Category Archives: Week Reports

This Week’s Highlights 4/10– 4/17/2026.

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Heading south on Friday of last week, I could not resist some quality time with the continuing King Eider on the Kittery Waterfront!


I enjoyed a weekend in Rhode Island thanks to being invited to lead a walk and speak at the Annual Meeting of the Ocean State Bird Club. Thanks to everyone there for the invitation and the great turnout! My bird of the weekend were these three continuing “Black” Brant in Providence that Jess Bishop and I caught up with on the 12th before I headed north.

Meanwhile, here in Maine, the migratory floodgates (and not just for birds!) really began to open with the warm weekend weather and conducive winds, at least to start the week. Here are my observations of note over the past 8 days (5.5 of which were in Maine):

  • 1 continuing drake KING EIDER, Oak Terrace overlook, Kittery, 4/10 (photos above).
  • I spent some time watching the Rock Row, Westbrook Peregrine Falcon nest on the 13th – much better than sitting in the waiting room of a car service center!
  • Not directly bird-related, but Jeannette and I enjoyed a productive “Big Night” in Durham on the evening of 4/14, highlighted as usual by Blue-spotted and Spotted Salamanders.
  • BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS continue to be a highlight this week – they are always a highlight for me! – around the area. About 100 on Stonewood Drive in Freeport on the 17th was my high count this week, with 35-40 here at the store at the same time. 2 were with 20 Cedars at the Walgreens on Route 1/9 in Scarborough earlier that morning. Some have been around the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch on and off this week, and a flock of 24-30 in our property in Durham was our 156th Yard Bird!
  • 4 breeding-plumaged (FOY) Dunlin, 4 Greater with 23 Lesser Scaup, and hundreds of Black and White-winged Scoters, etc, Pine Point, Scarborough, 4/17.

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

  • 1 Broad-winged Hawk, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 4/13.
  • 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, our property in Durham, 4/14.
  • 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/15.
  • 1 Barn Swallow, Florida Lake Park, 4/15.
  • 1 Brown Thrasher, our property in Durham, 4/16.
  • 1 Field Sparrow, Cedar Pond Road, Durham, 4/16.
  • 4 Black-bellied Plovers, Pine Point, Scarborough, 4/17.
  • 1 drake Blue-winged Teal, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 4/17.
  • 130+ Glossy Ibis, total in Scarborough Marsh, 4/17 (unfortunately more than half were too distant to sort through).
  • 15 Snowy Egrets, total in Scarborough Marsh, 4/17.
  • 17 Greater Yellowlegs, total in Scarborough Marsh, 4/17.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch is Going Strong!

The 20th year of the project began on March 15th. The quickest and clearest way to view daily reports is by clicking on the Hawkcount link contained here. Meanwhile, we will continue to post weekly summaries on the News Page of our website. Here’s the Week 4 report.

Upcoming Tours.

Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Hawks and Hops!

***LIKELY POSTPONED from April 19, 2026 until 4/26 due to weather. Please let us know if you are interested in the new date!***

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!

This brand-new itinerary takes us to the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal in the peak of northbound raptor migration. Now in its 20th year, this research project by Freeport Wild Bird Supply tallies an average of 4,180 migrating birds of prey each spring from the summit!

After a gentle 1-mile climb through the woods, looking and listening for migrant and resident songbirds, we’ll arrive at the summit and join the project’s Official Counter. Derek will discuss the history and methodology of the project, as the counter points out migrating raptors. Derek will lead us through the basics of hawk identification to give us a hawkwatch primer, and then if the migration action allows, we’ll sit back and enjoy the show until it is time to depart (the walk down is a steep ¼ of a mile on a wide, well-worn trail with rocks and roots and some steps; hiking sticks are suggested if you use them). This is the only Hawkwatch Workshop program that FWBS will be offering this year, so this is a tour you won’t want to miss!

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 Maine Beer Company and Goodfire Brewing.

