Even though 1-2 pairs of Red-necked Grebes have oversummered off of Ocean Avenue in Biddeford Pool for at least 6 years, I still get a kick out of seeing RNGR in spiffy breeding plumage, especially while wearing shorts and sandals! Not my “best” bird of the week, but definitely my best photo session.
I enjoyed some excellent birding over the eight days, from oodles of shorebirds to a State Bird! I also covered a lot of ground but had some great birding right in the backyard as well. Since I covered all of my shorebird “data points” in the last week, and with so many observations of note, I thought it was best to post now.
Highlights from our Durham property this week included a Yellow-billed Cuckoo on 8/18, 2 Cape May Warblers on 8/19, and a juvenile Peregrine Falcon on 8/20 that was our 161st property bird!
1 imm. FORSTER’S TERN, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty and Bill Thompson).
1 continuing imm. FORSTER’S TERN, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
20+ Roseate Terns, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty). Quite a few continue elsewhere around the area as well, many with juveniles in tow. High numbers for this late in the summer continue.
4 continuing adult Red-necked Grebes, Ocean Avenue, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty). See above.
1 imm. Great Cormorant and 1 female Black Scoter, Ocean Ave, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
Migrant passerines at Florida Lake Park in Freeport on 8/15 included one each of Cape May and Prairie Warblers (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
THE continuing THICK-BILLED MURRE, Western Beach as viewed from Pine Point Beach, Scarborough, 8/16 (with Birds on Tap – Shorebirds and Steins! Tour group).
1 continuing CRESTED CARACARA, Rustlewood Farm, York, 8/18 (with m.obs). Present here for at least three days, I caught up with the bird on the morning of its final (for now?) morning here. This was my 409th species in Maine, and #6 on my “My Next Birds in Maine” list thanks to the spate of regional sightings over the last few years. Due to fog and distance, my phone-scoped photos don’t quite do this Mega justice!
And here are my shorebird high counts over the past 8 days (see previous blogs for an explanation of the “data” included here), with a goodly total of 20 species:
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 4, Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/16 (with Birds on Tap – Shorebirds and Steins! Tour group).
Black-bellied Plover: 124, The Pool, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
Killdeer: 5, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 8/15 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
Semipalmated Plover: 345, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
Piping Plover: 5, Hill’s Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
Ruddy Turnstone: 28, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
Sanderling: 4, Hill’s Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
BAIRD’S SANDPIPER: 1 juv (FOY), Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
Least Sandpiper: 40+, Pelreco Marsh, Scarborough Marsh, 8/16 (with Birds on Tap – Shorebirds and Steins! Tour group.
White-rumped Sandpiper: 1, Hill’s Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty) and 1 Pine Point, Scarborough, 8/16 (with Birds on Tap – Shorebirds and Steins! Tour group).
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 296, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty). Still a low single-location high count for this time of year.
Short-billed Dowitcher: 52, The Pool, Biddeford, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty)
Spotted Sandpiper: 6, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/14 (with Ian Doherty).
Solitary Sandpiper: 6-7, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 8/15 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE: 8, First Chance Whale Watch, Kennebunk, 8/19 (with Ian Doherty and Bill Thompson).
RED PHALAROPE: 1, First Chance Whale Watch, 8/19 (with Ian Doherty and Bill Thompson).
Bill Thompson and I joined Ian Doherty on a First Chance Whale Watch out of Kennebunkport on the 19th, and enjoyed a great day of sea life. In addition to the phalaropes mentioned above, we tallied 297 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, including this one, 6 Great Shearwaters, 2 Arctic Terns, 8 Northern Gannets, 1 most-cooperative Humpback Whale, 1-2 Minke Whales, and 2 Blue Sharks.
The last of the locally-breeding Roseate Terns have been been putting on quite a show around Pine Point, including this one that still showed a mostly all-black bill.
Jeannette and I returned from our summer vacation on the 3rd, and with shorebird migration in full swing, so I went right back to work, both personally and professionally! Here are my observations of note over the past 10 days:
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher has been present in our Durham yard since 8/8.
3 Gadwall, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/4.
1 Louisiana Waterthrush, River Winds Farm and Estate (Private), Saco, 8/5.
1 juvenile Little Blue Heron, Walsh Preserve, Freeport, 8/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
3 continuing FORSTER’S TERNS, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
1 continuing THICK-BILLED MURRE, Ferry/Western Beach, Scarborough, 8/10 (with Jeannette). Present since 7/18, this first summer bird is in heavy wing molt, but otherwise appears healthy, actively diving, and surviving just fine. Please, just give it some room! We have been monitoring its health in consultation with Avian Haven, but even though it is well south of normal summertime range and it’s standing on the beach, it appears absolutely fine. Murres cannot take off from flat land, plus it’s in heavy molt, so perceptions of it being “sick” are just well-intentioned misunderstanding. It is being monitored, however!
(as viewed across the river from the Pine Point Jetty)
Prior to our trip, I had a couple of notable observations in the two days after my last post before we departed :
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo (FOY, finally) and 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Old Town House Park, 7/25 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
Highlights from my 7/26 “Whale Watch and Puffin Combo” birder’s special tour with Cap’n Fish’s Cruises out of Boothbay Harbor included: 206 Wilson’s Storm-Petrels, 16 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, 3-4 RED PHALAROPES (upon photo review), a mere one Great Shearwater, 1 Northern Gannet, and of course all three terns and a great Atlantic Puffin show (especially for the date) at Eastern Egg Rock.
