maine birding tours

Atlantic Puffins

There are five puffin colonies along the Maine coast, each with a differing mix of sought-after birds, including Common Murres, Razorbills, Black Guillemots, Great Cormorants, and Roseate Terns. Read More

Tours festivals.

Maine is a major tour destination. Several tours are anchored at Acadia National Park's Schoodic Institute, with excursions into the wilder parts of Maine. Puffins, Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpeckers... Read More

Local knowledge.

There are many secrets to birding Maine. Maine has the highest tides in America, which have an outsized effect on where and when to bird. Maine's seasons are of equal lengths. The best birding moves around by the month. Read More

Adventure birding.

Maine is the most forested state in the nation. The Gulf of Maine is unusually frigid, enriching the food supply for puffins, seabirds, and whales. Maine lobster is world famous. There is adventure everywhere you look. Read More

Trip planning.

Most of Maine's birds are relatively easy to find. But good accommodations, professional guides, insider links can make the difference between a pleasant walk and a birdy adventure. Plan the perfect Maine experience. Read More

Printed guides.

Download the original Maine Birding Trail guide. Review the guidebook, contains additional sites not shown online, more maps, and bonus chapters on Canada's nearby Campobello and Grand Manan islands. Read More

Birding Maine

New england birding at its best - with whales....

Acadia National Park, Cadillac Mountain, and the always exciting whale watching boat trip to Petit Manan Island that departs from Bar Harbor.

On our second boat ride, this one out of Cutler Harbor, we’ll visit Machias Seal Island to search for nesting Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, Common Murres, Arctic Terns, other pelagic species, and more whales!

Moosehorn NWR, Machias, and Quoddy Head State Park for their rugged coastline, boreal forest, and abundance of breeding species.

Monhegan Island is one and one-half miles long and half a mile wide. It is one of the finest migrant and vagrant traps on the North Atlantic Coast.

Seventeen miles of trails that lace Monhegan, from its rocky headlands to the nine-acre Meadow, and the famous Ice Pond and Lobster Cove. We will spend the entire time on foot - - the ferry from the mainland does not transport vehicles. Very nice and peaceful!

We currently only run our Monhegan Island tour by special request, so please do get in touch  if you would like us to set up a trip for you.

Maine Tours

2024 Maine – From Mountain Forests to Sparkling Shores

2025 maine – from mountain forests to sparkling shores.

Maine – Monhegan Island

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Maine in Fall

Seabirds & coastal migrants.

This exciting tour hits one of the most scenic states on the Atlantic Coast near the height of fall migration for many shorebird, songbird, and seabird species. We will seek a rich diversity of birds along the coast with emphasis on the regional specialties--from beak to claw (lobsters and fantastic seafood, anyone?).

As the Sanderling flies, there are just over 200 miles between the coast of New Brunswick and the coast of New Hampshire. However, the circuitous undulations of Maine's shoreline stretch out to more than 3500 miles! Rocky peninsulas, islands, rivers, and creeks draw a host of coastal migrants: sandpipers, plovers, dowitchers, yellowlegs, herons, and more. The rich waters of the Gulf of Maine attract many pelagic seabirds such as alcids, phalaropes, loons, shearwaters, storm-petrels, jaegers and skuas (if we are lucky). Migrant songbirds like warblers, vireos, thrushes, and sparrows pile up along the coast as well. Most notable among our coastal targets are Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Murre, Black Guillemot, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Pomarine Jaeger, Black-legged Kittiwake, Great Cormorant, and the rare Great Skua. Boreal habitat all the way Downeast gives us access to pursue specialties such as Spruce Grouse and Black-backed Woodpecker.

Our birding adventure together starts off with birding along the southern coast, based out of Portland. We will visit shorebirding hotspots like Biddeford Pool and Scarborough Marsh for good looks at sandpipers, plovers, yellowlegs, dowitchers and more. Searching forest and field should turn up a nice diversity of migrant songbirds too. From Portland, we will make our way up to Bar Harbor for four nights.

Bar Harbor will be our gateway to Acadia National Park and Downeast. A full-day pelagic trip organized by Maine Audubon will take us far out into the Gulf of Maine. We will likely see Black Guillemots, Wilson's Storm-Petrels, and Northern Gannets, and we'll remain vigilant for more uncommon encounters with the likes of Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Red Phalarope, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Pomarine Jaeger, multiple shearwater species, and the rare Great Skua! For our time ashore here, Acadia National Park is a national treasure and the gorgeous coastal sites in the park produce good birding as well.

Downeast, a second boat trip will be a private charter out of Eastport cruising the nutrient-rich waters Passamaquoddy Bay as far out as Head Harbor Passage. This adventure visits the mesmerizing "Old Sow," the largest whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere. We will likely encounter Minke Whale and Harbor Porpoise, and our scanning through the flocks of Bonaparte's Gulls might turn up rarities like Little Gull and Sabine's Gull. Great Cormorants and Black-legged Kittiwakes occur here reliably. Razorbills are typically close to the boat in good numbers, and Common Murres are a realistic possibility.

