly, I took advantage of my intentionally-reduced June schedule to casually enjoy our summer specialties, from Roseate Terns to Saltmarsh Sparrows to all of our delightful warblers… while also enjoying all of the finer aspects of life in early summer in Maine.   

Upcoming Tours:

Boothbay Harbor Whale-Puffin Cruise with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises

June 28 – 9:00AM.

​​Derek will once again be onboard as Guest Naturalist for this special “Whale Watch & Birding Buffs Combo” Cruise. The itinerary will include a visit to Eastern Egg Rock as well as whale feeding grounds. Nesting colonies and pelagic sightings will be highlighted. Around EER at this time we can expect to find Atlantic Puffins, Common Terns, Arctic Terns, Roseate Terns, Laughing Gulls, Double-Crested Cormorants, Common Eider, Black Guillemots, with a chance of Razorbill and Common Murre. Off-shore sightings may include Northern Gannets, up to 4 species of Shearwaters (Great, Sooty, Cory’s, and Manx), and Wilson’s Storm Petrels. Who knows? Perhaps the wandering TUFTED PUFFIN will be spotted! Sorry, no chumming this time, but we tend to get a little more time around Eastern Egg, and if there’s enough of us, a little more freedom to chase birds offshore!

 This Week’s Highlights 6/6– 6/11/2026.

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The Great-crested Flycatcher has been the “king bird” of our driveway, declaring dominance over the kestrel house we placed on an abandoned telephone pole. They have nested in it for the last three years.

June is a great month for birding in Maine, and this June has been very good so far with rarities around the state. Meanwhile, staying closer to home for much of the week, my observations of note over the last 6 days included the following:

  • Red Crossbills continue on the coastal plain including 5 at Florida Lake Park in Freeport on 6/6 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 adult Red Knot, 1 American Oystercatcher, etc, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 6/7 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 3 Red-necked Grebes, 1 1st summer Great Cormorant, continuing lingering Black and White-winged Scoters, etc, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 6/7 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 1 continuing 1st summer LITTLE GULL, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 6/7 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 1 Louisiana Waterthrush, North River Road, Auburn, 6/8.
  • 1 continuing 1st summer LITTLE GULL (same paler individual as 6/7), 1 American Oystercatcher, 1 Ruddy Turnstone, etc, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 6/9 (with clients from California).
  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, our property in Durham, 6/11.

NEW TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT:

Boothbay Harbor Whale-Puffin Cruise with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises

June 28 and July 26, 9:00AM.

​​Sorry for the delay on scheduling these tours, but we now have set dates. Derek will once again be onboard as Guest Naturalist for this special “Whale Watch & Birding Buffs Combo” Cruise. The itinerary will include a visit to Eastern Egg Rock as well as whale feeding grounds. Nesting colonies and pelagic sightings will be highlighted. Around EER at this time we can expect to find Atlantic Puffins, Common Terns, Arctic Terns, Roseate Terns, Laughing Gulls, Double-Crested Cormorants, Common Eider, Black Guillemots, with a chance of Razorbill and Common Murre. Off-shore sightings may include Northern Gannets, up to 4 species of Shearwaters (Great, Sooty, Cory’s, and Manx), and Wilson’s Storm Petrels. Who knows? Perhaps the wandering TUFTED PUFFIN will be spotted! Sorry, no chumming this time, but we tend to get a little more time around Eastern Egg, and if there’s enough of us, a little more freedom to chase birds offshore!

This Week’s Highlights 5/29– 6/5/2026.

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Little Gulls are simply adorable. This is a scientific fact. This continuing 1st-cycle (born last year) individual was at Hill’s Beach in Biddeford on the 31st.

While there are still plenty of migrants moving through the region, especially shorebirds, breeding season is fully upon us now. This June, I have intentionally reduced my tour schedule to take full advantage of what June has to offer, including exploring new areas and enjoying Maine’s astounding array of breeding diversity, and yeah, doing some scouting, too. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days:

  • Scattered Red Crossbills continue around the area, including here on the coastal plain. Blackpoll Warblers and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were among the later migrant passerines still on the move this week; I had several sightings of both species well outside breeding range. A Common Nighthawk over our yard in Durham on 6/2 was also likely a migrant.
  • 36 White-winged Scoters, 41 Black-bellied Plovers, 25 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 4 Dunlin, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, etc, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 5/30 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 200+ Chimney Swifts, Maine Street and Androscoggin River, Brunswick, 5/30 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 continuing 1st cycle LITTLE GULL, 2 Brant, 6 Roseate Terns (FOY), etc, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 5/31 (photo above).
  • 13 species of shorebirds, led by 85 Black-bellied Plovers but including 1 White-rumped Sandpiper (FOY), and 5-7 American Oystercatchers, between The Pool and Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 5/31.
  • Lingering seaducks around the Biddeford Pool area on 5/31 included 120+ Black Scoters, a small number of White-winged and Surf Scoters, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers, and 2 RED-NECKED GREBES (off Ocean Avenue. Back for another summer?).
  • 2 1st summer Great Cormorants, East Point to Ocean Ave, Biddeford Pool, 5/31.
  • 1 Willow Flycatcher, Bethel Rec Trail, Bethel, 6/1 (with Jeannette).
  • 6 (visually confirmed) Philadelphia Vireos, Grafton Notch State Park, 6/2 (with Jeannette).
  • 2 CANADA JAYS, Grafton Notch Forest Wilderness Preserve, 6/2 (with Jeannette).
  • 5 Long-tailed Ducks, 1-2 American Oystercatchers, 16 Semipalmated Sandpipers, etc, Pine Point Beach, Scarborough, 6/5.

