This Nashville Warbler (above) was one of two still on Peak’s Island as of the 1st, and this Orange-crowned Warbler (below) was one of four or five still on the island. Orange-crowned Warblers are pretty hardy, but if the Nashvilles are still hanging on, they would be questioning their life decision this morning! Speaking of, best wishes, wherever you are, to the Virginia’s Warbler that has not been seen since the 11/29.
Well, winter set in rather quickly this week, didn’t it? And no doubt much to the chagrin of the many vagrants, “pioneers,” and “half-hardies” that we have been enjoying recently. Despite the widespread below-zero temperatures by week’s end, I still saw four species of warblers this week. But I won’t expect that next week. Here are my observations of note over the past seven days.
2 continuing NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 3 Orange-crowned Warblers (at least 2 continuing), and 1 continuing COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, but no sign of the Virginia’s, Peak’s Island, Portland, 12/1 (with Jeannette. Photos above).
1 1st cycle Iceland Gull, Maine State Pier, Portland, 12/1 (with Jeannette).
1 ad. Red-shouldered Hawk, Ann St, Lisbon Falls, 12/4 (with Bill Thompson).
2 WILSON’S SNIPE and 4 Lesser Scaup, Lake Auburn, 12/4 (with Bill Thompson).
1 Fish Crow, Anniversary Park, Auburn, 12/4 (with Bill Thompson). 2-4 Fish Crows have been reliable here since April, including in the past few weeks.
1 Northern Flicker, our feeders in Durham, 12/4.
Scattered Evening Grosbeaks and Red Crossbills continue in the area this week as well.
The Peregrine Falcon pair of Lewiston-Auburn is back to frequenting their favorite winter perches, such as this rooftop tower near the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge. One of the pair had returned here after taking a run at a Bald Eagle.
I found Maine’s 4th or 5th Virginia’s Warbler on Peak’s Island on Monday, the 24th. Or at least I was confident that I did. I returned two days later to alleviate any lingering doubt, re-found it, saw it much better, and managed to photographed it! Many other birders have seen it through the 28th among a flock of other late/lingering warblers. Details below.
It was simply another incredible week of birding. Frustrated by not having found a mega-rarity since Monhegan (in an otherwise amazing fall for vagrants), I went to Peak’s Island on Monday. It worked! It was a six-warbler week for me, highlighted of course by the Virginia’s Warbler – a new state bird for me! My “Rarity Fever” is raging now! Here are my observations of note over the past eight days:
Evening Grosbeaks have become more regular locally this week, with single birds, mostly flyovers, here and there. Scattered 1 to a few Red Crossbills continue as well. Additionally, there was also a nice little surge in American Goldfinch and Pine Siskin numbers this week locally.
Plenty of the typical “late” migrants still around, such as Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, scattered Swamp Sparrows and Northern Flickers, Red-shouldered Hawk, etc.
1 Orange-crowned Warbler, Trout Brook Preserve, South Portland, 11/23.
Peak’s Island, 11/24: 1 almost-definite VIRGINIA’S WARBLER with 2 NASHVILLE WARBLERS (see below) on Seashore Ave, and 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT at Battery Steele.
1 NASHVILLE WARBLER, Commercial Street (near the cruise ship terminal), Portland, 11/26.
Back to Peak’s Island, 11/26: 1 VIRGINIA’S WARBLER (confirmed! Photo above) with 2+ NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 1++ Orange-crowned Warbler, and 1+ Yellow-rumped Warbler, Seashore Avenue. Complete details here:
4-5 NASHVILLE WARBLERS (4 continuing since being found by B. McKay et al on 11/26; I had a single bird at the other end of the hillside that was likely a 5th individual) and 1 Hermit Thrush, West Commercial Street, Portland, 11/28. This has been an insane fall for “late/lingering/pioneering/vagrant” Nashville Warblers here in Maine. Interestingly, this phenomenon appears to be rather widespread, as well above average numbers of NAWA are being seen along the Northeast coast as far south as Cape May this fall. Fascinating!
My best photo of the week was not of of the rarities, but I enjoyed this photo of one of four very cooperative Snow Buntings at Kettle Cove on the 23rd that I caught this one mid-stretch-break.
It’s been an extraordinary rarity season in Maine this fall. Perhaps it’s been the weather patterns, widespread drought, increasing use of neonicotinoid pesticides, or perhaps – according to a recent paper – geomagnetic storms!
But whatever it is, it’s made for an active month for vagrants here in Maine. Monhegan was epic at the end of September, October was pretty good on the mainland, and November has been exceptional. And, we still haven’t fully entered the rare-birds-at-feeders season, although there have already been quite a few noteworthy feeder visitors.
Personally, I’ve had a great fall, especially on Monhegan, and as you have read in my This Week’s Highlights blog (if you’re the one or two people who actually read it!), I’ve had quite a few notable finds, some fun chases, and overall great birding recently. But I hadn’t turned up a “mega” to add to the tally. On Monday, 11/24, I continued my search by taking a day to bird Peak’s Island, one of my favorite late fall birding destinations.
Arriving on the 7:45 ferry from Portland, I began my usual circuit, working around town to Picnic Point. The wrack line here always looks prime for a vagrant!
A short while later, at about 8:30am, I paused at one of my usual thickets on Seashore Ave, diagonally opposite the 5th Regiment Museum. There are always birds here, augmented by a dense tangle, some tall trees, and a few small feeders behind it.
On Monday, it was very active as usual, with numerous Northern Cardinals, a lot of House Finches, and other typical residents. Movement caught my eye in a stand of still mostly-still-leafed willow trees towards the back right of the thicket, approximately 25 yards from the roadside.
Three warbler-like birds were chasing each other. One appeared to be an aggressor, and I was hearing repeated short, high-pitched call notes that were either, or very similar to, Nashville Warbler. It’s been an extraordinary fall for “late” Nashville Warblers (although they are likely drift vagrants, mirror vagrants, or even reverse migrants rather than just behind schedule), so this was not too surprising. But three non-Yellow-rumped Warblers in one tree? That’s notable on November 24th!
The first bird I saw well was a bright, adult male-type Nashville Warbler (NAWA). The birds, still chasing each other and not sitting still, were not easy to see, but the second bird I got my binoculars on was rather confusing. I observed it for as long as I could, but the distance was just a bit too far.
A very drab Orange-crowned Warbler (OCWA) first came to mind, especially with the yellow undertail coverts, but the bird was really, really gray. A flat, cool, not at all yellowish or greenish gray. It was flicking its tail like a NAWA, but even more emphatically. It turned around, and I saw its breast, and there was a small amount of yellow there. Wait, what!? The patch was smaller and more isolated than a drab female Northern Parula, but there were no wingbars are at all, and it was too long-tailed.
I noted an eye-ring, but the distance made it hard to tell how bold it was, whether or not it was complete, or even if it was really white like a NAWA. I went for my camera, hoping to zoom in to see detail, but the birds were far too active and in too dense of a twiggy tree, so coupled with the distance, this was a complete fail.
Two birds departed to the right, but the bird of interest remained for another minute or three, calling very similarly to a Nashville Warbler, but quite emphatic. I then lost it, too.
By now, I was putting the pieces together and was under the suspicion that this was a Virginia’s Warbler, but I was not convinced. With all three birds departing as of 8:48, I opened up my Sibley app to refresh my memory (it’s been quite some time since I have seen a VIWA!) and listen to the call. The call recording on the app included two pitches of calls, the second of which was spot-on for what I was hearing from this very drab, gray, not-quite-Nashville warbler.
Hmm…but why didn’t I notice the yellow rump? Or was I just focusing on the rest of the bird? All of the views were so painfully brief, and I never saw the complete bird at one time.
About 10-15 minutes later, the trio returned: the adult male-type NAWA, a second, drab immature-female-type NAWA, and the likely VIWA. In a brief view, I noticed the all gray head, reminiscent of a female American Redstart, and confirmed the presence of yellow in the center of the breast.
