177 Species to Date
While Big Year rules only require a Birder to identify a species by sight or sound (the good old fashion honor system), I’m endeavoring to photograph or record as many species as possible during the year. This can be difficult as birds are seen for fleeting moments; deep in a tangle of tree branches; while driving or at a great distance through a spotting scope. In other cases, one is seeing several new species at a time and only one can be photographed.
On this page you’ll see every bird on my Maine Big Year list along with the date and location I found it and the date and location of the "best" validation photograph or recording.
Read about my Big Year on my Blog.
Alcids (6)
Bitterns (0)
Blackbirds (4)
Brown-headed Cowbird
Jan 28 - 1784 Clarry Hill Rd Union
Photo: Mar 18 - Village Crossing
Red-winged Blackbird
Feb 22 - Nubble Light, York
Rusty Blackbirds
Jan 7 - 185–187 Varney Mill Rd Bath
Buntings (1)
Cardinals and Allies (2)
Northern Cardinal
Jan 2 - Thomaston
Photo: Jan 6 - Cumberland/Foreside
Chickadees (1)
Crows and Ravens (3)
Common Raven
Jan 1 - I-195 W Saco
Photo: Jan 30 - Wiscasset
Fish Crow
Mar 14 - 57 Portland Rd Kennebunk ME
Cuckoos (0)
Doves and Pigeons (2)
Mourning Dove
Jan 1 - I-195 W Saco
Photo: Jan 30 - Not Posted to eBird
Rock Pigeon
Jan 1 - 120 Evans St South Portland
Photo: Mar 9 - Freeport Wild Bird Supply
Ducks (25)
American Black Duck
Jan 1 - Biddeford Pool
Photo: Jan 25 - Not Posted to eBird
American Wigeon
Jan 7 - Rockland Harbor--Breakwater
Photo: Mar 28 - Messalonskee Lake--boat ramp
Barrow's Goldeneye
Jan 8 - Brunswick
Photo: Jan 28 - Damariscotta Town Landing
Black Scoter
Jan 1 - Perkins Cove, Ogunquit
Photo: Jan 24 - Not Posted to eBird
Blue-winged Teal
Apr 1 - Bisson's Farm, Topsham
Apr 3 - 219 Eddy Rd, Edgecomb
Bufflehead
Jan 1 - Perkins Cove
Photo: Feb 27 - Fort Foster Park
Common Eider
Jan 1 - Perkins Cove, Ogunquit
Photo: Jan 25 - Not Posted to eBird
Common Goldeneye
Jan 2 - Rockland Harbor--Breakwater
Photo: Jan 25 - River Point Conservation Area, Falmouth
Common Merganser
Jan 5 - Kettle Cove
Photo: Mar 7 - Not Posted to eBird
Greater Scaup
Jan 7 - Rockland--Chickawaukie Pond
Harlequin Duck
Jan 1 - Perkins Cove, Ogunquit
Photo: Feb 21 - Dyer Point
Hooded Merganser
Jan 1 - Biddeford Pool
Photo: Mar 1 - Not Posted to eBird
Lesser Scaup
Jan 5 - Grondin Pond, Scarborough
Mar 30 - Sanford Lagoon
Long-tailed Duck
1st Seen: Jan 1 (I-195 W Saco)
Photo: Jan 30 (Wiscasset)
Mallard
Jan 1 - Perkins Cove, Ogunquit
Photo: Feb 23 - Not Posted to eBird
Northern Pintail
Jan 4 - Duck Pond, York
Photo: Mar 7 - Gardiner Waterfront
Northern Shoveler
Feb 6 - Maquoit Bay Conservation Land, Brunswick
Photo: Feb 20 - Cove Rd, Freeport
Red-breasted Merganser
Jan 1 - Biddeford Pool
Photo: Feb 6 - Not Posted to eBird
Ring-necked Duck
Jan 7 - Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder
Mar 28 - Messalonskee Lake--boat ramp
Ruddy Duck
Jan 25 - Simpson's Pt. Landing
Mar 30 - Sanford Lagoons
Surf Scoter