We'll spend the last chapter of our amazing adventure on enchanting Monhegan Island for several nights. This quaint fishing village and artist enclave sits ten miles off the mainland and also happens to be one of the best migration hotspots for songbirds in the Northeast. We will casually bird the small community and neighboring trails while taking life down a notch and disengaging from the rest of the world. Those fall warblers won't be so confusing by the time we take the ferry back to the mainland and head back to Portland to conclude the tour.

Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.

Client comment "The tour couldn't have been better. Humpback Whales breaching, gannets plunging into the ocean, Monhegan Island and the warblers...the Maine coastline and small towns along the way. In the rare event that we run out of birds, guide Eric Hynes talks natural history and greatly enriches the experience. Your tour managers and office staff are first rate." J.P., MAINE IN FALL 2019

Other Tours in USA

Itineraries • tour status • details • space requests.

• 2025 (PDF expected Dec 2024)

DEPARTURES • We have 3 departures currently scheduled through 2026, with details including limits, guides, fees, and space available listed below.

Sep 8-17, 2024 Guided by: Sam Wilson Tour Manager: Ruth Kuhl Tour Limit: 7 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: $5275 Deposit: $525 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Sep 8-17, 2025 Guided by: Sam Wilson Tour Manager: Ruth Kuhl Tour Limit: 7 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$5275 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Sep 7-16, 2026 Guide: TBA Tour Manager: TBA Tour Limit: 7 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$5275 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Enjoy looking through the 4 most recent Field Guides triplists for this tour linked below!

• 2023 (Sep departure guided by Eric Hynes)
• 2022 (Sep departure guided by Eric Hynes)
• 2021 (Sep departure guided by Eric Hynes)
• 2019 (Sep departure guided by Eric Hynes)

Welcome to Down East Nature Tours, the leader in birding adventures based in Bar Harbor, Maine.  Michael J. Good, MS has been offering personalized birdwatching and nature tours since 1993, for individuals, couples, families and small groups.  We help you discover the flora and fauna of Mt. Desert Island and Down East  and northern Maine with a special emphasis on native and migratory birds such as Bald Eagles, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons, Shorebirds, Warblers, Flycatchers and more.

The goal of DENT is to teach you to identify birds by their calls, habitat and ecology, familiarize you with environmental issues that affect flora and fauna and introduce you and your family to the wonders of the beautiful Down East coast.

We also offer personalized birdwatching tours throughout the migratory pathway of Neotropical birds. These areas include but are not limited to Mt. Desert Island, across Maine, Cuba and Ecuador. Michael is open to new pathways to explore, please call with your ideas.

 Send birding/birdwatching questions, comments, or suggestions to   [email protected]

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Mourning Warbler

ANITA MUELLER

Mark Picard

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Maine Birding Trail

It’s no secret that Maine is one of North America’s top year-round birding destinations. For breeding warblers, boreal specialties, and birds of coastal and offshore waters, Maine offers unmatched opportunities to find some of the country’s most sought-after species. Spanning both the forest transition zone from deciduous to coniferous woodlands, and the coastal transition zone from sandy beaches and salt marsh estuaries to rocky shore, Maine provides a wide range of habitats for birds, many of which reach their northern or southern range limit here. This diversity is reflected in a state list of regularly occurring birds that now numbers over 400 species. And the Maine Birding Trail has a list of places for a relaxing bird watching outing or locations to find birds you can add to your Life List.

Spring Birding

Spring migration is long, with the hardiest species arriving as the snow begins melting in early March and continuing well into early June with a final northward push of shorebirds. The songs of mixed sparrow flocks and the distinctive display-flight sounds of American Woodcock in early April are welcome notes to this eagerly awaited season. Blue-headed Vireos, Hermit Thrushes, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and other vocal passerines make their presence known soon thereafter, accompanied by hawks that pour into the state through the month. Highlighting the spring migration for birders are the warblers: beginning with the first Palms and Pines in late April and finishing with the late-arriving Mournings in late May, the warbler migration is center stage at many of the most popular—and most accessible—birding sites around the state. A good morning at one of these sites can tally 22 or more warbler species. Shorebirds build in number through May, peaking during its last week.

Summer Birding

June and July are alive with breeding activity. Time spent hiking mountain trails and exploring the spruce, fir and mixed woods of the Northern Forest provides opportunities to find such target birds as Spruce Grouse, Black-backed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Bicknell’s Thrush, and a variety of warblers. Both of the secretive Sharp-tailed Sparrow species are late nesters and are reasonably easy to see through July. Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, and Arctic Terns are also reliable finds on offshore islands through the period. When the woods go quiet in August, the focus shifts to the exceptional shore birding at select locations all along the Maine coast. At times thousands of migrating shorebirds of a dozen or more species can be found, providing identification challenges for birders of all abilities.

