This seven-inch gray bird with brown wings returns to southern Maine in early spring to build its nest, often in the usual place unless it has been destroyed. The insect eating Phoebe makes its news under overhanging structures, such as eaves, second floor decks, and bridges. It perches on branches or posts awaiting the unsuspecting…
Sandhill Cranes are very large, tall birds with a long neck reaching four feet tall. They have long legs and broad wings. The cranes are mostly found in the Midwest but since the year 2000 they have been seen in south central Maine, including North Yarmouth, Belgrade and Kennebunk, and in Fryeburg in western Maine.…
This bird is one of several sandpipers in Maine. The Semipalmated Sandpiper, described as perhaps one of the most numerous shorebirds in North America, is not a permanent resident, but is does migrate through the state. Those featured here passed through Harpswell in early October of 2014 at N43° 48′ 50.18″ W69° 56′ 40.90″.
[click photos to enlarge ] This “shorebird” was far from salt water in a rough open area in Stacyville, northern Penobscot County near Aroostook County. That was in late May 2012, a bit earlier than when Killdeer are normally expected to be in Maine for the summer breeding season. The changing climate may have…
Red-tailed hawk, near the East Branch of the Penobscot River in the Maine woods Lunksoos area and near a logging yard in Crystal
The Lunksoos [pronounced lunksue] area of T3 R7 WELS includes stunning views of the East Branch of the Penobscot River and historic sites such as the Hunt Farm and Lunksoos Camps. In 2014 it was also the local headquarters of Elliotsville Plantation foundation’s “Lunksoos Base Camp.” Not to be confused with Elliotsville Township (once a…
This township is just east of Silver Ridge Township in southern Aroostook County. Crisscrossed with dirt logging roads, its main thoroughfare is the 6000 Road from U.S. Route 2 in Silver Ridge Dixie Road in the east terminating on U.S. Route 2A in Glenwood. Macwahoc Stream…
A bird somewhat harder to find than the Great Blue Heron, the Little Blue Heron ranges from the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic Coast to their northern most reach in Maine. They feed in marshes, tidal flats and even in some freshwater areas, nesting near wetlands. This one was observed in Winslow Park…
This raptor has traditionally summered in Maine but moved south for the winter. However, climate change may have altered that pattern. A bit smaller than an osprey, it is still an imposing sight perched near a house. Its habitat in Maine ranges from deep forests to wooded residential areas. The example below showed up in…
Yes, the Gray Catbird sounds like a cat in “normal” mode. But, being a relative of mockingbirds, it often imitates others or combines sounds of several species to create its own music. The one pictured here is typical in its preference for thick growth among the lilacs and its frequent visits to a bird feeder.…
According to the Audubon Society’s Field Guide to North American Birds, “The Bobolink was probably confined to the central grasslands originally, but with the settling of the Northeast it quickly spread into New England. Now with farms abandoned and the land returning to forest, the species is declining.” In Harpswell, a large portion of Mitchell…
A relatively shy and infrequently noticed bird in Maine, the northern shrike often perches atop a tree awaiting a food opportunity. Unlike most songbirds, this one preys on small birds and rodents. This one, uncharacteristically, was in downtown Brewer near City Hall. Their primary habitats in summer are open spaces in woods or swampy areas…
This bird’s year round home is along the southeast coast of the United States and islands in the Caribbean. But the Glossy Ibis is an occasional visitor during the summer mating season. These two, on the right, were observed at the Scarborough Marsh in 2010, along with apparent summer vacation friends in the feather of…
These pigeon-like birds visit home bird feeders, feasting mostly on seeds that drop to the ground. They remain year-round within about 40 miles of the coast. In summer they may be found in all but northern Piscataquis, Somerset and Aroostook (western portion) counties. The doves are ground feeders in the wild and measure 12…
This sea bird with a colorful bill lives year round near the coast of Washington and eastern Hancock counties. The largest concentration of puffins is at Machias Seal Island, off shore from Cutler in Washington County. The island is claimed by Canada. At twelve inches tall, the birds seem tiny in the water among the…
The American crow is related to crows on other continents, such as Europe, Africa and Asia. Similar to the common raven, also black, it is smaller, up to 18 inches compared to up to 27 inches for the raven. In Maine they are year-round residents in the southern two-thirds of the state, and summer residents…
is both an unorganized township and a lake created by the Seboomook Dam. Just north of Moosehead Lake, half the township and all of the lake are in Maine Public Reserved Land protective status. The 6,880-acre lake has over 69 miles of shoreline, with the dam at its eastern end where it spills into the…
(1865-1958), was a well-respected Maine ornithologist. At the age of 48, she found her true calling in life – the study of birds. After floating through one teaching job after another for 17 years, and a nervous breakdown, she remembered her childhood love of the outdoors and of the beautiful birds and their musical songs.…
Newport features the six-mile long Sebasticook Lake, providing recreational opportunities for residents and summer visitors. Drought conditions in 2002 lowered the water level substantially. See photos. Prior to the opening of what became the Maine Central Railroad in 1855, Newport was a center of stage coach transportation. Newport is still a heavily traveled crossroads, now of Interstate 95, U.S. Route 2, and Maine Routes 7, 11, and 100. The area east of Sebasticook Lake is known as East Newport.
The Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, a nature preserve, was established in 1937 as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. It is the first in a chain of migratory bird refuges that extends from Maine to Florida. The refuge consists of two units. The Baring Unit covers 17,200 acres and is…