And here are my shorebird high counts over the past 10 days (see previous blog for an explanation of the “data” included here):
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER: 8, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
Black-bellied Plover: 64, Wharton Point, Brunswick, 8/7.
Killdeer: 7, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 8/12.
Semipalmated Plover: 125, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
Piping Plover: 3 each at Biddeford Pool Beach and Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
Hudsonian Whimbrel: 1 each at The Pool and Jones Creek, Scarborough Marsh, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
Ruddy Turnstone: 16 Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 125, Biddeford Pool Beach, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group). Very low high count for the season as I was unable to visit the best locations at the perfect tides this week.
Short-billed Dowitcher: 85, Hill’s Beach, Biddeford, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
Spotted Sandpiper: 6, Great Pond, Biddeford Pool, 8/9 (with Down East Magazine Shorebird Workshop tour group).
These unique, relaxed birding and beer-ing adventures that you have come to love combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with visits to sample the delicious creations of some of our favorite local breweries. These tours are a perfect introduction to birding and/or craft beer, and a great opportunity to travel with significant others, friends, and family that have interest in one topic, while your interest is primarily in the other (for now!). Seasonal birding hotspots and great local beer – a perfect combination, and we’ll even do all of the driving!
The original BoT Roadtrip! Way back in 2015, our most popular tour returns to Scarborough Marsh at prime time for a good variety of migrant shorebirds. We’ll learn how to identify our common species, and search for the rare. Up to 20 species of shorebirds are possible! We’ll practice identifying our “peeps” (Least, Semipalmated, and White-rumped Sandpipers) and attempt to tease out a rare Western or even a Baird’s among the masses. We’ll look for local breeding American Oystercatchers and Willets, while searching for migrants such as Red Knots on their way from the high Arctic to the southern tip of Argentina.
Juvenile Little Blue Heron, Scarborough Marsh, 8/10.
Seasonal hotspots. Local expertise. Small-group experiences.
For the 12th season, Portland Explorer and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are teaming up to offer Maine’s most unique guided birding tours — combining peak birding hotspots, expert instruction, comfortable transportation, and in select outings, visits to some of our favorite local breweries.
Whether you’re a seasoned birder, just getting started, or traveling with someone whose main interest might be craft beer until they become a avid birder, these relaxed and educational outings offer something special.
This blog will be updated with trip reports after each tour, so check back in to see what you missed and to sign up for upcoming outings!
The 2026 Birds on Tap – Roadtrip Series!
Our collaboration with Portland Explorer (formerly The Maine Brew Bus) enters its 12th season, with three 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, including a brand new outing for 2026.
The three 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.
Birds on Tap -Roadtrip: Hawks and Hops! (Sunday, April 26th)
Originally scheduled for the prior week, we decided to postpone the tour. In doing so, we avoided a full day of rain and dense fog, and instead only complained about being overdressed in the bright sun and surging warmth. That was a win. And the birds cooperated for us today as well!
The delayed progression of the season and resultant slowed progress for many songbirds produced a rather quiet walk in the woods, although we had some good practice with the songs of Pine Warbler vs Chipping Sparrow, learned the songs and calls of several resident species, and watched a pair of Broad-winged Hawks moving through the woods and vocalizing repeatedly.
Taking the gentle one-mile Northern Loop Trail also gave us some time for some tree identification and made sure we weren’t too out of breath for our arrival at the summit. While we were talking about raptors during our walk, we now focused on the hawkwatch project, first at the count board with season numbers and averages, and then at the summit watch site, covering some of the science behind the project.
SONY DSC
It’s always a risk to offer a hawkwatch “workshop” since we can’t guarantee there will be birds in the air to talk about! But the weather was sure conducive to a flight today, and before long, we had hawks in the air. In just over an hour at the summit, we had workshop-worthy views of a variety of species both near and far. Low and close Sharp-shinned Hawk vs Cooper’s Hawk. A distant Broad-winged Hawk mobbing the much larger and a stronger Red-tailed Hawk. Close Turkey Vultures, several views of Bald Eagles from different altitudes and angles, and a stunning view of a low and close Northern Harrier. It was really a perfect sample of watch hawkwatching, and hawkcounting, is all about, and just as we were about to leave, a special treat: a lone Bohemian Waxwing dropped in and landed next to the summit, affording long close looks of this fantastic bird.
If it wasn’t for the temptation of beer, we may not have departed, but the draw of Maine Beer Company was too strong. We sipped a refreshing and clean Spring, their seasonal Kolsch-style ale while we split into two groups to get an overview of their impressive brewhouse. Next up was Lunch, their flagship West Coast IPA with its bright citrus notes and perfect balance with sweet tropical fruit and a slight resinous/pine dankness. It deserves all the awards and accolades bestowed upon it. And finally, a Nitro pour of Mean Old Tom was served, and we enjoyed a switch to roasty, nutty, coffee, and chocolate notes and talked about why that nitrogen makes this beer taste different (and in our opinions, much better!).
A short distance down the road, we then visited Goodfire Brewing. Goodfire has such a range of beer styles, all executed so well, that instead of the usual flight of samples, we enjoyed two half-pours of our own choice. Some of us, like myself, chose what we had not had from this underrated brewery. Others, quite a few who were brand new to Goodfire, often started with Prime, their thick and luscious New England IPA bursting with fruit juice flavors. Everything from an Italian Pilsner to a fruited sour to the brand new “Sierra Missed,” (a lager with lemongrass and lime leaf) were enjoyed by all. Meanwhile, we continued the discussion of birds, beer and beer brewing, and touched on many other topics of the modern world.