This Week’s Highlights 4/4– 4/9/2026.

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Jeannette and I had a great weekend of Bohemian Waxwing quality time, including this photo session at University of Maine – Orono’s Littlefield Garden on 4/6.

Apparently, Jeannette and I weren’t ready for spring yet, as we used a few days off to go further north, back into (on those days) winter and winter birds!  Nonetheless, new arrivals are showing up regularly, and the radar on the night of 4/8-4/9 showed the first substantial migration of the season. These are my observations of note over the past 6 days.

  • 1 Rusty Blackbird, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/4 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were the bird of the trip for Jeannette and I as we spent two nights in Bangor over our weekend. We started with 35 on Rte 9 in Lisbon on our drive north on 4/5 followed by a flock of 15-20 that flew by the window of Timber Kitchen and Bar in Bangor as we enjoyed a scrumptious brunch. On 4/6, we had 23 at the Littlefield Gardens on the University of Maine – Orono campus, a total of 30 at Saxl Park in Bangor, and then 38 at Essex Marsh. We were sad to not keep the streak alive as we worked our way back home the next day!
  • 3 Evening Grosbeaks, Littlefield Gardens, University of Maine – Orono, 4/6 (with Jeannette).
  • Searched the Corrina-Newport area for the Pink-footed Goose that hadn’t been reported for a few days on 4/7 and found a mere 28 Canada Geese. Plenty of migrant waterfowl on lakes and ponds, however, the highlight of which was 533 Ring-necked Ducks, etc, on Corinna Marsh (with Jeannette).

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

  • 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/4 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Pied-billed Grebe, Florida Lake Park, 4/4 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 Swamp Sparrow, Stud Mill Road, Penobscot County, 4/6 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Winter Wren, Northeast Penjajawoc Preserve, Bangor, 4/7 (with Jeannette).
  • 2 Hermit Thrush (FOS), Florida Lake Park, 4/8.
  • 1 Palm Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 4/8 (with Jayden Mowry).
  • 2 Chipping Sparrows, our feeders in Durham, 4/9.
  • 1 Wilson’s Snipe, Jordan School Road, Auburn, 4/9.
  • 1 Pine Warbler, Jordan School Road, 4/9.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch is Underway!

The 20th year of the project began on March 15th. The quickest and clearest way to view daily reports is by clicking on the Hawkcount link contained here. Meanwhile, we will continue to post weekly summaries on the News Page of our website. Here’s the Week 3 report.

Upcoming Tours.

April 19, 2026; 9:00am – 3:00pm

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!

This brand-new itinerary takes us to the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal in the peak of northbound raptor migration. Now in its 20th year, this research project by Freeport Wild Bird Supply tallies an average of 4,180 migrating birds of prey each spring from the summit!

After a gentle 1-mile climb through the woods, looking and listening for migrant and resident songbirds, we’ll arrive at the summit and join the project’s Official Counter. Derek will discuss the history and methodology of the project, as the counter points out migrating raptors. Derek will lead us through the basics of hawk identification to give us a hawkwatch primer, and then if the migration action allows, we’ll sit back and enjoy the show until it is time to depart (the walk down is a steep ¼ of a mile on a wide, well-worn trail with rocks and roots and some steps; hiking sticks are suggested if you use them). This is the only Hawkwatch Workshop program that FWBS will be offering this year, so this is a tour you won’t want to miss!

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 Maine Beer Company and Goodfire Brewing.

 This Week’s Highlights 3/28– 4/3/2026.

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This unreasonably confiding American Woodcock kindly posed for pictures as it foraged along the side of the road during our Saturday Morning Birdwalk on the 28th. “My bird” was not nearly as cooperative during our
Woodcocks Gone Wild program the following night.