Fall Birding

Forest songbirds begin flocking in August, and their fall migration builds and peaks in September. Offshore islands and the ends of peninsulas often attract spectacular concentrations of these migrants, with warblers again often stealing the show, and the attendant Sharp-shinned Hawks and Merlins keeping everything moving.

Winter Birding

Maine’s protracted fall migration period continues well through October into November as waterfowl, grebes, loons, alcids, and a variety of gulls take up winter residence along the coast. Among the 32 waterfowl species that regularly occur in Maine annually is the spectacular Harlequin Duck, which now can readily be found at an increasing number of sites through the winter. Although land birds can be scarce during the coldest winter months, the possibility of finding a Rough-legged Hawk, Snowy Owl, Northern Shrike, Bohemian Waxwing, or a flock of one of the “northern finches” that irrupt periodically here always makes birding outings well worthwhile.

To follow the Maine Birding Trail, you can start by downloading a copy of the trail guide . Or, go to our regional stories, which lead you to specific birding areas in Aroostook County ; Greater Portland and Casco Bay ; Maine's Lakes & Mountains ; Maine's MidCoast & Islands ; The Maine Beaches ; and The Maine Highlands: Bangor, Moosehead, Katahdin . You can also get statewide birding information at Maine Birding Trail .

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Maine Moose Watching Tours

Experience Moose up close! Small and private moose watching tours offered daily. Maine's top outfitter and guide service for Fishing, Moose watching, ATV offroad rentals and tours. Canoe and kayak rentals.

Phone: 2076953288, 8662231380

Website: www.maineoutfitter.com

Address: 5 Lily Bay Rd , Greenville

Maine Photo Safari

Maine Photo Safari provides tours guided by Maine Artist and photographer Doug Mills to some of the...

Phone: (207) 691-6209

Address: Pleasant Street , Rockland

The Stanton Bird Club - Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary

Founded in 1919 and named in honor of Dr. Jonathan Y. Stanton, a professor at Bates College. A...

Phone: 207-782-5238

Website: www.stantonbirdclub.org

Address: PO Box 3172 , Lewiston

Wells Reserve at Laudholm

Open every day and easy to access, it's a place to discover.

Phone: (207) 646-1555

Website: www.wellsreserve.org

Address: 342 Laudholm Farm Rd , Wells

Katahdin Photo Tours

Guided photo tours in the Katahdin area of Northern Maine near Baxter State Park.

Moose Watching Tours

Maine Moose watching trips offered daily! Voted #1 in New England by Yankee Magazine for the best chance of finding Moose!

Phone: 207-695-3288, 866-223-1380

Address: PO Box 160 , Greenville

Related Articles

Thorncrag bird sanctuary, birding in acadia national park, aroostook county birding trail, get inspired at the maine quarterly, in maine, follow that moose, free travel guidebook.

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Birding in Maine

For birds and birders alike, Maine provides an abundance of excellent habitat. As the largest and most sparsely populated state in New England, Maine represents a significant portion of the breeding range for many eastern woodland bird species.

The state’s abundant precipitation – more than 40 inches a year – and glaciated landscape have created thousands of lakes, ponds, wetlands, and rivers that are ideal habitat for a variety of water birds. And with its deeply indented coastline and uncountable islands, Maine offers attractive habitat for breeding seabirds, migrating shorebirds, and wintering waterfowl.

Maine Birding Events

• Upcoming Maine Audubon Birding Events (both online and in-person)
• Wings, Waves, and Woods, Deer Island & Stonington ( 2024 tba)
• Down East Spring Birding Festival (May 24-27, 2024)
• Acadia Birding Festival (May 30 – June 2, 2024)
• Rangeley Birding Festival (June 7-9, 2024)

Maine Audubon Birding Resources

• Maine Birds Checklist for Young Birders
• Christmas Bird Count
• Big Sit Bird Count
• Field Checklist of Maine Birds  (pdf)

Other Useful Sites & Information

• Maine Birding Trail  – A great place to start on where to bird in Maine.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology – Best site for bird IDs and more.
• Maine eBird.org  – A real-time, online bird checklist program to report and access information about birds.
• Maine Young Birder’s Club  – Connecting Maine youth interested in the natural world.
• GroupMe Rare Bird Alert  — Group text messaging app for realtime information about rare birds in Maine

More Birding News and Information

Naturalist Journeys is pleased to offer Maine birding and nature tours. Spend time in beautiful boreal forests, explore dramatic coastlines, and enjoy time on the water. Choose from one of our Maine nature tours below to find out more.

