These last few weeks, as we’ve taken our dog on his morning neighborhood walk, one thing is clear: the spring trill-ogy is in full song. Rarely have we been out of earshot of the trilling music of Dark-eyed Juncos and Chipping Sparrows—two examples among the vast numbers of birds that produce a song made up Read More
birds
The Bomb Cyclone and Birds at Sea
There was the hype. There was the footage of swirling, blowing snow, of waves piling up and spilling across oceanside streets. Brave weather people, geared up and giddy with anticipation, ignored their own advice and reported from the frontlines of Winter Storm Hernando, aka, the “bomb cyclone.” Whether or not it was the bomb, or Read More
Security Cam Birding
You’ve seen them. Those video clips of porch pirates helping themselves to packages left on doorsteps. If you’re fortunate, the ones you see include a satisfying gotcha at the end, when the thief gets dusted with spray paint or some other tell-tail punishment for their illegal behavior. Consider adding another element to your viewing: birding! Case in point: A Read More
Creature Feature: Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Cool Fact: Or in this case…”cold” fact—Cardinals don’t migrate or fly south for the winter like most other birds. They will shiver and tense their muscles to generate heat, having the ability to drop their body temperature 3 – 6° in order to survive cold temperatures. Named by early European settlers because of their resemblance Read More
Finch Fever: This Year’s Forecast and a New(ish) Book
While walking our dog through the neighborhood recently, we heard what sounded like the soft, mellow notes of Pine Grosbeaks. We were surprised; it seemed too early for these northern finches to be showing up in Maine. But as we approached the source of the calls, there they were: six beautiful Pine Grosbeaks in the Read More
Musings about Fall Birds in Maine
Fall is, by default, a time of contemplation, as life’s giant cog moves a notch and is expressed in all sorts of ways. Birders like us note that swell of migration from late August to early October, with dribbles of migrants continuing for several more weeks. That’s where we are now, in the birding cycle Read More
Caching Up for the Winter
It was one of those crip, golden days that couldn’t decide if it was summer or autumn. The sun lit the treetops along the late-afternoon street. Most leaves were still green, but the maple at the corner was showing off its bright yellows and reds. A tall, brilliant yellow-orange goldenrod at the corner of our Read More
My Experience Monitoring Piping Plovers in Maine
Every summer, Maine Audubon works with Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and municipal officials to protect Piping Plovers that nest on Maine’s shoreline. Over the past three months, I have been a volunteer for Maine Audubon’s Coastal Birds Project, which is among many initiatives developed to monitor and project coastal birds all across Read More
Watching Hurricane Waves and Forster’s Terns
Like many an adventurer, we took time out of our weekend to observe the drama of the surf riled up by Hurricane Erin passing far offshore—of course, with the hope of seeing nice birds. On Friday, we zipped over to Pemaquid Point and saw…a Black Guillemot. One of our favorite little seabirds, but nothing Read More