The birds departed again, to the right, across Ryefield Street, but I only glimpsed one bird and it was likely the VIWA. I walked around the block, noticed a few feeders on New Island Avenue, but I did not find any warblers. Since they had returned to the original stand of willows three times now, I stood in place now, about a full hour after my original observation and I started sending out texts and scribbling notes.
I noticed that the recycling container at the house adjacent to the thicket had been taken in. Damn; I missed the homeowner! I needed to get closer to the thicket if the bird returns, but I am absolutely unwilling to trespass or enter yards without being invited/given permission. Many of you have understood this from my tours to Monhegan, but I stand by this elsewhere. But did it cost me today?
Happily, a short while later, the homeowner was in his yard and after a brief chat, allowed me to hang out in his backyard. It was now 10:28. He even brought me a comfy chair! I was so appreciative, now that I was camped out next to the willows, no warblers reappeared. I took another loop around the block, then returned to my chair. A single Evening Grosbeak dropped into the thicket, and I glimpsed what was almost certainly a Lark Sparrow within a House Sparrow flock, but I did not pursue it to confirm.
By 11:15, I was cold and needed to get a real walk in, so I departed, birding my usual circuit out to and through Battery Steele (found a Common Yellowthroat there) and otherwise enjoyed a rather birdy day on the island. A Hermit Thrush, a couple of Swamp Sparrows, a growing cadre of Red-necked Grebes offshore, and tons of Red-breasted Nuthatches in the woods. Song Sparrows were also unusually abundant.
I walked into town for lunch to go (the wraps at Unruly Girls’ Peaks Cafe are fantastic as always, but the hot chai was even more clutch!). I was back to the thicket at 1:36. The sun that broke through while I was far away had mostly been enveloped by clouds once, and the wind was picking up. Neither was particularly helpful. I departed at 2:25 to catch the 2:45 departure (I had planned on leaving before lunch!)
I was frustrated. I knew what I saw, but was bothered by what I did not see, and how unsatisfying and conclusive my views were. I felt confident that it was indeed a VIWA, but I don’t like birding by default or identification by the sum of all parts!
I thought about going back the next day but couldn’t. I must say, the oral surgery may have been less painful than having this bird get away!
I looked at guides, viewed photos online, and concluded there was little doubt that I had seen a VIWA. But the mind can play tricks on you, and memory can be affected by the post-observation studies, so it was bothering me. Jeannette asked if I was going to “count it?”
I didn’t know. So, on Wednesday morning, I decided to be a little late for work and go back to Peak’s Island. I couldn’t help it; I had to! Jeannette agreed.
Walking to the ferry terminal, I stumbled upon a Nashville Warbler on Commercial Street, near the cruise ship terminal, which I took as a good sign. 7:45 ferry, 8:05 arrival on the island, and I was to the thicket by 8:30, after a thorough check on Picnic Point on the way (the foggy conditions had me hoping to refind the bird on the wrack line like so many late-season insectivores find sustenance).
I stared at the thicket, but overall bird activity was much slower than two days prior. At 8:55, I began walking down Seashore, towards Maple Street. I soon heard warblers! I first heard a Yellow-rumped Warbler from quite some distance, but then heard NAWA, or NAWA-like, calls.
In the side yard of 66 Seashore, I found not three, but 5 warblers: 2 NAWA, a YRWA, and a drab Orange-crowned. Very drab. Hmm…could I have blown this mystery warbler? Was this all I had seen? No, no way! And then warbler #5 popped out: Virginia’s Warbler!!!!!
Between this yard, and the first yard on Maple Street a minute later, I had several perfect views at varying distances, and all field marks were observed. With a good look, there sure wasn’t any mistaking this bird!
Thin, slim warbler with a thin bill; bold but thin white eyering; cool gray upperparts with no wingbars, and here, you can just make out part of the yellow rump.Most of my views – and all of them on Monday – were like this: small parts of a small bird between twigs! Here, however, you can see the plain gray overall color, complete, thin eye-ring, and a hint of the yellowish undertail.
I followed the flock back towards the original thicket and willow trees, but I lost their tail. I decided to be responsible and head back for the 10:00 ferry and get to work. I also had left my Tylenol in the car. Besides, my job here was done! This is the 4th or 5th record for Maine, and the first away from Monhegan.
Addendum: Several friends arrived on the next ferry, and after a short while found the bird in the same area, often returning to the original thicket from Monday. I was so focused on identification of the VIWA that I probably didn’t take a full inventory of all of the warblers that were around. They had at least 4 OCWA now, 2-3 NAWA, 2 YRWA, and crushing views of the VIWA. The bird was seen by many through the afternoon. And thanks again to the homeowners who accepted my presence in their yard and invited others in later that day!
I also can’t help but wonder if there will be a “Patagonia Picnic Table Effect” as birders descend upon and follow this possibly-growing flock of unseasonable warblers. Could I be heading back to Peak’s soon? I’ll at least be able to grab another Mediterranean wrap this time.
12/1 UPDATE: The VIWA has not been seen since the afternoon of 12/29. Birders searched for it on 12/30 and had 1+ NAWA and 4 OCWA in the area. Today, Jeannette and I spent the morning looking for it to no avail. In the Seashore Avenue area, we had 2 NAWA and 2-3 OCWA. As we widened our search, Jeannette and I had a continuing COMMON YELLOWTHROAT in the same spot as last Monday and another OCWA, both near Battery Steele.
Six, somewhat-late American Pipits at Carrying Place Cove in Lubec were among the highlights of three days of dedicated rarity-searching in Washington County for our “weekend” this week. I was hoping for a wagtail though…or a Meadow Pipit.
I had a very busy week of birding, led by three days of searching for rarities in Washington County. Locally, my observations of note over the past eight days were as follows:
Scattered Red Crossbills continue in southern Maine, and Pine Siskins are increasing now.
1 Indigo Bunting, West Commercial Street, Portland, 11/13.
1 Orange-crowned Warbler (my 10th of the season!), South Portland Greenbelt Pathway, 11/13.
1 Rusty Blackbird, our property in Durham, 11/15.
1 NASHVILLE WARBLER and a variety of marginally late migrants such as 2 Hermit Thrushes and a Chipping Sparrow, etc, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 11/20.
Jeannette and I visited Washington County 11/16-18, with our priority being all of those little places we see in the summer that “looks good for rarities” in the late fall Rarity Season. So finally, we made it happen. Unfortunately, one day of rain, one day of snow, and two days of very strong winds made bird-finding rather challenging. We would have much preferred these clear and calm days of the second half of the week!
Our notable observations included:
3 continuing Gadwall, 18 American Wigeon, 8 Northern Pintail, 182 Green-winged Teal, etc, Sebasticook Lake, 11/16.
1 BARN SWALLOW, Roque Bluffs State Park, 11/16.
6 American Pipits, Carrying Place Cove, Lubec, 11/17 (photo above).
1 4th-cycle Lesser Black-backed Gull and 1 1st-cycle Iceland Gull, Mowry Beach, Lubec, 11/17.
1 1st-cycle Iceland Gull, Lubec village waterfront, 11/17.
1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, Old Farm Point Park, Lubec, 11/17.
4 Snow Buntings, Petit Manan NWR, 11/18.
1 1st-cycle Icleand Gull, Bangor Waterfront Park, 11/18.
Locally unexpected/rare: 1 Tufted Titmouse in a mixed species foraging flock at Hamilton Cove Preserve on 11/17 and two Red-bellied Woodpeckers in Lubec on 11/17 (“downtown” and Old Farm Point Park). Meanwhile, Red-breasted Nuthatches were exceptionally abundant, while both Black-capped Chickadee and Golden-crowned Kinglets seemed above average. Every mixed species foraging flock had plenty of each of the big three.
