There are believed to be a combined 8 million Red and Red-necked Phalaropes on planet earth . . . but unless you live in the Arctic regions or spend time out at sea . . . you’ll probably never see either one. That’s because these birds spend winters in tropical oceans far from land. In […]
Those of you that read this blog regularly know that Ingrid and I spend (waste???) a considerable amount of time chasing birds around the State of Maine. If we hear about an unusual bird within driving distance . . . we’re immediately in the car hoping to get a glimpse. Often the bird has moved […]
Welcome to the Big Year Birding Jay Quiz. For the next several minutes we’ll test your knowledge of these mysterious creatures. 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 or confirmed your […]
On this blog, I primarily talk about the birds Ingrid and I see on our travels . . . but I recently got a few photos and a video from our son Bradley and his wife Tanner that I want to share. They live in a small Texas town, just south of San Antonio . […]
We all have our favorite birds – Cardinals, Owls, Eagles and the colorful warblers. Then there are the less popular ones – the Canada Geese that ruin our parks, the noisy crows that disrupt our cookouts and cormorants that can stink up an area. And then there is the Brown-headed Cowbird!!! Why do we […]
Summer Tanagers are a beautiful summer bird of the American South that rarely strays north of New Jersey. This morning Ingrid looked out the window and was stunned to see a male Summer Tanager. A real rarity for mid-April in Maine. For the next three hours we watched him eat sunflower, nyger and mixed bird […]
It’s been a good year for Red Crossbills as we’ve heard then singing (more like buzzing) off and on all winter. Generally found high in spruce or pine trees, Crossbills have a unique bill . . . thick and curved with crossed tips. This adaptation allows access to conifer cones that other bird species […]
Maine winters are long and cold. Fortunately Maine birders have the arrival of various species to buffer the passage of time. Late January, the first Turkey Vultures arrive Late February, the first Red-Winged Blackbirds appear Late March, Eastern Phoebes and Ospreys are seen For me, the true sign of spring is the arrival of the […]
Sandhill Cranes are still relatively rare in Maine, but today Ingrid and I drove two hours west to Fryeburg and were treated to a flock of 29 these amazing birds . . . some almost four foot tall. We had hoped to see the a Tundra Swan that had been seen near the Cranes the […]
Much is made of friction between hunters and birders but in actuality it is generally a positive relationship. Hunters work for the same access and preservation of green space (marshes, forests and grasslands) that birders do. A popular Birding podcast, sponsored by the American Birding Association (ABA), does annual stories on the issuing of […]
The Lapland Longspur is a tiny sparrow like bird that nests in northern Canada and Alaska and winters in the United States from Nebraska through New England. When in breeding plumage, males have a stunning black face, crown and bib with orange on the nape of the neck. But one rarely sees them in breeding […]
Each year Ospreys return to Maine during the first few days of Baseball Season (Go Red Sox). This year was no different as I saw this enthusiastic singer this morning near the Taste of Maine Restaurant in Woolwich.
Today I was driving south through Portland and I noticed a large number of gulls in and around Back Bay, a popular walking and jogging trail in the center of the city. I saw dozens of small Ring-billed Gulls (as one would expect with a nearby grocery store) and a few larger and ubiquitous, […]
For a few weeks in late March and early April . . . one of my favorite birds . . . the Fox Sparrow migrates through Maine. Often seen at feeder or scratching aside leaves to get to grubs and insects, the Fox Sparrow is larger and stockier than other sparrows. In Maine, we see […]
Went out birding for a couple hours this morning and while there are still snow banks in driveways and white patches in the woods . . . but there are signs of spring everywhere. Crocuses can be see in places, wood frogs are croaking in the evening and new birds are arriving every day. Today, […]
With the ice on ponds slowly melting, dabbling ducks in Maine are moving from the ocean, to fresh water where it is easier for them to get to food. Dabbling ducks are shallow water birds that feed along the surface of the water, by tipping headfirst to graze on plants, larvae, and insects. “Dabblers” or […]
It’s officially spring . . . and in Maine that means it might hit 40 degrees and there is still more snow than bare ground. It also means a few brave birds are reaching Maine in their Spring migration. This morning when I was taking out the trash (living the dream), I noticed a small […]
This past Saturday, Ingrid and I piled into our Subaru Outback and headed up the coast in an effort to see three unusual birds. Our first stop, was in Rockland, Maine where a Lesser Black-backed Gull had been reported in one of the bays. There we spent an hour sifting through hundreds of Herring, Great […]
Winter seems determined to hang on in Maine. For the last few weeks the State has been buffeted by snow storm after snow storm, with high winds and power outages. Winter’s determination has delayed my annual journey to nearby meadows at sunset to hear (and hopefully see) the American Woodcock’s elaborate courtship display. The display […]
The Cedar Waxwing is a berry eating bird found throughout the USA and Canada. Traveling in flocks these beautiful brownish yellow birds can be found in urban and rural habitats, descending upon berry trees and gorging themselves to the point where they can barely fly. The Cedar Waxwing has a much less common cousin . […]
As Ingrid and I plan our 2024 Continental USA Big Year we’re reviewing birds we hope to see . . . whether we’ve seen them before . . . and where we saw them. In addition to the above birds, we’ll be shooting to find a Brown Jay in Texas, a Pinyon Jay in the […]
The Barnacle Goose is a cute, chubby bird, about half the size of our ubiquitous Canada Goose. They nest from Greenland to Siberia and winter in north-west Europe. They rarely appear on this side of the Atlantic. So when you see one in the middle of a snow storm you try to film it . […]
Six years ago this week, I was on a business trip in South Carolina . . . a nice respite from February in Maine. Then I got a text message from Ingrid . . . a Great Gray Owl had been seen in Searsmont, Maine . . . and she was on her way. Oh […]
Surprise! This post comes from Ingrid, not Ethan. School vacation week brings exciting opportunities for birding on WEEKDAYS at ANYTIME. Thus when a rare Bullock’s Oriole was reported visiting a Westbrook, Maine feeder during my school’s February vacation, I had the glorious freedom to go see it rather than pining for it from my 4th […]
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