Guided Group Tours

Group travel is rewarding and fun! With more eyes you see more species. Travel Planners of Naturalist Journeys have been creating memorable journeys for 40+ years. We offer you small-group birding and nature tours, limited to just 8-13 persons led by expert guides. Learn and explore with like-minded people, enjoy local food and culture, and immerse yourself in birding and nature.

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Birding Tour USA: Maine – From Mountain Forests to Sparkling Shores

Go to: USA Birding Tours | Birding Tours in North America | All our birding tours

Dates and Costs:

03 – 11 June 2025

Price: US$4,860 / £3,989 / €4,692 per person sharing

Single Supplement: US$850 / £697 / €821

* Please note that currency conversion is calculated in real-time, therefore is subject to slight change. Please refer back to the base price when finalising payments.

Recommended Field Guide

(Please also read our blogs about recommended field   guides for the seven continents here )

Tour Details

Duration : 9 days Group Size : 4 – 8 Tour Start : Portland, Maine Tour End : Portland, Maine

Price includes:

Meals/water Accommodation Transport Guiding fees Boat rides Entrance fees

Price excludes:

Flights Personal insurance Alcoholic beverages Gratuities ( please see our tipping guidelines blog ) Laundry service Personal expenses such as gifts

Featured Guide:

Birding Tour USA: Maine – From Mountain Forests to Sparkling Shores June 2025

Maine (and the northeast region of the United States in general) offers a great mixed bag of birding through its diverse habitats and high latitude location. Many migrant species call this area their home in the summer as they stake out territories and breed. The overlap between the more southern breeders and northern breeders is rarely seen elsewhere, meaning Maine offers a unique chance of some fantastic birding generating some good lists. The habitats on display range from coastal saltwater marshes to sandy-plains grasslands, high altitude mountain tops of the Appalachians , expansive boreal forests, and unique clusters of offshore islands inhabited by puffins and other charismatic wildlife. Each habitat contains its own picturesque beauty along with key bird species to see. This nine-day tour explores the best this region has to offer. On this tour, we focus on Maine, but also foray into New Hampshire and time-permitting into Vermont.

The trip will begin by exploring Scarborough Marsh , a massive saltwater estuary home to a large population of both Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows . From here we will continue along to the Kennebunk Plains and into the White Mountains National Forest of New Hampshire for our first taste of boreal forest birding. One of the best locations for breeding Bicknell’s Thrush is near the top of Mount Washington (from roadside pull-offs, so no need for a strenuous hike), the highest peak in the northeast (6,200 feet, almost 2,000 meters). We will continue our boreal birding experience scoring a myriad of thrush, warbler, and flycatcher species, all of which will be on their established breeding grounds by June. Black-backed Woodpecker , Canada (Grey) Jay , Spruce Grouse , Boreal Chickadee , Red Crossbill , and other charismatic birds of the taiga forests , are all possibilities. Eventually we will make it back to Maine’s coastline and begin our exploration of the ocean. With two pelagic boat trips planned, we will hopefully experience up-close-and-personal views of Atlantic Puffin , Razorbill , Common Murre , Black Guillemot , Arctic Tern and more as we visit the numerous offshore islands. Finally, the trip concludes with a journey through the jaw-droppingly beautiful Acadia National Park , full of scenic viewpoints and great breeding birds. This New England birding and wildlife holiday might also generate some non-avian finds, such as Ocean Sunfish , Grey Seal , Humpback , Fin and Common Minke Whales , American Beaver , North American Porcupine , American Black Bear and Moose .

Date-wise, this Maine and New Hampshire birdwatching tour is combinable with our  Alaska birding tour  and  extension  (and sometimes with other  USA birding tours of ours ) but if you combine with Alaska you’re in for a long flight across North America – a similar distance to flying from London to Maine.

The boat departure to Machias Seal Island featured on Day 6 of this tour is sometimes replaced with a different pelagic trip to Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge and series of islands are located in more southern waters of Maine and features a restored seabird colony full of Atlantic Puffins , Razorbills , and Arctic and Common Terns . Additionally, this area features the largest colony of Great Cormorants found in Maine. With any luck, there is also the potential for a surprise star bird nicknamed “Troppy”, a Red-billed Tropicbird that has amazingly called these islands home for over 15 summers in a row! We never know until about early to mid May each year if this rather out of place, beautiful tropical seabird returns. Please note that in years we make this itinerary change, we also reverse the order of the itinerary because the alternate boat trip is further south, making logistics work better this way.

Itinerary (9 days/8 nights)

Day 1. arrival in portland, maine.

The tour begins in Portland, Maine with arrival at the Portland International Jetport (PWM). From here, we’ll transfer to our hotel and head to dinner to prepare for our upcoming tour as well as get to know each other better. If time and daylight allow, we may head to the coast to get our first breaths of the sea air and hopefully see a few species such as Common Tern and Common Eider .