Finches: American Goldfinches were fairly widespread, and scattered small numbers of Purple Finches were around, but since finches are often detected via flight calls, the weather – especially the strong winds – did not make it easy to detect them. We also spent less time in Boreal habitats on this trip than most. So, other than those two, our finch observations were sadly limited to only 1 Evening Grosbeak and 5 Common Redpolls (FOF), Hamilton Cove Preserve, 11/17; 2 Red Crossbills and 2+ Pine Siskins, Machias River Preserve, Machias, 11/18.
Frugivores: American Robins were the only widespread frugivore so far, including an ample vismig on 11/17 with snow falling. 8 Cedar Waxwings and a distant flock of about 30 likely Bohemian Waxwings at Old Farm Point Park on 11/17. We were disappointed to not run into any Pine Grosbeaks.
Swamp Sparrows have been common and conspicuous on our Durham property, and elsewhere this week. I feel this, like most sparrows, is an underappreciated beauty!
My observations of note over a very productive and exciting eight days of birding included the following:
Highlights from our Durham property this week included near-daily American Woodcocks and Rusty Blackbirds, and a nice little arrival of more Swamp Sparrows and Purple Finches in particular on 10/21.
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/15.
A very light flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning.
6:55-8:30 (with Bill Thompson).
48F, mostly cloudy to partly cloudy, NW 1.7-2.5mph diminishing to calm.
51 American Robins
33 Yellow-rumped Warblers
28 Dark-eyed Juncos
17 American Goldfinches
16 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
8 Eastern Bluebirds
7 White-throated Sparrows
6 Chipping Sparrows
5 Palm Warblers
4 Hermit Thrushes
4 Golden-crowned Kinglets
3 Blue-headed Vireos
3 Purple Finches
3 Swamp Sparrows
2 Pine Siskins
2 Rusty Blackbirds
2 Tufted Titmice (4 false-starts and counting)
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Downy Woodpecker (2+ false-starts)
1 House Finch
1 American Pipit
1 Northern Flicker
1 Magnolia Warbler
1 unidentified
Total = 203
1 continuing CACKLING GOOSE, Thornhurst Farm, North Yarmouth, 10/15 (with Bill Thompson).
1 Least Sandpiper, 1 White-rumped Sandpipers, and 2 Pectoral Sandpipers, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 10/15 (with Bill Thompson).
Sandy Point Morning Flight, 10/16.
An excellent flight passed over and through Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island, Yarmouth this morning.
6:55 to 10:40am.
44F, Mostly cloudy, NW 4.3 – 9.0 increasing to 15.1 – 19.7mph with higher gusts.
2186 American Robins (*NEW RECORD! – just barely).
1776 Yellow-rumped Warblers
167 unidentified
127 Dark-eyed Juncos (One was quite likely not a Slate-colored, but my photos of it are not useful)
61 Common Grackles
48 Cedar Waxwings
43 Canada Geese
31 Chipping Sparrows
21 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
19 Rusty Blackbirds
18 White-throated Sparrows
13 Northern Flickers
11 Golden-crowned Kinglets
11 Purple Finches
9 Pine Siskins
7 Palm Warblers
4 Blue-headed Vireos
4 unidentified finches
4 Hermit Thrushes
4 Song Sparrows (crossed together at 8:29. This is only my second or third observation of SOSP engaging in Morning Flight after sunrise here; plenty more in and around the parking lot as usual)
3 Merlins
3 Common Loons
3 Turkey Vultures
2 Red-winged Blackbirds
2 White-crowned Sparrows
2 Eastern Phoebes
1 Northern Parula
1 Blackpoll Warbler
1 Brown Creeper
1 Peregrine Falcon
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
1 Cooper’s Hawk
1 American Goldfinch
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
1 Cape May Warbler
1 Red-breasted Nuthatch
1 Sharp-shinned Hawk
1 Tennessee Warbler (from Bill Thompson’s photo review)
1 Black-throated Blue Warbler (from Bill Thompson’s photo review).
Total = 4,592
Notables from a delightfully birdy morning on Bailey Island, Harpswell on 10/17 included a decent, and relaxingly unquantified, morning flight mostly of Yellow-rumped Warblers; 1 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, and 1 Cape May Warbler among the migrants found here and there around the island.
1 DICKCISSEL, feeders here at the store, 10/19, continuing through at least 10/21. Was this the same bird seen on 10/4 and then again on 10/13-14?
4 continuing FORSTER’S TERNS, Pine Point, Scarborough, 10/20 (with clients from California and Massachusetts).
2 “Ipswich” Savannah Sparrows, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 10/20 (with clients from California and Massachusetts).
Our Last Tour of 2025 still has some space remaining!
Birds on Tap℠ – Roadtrip! Rarity Roundup
November 9, 2025; 8:00am – 3:00pm
Cost – $125
Portland Explorer (formerly Maine Brews Cruise) and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are excited to continue our collaboration for six very special outings in 2025.
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!
Early November is a fantastic time of year in Maine for vagrants – birds normally seen in far-off places. Due to a combination of weather patterns, changing seasonal food resources, falling temperatures, and other factors – some of which are not completely understood – birds that may have ended up in Maine by “accident” begin to concentrate at the coast in “migrant traps” and “hotspots.” In other words, this is the time of year to expect the unexpected.
A traditional “Rarity Roundup” involves teams of birders heading out on a given day during rarity prime time, looking for species that are not supposed to be around. And in honor of that tradition, that’s exactly what we are going to do on this unique tour. We may “chase” a rarity (go to see something that has already been found, aka “twitch”) or we might choose a destination known for rare birds in an attempt to find one of our own. Or perhaps, we’ll do both!
Anything between Portland and Kittery is fair game, and we might not even know where we will head until we are on the bus and the latest rare bird alert is received. For those who love adding a bird to your Life or State List, and/or basking in the thrill of discovery, well then this is the tour for you! In between seeing great birds, we’ll discuss the complex factors that are involved in delivering rarities to an area, and how we go about finding them.
After about 3-4 hours of birding, depending on drive time, we will be transported to two of our great local producers to sample their offerings and learn their styles.
This female Cerulean Warbler at Evergreen Cemetery on 5/6 was the first in Maine for just about every birder who raced to see it! Thanks to Bill for the photo!
Wow! What a week! Although I was out of town for the huge flight Friday night into Saturday morning, my birding with a tour group on an almost-as-productive Sunday morning made up for it. Then, with an upper level low locked into place, migration ground to a halt throughout most of the rest of the week. However, a trickle of new arrivals appeared, and an impressive array of rarities were found around the state. I did a lot more chasing than usual this week (including a personal “state bird”, but a self-found rarity on Friday was a perfect way to put the icing on the cake of a tremendous week of spring birding! My observations of note over the past seven days included the following:
15 species of warblers (FOY) between Evergreen Cemetery and Capsic Pond Park, with Northern Parula the most numerous at both, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
1 ROSS’S GOOSE, Thornhurst Farm/Prince Well Road, North Yarmouth, 5/5. Found by the Boardman family, there was discussion as to its ID. When I was sent photos on the morning of the 5/5, after being present for at least 3 days, I thought it was a “pure” Ross’s Goose. When Jeannette and I then visited the bird to observe it, we left with zero doubt. I posted a series of photos, a short video, and an explanation of the identification on this Facebook post.
1 female CERULEAN WARBLER, Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, 5/6 (with Bill Thompson). Found earlier in the morning by Doug Hitchcox. Bill and I ran into each other on Eastern Road and then raced north together for the twitch. His photo is above. My (and most peoples’) first in Maine, this was #11 on my personal next birds in Maine list, and one that feels long overdue.
1 continuing BLACK-NECKED STILT, Spurwink Marsh, Cape Elizabeth, 5/6 (with Bill Thompson). Well, since we were out chasing together, we figured we might as well visit this elegant rarity found by John Lorence on 5/3.