2026 Monhegan Spring Migration Weekend Tour Report.

Another remarkable Monhegan Spring Migration Weekend is in the books. Every day out here is different in migration, and every tour is unique. But this one was particularly full of superlatives.

It seemed slow. Low numbers, low diversity, but yet with new birds being seen every day we ended up with a very good, above-average tally of 95 species, with the 18 species of warblers being just about the long-term average.

While numbers of individuals, especially warblers, were dreadfully low, we more than made up for it with quality. Quality of species, but especially quality of sightings. Just about everything was seen so well. A recurring theme of the weekend was definitely “wow, that was a great view!” or “what a fascinating behavior!”  The bird-watching was simply divine!

Here’s the photo-laden tour report, including daily birdlists.

2026 Spring Monhegan Migration Weekend Tour Report

This Week’s Highlights 5/22– 5/29/2026.

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A Mississippi Kite was discovered by a group of visiting birders from Rhode Island on Monhegan on Saturday morning. Moments later, it was seen by two other parties, and then the chase was on. I did a wind-sprint up Horn’s Hill and managed to catch a most unsatisfactory view of it as it disappeared behind trees. Unfortunately, my tour group could not relocate it in the afternoon, and it was considered a 1.5 hour-wonder. Then, on Tuesday morning, right after breakfast, I stepped out of our Trailing Yew cabin and started yelling across the lawn to Jeannette, who was looking down, photographing an (uncommon on the island) Eastern Bluebird. It then proceeded to pass right over our heads, and a few minutes later, it was even lower and closer.
This was most definitely not an unsatisfactory view!

I spent 5 of the past 8 days on Monhegan, first with a tour from Friday the 22nd through Monday the 24th, and remaining with Jeannette through the next day. I’ll have a trip report, chock full of photos, by next week, but for now, here are some of my daily highlights. We had a total of 107 species, but only 18 species of warblers. But the rarities and the overall quality of observations and experiences, really did make up for it.

5/22: Port Clyde ferry to Monhegan:

  • 10 Purple Sandpipers, Shag Ledge
  • 4 Atlantic Puffins
  • 1 1st summer Great Cormorant

5/22: Monhegan:

  • 1 AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, fly-byoff of Deadman’s Cove. ~7th Island Record. My 229th Monhegan species!
  • 1 continuing LARK SPARROW
  • 2 Sora (FOY)
  • Red Crossbills, including young juveniles, were widespread all five days.
  • 1 drake Long-tailed Duck

5/23:

  • 1 MISSISSIPPI KITE (see story above).
  • 1 adult BROAD-WINGED HAWK (very rare, especially in spring out here).
  • 1 GLOSSY IBIS, fly-by at dusk (with Mik Oyler)

5/24:

  • 1 fly-by Arctic Tern (FOY)
  • 1 continuing Virginia Rail (FOY)
  • 1 continuing female Pine Warbler
  • 1 continuing hen Long-tailed Duck

5/25:

  • 1 YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (unusually easy twitch with the group, found a short while prior by M. McKnight).
  • 10 Greater Yellowlegs (first spotted from Island Inn window by Bill Thompson).
  • 1 continuing female Pine Warbler

5/26 (with Jeannette):

  • 1 presumed returning MISSISSIPPI KITE (see above).
  • 1 presumed returning BROAD-WINGED HAWK.
  • 1 Arctic Tern
  • 2-3 Olive-sided Flycatchers (FOY)
  • 3 White-winged Scoters
  • 1 1st summer Great Cormorant
  • 1 continuing female Pine Warbler

Ferry to Port Clyde:

  • 2 Atlantic Puffins

Back here in the real world, my observations of note over the past three days included:

  • 1 Saltmarsh Sparrow (FOY), Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 5/27.
  • 3 Nelson’s Sparrows (FOY), Walsh Preserve, 5/27.
  • 2 Yellow-throated Vireos, 3 Yellow-bellied Flycatchers (FOY), 14 species of warblers including 1 Louisian Waterthrush, etc, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/29.