Overnight: Portland, Maine

Day 2. Scarborough Marsh and Portland area

This morning we will begin at Maine’s largest saltwater marsh, Scarborough Marsh . This expansive estuary plays host to numerous breeding birds and is one of the best places to see both Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows . The shallow waters and rich habitat also prove to be a haven for wading birds like Little Blue Heron and Snowy Egret . After a productive morning of exploring the marsh, we will venture out to a few coastal sites for a chance at some great birds including Roseate Tern and Piping Plover .

Day 3. White Mountains National Park

Today we head into New Hampshire and the White Mountains National Forest , but first, we will plan a stop at the Kennebunk Plains along the way. This huge grassland area will provide us with a great opportunity to see some specials such as Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrows , and Upland Sandpiper . Unfortunately, some of these birds have become quite scare and local in the northeast as these sand-plains have greatly dwindled. After a great morning of birding the grasslands, we will head up into the mountains. It is here in the higher altitudes and forests that we will have a chance at boreal species like Black-backed Woodpecker , Boreal Chickadee , and even a shot at Spruce Grouse . We’ll finish near the small town of Gorham for the evening and prepare for the next day.

Overnight: Gorham, New Hampshire

Day 4. Mount Washington and boreal birds

This morning we will begin to properly explore the White Mountains a bit further with a start on the Mount Washington Auto Road . Luckily, this 7.6-mile (12 kilometer) road allows us to gain sufficient altitude with relative ease in hopes of scoring our big target for the day, Bicknell’s Thrush . These sneaky birds typically only nest at high elevations of 3,000 feet (1,000 meters) or higher. Luckily, there are a few pull-offs along the road which allow for searching. In addition to the thrush, we hope to encounter other nice bird species such as Canada Jay , Dark-eyed Junco and the unusual Blackpoll Warbler .

From here, depending on how we’ve faired so far, we may even dip into Vermont for a bit, in hopes of encountering Spruce Grouse and Two-barred (White-winged) Crossbill . Plus, it is always fun to tick a few birds for a new state life list. From here we will continue along through the scenic spruce and firs of the boreal forest before eventually settling into Rangeley for the night.

Overnight: Rangeley, Maine

Day 5. Mountains and back to the coast

Today, our goal is to make it back to the coast of Maine in Machias, but of course there is plenty of birding to do along the way. First up is the Rangeley area, birding along the roadsides of the forest. This is a great area to pick up more superb bird species including Yellow-bellied , Olive-sided and Alder Flycatchers , Boreal Chickadee , Blue-headed Vireo , Veery , Winter Wren and a variety of breeding warblers.

We will then continue our journey towards the ocean in the afternoon, with a stop at Messalonskee Lake en route. This narrow lake hosts both Black Tern and Purple Martin colonies in addition to the other more common lake species like Common Loon and Western Osprey . We’ll make it to our hotel in Machias and get some rest in preparation for our boat trip the following morning.

Overnight: Machias, Maine

Day 6. Machias Seal Island

We depart Cutler Harbor at 7:00 a.m. and set sail for Machias Seal Island , home to an incredible seabird colony. We should see nesting Atlantic Puffin , Razorbill , Common Murre , and Arctic Tern , all at point-blank range. Weather permitting, we will be able to land on the island which makes for great photographic opportunities. Grey Seals are likely at North Rock, while Harbor Seals are common. During the morning boat ride, we will look for pelagic species such as Northern Fulmar , Great Shearwater , and Wilson’s Storm Petrel . After lunch we’ll drive to Quoddy Head State Park that juts out into the Grand Manan Channel, which offers great opportunities for seabirds and shorebirds. Boreal species may include Lincoln’s Sparrow and Palm Warbler . After dinner, we will journey along the coast until we reach Bar Harbor where we will stay for the next two nights.

Overnight: Bar Harbor, Maine

Day 7. Petit Manan boat trip and Bar Harbor

We’ll have a few hours in the morning to begin our exploration of Mount Desert Island , the largest island off the coast of Maine. Around mid-morning we’ll head for the dock at Bar Harbor and prepare for a half-day boat excursion to visit Petit Manan Island National Wildlife Refuge . This series of many offshore islands plays host to loads of seabirds including Atlantic Puffin , Razorbill , and Common Murre plus the potential for a shearwater or storm petrel. Humpback Whale is likely, with several other species of cetaceans also possible. This short boat trip also serves as a great back-up to Machias Seal Island if the weather was poor on the previous day. After arriving back on land, we will continue our birding of Mount Desert Island and its spruce and fir forests hoping for nice birds such as Magnolia , Blackpoll and Cape May Warblers .