The continuing CERULEAN WARBLER at Evergreen Cemetery on 5/8 with my Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Warblers and Wort! Tour group. I don’t generally take photos while guiding groups, but I took a few of this bird…and completely wiffed on them!
After all this “twitching,” I was due to find my own rarity, and did so on 5/9 with an adult breeding plumage female RUFF (REEVE) at Walsh Preserve in Freeport. There are only about 10 previous records for Maine.
My personal “first of years” this week also included:
2 Yellow Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, Portland, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
8 Black-throated Blue Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
2 Wood Thrushes, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
3 Magnolia Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
4 Chestnut-sided Warblers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
2 Great-crested Flycatchers, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
2 American Redstarts, Evergreen Cemetery, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
2 Northern Waterthrushes, Capisic Pond Park, Portland, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
7 Chimney Swifts, Capisic Pond Park, 5/4 (with Down East Adventures Spring Migrant Songbird Workshop group).
1 White-crowned Sparrow, feeders here at the store, 5/4.
Freeport Wild Bird Supply is very excited to partner with Down East Magazine’s Down East Adventures for the fifth year of offering exclusive birding workshops focused on gaining greater knowledge and field skills in a focused group of seasonally accessible birds. Focused on skill-builder rather than list-building, there will be plenty of “life birds,” but also more knowledge and education about birds, habitats, birding, and much more about the natural world. We are honored to be their provider for a series of unique and exclusive birdwatching endeavors. In 2025, we will have four outings once again.
February 9, 2025; 9:00am – 4:00pm Cancelled due to multiple snowstorms!
Winter is a wonderful time for birding in Maine – at least when you are dressed appropriately! Colorful seaducks that breed in the high Arctic grace our shorelines – including all three scoter species and dapper Long-tailed Ducks, along with everyone’s favorite: striking Harlequin Ducks. Purple Sandpipers and Great Cormorants replace our summertime shoreline denizens. And if the winds are right, very sought-after alcids – including Dovekies and Thick-billed Murres – join our regular Black Guillemots and Razorbills. Black-legged Kittiwakes, Northern Gannets, and “white-winged” gulls add to the mix. In this workshop, we’ll hit a few of the prime viewing locations along Maine’s southern coast. But we won’t just be working on the checklist today. Instead, we’ll be focused on learning how to search for these birds – the how, when, and why – and how to identify them. We’ll learn about microhabitats, weather considerations, and seasonal timing to aid our search today and in the future. By visiting several seasonally-productive sites, we’ll compare similar species while taking time to savor the splashes of color offered by winter seaducks in an otherwise gray and white landscape.
To get an idea of what you may see when the tour returns in the winter of 2026, see the 2024 and 2023 trip reports.
This Northern Parula was one of many ultra-cooperative warblers today. This was one of 10 parulas in a single cluster of willows on the shoreline of Capsic Pond Park during our 20205 workshop.
Spirits seemed low when we met in such dense fog, but I was even more excited to explore the environs of Portland migrant traps, beginning with Evergreen Cemetery. After a slow start, with few warblers overhead in the Morning Flight, we encountered several very productive pockets of activity, including a great diversity of warblers. Many were down low, too, with just fantastic looks at species such as Yellow, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Nashville, and Black-and-white Warblers, along with great looks at Veeries and Least Flycatchers. A “herd” of about 75-100 White-throated Sparrows marched through the forest understory, and we stalked a Black-crowned Night-Heron and spotted a Merlin among many other species today.
Evergreen was good, but nearby Capisic Pond Park was just great! While there were fewer warblers in both quantity and diversity, the cool, drippy morning conditions kept everyone even lower here. We began with 10 Northern Parulas at eye level all around us in a blooming willow (photo above), had great looks at a Prairie Warbler, listened to Northern Waterthrushes, and marveled at Baltimore Orioles.
We then discussed the overnight migration and how the radar images suggested what we would see and not see today, and how the “poor” weather produced such great birding. In the end, we tallied a very respectable-for-the-date 15 species of warblers! Although the list was not the priority as usual in these workshops, it’s hard not to get excited about the diversity of warblers now arriving. While Northern Parula was our most abundant warbler today, the total warbler list – in very rough order of abundance- also included Black-and-white,Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Blue, Ovenbird, Magnolia, Chesnut-sided, Yellow, Nashville, Common Yellowthroat, Black-throated Green, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, Pine, and the aforementioned Prairie. More importantly, perhaps, we worked on building our skills of recognizing each species and family so that our birding will be better and more successful on our own next time.
3. Shorebird Workshop
August 18, 2025; 8:00am – 4:00pm
This juvenile Piping Plover was one of 12 species of shorebirds we had the chance to really study on our Shorebird Workshop tour.
Could we have had more of a perfect day? Temperatures topping out in the mid-70’s, a light breeze in the afternoon, and clear skies – considering the rain of early summer and the recent extreme heat, we could not have asked for better. And then we saw thousands of shorebirds!
With more than 35 species of shorebirds regularly appearing in Maine, this workshop was designed to appreciate the diversity and beauty of this fascinating family. We hit some of the marshes, beaches, and rocky roosts that shorebirds prefer at the peak of their migration. We focused on comparative experience, learning how to recognize each species both near and far. Starting with the basics, such as plover vs. sandpiper, we’ll work our way up to the identification quandaries such as the “peeps” and lone yellowlegs. We worked through species by species as we developed a “toolkit” to approach shorebird identification on your own, using a combination of habitat, shape, size, structure, behavior, and plumage to identify this wonderfully diverse and attractive group of birds.
By day’s end we tallied a decent 12 (and a half!) species of shorebirds, a little short of our unofficial goal of 15. We did see a couple of rarities but were also dogged by Peregrine Falcons and Para-gliders causing birds to disperse and/or take cover. But we had plenty of chances to study a nice array of species, often side-by side.
Beginning at Biddeford Pool Beach, we started with the basics and enjoyed watching Ruddy Turnstones bulldoze their way into the wrack line and picking out White-rumped Sandpipers from a mass of Semipalmated Sandpipers. A Baird’s Sandpiper at Great Pond was one of our most notable birds of the day, and not where we expected it.
At Hill’s Beach, there was a lot of disturbance today, but we had some good opportunities to study Piping vs Semipalmated Plovers, Sanderlings, spiffy Short-billed Dowitchers, and more. We then shifted to the Pool, where we studied silhouettes and practiced distant shorebird using mostly general impression of size and shape. It was here that we had our largest numbers of the day, with an estimate of 1600 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 300 Semipalmated Plovers, and 163 Black-bellied Plovers leading the way.
Near or far, good light or bad, the general impression of size and shape, behavior, and more can be applied to identify shorebirds more readily than little nuances in some color or pattern.
After our lunch break, we returned north to Scarborough Marsh, where I would usually start the workshop, but with very low water in the upper salt pannes due to the drought, we shifted the itinerary. But the incoming tide at Pine Point did not disappoint! We had some close studies of more Short-billed Dowitchers and better views of Black-bellied Plovers, and about 1200 Semipalmated Sandpipers were present. However, as they moved close and concentrated, a Peregrine Falcon came tearing in, flushing most of the birds. Then, it made a sudden burst of speed and a hard turn and before we knew it, there was one less Semipalmated Plover on the mudflat. While it was poor timing for our shorebirds workshop (let alone for that one particular plover!), it was an awesome show (well, for us anyway) and one that will not soon be forgotten.
Some birds finally returned to the mudflat, when a large (for the date) flock of Willets flew in, making their usual grand entrance. We were able to put our advanced shorebirds ID skills to work with the bigger, lankier, grayer one that we soon identified as a rare in Maine “Western” subspecies of Willet. It might have been beyond today’s goals, but it was a great lesson in using comparative tools.
A couple of upper marsh stops finally gave us a good, close comparison between Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, and a Lesser Yellowlegs that was close enough to study and enjoy, bringing a productive and successful day to a close.