Birds On Tap℠ – Warblers and Wort (Sunday, May 10, 2026).
Chestnut-sided Warbler was a crowd-pleaser today.
This annual favorite usually visits both Evergreen Cemetery and Capisic Pond Park in Portland. It’s a good sign that we never made it to Capisic!
We arrived at Evergreen to find the main entrance unexpectedly closed. We relocated to a side entrance and began birding. Well, that worked out swimmingly! We soon stopped dead in our tracks with a group of busy Gray Catbirds, two stunning male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and a cooperative Chestnut-sided Warbler. Then, while enjoying a Great-crested Flycatcher, we spotted an intriguing tanager. Following her across the cemetery, we finally had good views, and sure enough, we had indeed found a very rare Summer Tanager! Her bog, pale horn-colored bill, and light yellow-green body with virtually no contrast between the yellow-green wings and the rest of the upperparts finally yielded a conclusive identification before she launched up and away, heading for a far tree line. I had completely whiffed on photos – but if you want to see the branch she was on, I have a perfect photo of that!
The rare bird excitement subsiding, we finally made it to the pond, where we spent the next two and a half hours, not feeling the motivation to head anywhere else. Several pockets of warbler activity produced a total of 12 species, with just fantastic views of most of them, including American Redstart, Magnolia, Northern Parula, and our first two Wilson’s Warblers of the year. Newly arrived Lincoln’s Sparrows were noted, a small group of Ruby-crowned Kinglets were enjoyed, we heard an uncommon Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and we became familiar with the incredible camouflage of a Solitary Sandpiper. Ospreys with fish, Belted Kingfishers, and much more were seen well and thoroughly enjoyed. While it wasn’t the day legends our made of in spring migration, the diversity was good, and the consistently good views of many species were most welcome.
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Our first brewery stop was Foundation Brewing Company, known for its clean, focused approach to craft beer, with a strong reputation for hop-forward ales and thoughtfully balanced lagers. Their lineup often showcases precision and consistency, with beers that highlight both modern techniques and traditional brewing fundamentals. A visit to Foundation offers an opportunity to explore how attention to detail and quality ingredients come together to create approachable yet expressive beers that reflect Portland’s thriving craft scene. Co-owner and Head of Brewing Operations John Bonney joined us for a detailed explanation of Foundation’s wide range of styles. He described his brewing philosophy, beer interests, and learned how Foundation differentiates itself. Everyone selected their own flight, so we all sampled a wide range of styles. I refreshed with a crips Riverton Flyer, tried the Coffee Burnside (Brown) for the first time, noted the difference in the newly reformulated Afterglow IPA, before sipping on the 12th Anniversary DIPA, Prototype 12, with the big juicy hop notes followed by a crisp and clean finish from the use of lager yeast.
Then, we crossed town to Rising Tide Brewing Company, a cornerstone of Portland’s craft beer community since its early growth years and home of the Birds on Tap! Origin Story. With a diverse portfolio that ranges from crisp, easy-drinking favorites to bold, hop-driven offerings and seasonal specialties, Rising Tide emphasizes accessibility and craftsmanship. Their beers often reflect a balance between innovation and tradition, making them a great representation of the evolution of Maine’s brewing culture. Here, another self-chosen flight represented the spectrum. Of course, I had to include the flagship Maine Island Trail Ale, and, to keep the Birds on Tap theme alive, the juicy Puffin Party. Once again, there was something for everyone, showcasing the range of Portland’s craft brewers. There were a couple of Ospreys over head as well.
Birds on Tap℠ – Road Trip! Shorebirds and Steins (Sunday, August 16)
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. We set out to learn how to identify our common species, and search for the rare, enjoying the birds of the shore as we studied our shorebirds (sandpipers and plovers).
This time, I decided to audible and begin with a non-shorebird. But a Thick-billed Murre – rare in Maine, unheard of in summer, and unreasonably reliable – has been spending the last month in and around the Pine Point area. I decided that, given the time and the tide, we would take a walk to Pine Point Beach to hope it was there.
And it was, across the river, but easily viewed through our spotting scopes! This local celebrity was just chillin, doing its thing, and thankfully being left alone.
Then we reverted to the task at hand, focusing on shorebirds: sandpipers and plovers. From the Pine Point Co-op and nearby Jones Creek, we began with shorebird basics and then started sorting through the masses. We spotted a family group of charismatic American Oystercatchers (as per request!) and enjoyed sorting through Semipalmated Sandpipers and Semipalmated Plovers nearly at our feet. We picked out an uncommon White-rumped Sandpiper from the multitudes and looked at several other species. After some time there, we stopped at the Pelreco Marsh, getting a chance to study Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs side-by-side, and adding three other species of shorebird to our list, bringing the morning’s tally to 11 species of plovers, sandpipers, and allies.
Christian took over the guiding lead as we arrived at the new Allagash Bungalow. No one in the group had been here before, so even driving through what used to be Scarborough Downs was eye-opening! We enjoyed our well-earned samples, starting with the world-famous flagship Allagash – the “most awarded white beer in the world.” New to most was the Maine Blueberry Ale with subtle but distinct notes of wild blueberries that shine through with the use of a neutral yeast. And finally, we sampled Two Lights, one of Allagash’s most popular summer beers which uses white wine must and champagne yeast to make a light but flavorful and complex refresher.
