Welcome to Big Year Birding a site devoted to Birds as seen through the eyes of Ethan and Ingrid Whitaker.  We are a Maine couple preparing for a 2024 Big Year across the continental United States!

Follow Us By E-Mail

Our most recent Blog Posts:

Memorial Day Birding

As spring migration wraps up . . . Ingrid and I did a bit of birding over the long weekend....
Read More
Memorial Day Birding

The Excitement of finding a Louisiana Waterthrush!!!

Ethan . . . I wish I could experience the excitement of finding a rare bird with you . ....
Read More
The Excitement of finding a Louisiana Waterthrush!!!

Black-necked Stilt

Early in the summer of 2022 a Black-necked Stilt appeared in a salt panne adjacent to busy Route One in...
Read More
Black-necked Stilt

Blackburnian Warbler

Reid State Park is one of Maine's jewels . . . 770 acres of sand beaches, rocky shoreline, salt marshes...
Read More
Blackburnian Warbler

Two Weeks Left In Spring Migration

Spring migration in Maine continues and Ingrid and I are exhausted.  Both of us are up before dawn (and that...
Read More
Two Weeks Left In Spring Migration

Hunting the Northern Waterthrush

Yesterday, I went hunting for a Northern Waterthrush . . . and found it . . . in the wrong...
Read More
Hunting the Northern Waterthrush

Spring Migration . . . at last!!!

Finally  . . . at last . . . I thought it would never get here . . . but...
Read More
Spring Migration . . . at last!!!

Spring storms blows Phalaropes ashore

There are believed to be a combined 8 million Red and Red-necked Phalaropes on planet earth . . . but...
Read More
Spring storms blows Phalaropes ashore

Evening Grosbeaks

Those of you that read this blog regularly know that Ingrid and I spend (waste???) a considerable amount of time...
Read More
Evening Grosbeaks

Big Year Birding Jay Quiz

Welcome to the Big Year Birding Jay Quiz. For the next several minutes we'll test your knowledge of these mysterious...
Read More
Big Year Birding Jay Quiz

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks on a Telephone Pole

On this blog, I primarily talk about the birds Ingrid and I see on our travels . . . but...
Read More
Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks on a Telephone Pole

Brown-headed Cowbird

  We all have our favorite birds – Cardinals, Owls, Eagles and the colorful warblers.   Then there are the less...
Read More
Brown-headed Cowbird

 

Our Bird Quizzes:

 

Ethan and Ingrid are training for a Big Year in 2024 when Ingrid retires.  In the meantime Ethan did a  2021 Maine Big Year.

Read about Ethan’s Maine Big Year in his Book: Every Bird in Maine

And Ingrid’s Children’s Bird Book: What’s That Bird? A Kid’s Guide to Backyard Bird of New England.

Big Year Birding Blog – for – 2023, 2022, 2021 (Maine Big Year), 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

Check out Our Apps for Birders

Go Birding!!!!!