Before beginning my Maine Big Year, I read everything I could on the subject and talked to people that had done one and they all say “Chase the Rarities”.

So when I heard an Orange-crowned Warbler was being seen at a residential feeder north of Portland . . . I asked the owner if I could come see it and get my “year-tic”.

Alex (not his real name) understandably doesn’t want every Tom-Dick-and-Harry showing up at his house, but he graciously let me park in his driveway for 90 minutes until the Orange-crowned showed up.  

While sitting silently in a cold car with the windows rolled down may not be everyone’s cup of tea but I had a great time watching a variety of birds visit his feeders.

Just about the time I needed a bio-break, a gray/greenish-yellow bird showed up and for five minutes I photographed this healthy and very lost young warbler.  When he left the feeder and perched above my car . . . I could make out splotches of Orange on his head.

Such a rush!!!