Allagash’s growth and preeminence in the Maine craft beer industry, along with the early trials and tribulations of the now-respected-as-visionary founder, makes for revealing story of one of the most influential breweries in Maine.
Our second brewery stop was Nonesuch River Brewing, only a few minutes away. While Allagash is known for their use of different yeasts to flavor their Belgisn style beers, Nonsuch is most known for their IPAs and lagers. Therefore, it was fun to see their range as we began with Patio Garden, their hefeweizen, where the flavor is dominated by esters from the yeast, with clove spiciness and banana being very forward.
We sipped My Beer to Be, a hazy IPA dominated by the candied tropical fruit flavors of Galaxy hops as we learned about the brewing process and the history of Nonesuch. A special treat – which I always love – is when the brewers bring out the base ingredients, as it is so instructive. Today, we tried a variety of malted barley (a few grains go a long way in producing a burst of flavor in your mouth) and took some deep inhales of hops to help understand the process. Finally, we enjoyed a taster of Space Ghost, which adds a variety of New Zealand-grown hops to Galaxy for an additional burst of flavor, and a much more gentle finish (to my palette).
On the short drive home, we summarized the birding day and took in the revealing history of beer brewing in Maine thanks to Christian’s expertise. While this was the last Birds on Tap Roadtrip of 2026, we look forward to gearing up the new Fort and Feathers Series this fall, beginning with our annual trip to House Island in October!
Our collaboration with Portland Explorer (formerly The Maine Brew Bus) enters its 12th season, and our collaboration continues with a new series of joint history and birding tours. These unique, relaxed birding and history adventures combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with educational journeys through some of our local history. Join two experts in their field on this brand new collaboration! (Sorry, no beer tastings here!)
The three 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.
Forts and Feathers: House Island!
Sunday, October 18: 9:00am – 2:00pm
As our collaboration with Portland Explorer enters its 12th season, we’re mixing things up with a brand new series of joint history and birding tours. These unique, relaxed birding and history adventures combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with educational journeys through some of our local history. Join two experts in their field on this brand new collaboration! (Sorry, no beer tastings here!)
But this time we’re leaving the van in the garage, and hitting the water! That’s right, we’re taking a cruise, and we’re returning to the private House Island in Porland Harbor!
During our previous outings in which we became the first birding groups ever on the island, we found oodles of Yellow-rumped Warblers, other migrants, and learned about the island’s ecology. But we were also captivated by Captain Pete, who guided us through the historic fort, sharing a wealth of historical knowledge and fascinating stories.
Once again, we’ve been granted special permission to come ashore and scour the island here in the peak of fall migration. We’ll follow well-maintained trails through the island’s mosaic of open habitats, scrub, and young woods. These are great habitats to search for a variety of migrants, and perhaps even a rarity!
Returning in October, rarities will once again be on our mind. While rare birds are rare, we are still going to expect the unexpected. But more likely are regular migrants of the season such as Yellow-rumped Warblers, a variety of sparrows, and a growing diversity of waterbirds. At the very least, we’ll have resident waterbirds and several species of gulls to sort through.
As we motor back across the harbor, we’ll continue to familiarize ourselves with some of the common waterbirds, such as Common Eiders, Common Loons, and perhaps some lingering Ospreys and others from the summer, all while enjoying a local craft beverage produced in the city of Portland. While the exact plan is subject to change, we’ll be sure to come up with a plan to adequately celebrate our discoveries – or the one that got away!
Portland Explorer will supply a light snack and everyone is welcome to a free drink (alcoholic or non during the boat ride back). Bring binoculars. We also recommend bringing a lunch or additional snack if you so desire. Sturdy comfortable walking shoes are also recommended, as are a variety of layers as it can be quite chilly on the water by the end of October.
For a taste of what’s in store, here’s the trip report from our very exciting outing in 2025 (but note we will not be offering the beer tasting component in 2026).
*Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time.*
We’ll return to Portland Beer Hub at 2:00pm
This tour is limited to 12 participants, so sign up soon! This is a one-of-a-kind tour, and we think one you won’t want to miss! To conveniently pay online, click on the “Book Now” link here.
Forts and Feathers: The Beaks of Peaks!
Sunday, November 1st (weather date 11/8): 9:00am – 3:00pm.
This “Mega” rare Virginia’s Warbler was Maine’s 5th ever, and found by Derek on Peak’s Island on the weekend we’ll be returning this year…just in time to find the next rarity!
As our collaboration with Portland Explorer enters its 12th season, we’re mixing things up with a brand new series of joint history and birding tours. These unique, relaxed birding and history adventures combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with educational journeys through some of our local history. Join two experts in their field on this brand new collaboration! (Sorry, no beer tastings here!)
But this time we’re leaving the van in the garage and hit the water once again! We’re going to hop aboard the Casco Bay Ferry Lines for the short, 20-minute trip across Portland Harbor to Peak’s Island.
Once there, we’ll plan on walking 3-4 easy miles (paved or dirt roads and a few narrow trails including one with irregular boards over wet areas) to cover the prime birding hotspots of the island, including the thickets that were made famous last year when Derek discovered Maine’s 5th-ever Virginia’s Warbler (and first away from Monhegan). We’ll make our way along the shoreline, looking at resident and recently-arrived migrant waterbirds, but checking various nooks and crannies that can hold unexpected vagrants.