4. Monhegan Birding Workshop
September 12-14, 2025
Our final Downeast Adventures birding workshop tour of 2025 spent 3 delightful days on Monhegan Island. Weather, geography, habitat, and migration ecology all combine to produce some remarkable birding opportunities at this special place. And even when it’s “slow” by lofty Monhegan standards, lots of learning experiences and workshopping opportunities would be at hand, often right out the front door of our hotel. Oh yeah, the food is sooo good, too!
As per the plan, we hit the ground running shortly after our arrival on the island. It took us an hour and 45 minutes to walk the ½ mile or so to our hotel as we encountered quite a few migrants, especially at my favorite starting spot along Wharf Road. We jumped head-first into aging and sexing fall warblers thanks to 3 different plumages exemplified by a trio of Cape May Warblers. American Redstarts, Northern Parulas, Yellow Warbler, and more introduced us to what birding Monhegan in the fall is all about.
By the time we reconvened after a lunch break, the insanely gorgeous weather with bright sun and very little breeze encouraged birds to take to the shadows. A sky constantly abuzz with Merlins didn’t help either, although we enjoyed it. While passerine activity had slowed dramatically, we enjoyed a light hawk migration with a couple of Northern Harriers and a few American Kestrels, while the Merlins and 1-2 Sharp-shinned Hawks further diminished the activity in the trees and shrubs. We took the time to visit the east side of the island, sample the different habitat types of the island, and discuss food plants for birds and native insects. The butterfly, dragonfly, and insect-watching was excellent on this unseasonably warm afternoon, and we worked on learning the connection between birding and bird habitat.
On Saturday morning, we learned why there were so many birds around Friday morning, but few in the air at sunrise. But there were definitely “new” birds around, suggesting at least a light arrival of birds overnight had occurred, including two vociferous Dickcissels. I made the decision to try and track down a Blue Grosbeak that had just been reported, but unfortunately, it did not wait for us. We did have an immature male Orchard Oriole, however, which was a treat, and we spent more time studying Cape May Warbler plumages.
On such gorgeous days, a lot of newly-arrived migrants simply depart the island as part of their morning redetermined migration flights (yes, we discussed this more thoroughly among many topics of avian and general ecology discussed throughout the weekend). In fact, the second half of our morning was very slow, but we did enjoy a couple of adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and we kicked up a very uncommon Marsh Wren. But warblers were few, and Merlins remained a’plenty. Red-breasted Nuthatches were very abundant however – demonstrating what an irruption looks like, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were unusually widespread for the date.
We filled the time between birds looking at all other walks of life. American Dagger Moths caterpillars were particularly plentiful.
The afternoon was spent with a couple of impromptu workshops, such as an introduction to gull identification as I attempted to enlighten the group about how manageable it is to understand the basics of this group of fascinating species. The avian highlight, however, was the thrilling chase of a Solitary Sandpiper by two Merlins right over our heads! The Merlins would gain some height, dive, and close the distance, only for the sandpiper to take another evasive maneuver. The sandpiper tried to gain elevation to stay above the diving Merlins, but they were getting closer! Then, the sandpiper made one quick turn, ascended, and took off to the north, leaving the hungry Merlins to mosey back down to the treeline to see if the marsh had something much slower to offer. We bid the sandpiper farewell and good luck as we thanked the Merlins for a most entertaining performance!
It was another very light migration overnight Saturday into Sunday, but unlike the previous day, we hit a wonderful early-morning wave. One sunny edge captivated us until it was time to hustle back for breakfast: Several American Redstarts, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped Chickadees, Common Yellowthroats, and Norther Parulas had joined together, punctuated by repeated views of a most cooperative Least Flycatcher. Every time we tried to move long, a new species appeared. A fly-over Greater Yellowlegs. A flycatching Eastern Wood-Pewee. And finally, a Brown Thrasher that popped out right in front of us.
I was thrilled to have this sample of “what Monhegan can be like” at this season for those who fought the urge to stay in bed. Post-breakfast was once again much slower, but we hit a few pockets of birds, as well a finding a Mourning Warbler which is always fun – and challenging – in fall migration. We watched and listened to territorial Carolina Wrens in a double-duet song battle, encountered a flock of 4-6 Red-eyed Vireos working on Fall Webworms, and spent more quality time with the island’s once-again-ubiquitous Ring-necked Pheasants. And of course, we made time to sample the stunning Acadian Forest habitat of the island’s interior and to take in the view from the lighthouse.
Another delicious lunch and then a slow meander to the ferry brought our visit to a close. On the ferry ride back, a few more Northern Gannets were seen, and plans to return to this extraordinary island were already in the works!
(2026 Birding Tours with Down East Adventures will be posted soon!)
Our collaboration with The Maine Brews Cruise enters its 11th season, with six exciting itineraries. These unique, relaxed birding and beer-ing adventures that you have come to love combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with approachable opportunities to sample the delicious creations of some of our favorite Maine breweries. These events are a perfect introduction to birding and/or craft beer, and a great opportunity to enjoy our favorite pastimes with significant others, friends, and family that have interest in one topic, while your interest is primarily in the other (for now!). Educational, enjoyable, and eye-opening you won’t want to miss out our unique Birds on Tap series. In 2025, we’re excited to bring back more of these special birding and beer tours, perfectly blending nature exploration and craft beer tasting.
The six tours are as follows. After completion, tour reports will be posted here so this blog is your one-stop shopping for tour reports and upcoming itineraries.
1. Birds On Trip℠ – Roadtrip! Harlequins and Hops
Sunday, February 23rd, 2025:
After postponing our original date due to extreme cold, it was a full 30 degrees warmer today at start time! And while there was a chilly wind at a couple of stops, we also had some lovely calm and sunny conditions. As much as we hate to reschedule, this one worked, and therefore the day was already a success before we even departed for our birding destination!
We began at Dyer Point in Cape Elizabeth, where we found our highest concentration of seaducks on the day, including at least 20 Harlequin Ducks – the tour’s eponymous bird.
And what a stunner they were, with males in perfect light and some small groups pleasantly close to shore. Large numbers of Common Eider and Black Scoters were present, along with several other species, introducing us to winter waterfowl identification. And as a special treat, 4 uncommon and local Brant were foraging in a tidepool before us.
Most of the ducks were here today, and not at nearby Two Lights State Park, but there we saw another 8 Harlequin Ducks, discussed American Robin winter foraging ecology, and practiced our basic duck and gull identification before we headed to nearby Kettle Cove. There were not a lot of ducks here today, but we did get a surprise Merlin whipping through, perhaps the reason a Horned Lark was calling high overhead.
As a final stop, we checked Mill Creek Cove in South Portland for a very quick gull ID introduction to augment earlier conversation, compared Mallards and American Black Ducks (taking time to marvel at the beautiful drake Mallard!), soaked in a sunning drake Red-breasted Merganser, and enjoyed the sight of all of the gulls and ducks in the cove taking flight as our second Bald Eagle of the day soared overhead.
Part two of the tour began at Belleflower Brewing in Portland, one of my favorite Maine breweries. Keeping with the bird theme, we started by sampling their Magpie Pale Ale and then compared it to their Double-dry Hopped Finch & Thistle. Beginning with the recommended way of smelling and sipping a new beer, we discussed the basics of beer style, what the hell “double-dry hopping” means, the origins of the “New England” style, and then shifted gears with their brand new Just Like Home, a maple coffee brown ale. I thought the subtle maple sweetness was just right with a roasty coffee hint but the lighter body of a brown compared to a stout.
Crossing the Bayside neighborhood brought us to Argenta Brewing, one of Portland’s newest breweries. Exclusively brewing lagers, it was a nice contrast to our focus on ales at Belleflower. Starting with a generous half-pour of their Generic American Lager, we enjoyed the light, refreshing, “crushability” of a craft version of the popular lawnmower beer style. Craft beer truly is for everyone, and simple beers like Argenta’s Generic American Lager shows its not all about “hop-heads” and alcohol bombs.