Jan 2 - Rockland Harbor--Breakwater
Photo: Feb 22 - Fort Foster, Kittery
White-winged Scoter
Jan 1 - Biddeford Pool
Photo: Jan 3 - Ferry Beach
Wood Duck
Jan 25 - Calvary Cemetery, South Portland
Not Photographed
King Eider: Feb 14 - Nubble Light
Eagles (1)
Bald Eagle
Jan 4 - Messalonskee Lake--boat ramp
Photo: Feb 4 - Not Posted to eBird
Falcons (3)
American Kestrel
Jan 11 - 96–98 Scottow Hill Rd Scarborough
Photo: Feb 27 - 269 St George Rd, South Thomaston
Not Photographed
Merlin: Jan 3 - 129 Evans St South Portland
Peregrine Falcon: Jan 21 - SR-26 N Portland
Finches and Allies (8)
American Goldfinch
Jan 1 - Perkins Cove, Ogunquit
Photo: Feb 2 - Not Posted to eBird
Common Redpoll
Jan 12 - Rachel Carson NWR--Batson River Marsh/Tidal Flats
Photo: Feb 14 - Not Posted to eBird
Flycatchers (1)
Eastern Phoebe
Mar 23 - Rustlewood Land Trust
Photo: Mar 31 - Florida Lake
Gannets and Cormorants (3)
Double-crested Cormorant
Jan 4 - Cape Neddick Light
Photo: Apr 5 - Scarborough Marsh
Great Cormorant
Jan 1 - Biddeford Pool
Photo: Jan 4 - Cape Neddick Light
Northern Gannet
Jan 13 - Ferry, Monhegan
Geese (3)
Brant
Jan 5 - Kettle Cove
Canada Goose
Jan 1 - 180 Evans St South Portland
Photo: Jan 5 - Not Posted to eBird
Gnatcatchers and Kinglets (2)
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Jan 6 - Reid SP, Georgetown
Photo: Apr 2 - Trout Brook Nature Preserve
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Apr 2 - Trout Brook Nature Preserve, South Portland
Photo: Apr 2 - Florida Lake
Grosbeaks (3)
Evening Grosbeak
Jan 17 - Evening Grosbeak Stakeout
Photo: Feb 10 - 46 N Main Ave Orono ME
Pine Grosbeak
Jan 2 - 220 Warrenton St Rockport
Gulls (9)
Great Black-backed Gull
Jan 2 - Rockland Harbor--Breakwater
Photo: Feb 3 - Ferry Beach
Herring Gull
Jan 1 - 120 Evans St South Portland
Photo: Feb 3 - Ferry Beach
Laughing Gull
Apr 6 - Pemaquid Harbor
Ring-billed Gull
Jan 2 - 359 Atlantic Hwy Waldoboro ME
Photo: Jan 30 - Not Posted to eBird
Not Photographed
Black-legged Kittiwake - Jan 5 -Dyer Point
Hawks (8)
Cooper's Hawk
Jan 1 -Biddeford Pool
Feb 3 - Capisic Pond Park
Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier - Jan 11 (South Thomaston)
Photo: Mar 30 - Pelreco Building
Red-tailed Hawk
Jan 1 - 480 Shore Rd Ogunquit
Photo: Mar 11 - Rustlewood Land Trust (Johnson Farm)
Not Photographed
Broad-winged Hawk - Mar 23 -Biddeford
Northern Goshawk - Jan 13 (148 Winslow Hill Rd Nobleboro)
Herons, Egrets and Spoonbills (5)
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Cattle Egret
Mar 6 - 139 Moosehead Trail Newport
Great Egret
Mar 22 - Spurwink Marsh
Apr 9 - Fore River Sanctuary
Snowy Egret
Mar 3 - Gilsland Farm Audubon Center
Apr 9 - Fore River Sanctuary
Hummingbirds (0)
Ibises (1)
Glossy Ibis
Mar 30 - Scarborough Marsh--Pelreco Building
Apr 3 - Scarborough Marsh--Pelreco Building
Jays (1)
Kingfishers (1)
Belted Kingfisher
Jan 1 - Spurwink Rd Scarborough ME
Photo: Apr 1 - Cobbosseecontee Lake, causeway
Longspurs and Larks (3)
Eastern Meadowlark
Mar 25 - Brunswick Executive Airport