We’ll make our way to the famous Battery Steele – famous for its access, it’s impressive graffiti, and yes, its birding. Here, a complex of wetlands and scrubby areas combine to attract and hold a wide range of avian species, often including some that are usually long gone from Maine by now. We’ll then explore the open-access fort and even get to experience total darkness!
Birding will continue as we traverse the island to return to town. There will be an opportunity to purchase a delicious lunch, or bring your own, and we’ll relax for a spell as we await our ferry departure.
Portland Explorer will supply a light snack and water. Bring binoculars and a flashlight. We also recommend bringing lunch or additional snack if you so desire. Sturdy comfortable walking shoes are also recommended, as are a variety of layers as it can be quite chilly on the water by the end of October.
*Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time.*
We’ll return to Portland Beer Hub at 3:00pm
This tour is limited to 15 participants, so sign up soon! This is a one-of-a-kind tour, and we think one you won’t want to miss!
Forts and Feathers: Fort Williams and Portland Head Light!
Sunday, November 29: 8:00am to 1:00pm
It’s a perfect time of year to find late migrants such as Orange-crowned Warblers in the scrubby habitats of the park.
As our collaboration with Portland Explorer enters its 12th season, we’re mixing things up with a brand new series of joint history and birding tours. These unique, relaxed birding and history adventures combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with educational journeys through some of our local history. Join two experts in their field on this brand new collaboration! (Sorry, no beer tastings here!).
With arriving winter waterbirds – from Great Cormorants to all three species of scoters – and truant migrants (and sometimes, even rarities!) – late November is a great time to hit the coast of Maine for productive birding. On this tour, we’ll take the Portland Explorer van over to Cape Elizabeth to bird the cliffs and uplands of Fort Williams Park.
But that’s not all! We’ll also be diving into the history of the Fort and the world-famous Portland Head Lighthouse. At Fort Williams Park, we’ll explore a scenic coastal landscape rich with history and sweeping views of Casco Bay. The park features historic military structures, open green space, and dramatic rocky shoreline—offering a glimpse into Maine’s past alongside some of its most iconic ocean vistas.
Just beyond the fort grounds stands Portland Head Light, Maine’s oldest lighthouse. Perched on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic, it has guided mariners for more than two centuries and remains one of the most recognizable landmarks on the New England coast.
We’ll be doing all of the driving, so you can relax. There will be one pickup location for this tour:
8:00am – Marginal Way Park & Ride (opposite the intersection with Diamond St, just east of Franklin Ave), Portland.
(Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time).
This tour is limited to 12 participants, so sign up soon! This is a one-of-a-kind tour, and we think one you won’t want to miss! To conveniently pay online, click on the “Book Now” link here.
Portland Explorer and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are teaming up to offer a very special, very exclusive road trip outing in 2026.
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 in southern Maine 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.
For example, last year, our Birds on Tap – Roadtrip: Rarity Roundup traveled to Yarmouth to see one of the few MacGillivray’s Warblers ever recorded in the state, then ventured all of the way to Kittery to try and find our own vagrant and the famous Fort Foster Park. For a taste of what’s in store, here’s the trip report from our very exciting outing in 2025 (but note we will not be offering the beer tasting component in 2026).
Portland Explorer will supply a light snack (TBA) and water. Bring binoculars and a spotting scope if you have one. We also recommend bringing a lunch or additional snack if you so desire. Sunscreen, an extra layer or two, and sturdy comfortable walking shoes are also recommended as we will want to be comfortable during both a long drive or a standing vigil outside.
We’ll be doing all of the driving, so you can relax. There will be one pickup location for this van tour.
8:00 am – Marginal Way Park & Ride (opposite the intersection with Diamond St, just east of Franklin Ave), Portland.
(Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time)
This tour is limited to 12 participants, so sign up soon! This is a one-of-a-kind tour, and we think one you won’t want to miss!
Present for several years at Timber Point in Biddeford, this stunning RED-SHOULDERED X RED-TAILED HAWK HYBRID is often seen soaring or in the distance, at least during my infrequent visits here. Bill Thompson and I went to look for it on the 11th, and were treated to a great show from it!
Another cold and wintery week with a continuing active weather pattern limited time in the field for me, but the feeder-watching was great. I’ll have a blog about it in the coming days. But for now, here are my observations of note over the past seven days:
The single Fox Sparrows continue here at the store (since 12/21) and at our feeders at home in Durham since early December. Both were frequent at the feeders this week as snow piled up.
At least 2 Turkey Vultures continue in the Cumberland-Freeport corridor of I-295.
1 female American Wigeon, Winslow Park, Freeport, 2/8 (with Saturday Morning Birdwalk group).
1 Hermit Thrush and 8 Sanderlings, etc, Reid State Park, Georgetown, 2/10 (with Jeannette).
1 Hermit Thrush, 4 Horned Larks, 1 Northern Harrier, 5 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 4 locally-surprisingly-rare Harlequin Ducks, Biddeford Pool, 2/11 (with Bill Thompson).