Despite the often less than spring-like weather, spring migration made slow but steady progress this week. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days:

  • 400+ Scaup off of the Maquoit Bay Conservation Land in Brunswick were mostly too far to sort through, but a single drake Lesser was among about 30 close Greaters on 3/28 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 450 Greater (mostly) with some Lesser Scaup, Ferry/Western Beaches, Scarborough, 3/29.
  • 2 American Oystercatchers (FOY) with about 25 Purple Sandpipers, Ferry Beach, Scarborough, 3/29. I don’t think I have ever seen these two species standing next to each other! (with Maine Conservation Voters birdwalk group).

These phone-scoped photos don’t really do the scene justice!

  • 4-6 American Woodcocks, private property in Durham, 3/29 during our annual “Woodcocks Gone Wild!” tour. 4 were displaying all evening, but our close bird seemed to be occupied elsewhere. Only some folks saw it in flight once, or it or another bird zipping by, as he never came into his platform this evening, much to the dismay of everyone present – especially me!

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

  • 5 Piping Plovers, Scarborough Beach State Park, 3/29 (with Maine Conservation Voters birdwalk group).
  • 1 Northern Flicker (FOS), Brown’s Point Road, Bowdoinham, 3/30 (with Jeannette).
  • 1 Tree Swallow, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 3/30.
  • 1 Fox Sparrow, our property in Durham, 3/31.
  • 1 Eastern Phoebe, our property in Durham, 3/31.
  • 1 RUSTY BLACKBIRD, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 4/1.
  • 4 Double-crested Cormorants, Yarmouth Town Landing, 4/1.
  • 3 Ospreys, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 4/2.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch is Underway!

The 20th year of the project began on March 15th. The quickest and clearest way to view daily reports is by clicking on the Hawkcount link contained here. Meanwhile, we will continue to post weekly summaries on the News Page of our website. Here’s the Week 2 report.

Upcoming Tours.

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!

This brand-new itinerary takes us to the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal in the peak of northbound raptor migration. Now in its 20th year, this research project by Freeport Wild Bird Supply tallies an average of 4,180 migrating birds of prey each spring from the summit!

After a gentle 1-mile climb through the woods, looking and listening for migrant and resident songbirds, we’ll arrive at the summit and join the project’s Official Counter. Derek will discuss the history and methodology of the project, as the counter points out migrating raptors. Derek will lead us through the basics of hawk identification to give us a hawkwatch primer, and then if the migration action allows, we’ll sit back and enjoy the show until it is time to depart (the walk down is a steep ¼ of a mile on a wide, well-worn trail with rocks and roots and some steps; hiking sticks are suggested if you use them). This is the only Hawkwatch Workshop program that FWBS will be offering this year, so this is a tour you won’t want to miss!

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 Maine Beer Company and Goodfire Brewing.

This Week’s Highlights 3/21– 3/27/2026.

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Bill Thompson and I birded from Bowdoinham through Gardiner on Tuesday, seeking migrant waterfowl and especially Bohemian Waxwings. We hit paydirt while working the side roads in downtown Gardiner, finding a flock of 110 (with 1-2 Cedars) feeding on multiflora rose behind a parking lot on Summer Street. They were, how shall we say, cooperative. A couple of short phone videos of our experience can be seen here. Of course, the next day, 30-40 were right outside the store!

Last week I was lamenting that I have not had enough Bohemian Waxwing time this winter. Happily, that changed this week!    My BOWA-laden observations of note over the past seven days included:

  • 1 Fish Crow, Cumberland Town Landing, 3/21 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 110 Bohemian Waxwings, Summer St, Gardiner, 3/24 (with Bill Thompson; photos above).
  • 30-40 Bohemian Waxwings, eating crabapples here at the store, 3/25.
  • 5 Gadwall, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 3/27.

The current weather pattern has stalled the progress of spring migrants. Nonetheless, my personal “first of years” (aka “FOYs”) this week included:

  • 1 AMERICAN GOSHAWK, Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 3/24.
  • 5 Wood Ducks, private property in Durham, 3/25.
  • 1 American Kestrel, Newell Brook Road, Durham, 3/26.
  • 1 Ring-necked Duck, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 3/27.
  • 4 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, Eastern Road Trail, 3/27.
  • 3 Great Egrets, Scarborough Marsh, 3/27.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch is Underway!