Day 8. Acadia National Park and back to Portland

This morning and into the afternoon, we will get a chance to explore and bird the beauty of Acadia National Park . Taking up a large chunk of Mount Desert Island, Acadia has a great vastness and is rich in biodiversity. We should hear the echoing songs of Wood Thrush throughout our visit along with other amazing species like Blackburnian and Black-throated Green Warblers , Ovenbird , Cedar Waxwing , and more.  After a great morning and afternoon inside the park, we will do one final scan along the coast for any potential species we are missing, and it is also a great location for Great Cormorant . Finally, we will head back to Portland for our final evening of the trip.

Day 9. Departure from Portland

Today concludes what was surely a fantastic tour full of many highlights. If time permits, there may be a chance for a brief morning birding session at Scarborough Marsh or another nearby location before checking out of the hotel and transferring to the Portland airport.

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different international guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling.

Spruce Grouse

Saltmarsh Sparrow

Atlantic Puffin

Black-and-white Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Wilson's Storm Petrel

Bicknell's Thrush

Eastern Bluebird

Common Eider

Alder Flycatcher

Arctic Tern

Northern Waterthrush

USA – Maine Birding Tour: Set Departure Trip Report

05 – 13 july 2021, by jacob roalef.

DOWNLOAD TRIP REPORT

This nine-day set departure tour of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont commenced in Portland, Maine on the 5 th of July 2021 and concluded back there on the 13 th of July 2021. The tour visited many amazing birding locations including Scarborough Marsh , Kennebunk Plains , Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge , Vinalhaven Island , Acadia National Park , Messalonskee Lake , Moose Bog , and Mount Washington Auto Road .

The tour connected with many of our target birds giving us a great list for our nine days in the region. Avian highlights included a long list of breeding species such as Upland Sandpiper , Vesper , Saltmarsh , Nelson’s and Field Sparrows , Atlantic Puffin , Razorbill , Great Cormorant , Wilson’s Storm Petrel , Roseate , Least , Black and Arctic Terns , Sandhill Crane , Purple Martin , Olive-sided , Yellow-bellied , and Alder Flycatchers , Canada Jay , Ruffed Grouse , Common Eider , Piping Plover , Bicknell’s Thrush , Winter Wren , Broad-winged Hawk , Hooded Merganser , Purple Finch , Pine Siskin , Brown Creeper , Magnolia , Nashville , Pine , Blackpoll , and Blackburnian Warblers , Ovenbird , and a code 3 ABA rarity in Red-billed Tropicbird .

A total of 148 bird species were seen (plus three species heard only), along with a few other amazing animals, including Moose , Stoat (Ermine/Short-tailed Weasel), and Harbor Porpoise . Species lists can be found at the end of the report.

Detailed Report

Day 1, 05 th july 2021. arrival in portland and birding crescent beach.

After gathering everyone from the airport and meeting at the hotel, we decided to venture out for a quick session of birding before dinner. We headed over to Crescent Beach State Park for a lovely stroll along the sandy beach. Our hour or so of birding yielded some great species including Common Tern , Common Eider , Great Crested Flycatcher , Brown Thrasher , and Piping Plover , with a pair of adorable fluffball chicks. From here we headed off to dinner to discuss our upcoming trip in further detail.

Day 2, 06 th July 2021.Kennebunk Plains, Scarborough Marsh and Gilsland Audubon

The morning started off with a bit of birding in the hotel parking lot which netted us a stunning Pine Warbler , before we headed off towards the grasslands of Kennebunk Plains. This unique habitat was full of awesome birding and the weather held off nicely for us. We were treated to loads of sparrow species such as Eastern Towhee , Vesper , Grasshopper , and Field Sparrows , however the real highlight had to be a pair of Upland Sandpipers circling overheadand landing at the top of a pine tree! We crossed the road into another section of the plains in search of Clay-colored Sparrow and while we heard one singing, alas it did not want to make an appearance for us. That’s the way birding goes sometimes though. We headed off for more coffee and a bit of brunch.

Our next birding stop was the expansive saltwater marsh habitat of Scarborough Marsh. This area contains a nice (and extremely popular) dike trail, cutting right through the middle of the marsh. We had a great time birding here and the sun even poked out halfway through. Bird species here included Glossy Ibis , Snowy and Great Egrets , Song Sparrow , Tree and Barn Swallows, Sand Martin (Bank Swallow), Least Tern , and we were successful with the top targets for this location, Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows . We continued south to the mouth of the Nonesuch River where we set up shop to watch the tide recede and enjoy the various water birds coming in to feed. Here we managed to follow a pair of Roseate Terns way out over the water, really studying the plumage and identification characteristics, versus the more numerous Common Terns nearby. In addition to the terns, we spotted Great Black-backed and Bonaparte’s Gulls , Bald Eagle , and Common Eider . Our last stop of the day took us to Gilsland Farm. This lovely nature center offers a few feeder areas and some prairie areas where we noted White-breasted Nuthatch , Tufted Titmouse , Red-bellied Woodpecker , Black-capped Chickadee , House Finch , and a family of Wild Turkeys , including ten chicks! This certainly capped off a great day of birding and from here we headed off to dinner.