1 continuing (for several years) RED-SHOULDERED X RED-TAILED HAWK HYBRID, Timber Point, Biddeford, 2/11 (with Bill Thompson). Photos above. This was my best photo session and quality time with the bird over the years, allowing for detailed study and extensive photographs, especially by Bill. See phone-scoped photos above. This really rare bird is quite gorgeous. The RSHA-like banded tail has an orange-red wash in the white stripes on the uppersides while the underside has as diffuse, partial RSHA pattern. The underparts have a dull orange blush and/or fine barring (strongest on the underwing) like RSHA, with a diffuse RTHA’s belly band. The head and bill size and shape seemed more RSHA-like, and the powered flight was very much like a RSHA. Such a cool bird!
1 THICK-BILLED MURRE, Fortunes Rocks Beach, Biddeford, 2/11 (with Bill Thompson). His photo:
Upcoming Tours:
1. Due to the weekend’s forecast, the Gull ID Workshop has been cancelled.
This snazzy, fresh adult male Red-winged Blackbird at a feeder in Wells was one of the few highlights in my usually-very-productive “Moody Sector” of the Southern York County CBC.
T’was the week before Christmas and all through Wild Bird Supply, no one was birding much, even this guy. Nonetheless, I found some great birds when I did get out this week:
1 incredibly late NELSON’S SPARROW, 1 Savannah Sparrow, 1 Northern Flicker, 4 Snow Buntings, etc, Eastern Road Trail, Scarborough Marsh, 12/18. I was unaware that the Portland CBC was being conducted that day, but apparently, the Nelson’s was a first count record!
1 THICK-BILLED MURRE (FOS), Pine Point, Scarborough, 12/18. Not in great shape; I first saw it on land fighting off a crow on land before eventually waddling into the water.
“Moody Sector” of the Southern York County CBC, 12/19: 1538 individuals of 52 species (both quite low for me) with highlights including 4 American Wigeon (very surprisingly only a second count record!), 1 male Red-winged Blackbird, 2 Northern Harrier, and 18 Horned Larks.
1 Great Blue Heron (late for inland) and 1 1st-winted Iceland Gull, Auburn Riverwalk, 12/22.
1 SAGE THRASHER, Gilsland Farm, Falmouth, 12/22. 2nd State Record found earlier in the morning by Doug Hitchcox. I eventually had fantastic looks at it, including in flight, but I was on the wrong side of its favored tree for photographs, so this was the “best” I did!
Meanwhile, left off my weekly updates for the past four weeks has been my regular observation of one particular rarity right here in Freeport – Maine’s first ever Broad-tailed Hummingbird! Here’s the full story.
This ultra-confiding Harlequin Duck wowed the crowd at Sohier Park (the Nubble) in York during my Winter Waterbird Workshop for Down East Magazine’s Down East Adventures tour group on the 20th.
A handful of observations of note over the past seven days included both signs of spring and winter specialties.
This distantly phone-scoped image of a Thick-billed Murre at Winslow Park on the 7th was one of two of these sought-after winter pelagics that I saw this week. Despite being so far from open ocean, this was incredible my 3rd ever in the Lower Harraseeket River in South Freeport!
My observations of note over the past seven chilly days including the following:
1 THICK-BILLED MURRE and 1 female BARROW’S GOLDENEYE (first of winter in Harraseeket River, finally), Winslow Park, South Freeport, 2/7.
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 2/9 (with Jeannette).
The continuing REDWING, Capisic Pond Park, Portland, 2/11 – Although it was seen in its usual spot for much of the day, I had the bird fly over me at 3:25, about 2/3rds the way to the Machigonne Street entrance from Lucas Street. It landed in some taller trees in full sun, with a sizeable group of robins. When many of the robins took off, it joined them, flying just about tree level and exiting the park. It flew NNW over Congress Street, which I believe is roughly its behavior from the very first day. A Cooper’s Hawk passes through seconds later.
1 THICK-BILLED MURRE, Dyer Point, Cape Elizabeth, 2/12 (with Pat Moynahan).
This Week in Finches:
EVENING GROSBEAK: 0
Red Crossbill: 10 (Merrill Road, Pownal, 2/11).
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL: 32 Bailey Island, Harpswell, 2/9 (with Jeannette).
PINE GROSBEAK: 1 (Maine Street, Brunswick, 2/9; with Jeannette).
The bird of the week – and an early-contender for bird of the year – was this Redwing discovered at Capisic Pond Park in the afternoon of 1/29. My camera went in for repair this week, so my phone-scoped photos didn’t do this “mega” justice, so John Lorenc let me use his photo from the day.
With two mornings spent at Capisic Pond Park this week (REDWING, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, and 1 DICKCISSEL on 1/30 and “just” the REDWING on 2/1 with Phil McCormack), my other birding was rather limited. I think that’s OK though…because Redwing!
1 drake RING-NECKED DUCK, Anniversary Park, Auburn, 2/3.
1 THICK-BILLED MURRE, Cumberland Town Landing, 2/4.
2 continuing NORTHERN SHOVELERS and 200+ distant scaup, Maquoit Bay Conservation Land, Brunswick, 2/5.
1 drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE and 350-400 scaup (just a little too far to sort through accurately, but there is still a fair number of Lesser Scaup present), Simpson’s Point, Brunswick, 2/5.
This Week in Finches, aka “This Week in Pine Grosbeaks:”
PINE GROSBEAK: 3 continued daily at the store through 1/31; 3 (Cumberland Town Landing, 2/4); 11 (downtown Brunswick, 2/5).