The 20th year of the project began on March 15th. The quickest and clearest way to view daily reports is by clicking on the Hawkcount link contained here. Meanwhile, we will continue to post weekly summaries on the News Page of our website, which can be seen here.

Upcoming Tours.

April 19, 2026; 9:00am – 3:00pm

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!

This brand-new itinerary takes us to the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal in the peak of northbound raptor migration. Now in its 20th year, this research project by Freeport Wild Bird Supply tallies an average of 4,180 migrating birds of prey each spring from the summit!

After a gentle 1-mile climb through the woods, looking and listening for migrant and resident songbirds, we’ll arrive at the summit and join the project’s Official Counter. Derek will discuss the history and methodology of the project, as the counter points out migrating raptors. Derek will lead us through the basics of hawk identification to give us a hawkwatch primer, and then if the migration action allows, we’ll sit back and enjoy the show until it is time to depart (the walk down is a steep ¼ of a mile on a wide, well-worn trail with rocks and roots and some steps; hiking sticks are suggested if you use them). This is the only Hawkwatch Workshop program that FWBS will be offering this year, so this is a tour you won’t want to miss!

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 Maine Beer Company and Goodfire Brewing.

This Week’s Highlights 3/14– 3/20/2026

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There has been an unusual amount of Brant in and around Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth over the past week, with some counts well over 100 birds. I only tallied 59 on 3/20, but enjoyed some close studies and photo ops.

Happy to be back to “normal,” I got out a few times this week in addition to spending time at the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch. It was nice to be birding again in the north, catching up with some winter favorites before they depart. And of course, enjoying each and every new arrival. My observations of note over the past seven days included the following:

  • 1 pair Barrow’s Goldeneye, Winslow Park, Freeport, 3/14 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).

1 adult GOLDEN EAGLE (FOY), Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch, 3/15. A few details can be seen here on the daily report. 

Zane somehow managed some phone-scoped “doc-shots” of the eagle. Luckily, it was much closer when we first saw it. But even in these shots, you can see the distinct dihedral, and the relatively small head and overall shape of this magnificent bird.

  • 70 Bohemian Waxwings, 12 Evening Grosbeaks, 1 Merlin, etc, Brown’s Point Road, Bowdoinham, 3/17 (with Jeannette).
  • ~40 Bohemian Waxwings, Route 9, Pownal, 3/18.
  • 9 Razorbills, Dyer Point, Cape Elizabeth, 3/20.
  • 59 Brant, 6 Greater Scaup, 20 Purple Sandpipers, etc., Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth, 3/20.
  • 1 Red Crossbill and 17 Razorbills, Two Lights State Park, Cape Elizabeth, 3/20.
  • 1 adult Iceland Gull and 2 Razorbills, Trundy Point, Cape Elizabeth, 3/20.
  • 1 continuing 1st-cycle Glaucous Gull, Mill Creek Cove, South Portland, 3/20 (with Bill Thompson).
  • Pine Siskins arrived this week, with widespread small numbers around the area now. I tallied 28 northbound from the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch during the morning of the 15th.

Other personal “first of years” (aka “FOYs”) this week included:

  • 1 American Woodcock, our property in Durham, 3/13.
  • 3 Brown-headed Cowbirds, our feeders in Durham, 3/13.
  • 1 Killdeer, Brown’s Point Road, Bowdoinham, 3/17 (with Jeannette).

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch is Underway!

The 20th year of the project began on Sunday. The quickest and clearest way to view daily reports is by clicking on the Hawkcount link contained here.

Upcoming Tours.

March 28th or 29th.  One space has opened for this tour. Please contact us to be added to the waiting list.

This Week’s Highlights 3/10– 3/13/2026.