Apr 14 - Kennebunk Plains
Horned Lark
Jan 7 - 601–695 Beedle Rd, Richmond
Photo: Feb 19 - Flood Brothers Dairy
Lapland Longspur
Feb 1 - Flood Brothers Dairy
Loons and Grebes (5)
Common Loon
Jan 1 - Biddeford Pool
Photo: Feb 3 - Ferry Beach
Peid-billed Grebe
Reid-billed Grebe - Mar 15 - Dunstan Landing
Mimics, Starlings and Pipits (4)
American Pipit
Apr 13 - Biddeford Pool--East Point Sanctuary
European Starling
Jan 1 - 1108 Post Rd Wells
Photo: Jan 27 - Not Posted to eBird
Northern Mockingbird
Jan 1 - Biddeford Pool
Photo: Mar 11 - Fort Foster
No Photograph
Brown Thrasher - Apr 18 - 158–250 McNeil Rd, Fryeburg
Nuthatches and Creepers (3)
Orioles (0)
Owls, Nightjars, and Swifts (6)
Great Horned Owl
Jan 1 - 2–18 Charles E Jordan Rd, Cape Elizabeth
Photo: Mar 8 - Dragon Fields, Cumberland, Maine
Short-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl - Jan 7 - Messalonskee Lake--boat ramp
Photo: Mar 24 - Brunswick Sand Plains
No Photograph
Northern Saw-whet Owl - Jan 4 - Crescent Beach SP
Partridges, Grouse, and Turkeys (2)
No Photograph
Ruffed Grouse - Jan 17 - 68–198 Jefferson Rd Whitefield
Pelicans (0)
Rails, Gallinules, Coots, and Cranes (2)
Shearwaters and Storm-Petrels (0)
Shorebirds (10)
Piping Plover
Mar 30 - Wells Beach
Audio Only
American Woodcock - Apr 11 - Zak Preserve
Virginia Rail - April 17 - Lobster Cove Meadow Preserve, Boothbay Harbor
No Photograph
Lesser Yellowlegs - Apr 2 - Sanford Lagoons
Shrikes and Vireos (1)
Northern Shrike
Jan 4 - Messalonskee Lake--boat ramp
Skuas and Jaegers (0)
Sparrows (11)
Dark-eyed Junco
Jan 2 - Cushman Point/Back River
Photo: Jan 6 - Cumberland/Falmouth Foreside
House Sparrow
Jan 1 - Perkins Cove, Ogunquit
Photo: Jan 1 - Cannon Towel Outlet feeders
Savannah Sparrow
Feb 1 - Flood Brothers Dairy
Photo: Feb 19 - Flood Brothers Dairy
Song Sparrow
Jan 4 - Fort Foster Park, Kittery
Photo: Jan 31 - Capisic Pond Park
Swamp Sparrow
Apr 5 - Fort Foster
Photo: Apr 10 - Florida Lake
White-throated Sparrow
Jan 5 - Gilsland Farm Audubon Center
Photo: Jan 6 - Cumberland/Falmouth Foreside
Vesper Sparrow
Swallows (3)
No Photograph
Barn Swallow - Apr 8 - Pleasant Hill Preserve
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Apr 13 - Fortunes Rock -- Beach & Pond
Swans (0)
Tanagers (1)
Terns and Skimmers (0)
Thrushes (4)
Tits and Titmice (1)
Towhees (0)
Vultures (2)
Warblers and Chats (8)
Waxwings (2)
Bohemian Waxwing
Jan 11 - University of Maine--Orono campus
Photo: Apr 8 - Butler Head
Cedar Waxwing
Jan 7 - Waldoboro Town Landing
Woodpeckers (6)
Hairy Woodpecker
Jan 1 - Perkins Cove, Ogunquit
Photo: Jan 19 - Carl & Barbara Segerstrom Preserve at Squam Creek
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker - Jan 6 (Reid SP, Georgetown)
Photo: Apr 2 - Sanford Lagoons
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Jan 2 - Cushman Point/Back River
Photo: Jan 25 - River Point Conservation Area, Falmouth
No Photograph
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Jan 31 (Capisic Pond Park)
Wrens (4)