Meanwhile, we have just announced our 2021 tour slate, including several pelagic trips, two searches for “Troppy,” the Red-billed Tropicbird, and much more, here, on our revamped Tours page:
We’ve had some great Birds on Tap – Roadtrips! over the six years of doing these. OK, they’ve all been great, but in some, the birding has been more exceptional than others. Sunday’s “Seaducks and Suds” was one such outing. In fact, for a pure “quality” of the bird list, it ranks as one of the best ever, if not the absolute best ever!
Sure, we saw lots of fun seaducks as advertised, and thoroughly enjoyed our time with all of the expected, beautiful, and charismatic winter seaducks that call our coast home. Lots of all three scoters, Common Eiders, Long-tailed Ducks, and of course, the crowd-favorite Harlequin Ducks.
It’s hard to stop looking at Harlequin Ducks – that stunning pattern and how it plays with the dynamic surf they dwell in – but at Marginal Way in Ogunquit, our first stop, a Thick-billed Murre stole the show.
Usually found well offshore in winter (and far to our north in the summer), this is always a great bird to see from land in Maine. There have been quite a few along our shores of late, so it was a bird we were hoping for. A “life bird” for everyone, we watched it for a while as it slowly drifted closer to shore, allowing for prolonged and satisfying scope views.
We spent so much time with “Harlies” and the murre that I had to choose between two famous birding destinations for my second and last stop of the tour. I struggled with it, but finally decided to go to the Cliff House. We were all happy we did!
Shortly after arriving, and enjoying some more Harlequin Ducks, I spotted our other much-hoped-for species of the day: a Dovekie, another pelagic species rarely seen from land!
A “little marshmallow” as described by one member of the group, we watched in the scope for a while, getting our fill, and followed it long enough to be led to two more!
And for a spell, all three were in view in the scope together – and exceedingly rare observation in Maine. But apparently, we weren’t done yet, as with “Rarity Fever” juices pumping, I went back for a second look at the raft of eiders and teased out a female King Eider – our third rarity of the day! She was a little far for photos, but she was very well seen in the scope. Two Razorbills and a Black Guillemot added to the alcid list…hmm, maybe we should rename this trip “Alcids and Ales?” I was also too busy taking photos of rarities to take a good photo of the group birding, apparently.
While our Roadtrips! are not really about rarities (well, except for November’s “Rarity Roundup,” of course) it was hard not to get sucked into the excitement – even if some of the folks today had never even heard of these species before they got on the bus today! Hopefully, we passed on a little more of the highly contagious Birding Flu. I had hoped for one of these three rare species today; getting all three in less than 3 hours of birding was far beyond what I could have expected.
And this was only the first half of the tour! Next up was beer – our only guaranteed sighting of the day. And destination number one was the recently-opened York Beach Beer Company.
Here, we were presented with a sample of five of their beers.
Despite a superficial similarity in color and turbidity, each of the five tasted quite different, which was very instructive. Nathan and I led the tasting, describing and exploring each of the offerings. Starting with the Flannel Sombrero, the light and easy-drinking Mexican style lager, we moved on to the Miss Jen, whose light and clear color did not lead to expectations of the strong coffee flavor. Orange Maine-sicle definitely tasted like a melted creamsicle, while Long Weekend pale was a more traditional brew but with added pineapple puree. Their IPA, Dancing Madly Backwards, definitely took the prize for the best name, and the deepest hop flavor.
Traveling up the road, Biddeford’s Banded Brewing was our next stop, and this venerable local institution did not disappoint. We enjoyed a very nice progression of flavors and styles, starting with the traditional and very well-executed Pepperell Pilsner.
Some folks were excited, others were apprehensive, about our first sour of the day: Charms & Hexes with Blood Orange and Blackberry. This approachable sour series can change some minds about what a “sour” is, and sure enough, one participant bought a 4-pack to take home after coming into the “3-sip rule” stating “I do NOT like sours.” Daikaju DIPA was up next, a good tropical and citrus-rich example of this popular style.
Our fourth sample was their coffee stout, Jolly Woodsman, but it was presented with an extra taste of the Woodsman Reserve, which is Jolly Woodsman aged on maple bourbon barrels. Comparing and contrasting was quite educational, and quite tasty, with the difference more readily apparent than head and bill shape in female eiders.
It was also a perfect way to toast a truly extraordinary day of birds and beer!
I know it’s been a while since I’ve blogged, but I sure hope you have taken that to mean that I have not been out birding! Quite the contrary in fact.
Yeah, it’s been bitter cold – we’ve yet to rise above freezing in February! And if you hadn’t noticed, we’ve had quite a bit of snow recently. Of course, strong winds with dangerous windchills (like yesterday) and heavy snow precluded birding on some days -well, except for feeder-watching, which has been truly excellent.
In fact, the feeder-watching has been so good of late, that Saturday’s birdwalk outing was mostly spent watching feeders. 50+ Common Redpolls, Pine Siskins, Purple Finches, a Carolina Wren, and more were enjoyed from a sheltered yard, or from the inside of our house. Yup, we went indoors for the birdwalk this week, defrosting for about a half hour – our feeders are only visible from inside the house, afterall.
And with several snow days and work-from-home writing days of late, I have been enjoying our feeder activity: a large number of American Goldfinches have been joined by varying small numbers of Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, and Common Redpolls. Still waiting for a big flock, however. And the second-ever, and first long-staying, Carolina Wren in the yard has been a treat – we’re pumping him full of mealworms to keep him around, and healthy.