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While I didn’t look at many birds in Maine this week, we drove a whole 6 minutes from our regular motel in New Jersey to chase this spiffy Harris’s Sparrow in Wall Township, my 352nd species in my native state!
Does 6 minutes even count as a chase?

Much has changed since we left for our vacation on February 23rd. Immediately upon our return, we had to depart the state for a few more days for a family matter. In the meantime, the vanguard of spring migration both literally and figuratively passed over our heads. Here are a few observations of note over the past four days since returning to the state.

  • 1 Red-winged Blackbird (Maine FOY), Kittery Rest Area, 3/10.
  • 8 Common Grackles (Maine FOY), Over Exit 25, Kennebunk, 3/10.
  • In the following days blackbird numbers continued to increase, as did migrant Song Sparrows.
  • 10 Green-winged Teal, Bernard Lown Peace Bridge, Auburn-Lewiston, 3/12.
  • 1 drake Gadwall, 11 Northern Pintails, 5 Red Crossbills (including 1-2 singing males), etc, Reid State Park, Georgetown, 3/13.

Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch gets underway on Sunday!

But the main reason I am posting this week despite the few days of observation is that Sunday, March 15th begins the 20TH YEAR of the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch! Join Zane Baker and project volunteers at the summit from 9-5 every day (weather permitting) from March 15th through May 15th. Can we reach least year’s record count?

Upcoming Tours.

March 28th or 29th.  This tour is currently sold out. Please contact us to be added to the waiting list.

  • Portland Explorer Collab Tours.

Our collaboration with Portland Explorer has expanded once again, with the 12th season of the Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! series, but also new Birding and History tours. All of the 2026 outings are now posted and are open for registration.  To learn more about these unique experiences, check out my recent blog entry.

2026 Birding Tours in Portland, Maine with Portland Explorer and Freeport Wild Bird Supply !

 This Week’s Highlights 2/14– 2/23/2026.

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While a trek to the mountains on the 15th was not nearly as fruitful (pun intended) as we hoped, Bill Thompson and I were very surprised to find a flock of White-winged Crossbills – an irruptive species that has been virtually non-existent this winter in Maine – on South Shore Road in Rangeley.

I covered a better amount of ground this past week than I have been recently, even with relatively limited time in the field. I wanted more frugivores to show for it, but I did have a nice variety of seasonal highlights. Here are my observations of note over the past 10 days.

  • 1 female “NORTHERN” COMMON EIDER (ssp BOREALIS), 1 drake Barrow’s Goldeneye, and 4 drake Greater Scaup, Winslow Park, Freeport, 2/14 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 2+ continuing FISH CROWS, Auburn Riverwalk, 2/15 (with Bill Thompson).
  • 1 1ST-cycle Iceland Gull, Auburn Riverwalk, 2/15 (with Bill Thompson).
  • ~20 Snow Buntings, moving between parking lots on Rte 4/2, Farmington, 2/15 (with Bill Thompson).
  • 19 (10 drakes and 9 hens) BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, Gurnet Bridge, Harpswell, 2/16 (with Jeannette). This winter’s flock, which maxxed out at 26 individuals, is the largest flock in the state since about 2006. Even though we missed the peak, this was a very impressive flock and was delightful to see!
  • 1 drake Barrow’s Goldeneye, Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth, 2/22.
  • 1 pair Barrow’s Goldeneye, Cumberland Town Landing, 2/22.
  • At least one Turkey Vulture continues along the I-295 corridor between Cumberland and Freeport as of this week. Several scattered “TV’s” elsewhere in the area suggests the first trickle of their northbound migration.
  • One adult Red-shouldered Hawk continues along Rte 136 in Durham, near the Freeport Town Line.

This Week in Irruptives.

