While the cold and rain continues to depress us . . . we’re seeing more and more warblers . . . some in the most unusual locations. This weekend we had Yellow-rumps all over our bird feeders. In 20 years of feeding birds at this house, we’ve never had Butter-butts but suddenly we had at […]
Trying to get out and look for birds for an hour or two, once or twice a day . . . and the birds are definitely moving north. Yesterday I saw my first three warblers in Maine: Yellow-rumped, Pine and Palm . . . my first Maine Ruby-crowned Kinglet and lots of other things. [ngg […]
Since Ingrid and I returned from Arizona it has rained . . . and rained . . . and rained. The good news is some brief clearing tomorrow followed by rain through Sunday. Sigh. Still I managed to get a few birds over the last few days. A Pied Grebe in the fog (initially identified […]
Ingrid and I got back from Arizona early, early this morning. We left Patagonia at 9:30; drove 90 minutes to Tuscon; flew to Phoenix; then to Boston; and then drove back to Maine. Our heads hit the pillow about 3:00 am (and our Maine Coon Cats climbed all over us all night . . . […]
Today we were up early for the 90 minute drive east through the Arizona desert to visit the legendary Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast. No longer operating as an Inn, the owner has dozens of feeding stations, chairs benches and bird blinds that birders can enjoy (for a $10 entrance fee). Its well worth it!!!! […]
Today we just hung around Patagonia and the Duquesne House . . . the best B&B for birding we’ve ever stayed at. Highlights included our 500th Vermillion Flycatcher of the week (I’m exaggerating . . . but they seem to be everywhere); male and female Summer Tanagers (at the Inn); and Hooded Orioles (also at […]
Before 2017 . . . if you visited a small corner of Arizona . . . you might be lucky enough to see the large and beautiful Magnificent Hummingbird. But then the powers to be split the species into the Rivoli’s Hummingbird and the Talamanca hummingbird (found in Costa Rica and Panama). I think this is […]
Today we took a break from birding and played tourist. We travelled to Tombstone and saw a campy reenactment of the gunfight at the OK Corral. On the way back we did a wine tasting at one of the many wineries in Southeast Arizona (who knew). Of course we had to stop any photograph […]
Day two of our Southeast Arizona Birding Adventure was a trip west thirty minutes to Patagonia Lake State Park . . . a large lake by Arizona standards . . . a community swimming hole in Maine. We started the day with a one hour pontoon boat trip around the lake, followed by a two […]
Our first day in southeastern Arizona started at an airport hotel in Tuscon and ended at a Bed-and-Breakfast for Birders in Patagonia. In between we visited the Paton Center for Hummingbirds and the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve. We’re about to head out for another day of Birding so this won’t be a long blog but highlights […]
As Ingrid and I continue “training” for our Big Year in 2024 . . . today we headed to Southeast Arizona for a little birding, a little relaxation and some well earned warm weather. But as we were leaving the house . . . I heard that a Lapland Longspur was being seen among the […]
Today was lots of heads down coding and conference calls . . . tommorow Ingrid and I are heading to Arizona for a week of birding and relaxation. But managed to drive around the now defunct Brunswick Naval Air Station (revitalized with shops, manufacturing and services as the Brunswick Landing) looking for a Lapland Longspur […]
I was up very early this morning getting ready for a presentation and when it was over around lunch time . . . I had already put in a full day. So, I cleaned up a few odds and ends and headed out birding in the early afternoon. Maine was recovering from two straight days […]
There are three species of swans commonly found in North America . . . the Tundra, the Trumpeter and the Mute. We see Mute Swans quite regularly in New England (the famous Boston Commons has “Swan Boats”) . . . but Tundra and Trumpeter Swans rarely visit. Three weeks ago, a Tundra Swan was […]
Wood Ducks in Maine are a rare skittish species. If we see one, we have to be very careful and move very slowly . . . cause the slightest movement will cause them to take flight. In the last 24 hours I’ve seen three groups of Wood Ducks and none of them took the slightest […]
Welcome to the Big Year Birding Warbler Quiz. For the next several several minutes we’ll test your know knowledge of these beautiful little visitors. The questions will get harder as we go along. At the end there are no awards, prize money or new cars . . . just the satisfaction that you’ve added to, […]
On January 1 . . . every bird one sees is a FOY (first of year bird) but as a winter progresses . . . it becomes increasingly difficult to see anything new. But in late March, things begin to change as birds begin to migrate north. This morning I as sitting at Kettle […]
Today’s before work Birding Adventure was to Scarborough Marsh trying to get a First of the Year Blue-winged Teal. Hit four different locations . . . each filled with Canada Geese and Song Sparrows. At the Pelecro Building . . . an industrial plant that is birder friendly I thought I got the BWT […]
This evening, Ingrid and I made quick trip to a nearby marsh in Cape Elizabeth in search for our first Great Blue Heron of the year. We got him!!! [ngg src=”galleries” ids=”359″ display=”pro_mosaic”]
The American Woodcock is an odd bird: It’s a shorebird that lives in the woods It’s camouflage makes it virtually invisible but some how a half million are taken annually by hunters . And it just plain looks odd We didn’t get one last year so this year I went out in the late […]
The American Wigeon is seen on occasion throughout the State of Maine . . . but not reliably. I’ve been out a half dozen times this year trying to get one . . . but have struck-out. Today I tried the Buffalo Ranch . . . a huge cow pasture where they used to run […]
Had the day off from work . . . after some appointments I tried to find the American Wigeons being seen in Damariscotta. While I fail to find the Wigeons . . . I did see a distant Gadwall and a very, very popular female Ring-necked duck. Dozens of drake Ring-necks were crowding this one […]
Around dusk in Scarborough, Maine a couple fellow birders pointed out a Great Egret a quarter mile away . . . on the other side of the marsh . . . a very, very early sighting. I snapped a few distant photos and looked for other birds. Suddenly the Egret took to the air […]
In the last week I’ve chased a Great Gray Owl at Hermit Island, Maine (3 hours searching for it . . . no luck) and a Tundra Swan (flew minutes before I arrived) . . . so I was a bit frustrated and hoping my luck would turn. Yesterday morning I was up early […]
With at foot of snow on the ground and the temperature dropping below freezing at night . . . we have a weird confluence of birds. Birds that normally winter in Canada (Bohemian Waxwings and Common Redpolls) are being seen sporadically through out the state of Maine. One top of that, the early migrators (Turkey […]
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