Day 3, 07 th July 2021. Vinalhaven and Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge

Today had us all excited as we were to catch a ferry over to Vinalhaven Island where we would meet up with the amazing Captain John Drury for an afternoon boat trip out to Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge. Before catching the 10:30 ferry out of Rockland, we made a quick stop at Wharton Point where we noted Bobolink , Eastern Kingbird , American Goldfinch and some beautiful scenery. From here it was off on our adventure to Vinalhaven! The ferry ride over offered us our first chance at some seabird species, so of course we were kept busy scanning. We saw several nice birds such as Laughing Gull , Black Guillemot , Common Loon and Wilson’s Storm Petrel , however most of these views were a bit distant, and so we hoped to improve upon them later.

We made it onto Vinalhaven and after a bit of lunch, we headed off towards the docks to meet up with Captain John Drury and board the Skua , his 36-foot vessel. On our way out, we really enjoyed chatting with John as his knowledge and personality are unmatched and he was a true highlight of the trip. We spotted several Northern Gannets , a few Harbor Porpoises and eventually became surrounded by a feeding group of Wilson’s Storm Petrels which was an awesome experience. Eventually we arrived at Seal Island and immediately were greeted by Atlantic Puffins , Razorbills , Common and Arctic Terns , and Great Cormorants . We did a full loop around the island taking in the scenery and birds before we anchored the boat and waited for the star to hopefully arrive. As time was passing, John did a bit of fishing, again adding to the fun and experience and then all of the sudden, boom, Troppy had arrived! This Red-billed Tropicbird is quite a marvel as it has returned to this area for 17 years now and we watched as it chased terns and was chased a bit in return. What an incredible bird and an unforgettable experience. With that, we started our way back to Vinalhaven where we didn’t see any new species but did enjoy the scenic route and setting sun over the amazing islands in the Gulf of Maine.

Day 4, 08 th July 2021. Back to the mainland and Mount Desert Island

We enjoyed a nice breakfast spread at the Tidewater, our local accommodation on Vinalhaven, before heading back to the mainland of Maine via a ferry ride. Similar to our ride the previous day, the ferry netted us Black Guillemot , Common Eider and the usual gull suspects like American Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls . We eventually made it back to Rockland and started our journey towards Ellsworth and Mount Desert Island. After enjoying a flyby Bald Eagle at lunch, we spent the afternoon on the west side of the island exploring Seal Cove and Seal Cove Road. These areas produced our first mixed flock of the trip with species such as Black-capped Chickadee , Brown Creeper , Black-and-white , Blackburnian , and Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warblers , American Redstart , Common Yellowthroat , and Red-breasted Nuthatch . A bit further along the road we encountered a pesky Blue-headed Vireo calling but only giving brief views as well as a small group of Black-throated Green Warblers . It was a very pleasant afternoon of birding on Mount Desert Island. In the early evening we headed up to the top of Cadilac Mountain to enjoy some great views out over the water, including Acadia, and Bar Harbor down below. We also managed to spot a few Dark-eyed Juncos but the wind was really strong and kept a lot of birds down, so we headed back for dinner.

Day 5, 09 th July 2021. Acadia National Park and Hurricane Elsa

We started off early in the hopes of getting some birding in before Hurricane Elsa made her way to Maine, as forecasts were indicating. We headed straight to Sieur de Monts Springs in Acadia National Park, one of the best birding locations in the park. As we arrived in the parking lot, I received the call that our second boat trip was indeed cancelled, an expected call and really it would have been hard to top our boat trip with John. So we were off on the trails, with no rain yet, exploring the mixed forest and picking up some lovely birds such as Barred Owl , Winter Wren , Wood Thrush , Ovenbird and Red-eyed Vireo . Towards the end of the trail, we were treated to a lovely sighting of a Stoat (Ermine/Short-tailed Weasel) as it bounced around from tree to tree. As soon as we loaded back into the van, the rain started, so we headed off to a delicious brunch full of blueberry pancakes and waffles. From here we continued and drove the park loop of Acadia hoping for a break in the weather, but the rain was strong, and the fog was thick. We eventually decided to take the afternoon to do some laundry and relax a little as a nice halfway point in the tour and knowing we couldn’t beat the rain and storm.

Day 6, 10 th July 2021. Messalonskee Lake and Boy Scout Road

Today we said our goodbyes to the coast and headed inland towards the mountains and boreal forest of interior Maine. To break up our drive, we stopped at Messalonskee Lake, a unique location with several key target species that strangely aren’t easily found elsewhere in the state. Here we encountered many great species including Sandhill Crane , Black Tern , Warbling Vireo , Least Flycatcher , and Purple Martin . After lunch we headed to Boy Scout Road for a fun afternoon of birding. This location is in the middle of nowhere and includes some nice bogs and forests, with minimal human traffic through it. We scored more great species such as Nashville Warbler , Red-breasted Nuthatch , Alder Flycatcher , Downy Woodpecker and Northern (Common) Raven . On our way back to town, we cruised down highway 16, also known as Moose Alley to locals, so of course we had our eyes peeled. About halfway down the road we spotted a beautiful female (cow) Moose !! These giant animals are always a huge highlight and command distance and respect. What a perfect ending to a day of birding and nature exploring.