On the 15th, Bill Thompson and I birded from Auburn to Rangeley, mostly looking for irruptives. It was not the birdiest day, and the only frugivores we encountered (despite finding plenty of fruit) were a mere 4 Cedar Waxwings in Farmington. Most of our birding was in and around Rangeley, where we caught up with a flock of 28 Evening Grosbeaks at a downtown feeder, and “dipped” on a small group of Pine Grosbeaks. However, on South Shore Road, we encountered 14 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS (see photo above) and a single Redpoll. 

Elsewhere, Purple Finches were a little more widespread this week, although in lower numbers than last week. Jeannette and I had 3 Red Crossbills, including an apparent pair, at Long Reach Preserve in Harpswell on the 16th and one Redpoll flew over our property on the 22nd. Scattered Evening Grosbeaks in the area included one in our Durham yard on the 17th and again on the 23rd. Cedar Waxwings were also a little more numerous this week, although in small numbers (high count of 6 here at the store on the 18th).

Winter Feeder Birds Snapshot.

After beginning a “feeder watching blog” while stuck at home from shoulder surgery in the winter of 2023, I continue the tradition for the fourth year now, as I try to compare feeder activity between winters on our property in Durham, Maine, and then attempt to use it as a case-study for what the overall feeder bird activity is like in the area this winter. Here’s the 2026 Feeder Birds Snapshot. Since the “study,” we have seen a few more winter finches, and as of 2/13 are now up to 24 Dark-eyed Juncos, 11 American Tree Sparrows, and at least 45 American Goldfinches.

Winter Feeder Bird Snapshot, 2026 Edition: Are Fewer Birds Eating More this Winter?

Upcoming Tours.

Woodcocks Gone Wild! March 28th or 29th in Durham.

This Week’s Highlights 2/7– 2/13/2026.

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The pair of Peregrine Falcons that have been overwintering in Lewiston-Auburn for the past decade or so continue to frequent the area around the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge and Cedar Street, as here on the 10th.

I’ve been spending extended time feeder watching at home in preparation for my upcoming annual “Feeder Birds in Winter” snapshot blog. Unfortunately, we are not being frequented by as many winter finches as a lot of people are right now, but it’s been an interesting project once again. I’ll have a blog posted in the coming days.  A few birding mornings elsewhere yielded some following observations of note.

  • 1 drake Barrow’s Goldeneye, Bernard Lown Peace Bridge, Auburn-Lewiston, 2/10 (with Jeannette)
  • 1 pair Barrow’s Goldeneye, Winslow Park, Freeport, 2/13.
  • At least one Turkey Vulture continues along the I-295 corridor between Cumberland and Freeport as of this week.

This Week in Irruptives.

An absolutely incredible Saturday Morning Birdwalk on the 7th included a most-unexpected tally of 7 species of winter finches – which was wholly unexpected given the dearth of most finches locally! The “Winter Finch Big Day” that developed was actually a secondary goal, with the original one: 20 species of birds in Freeport, west of I-295 only (and therefore no open water) also being reached. This was an outing that will not soon be forgotten. Highlights included 8 PINE GROSBEAKS and 26 COMMON REDPOLLS at Hidden Pond Preserve in Freeport and 16 EVENING GROSBEAKS at the Old Brunswick Road/Ross Road intersection in Durham. We also had Pine Siskins at two locations, two feeders full of Purple Finches, and of course found some House Finches and American Goldfinches to pad the list. Full trip report can be seen here.

Purple Finches have increased overall this week, and Evening Grosbeaks continue to be around, but rather sporadic. One Pine Siskin flew over our Durham yard on the 12th.

This Week’s Highlights 1/31– 2/6/2026.

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Redpolls were our most numerous finch during a day of birding Long Falls Dam Road in Somerset County this week.

With three tours in 4 days, never reaching 20-degrees last week through this weekend, my face needed a couple of days break! I took one. And then, on the “warmest” day of the week, Jeannette and I drove north to spend the day in the field. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.