We were given a choice for our next pour, and several folks tried the Mexican Lager to compare corn verses barley as the primary malt, while other tried everything from their hard seltzer to their Munich Dunkel- new to me, I found the mild roastiness and hint of sweetness on point for the style.
With a pleasant day (compared to the rest of the month), lots of beautiful and accessible wintering waterfowl – of course and especially including Harlequin Ducks – a few avian surprises, and newly-broadened palettes (I love it when folks say they really liked a beer in a style they didn’t think they liked), we kicked off the 11th year of the Birds on Tap – Roadtrip! the right way!
2. Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! Warblers and Wort
Thursday, May 8, 2025.
While the rarest bird of the day came early, the rest of the trip was far from anticlimactic. Even better, it was the only warm and dry day of the week!
As planned, we began at Evergreen Cemetery, but our goal was set forth for us in the continuing presence of a very rare Cerulean Warbler. In fact, when I saw her a few days prior, it was the first Cerulean Warbler I have ever seen in Maine and at least a “state bird” for the several hundred folks who have seen it since. Even if you have never heard of a Cerulean Warbler, the excitement of the dozens of other birds present today was contagious. Luckily, we saw her not just once, but twice, without any concerted effort, and the second view was long and fantastic. Unfortunately, my sad attempt at a photo did not do it any justice.
There were other birds, too! We heard Ovenbirds and Wood Thrushes, saw some close-up Black-and-white Warblers, found our first Wilson’s Warbler of the year, and enjoyed basking Painted and Snapping Turtles.
Other than the Cerulean excitement (do we have to rename this tour Cerulean and Cervezas!?), it was actually rather slow today for mid-May, so we relocated to Capisic Pond Park as the last of the fog burned off and the sun (remember that?) came out. Here, birds were easier to see, including stunners like Baltimore Orioles fighting over territories, and some really close and insanely cooperative Northern Parulas that fed right in front of our faces. A sharp eye yielded a Black-crowned Night-Heron as well.
After some productive and instructive birding, we headed back into town to visit Belleflower Brewing, one of my favorite Maine breweries. Keeping with the bird theme for a little longer, we began with their pale ale, Magpie, with its great citrus and resinous balance, followed by the more grapefruity Finch and Thistle. Belleflower treated us to a third sample, of our choice, and we covered a nice range of their offerings from a Vienna lager to a double-dry-hopped double IPA to savor as we discussed some beer history and mythology.
Next up was Definitive Brewing on the other side of town. With so many options, everyone was able to choose their two samples, and there are no shortages of choices here. I went with Robin (because bird names!) their Imperial Pastry Stout and Blueberry Waffles, a pastry sour. I saw lagers, an IPA, and several sours among the group, and this photo captured the rainbow of colors here, with my choices and those of two of the members of the group. Our birding had something for everyone: a rarity for the “life list” and cool behavior from some of our common and beautiful birds as we learned about the mind-blowing feat of migration. And between Belleflower and Definitive, there was most certainly something for every beer drinker!
3. Birds on Tap℠ – Road Trip! Shorebirds and Steins
Sunday, August 3rd: 9:00am – 3:00pm
The original BoT Roadtrip! Way back in 2015, our most popular tour returned to Scarborough Marsh at prime time for a good variety of migrant shorebirds. And we had absolutely gorgeous, perfect weather to do it!
Beginning at the “Pelreco Marsh” high water levels limited our shorebird numbers a bit, but we were introduced to some of the basics of shorebird identification thanks to a flock of Short-billed Dowitchers and scattered Least Sandpipers. We spied a Saltmarsh Sparrow and talked about its fascinating ecology and peril, and were surprised by the arrival of a rare Tricolored Heron!
Relocating to Pine Point, we hit the tide perfectly, and soon, thousands of shorebirds were before us! The rapidly exposing mudflats steadily sucked in birds, with long-legged sandpipers appearing first, including 3 Whimbrel, with their massive curved bills, 8 Willets, and 3 Black-bellied Plovers. But as usual, it was the masses of the smallest shorebirds that stole the show, with an estimate of 2500+ Semipalmated Sandpipers and 225+ Semipalmated Plovers spread out before us. What looked like the first exposed sandbar was actually solid shorebirds! Learning the basics of sandpiper vs plover and moving on to sorting through the “peeps” for a White-rumped Sandpiper or two, we were introduced to the joys and challenges of shorebird identification, while mostly just enjoying the sight of so many birds! A few of us picked out a couple of Roseate Terns among Common Terns, and later, a mostly-adult-plumaged Bonaparte’s Gull was especially cooperative for photo-ops.
In the photo above, a Black-bellied Plover, Whimbrel, and Willet are in one field of view for comparative study, while I always insist on taking a moment to gawk at the eye of a Double-crested Cormorant.
Eric then led us to our first brewery, Modestman in South Portland. Originally founded in Keene, NH, owner/operator Ash Sheehan opened this second location closer to home here in SoPo. Tucked in a neighborhood down a side street off of Rte 1, someone on the tour who lived a mile and a half away didn’t even know it was there…there were all sorts of discoveries on this tour today, from rare herons to hidden gem breweries.
Coming in from the sun, we began with a refreshing and quenching light berliner Weiss sour, Black Reign with blackberry and boysenberry. Next up was It’s a Beautiful Thing, their flagship single-hope pale ale. Loaded with Citra hops, it blurs the line between a pale and an IPA, but it nicely progressed the palette and the ABV. When Life Gives You Lemons, loaded up with Citra and Simcoe was next up, providing a nice fruity/dank balance that Modestman is known for. I think this beer really nicely captured the essence of what people I know like most about their brews. Everyone got to choose their own last 4oz sample, and I went with Hard Rass Imperial Sour for a big and bold raspberry juice bomb.
Our next destination was the latest tasting room for Westbrook-based Mast Landing, a short distance away on Cottage Street in South Portland. We continued to cover the basics of beer varieties here, starting with the clean and crushable Champ Lager. No visit to Mast Landing – especially a first visit for most of our crew today – is complete without trying their famous flagship Gunner’s Daughter peanut butter milk stout, and enjoying it on Nitro is always a special treat. Like a creamy liquid peanut butter cup (sans the allergens), Gunner’s Daughter deserves its accolades. Once again, our last sample was a personal choice, and since Mast Landing has something for everyone and I believe there were over 10 beers chosen among the 13 people (unfortunately, everyone but Eric, our trusty brewery guide and driver). Since it’s a Birds on Tap – Roadtrip, I for one had no choice but to go with a bird named beer. There are several here, but today I tried the 2025 incarnation of Song of the Swallow, which was laden with 5 varieties of hops for a really smooth and juicy final toast.
5. Birds on Tap – The Boat Trip! Rare Birds and Island Exploration.
Sunday, October 19th , 9:00am to 2:00pm
Here are some photo highlights from this annual favorite!
Big Brown BatDeKay’s Brown SnakeFort Gorges
6. Birds on Tap℠ – Road Trip! Rarity Roundup!
Sunday, November 9: 8:00am – 3:00pm
Our final Birds on Tap! tour of 2025 was our Roadtrip: “Rarity Roundup” on 11/9. Unlike most tours, where we know our destination – chosen to provide the best birding opportunities and highest rates of success possible – this trip didn’t have a destination until we were pulling out of the parking lot in Portland!
Designed to take advantage of the latest rare bird reports, our itinerary was to work our way south, either looking for rarities that had previously been reported, or finding our own by checking the seasonal vagrant hotspots. The southern coast of Maine is usually the best area for really rare birds this time of year, but I threw the plan out the window immediately and we turned northward.
I just couldn’t resist taking people to see a long-staying (since November 2nd!) MacGillivray’s Warbler (only the 7th ever in the state of Maine) in Yarmouth. I felt confident I could find it quickly, thanks to its constant vocalizations, we’d get a look and then we would move on to the next bird. I did not expect, however, to find it that quickly!