The feeders at the store have been active, as well, although non-goldfinch finch numbers have not been as good or as consistent at home. But, for mid-winter with this much snow on the ground, the diversity has been surprisingly good. (Weekly totals are posted to our store’s website).
Snowy Owls are around, and on 1/31 we finally added one to our all-time Saturday Morning Birdwalk list with a visit to Brunswick Landing: species #236. Meanwhile, our birdwalk to Winslow Park on 2/7 had Barred Owl, the continuing (despite all the ice) over-wintering Dunlin (12), and the 4 Barrow’s Goldeneyes (3 drakes and 1 hen) that had been present.
But the impressive ice cover in Casco Bay has greatly reduced the amount of waterfowl in the immediate vicinity over the last couple of weeks. The end of Winslow remains clear (barely) and the duck concentrations there are quite good, but as of today, however, the much-reduced area of open water now held only two drake Barrow’s Goldeneyes. Meanwhile, the small hole of open water at the base of the Lower Falls in Yarmouth is still somehow still hosting the merganser “hat-trick” (with varying numbers of all three species) as it does every winter – they’re running out of room though!
Not all ducks are quite as concentrated as these hungry Mallards (with a few American Black Ducks) at Riverbank Park in Westbrook.
While the field trip portion of my Gull Identification Workshop has been postponed for the last two Sundays, gull-watching is pretty good right now, especially in and around Portland Harbor. Hatch Hill Landfill in Augusta on the 12th, however, had only about 100 Herring Gulls – gull numbers are drastically reduced here when there is little open water on the Kennebec River in downtown. The Bath Landfill is hosting a few Iceland and a couple of Glaucous Gulls, however.
Frugivores have been common, with large flocks of American Robins and goodly numbers of Cedar Waxwings stripping all available, palatable fruit. Bohemian Waxwings have been scattered about – although I have yet to catch up with any – but so far Pine Grosbeaks have mostly remained to our north. The rapidly diminishing fruit crop locally will likely concentrate these birds further, or push them southward.
My two best days of birding this month, however, were on Feb 1 and just this past Friday. On the 1st, a snowshoe at the Waterboro Barrens Preserve was awesome. I went there to refind the Red Crossbills that a friend and I had there in December, as my recordings from that visit were inconclusive as to “type.”
Not only did I find 14 crossbills, but many were in full song, and one male was apparently carrying nesting material! A light wind, and my huffing-and-puffing from snowshoeing in waist-deep snow drifts off trail, impeded the clarity of my recordings, unfortunately. However, one of the call types (as analyzed by Matt Young over at Cornell) was suggestive of the Type 8 Red Crossbill from Newfoundland, which has yet to be definitively recorded outside of that province. Intriguing -yup, I need to find time to go back and improve the recording.
The icing on the cake that day was a Hoary Redpoll teased out from a flock of about 40 Commons as they alighted in fed in the Pitch Pines with the crossbills. This was my first Hoary in Maine away from a feeder.
With all of these storms, and two “nice” days of northeasterly winds, I had alcids on my mind as Lois Gerke and I spent the morning in Cape Elizabeth on Friday (2/13). Apparently, my hunch was correct – we scored 4 species of alcids! This is not an easy feet in winter in Maine, although I have hit the total several times (not yet hit 5, however). Black Guillemots were scattered about, as usual, but the fun started with a fly-by Dovekie at Dyer Point.
A continuing (and apparently not very healthy) Thick-billed Murre was at nearby Kettle Cove.
Our presence likely saved its life for now, as a 4th-cycle Bald Eagle had its eye on it – but also, us, apparently. The eagle even landed on the rocks a few inches from the murre, which, instead of diving to escape as a healthy alcid would, was apparently resigned to simply tucking itself into a corner of the rock.
After checking for frugivores at Village Crossings (just a few American Robins on what was left of the crabapple, but we did enjoy a flock of 22 Common Redpolls), we decided to try for a Razorbill for our fourth alcid of the day. Lois’s time was limited, so instead of heading back down to Dyer Point (where the wind was also brutal), we rolled the dice and tried Portland Head Light. And sure enough, a Razorbill was offshore, feeding at the mouth of Casco Bay on the changing tide!
After lunch, I decided to procrastinate a little longer and slowly bird my way to the store, checking for open water on the Falmouth Foreside coastline. Although I was looking for duck concentrations, once again, alcids stole the show: a Thick-billed Murre flew into the cove on the south side of the Mackworth Island causeway. Perfectly strong and healthy, this bird was likely following some small fish into the bay on the incoming tide.
Even more surprising was another Thick-billed Murre in Falmouth, even further up the bay off of the Town Landing. This bird also looked fine, swimming steadily upstream with the tide, “snorkeling” to look for food.
These Buffleheads looked just as surprised as I was.
So yeah, a 4-alcid day, with three different Thick-billed Murres in quite a day, and probably one of my best birding days of the winter. It just goes to show you what winter birding can bring in Maine, even during an impressive deep-freeze. So yeah, I’ll be out birding as much as I can, and signs of spring are certainly in the air: woodpeckers are drumming actively, Tufted Titmice and White-breasted Nuthatches are singing frequently now, and Great Horned Owls are already nesting. Bald Eagles are probably starting some house-keeping, Common Ravens are reaffirming territories, and in only a month, the Bradbury Mountain Spring Hawkwatch gets underway!
Maine Birding Field Notes 