  • 1 hen “NORTHERN” COMMON EIDER (ssp borealis) and 1 drake Barrow’s Goldeneye, Winslow Park, Freeport, 1/31 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
  • 1 continuing 1st-cycle Glaucous Gull and 4-5 1st-cycle Iceland Gulls, Old Port, Portland, 2/1 (with Gull Identification Workshop tour group).
  • 1 pair Lesser Scaup with 4 Greater Scaup, along with 24 Brant, Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth, 2/1 (with Gull Identification Workshop tour group).
  • 1 drake Barrow’s Goldeneye is back at the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge in Lewiston-Auburn as of the 6th.
  • 2 Fish Crows, Auburn Riverwalk, 2/6.
  • At least one Turkey Vultures continues along the I-295 corridor between Cumberland and Freeport as of this week.

Feeder-watching at home in Durham has been the name of the game on most mornings this week. The excitement came on the 5th, when an immature Cooper’s Hawk took a run at something. Everything flushed. Then, a Barred Owl came gliding in and either landed on the Cooper’s Hawk or immediately next to it. The Cooper’s Hawk flew away, the Barred Owl looked around in snow for a moment before flying into tree.

Was this attempted kleptoparasitism (stealing food) instead of a predation attempt? A Barred Owl has been regularly sunning itself in a spot that would provide a good sightline to where this occurred, so it was probably seeing a potential opportunity for brunch. I am just unsure what opportunity it saw.

This Week in Irruptives.

Here in Greater Freeport, a few more Purple Finches have been around and we had a single Red Crossbill in our yard on the 2nd. Scattered Evening Grosbeak reports continue as well.

Meanwhile, Jeannette and I headed north to Long Falls Dam Road in Somerset County on the 3rd. Birding for most of the day, focusing on irruptives, we tallied:

  • 43 “Common” Redpolls – scattered small flocks (largest was 12) all day.  Not including the 1 roadkill.
  • 8 Evening Grosbeaks – two small groups at feeders in North New Portland.
  • 6 Red Crossbills – gritting on Back Road.
  • 2 Pine Grosbeaks  -flyovers at North Bowtown Road
  • Only 4 American Goldfinches and 1 Purple Finch
  • Well above average numbers of Red-breasted Nuthatches but only average – or slightly below – numbers of Black-capped Chickadees.
  • Red Spruce cones were abundant, Black Spruce was patchy, and there was plenty of alder and birch, but no cones of White Spruce, White Pine, or Balsam Fir.

This Week’s Highlights 1/24– 1/30/2026

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It has been quite some time since I have seen a flock of Evening Grosbeaks this large in Maine. Here are a few of the 45+ that I happened upon while driving past the corner of Ross Road and Old Brunswick Road in Durham on the 25th.

Between snow cleanup, brutally cold temperatures, and other commitments, I didn’t get out birding much beyond the windows this week. Nonetheless, I still had several observations of note over the past seven days, mostly during the two frigid tours I led this week!

  • 1 GRAY CATBIRD (even more surprising with the severity of the winter so far!) and 1 Hermit Thrush, Leon Gorman Park, Freeport, 1/24 (with Saturday Morning Birdwlak group).
  • 1 drake Barrow’s Goldeneye, Winslow Park, Freeport, 1/28.
  • 3 hen and 1 drake Northern Pintail, Ogunquit Rivermouth, Ogunquit, 1/29 (with Down East Adventures Winter Waterbird Workshop group).
  • 1 Greater Scaup, Perkin’s Cove, Ogunquit, 1/29 (with Down East Adventures Winter Waterbird Workshop group).
  • 1+ continuing FISH CROWS, Anniversary Park, Auburn, 1/30.

This Week in Irruptives.

EVENING GROSBEAKS continued to be scattered about, with my high count this week being at least 40 birds – the largest flock I have seen this winter – feeding on White Ash seeds at the corner of Ross and Old Brunswick Roads in Durham on the 25th.  Still very few other finches in the immediate area other than plentiful American Goldfinches.