In fact, I heard it the very second we entered the trail. It was calling nearby and we slowly and quietly moved in position. We found it foraging low on the ground, in some perennials, only a handful of feet away. Now this skulky bird didn’t exactly sit out in the open, but over the next 15 minutes or so, we all had satisfying (or better) looks, until anxious birders (who had apparently been waiting too far down the trail for up to two hours!) overwhelmed us. We slowly moved away, following the bird’s call notes, eventually finding it again, and then watching as it flew about 2 feet from one of us where it disappeared into a dense thicket.
Wow! What a thrill!
I refreshed the rare bird alerts (and all the different places rare birds get reported these days) as we began our journey south, spending the time in the van working on a little game to practice our “status and distribution” knowledge during this exciting time of year for rare birds.
I didn’t want to ask folks to stand still in Scarborough Marsh for the rest of the morning to maybe hear a Clapper Rail call once, and there were no further reports of the Seaside Sparrow in Wells. So with each passing exit of the Turnpike, I decided to go all in in Kittery, beginning at Seapoint Beach. Yeah, there wasn’t much there, and nothing of note.
So the rest of our time was spent at the delightful Fort Foster, the host of so many vagrants over the years. We hoped the Cave Swallow from two days prior would reappear, or we would find something even better. Um, we did not.
In fact, it was pretty darn slow, at least in the brush and the woods. Offshore, waterbirds were building, and we had some good looks at Surf Scoters, for example. And overhead, there was an absolute massive Double-crested Cormorant migration going on. Numerous large flocks of several hundred were winging it south, in their usual “drunken v’s.”
We swung for the fences and combed Fort Foster, but alas, we were not heroes today: we found nothing rare. But it was fun to try!
And besides, not only did we get a “mega rarity” with the MacGillivray’s Warbler, we got another “mega” rarity when we arrived at Tributary Brewing. There, we found Mott The Lesser, their 10.5% ABV Imperial Stout, released twice a year, and only available at the brewery. And yesterday it was released, so this was quite the “twitch.” You think people drive far to see a MacGillivray’s Warbler!? Well, rare beers are no different. This year’s version was aged in red, white, and tawny port wine barrels and then a rare apple wood rye barrel for additional complexity.
Of course, we didn’t want to destroy our palates, and we were here to learn about a wide range of Tributary’s beers, so we began with their flagship Pale Ale and compared this West Coast American standard to Affluente, an Italian-style Pilsner, with Adriatic barley and a light dry hopping of lemon-forward hops. Moving on to their new Zwicklebier, an “immature” lager, which was more malt-forward thanks to 100% Maine grown and malted barley. Then we tried the Mott the Lesser. And it was good. And bottles were purchased.
Our driver and beer guide Joe started us off with the basics of beer tasting and an overview of styles, but during our tasting, we were treated to a visit from head brewer and owner, Woody, who gave us the history of the brewery, started by his beer-legendary father, and guided us through the tasting. He discussed their commitments to Old World styles of beer and answered questions from the crowd.
Not to be outdone, apparently, Woodland Farms just up the road also laid out the red carpet for us, with owner Pat not only guiding us through our tasting, but providing a tour of the brewery itself, from first boil to final packaging. Woodland Farms is becoming known for their wide variety of offerings, and it was amazing to see how they can pull so much off in this small space!
Their Flagship is Blinky, an IPA with a very complex dry hop bill. We then tried Rossa Matrimonial, their version of an Italian Pilsner, a dry beer made with red malts. We once again remained in the Old World with Tmavy Piro, which means “dark beer” in Czech. A dark lager, it offered the “crushability” of a lager, but with more malt flavors before the crisp lager finish. And finally, everyone got to choose a final sample, with most people choosing the Big Effin Porter, a robust 8.2% porter. I went with the masses and tried this, too, and enjoyed how rich it was without the thickness and weight of an imperial stout.
Woodland Farms is also becoming known for their non-alcoholic beers, a rapidly growing segment of the beer economy. Out back, we learned about the differences in making non-alcoholic beer that tastes good verses beer with alcohol, and especially, mass-produced NA beer that usually tastes like, well, not much. To demonstrate what NA beer means in 2025, we were treated to two bonus samples: the NA Dogwalker with an abundance of sticky, piney-resinous hops, and their NA Festbier, an easy-drinking seasonal malt-forward Oktober-fest style.
So from a mega rare bird and a mega rare beer, learning how to search for rare birds and how to make beer, and trying everything from non-alcoholic to a 10.5% imperial flavor-bomb, we most surely enjoyed an educational, enjoyable, and often enlightening day!
Cruise ships are big, stable platforms that allow for pelagic birding in comfort and with the use of spotting scopes!
In 2019, Jeannette and I took a cruise through the Gulf of Maine and northwestern Atlantic Ocean in the hopes of finding Great Skuas in particular. It was wildly successful, and if we could repeat this success, perhaps there would be a cruise-ship-based tour to offer. At least it would be more comfortable than last week’s attempt!
Therefore, on the evening of 10/26, Jeannette and I boarded Princess Cruises’s Enchanted Princess out of Brooklyn, New York. Our hope was to replicate the success of our 2019 trip. We were planning on a second scouting trip in the fall of 2020, but then COVID.
After finally feeling ready to consider a cruise again, we found the itinerary had changed, and we would need to spend seven days to get two full days offshore..we even needed to come back home first! But alas, we had pandemic-era credit that was going to expire, so off we went. Is this a reliable way to see Great Skuas in North America? Could I document a Barolo’s Shearwater this time?
We started our birding, however, at Brooklyn’s Greenwood Cemetery, home of this massive Monk Parakeet colony.
We departed New York Harbor with about an hour of usable daylight, picking up a single Cory’s Shearwater and plenty of Northern Gannets.
Screenshot
Arriving off Newport before dawn the next morning, we got the first shuttle to town, where our friends Bill and Jess picked us up for a lovely day of birding (Clay-colored Sparrow, Orange-crowned Warbler, late Nashville Warbler) before returning to the boat. About 45 minutes of deck time produced 8 Cory’s and a single Great Shearwater.
Newport arrivals. “Western” Palm Warbler at Sachuest NWR.
Unfortunately, this particular boat offered less-than-ideal viewing opportunities compared to our first trip, with the best deck space on Deck 7 (a great height) but way too aft. Even with our scopes on the steady platform, this was going to be a challenge.
Approaching Boston on the morning of 10/28, we checked the decks for passerines (none) before taking our place on Deck 7. There were a lot of Northern Gannets, 4-5 Cory’s Shearwaters close enough to identify as borealis, and a pod of Atlantic White-sided Dolphins. A Song Sparrow flew aboard just outside the outer harbor islands, but before that, our first real surprise of the trip: an American Woodcock appearing from the north and cruising alongside the length of the boat before disappearing. That’s not a “pelagic” we expected!
We birded Boston’s Greenway a bit, but returned to the boat well after dark. Sailing slowly overnight, we returned to Portland (the original itinerary had us visiting Bar Harbor), where a long, thorough check of the Eastern Promenade yielded two Orange-crowned Warblers and a very late Red-eyed Vireo.
Darkness reached us a tantalizingly-short distance to Cash’s Ledge, so we retired to rest up for the big day at sea tomorrow (finally!).
Waking up in Maine waters about 16.5 nautical miles southeast of Mt Desert Rock, I stepped outside well before first light at 6:05am. I immediately texted Noam, the other birder on board that we rapidly had become friends with, and I hustled Jeannette outside. With some drizzle arriving ahead of approaching light rain, we had ourselves a fallout!
Unexpected considering there were little to no birds on the Maine radars overnight, and with a south wind through most of the night, I was surprised to immediately hear the flight calls of several Yellow-rumped Warblers. Sparrows were scattered about on the open decks. Noam and I had to usher a Rusty Blackbird out of a foyer, while Jeannette had to steer a Dark-eyed Junco down a hallway.