Upcoming Tours (with space available).

Bicknell’s Thrush Weekend

June 12-14, 2026

The latest incarnation of our Bicknell’s Thrush weekend offers more chances to see the enigmatic Bicknell’s Thrush and even better boreal birding opportunities!

With two full mornings in the area, we’ll have flexibility to offer two visits to the realm of the Bicknell’s. While Bicknell’s Thrush is the primary target, this enhanced itinerary will also give us an even better chance at other boreal species, including Canada Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Black-backed Woodpecker, Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, Palm and Blackpoll Warblers, and especially Philadelphia Vireo and Mourning Warbler.  By staying in Colebrook, NH we have the opportunity to look for additional boreal targets anywhere from Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom (the famous hotspots are only 30 minutes from Colebrook!) to the Umbagog NWR area.

​

 This Week’s Highlights 5/16– 5/21/2026.

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Dan Nickerson and I enjoyed quality time with a foraging Louisiana Waterthrush at a regular location in West Poland on the 21st. We enjoyed watching its foraging technique in and out of the water.

It was another fabulous week of birding, and the season has finally (mostly) caught up with the date on the calendar. Several great nights of nocturnal migration allowed a lot of breeding birds and passage migrants to arrive, although there were few concentrations of migrants this week as most birds went overhead, unimpeded. The 19th was my best day of the spring so far, however! My observations of note over the past 6 days, before I head off to Monhegan, are as follows:

  • In addition to the usual handful of breeding locales, the recent spring overshoot event has brought quite a few more ORCHARD ORIOLES to the state than usual. I saw three this week, including at known breeding locations(*): 1 female Old Town House Park*, North Yarmouth, 5/16 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group); 1 immature male, Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, 5/17 (with Down East Adventures Spring Songbird Workshop tour group), and 1 adult male Capisic Pond Park*, Portland, 5/17 (with Down East Adventures Spring Songbird Workshop tour group).
  • 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Old Town House Park, North Yarmouth, 5/16 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 2 Yellow-throated Vireos, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/18 (with Jeannette).
  • 10+ BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, our property in Durham, 5/18. Unfortunately were flushing out of the woods (likely eating Amelanchier blossoms) before I could get an accurate count of the flock size. Incredibly late date.
  • Incredible day for migrants on Bailey Island in Harpswell on 5/19 (with Ian Doherty). We tallied 18 species of warblers, led by ~60 Common Yellowthroats and ~40 Yellow Warblers, at least 18 Swainson’s Thrushes (FOY), 25+ Red-eyed Vireos, 10+ Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, etc. Best day of migrant observation for me this season so far!
  • 2 American Oystercatchers, Bailey Island, 5/19 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 1 Vesper Sparrow, Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport, Auburn, 5/21 (with Dan Nickerson).
  • 1 Louisiana Waterthrush, Johnson Hill Road, West Poland, 5/21 (with Dan Nickerson).

My other personal “first of years” (aka “FOYs”) this week also included:

  • 3 Red-eyed Vireos, Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, 5/17 (with Down East Adventures Spring Songbird Workshop tour group).
  • 1 Canada Warbler, Capisic Pond Park, Portland 5/17 (with Down East Adventures Spring Songbird Workshop tour group).
  • 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/18 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Indigo Bunting, our property in Durham, 5/18.
  • 25+ Common Terns, Bailey Island, Harspwell, 5/19 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 1 Willow Flycatcher, Bailey Island, 5/19 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 4 Blackpoll Warblers, Bailey Island, 5/19 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 6 Bay-breasted Warblers, Bailey Island, 5/19 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 1 Tennessee Warbler, Bailey Island, 5/19 (with Ian Doherty).
  • 3+ Common Nighthawks, our property in Durham, 5/19.
  • 2 Alder Flycatchers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/20 (with Evan Obercian).

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch has come to an end.

The 20th year of the project began on March 15th officially concluded at 5:00pm on May 15th, but Zane went up for a few hours on the 16th…and yeah, the rest of the week looked pretty decent, too. Where was this weather during the count period!? Here’s the final, Week 9 report.  

Upcoming Tours (with space available).

​June 12-14, 2026

The latest incarnation of our Bicknell’s Thrush weekend offers more chances to see the enigmatic Bicknell’s Thrush and even better boreal birding opportunities!

​With two full mornings in the area, we’ll have flexibility to offer two visits to the realm of the Bicknell’s. While Bicknell’s Thrush is the primary target, this enhanced itinerary will also give us an even better chance at other boreal species, including Canada Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Black-backed Woodpecker, Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, Palm and Blackpoll Warblers, and especially Philadelphia Vireo and Mourning Warbler.  By staying in Colebrook, NH we have the opportunity to look for additional boreal targets anywhere from Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom (the famous hotspots are only 30 minutes from Colebrook!) to the Umbagog NWR area.