“Ipswich” Savannah Sparrow – that was an unexpected migrant, but makes sense considering we were southwest of Sable Island!
Clearly disoriented by the obnoxiously superfluous lighting of the ship, dozens of birds were around…often being flushed by now-awakening crew and passengers. Luckily, few birds seemed to be in dire straits – only one Yellow-rumped Warbler looked to me to be thoroughly exhausted, thankfully. In fact, most birds were leaving the boat as the sun rose and they were able to reorient themselves. While some birds seemed to arrive in the 15 or so minutes after sunrise, just about all passerines had departed the boat by 7:30 or so.
This photo, taken from off Eastern Point in Gloucester, MA the night before shows just how bright these ships are, and how disorienting they can be to birds.
With birds circling the boat before dawn, calling continuously, and others hiding in corners before being flushed to another corner, it was tough to count, but I estimated and counted a bare minimum of 8 Yellow-rumped Warblers, 8 American Robins (mostly overhead), 7 European Starlings (surprisingly), 6+ Dark-eyed Juncos, 2 Purple Finches, 2 fly-over American Pipits, 2 Savannah Sparrows, and one each of Palm Warbler, Snow Bunting, White-throated Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, and Rusty Blackbird. Additionally, Noam photographed a Pine Warbler.
The three of us were in place on Deck 7 by 7:30, but the passerine show continued. A flock of 12 Red-winged Blackbirds flew by, while a flock of 14 American Robins joined by two more red-wings flew alongside the boat for several miles later in the morning before overtaking us and heading back to Nova Scotia.
Throughout the day, other passerines appeared and disappeared, some of which could easily have been sheltering out of sight somewhere inaccessible on the boat. These included a few more robins, 3+ Yellow-rumped Warblers, 2 Dark-eyed Juncos, and one each of Palm Warbler, Song Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, Snow Bunting, American Pipit, and Lapland Longspur.
American PipitHarlequin Duck (L) with Black Scoters
But this was a seabird trip, and so we remained vigilant over the water. While we only had a few minutes in Maine waters once we began our vigil, the rest of the day was productive overall, although the afternoon was quite slow. As we passed the southern tip of Nova Scotia (we even spotted Seal Island Light that we were lucky enough to visit with a group of birders about 20 years ago), we finally called it quits at 5:45 pm when cloud cover accelerated the falling of darkness.
Here’s our route (left pin to right pin) for the day, thanks to the Navionics Boating app by Garmin.
From start to finish, our respectable – albeit not breathtaking – seabird tallies included oodles of Northern Gannets (including a steady southbound trickle almost all morning), and occasional southbound flocks of all three scoters and Common Eiders. Specific counts included:
47 Black-legged Kittiwakes
36 Razorbills
13 Northern Fulmars
10 Great Shearwaters
6 DOVEKIES (one flock landing off to the side of the boat)
3 ATLANTIC PUFFINS
3 American Black Ducks
3 unidentified large shearwaters
2 Harlequin Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
Great Shearwater
So all in all, not a bad day, but the passerines stole the show, and while Dovekie is one of the target birds of this trip, we didn’t see a skua…or even a jaeger, surprisingly.
The next day we awoke well within Halifax Harbor, but a sunrise passerine check yielded two birds: a White-throated Sparrow, and of all things, a rare Dickcissel!
Local friends Eric and Anne once again rescued us for a day of casual birding and good conversation, but the ship departed after dark; just more time to rest for our second full day at sea!
Halifax Public GardenNorthern Flicker
The morning of 11/1 found us between Downeast Maine and the northern corner of Georges Bank. The rest of the day would be in the same waters of our great success on our trip five years ago. After a passerine check which didn’t turn up anything (which meant nothing was disoriented by the ship overnight or desperate for a place to land come dawn, so this is never a bad thing), it was time to get to work in our usual spot.
Unfortunately, strong southwesterly winds and growing seas, with haze and light fog in the distance, made birding challenging. We worked hard though, but it was slow. We did have some excitement from two Dovekies that landed fairly close to the boat, and two Manx Shearwaters that, thanks to the lighting, I was absolutely sure were not Manx Shearwaters until we carefully reviews Noam’s photos later.
With glare and haze becoming problematic, we broke for an early lunch at 11:30, with the previous 4.5 hours of observation producing only the following, plus two Humpback Whales:
12 Northern Gannets
7 Great Shearwaters
6 Red Phalaropes
4 unidentified large shearwaters
2 DOVEKIES
2 Northern Fulmars
2 Manx Shearwater (after review)
2 Black-legged Kittiwakes
2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 unidentified large alcids
1 unidentified small black-and-white shearwater.
Unfortunately, with increasing wind (that we were heading straight into) and seas growing up to 7-10 feet (barely noticeable on a ship this big though, thankfully!), the lower deck was closed off for safety. Later, even the upper decks were closed off due to the very high winds, which were now blowing nearly 30mph out of the southwest.
Screenshot
Luckily for Jeannette and I, we had scored a forward-facing room, and although we were high up on Deck 17, we could see forward. Haze and the angled window were problematic, but we could see birds close to the ship, and we could relax, remove layers, and even crack open a beer. This is pelagic birding in style!
From 1pm to 5pm, when we finally called it a day, the afternoon cabin-watch netted:
11 Great Shearwaters
9 Northern Gannets
5 Cory’s/Cory’s-type Shearwaters
3 unidentified phalaropes
2 Manx Shearwaters
Screenshot
And so our two days at seas concluded without a Great Skua, our primary target species for a future cruise..and perhaps a future tour. Alas, we’re only 1 for 2 in seeing skuas from the boat, and we would need a different class of ship (and, a shorter itinerary with more time at sea and less time in multiple ports) if we were to do this again. We’ll be keeping an eye out from other companies and other Princess ships to see if there’s a more skua-tactic itinerary in the future, but until then, our northeast Atlantic cruisin’ days may have come to a close.
Arriving in New York harbor before dawn, our last sunrise deck check yielded a single Dark-eyed Junco, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and White-throated Sparrow, bringing our more-productive passerine birding cruise to a close.
Two Black-crowned Night-Herons, including this one, were a nice find for a South Portland Big Day on the 21st. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough good finds to make up for a slow morning at the favored migrant traps.
I had just a handful of observations of note over the past six days before I head out to Monhegan, including the following:
On Tuesday, John Lorenc and I did a South Portland-only “Big Day,” trying to see as many species as we could within the city’s boundaries. With limited migrants at Hinckley Park, we clawed our way to a decent tally of 94 species by day’s end with a lot of regular migrants being undetected. Highlights for the city and the date were limited to Long-tailed Duck, Black Scoter, Glossy Ibis, Black-crowned Night-Heron, White-throated Sparrow, and Red Crossbill. We unfortunately did not turn up any rarities. My personal FOY’s were limited to Swainson’s Thrush (1 each at Clark Pond Trails and Trout Brook Preserve) and Common Nighthawk (two over John and Terez’s yard at dusk for our last species of the day, followed by 4 over our yard in Durham when I returned home).
Two tours over the weekend and private guiding on Monday were likewise fairly slow for passage migrants, but there was a distinct increase in territorial birds with each passing day, as it seemed birds were dropping into their desired habitats and not migrant traps. A big overnight flight on 5/22-23 yielded more territorial birds, but surprisingly few passage migrants on the ground.
2 American Bitterns, surprisingly high over the yard in the evening on 5/22. Really threw me off at that altitude!
3 Greater Scaup, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 5/23.
Additional personal first-of-years this week also included:
1 briefly glimpsed MOURNING WARBLER, Capisic Pond Park, Portland, 5/19 (with Birds on Tap Roadtrip! Warblers and Wort! Tour group).
Maine Birding Field Notes 