Day 7, 11 th July 2021. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont birding

There are not very many locations in the US where you can bird three different locations and be in three different states, but today we did just that. Our first stop was a quick one back at Boy Scout Road in Maine to check if the birding was any different in the morning. Along the way we spotted another Moose on highway 16 but this time it disappeared quickly into the woods. Boy Scout Road produced much of the same from the previous evening with a picturesque Great Blue Heron and a Northern Waterthrush as new highlights. From here we ventured across the state line and into New Hampshire to bird along East Inlet Road. This area is very far north and approaches the Canadian border. Birding started off rather slowly with Swainson’s Thrush and Black-throated Blue Warblers singing in the dense woods. It wasn’t until our way back out that things started to heat up. It started with a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and soon after a small group of quizzical Canada Jays , coming in to inspect us. Finally, right at the end of the road, an incredibly accommodating Ruffed Grouse posed beautifully for us allowing prolonged looks before scurrying away into the brush.

Our last stop of the day was just barely into Vermont at Moose Bog. This amazing and unique habitat is always a joy to wander through and bird. Down on the boardwalk through the bog, things were particularly birdy, and we had several great species including Olive-sided Flycatcher , Eastern Kingbird , American Bittern , Hooded Merganser , and a pair of American Beavers swimming in the water. Someone had sprinkled some seeds out along the railing and a cute, Red-breasted Nuthatch came down for a visit as well as a terribly angry Red-winged Blackbird wanting some free food. On our way back out of the bog we spotted a large Hairy Woodpecker and a Winter Wren singing his heart out like they so often do. This completed our three-state birding day and we headed to our hotel and dinner for the evening.

Day 8, 12 th July 2021. Mount Washington and back to Portland

Today was spent climbing to the top of Mount Washington, the tallest summit in northeastern USA. We worked our way up to about 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) to the preferred habitat of our top target for the day. Unfortunately, it didn’t show at our first stop and besides a White-throated Sparrow , all we encountered were a face full of gnats! We carried onwards to the next pull off location and here the birding picked up immensely. It wasn’t long before the target Bicknell’s Thrush was spotted off in the distance, but it did take some time before we all enjoyed closer looks. In addition to the thrush, we scored goodies such as Blackpoll Warbler , Dark-eyed Junco , and Purple Finch . The real highlight however might have a been a hilarious Pine Siskin constantly flying in and checking us out, only to swirl in a circle again back overhead. We all enjoyed a good laugh at this funny behavior and watched a group of four siskins forage in the stunted growth trees. We eventually made our way up to the summit and the Alpine zone where we found a nice (American) Buff-bellied Pipit . Once back down from the mountain we headed back towards the coast of Maine.

Our final birding stop of the trip was at Wells Preserve. This lovely park has a nice trail showcasing different habitats from woodlands to a saltmarsh and eventually down to the ocean. On our way to the beach, we encountered several interesting species including Cedar Waxwing , Snowy Egret , Least Tern , American Black Duck , and Brown Thrasher . We did a bit of scanning on the ocean and bagged all three US scoter species, Black , White-winged and Surf Scoters , all new for the trip! On the way back we spotted a Chestnut-sided Warbler , always a welcome sight. It was now time for our final dinner together as a group and a recap of the trip and our favorite birds and moments.

Day 9, 13 th July 2021. Departure day

After a bit of breakfast, it was time to say our goodbyes after an incredible trip full of many birds, mammals, scenery, and memories. The favorite species for the group were Atlantic Puffin , Ruffed Grouse , Canada Jay , Winter Wren , and Razorbill .

Please see the downloadable PDF above for the full species lists. This is a sample trip report. Please email us ( [email protected] ) for more trip reports from this destination.

‘Maine is beautiful, whether you’re on the shore or inland, and this tour showed us the best of both. Experiencing the variety of habitats with a knowledgeable guide and great companions was just what we needed after a year of not travelling. Jacob was a great leader for our group, making sure we saw the birds we wanted, but also on the look-out for mammals or letting us slow down to enjoy the wildflowers.’

Tracy ‘Jacob is an excellent birder and has great people skills. Both are needed in a good guide. He knew his stuff and put up with all the joking but was serious when it came to the birds. Would definingly tour with him again.’ Debra ‘Every aspect of this tour was great. First of all, you must have cornered the market on great young tour guides, because Jacob was wonderful. Obviously an excellent birder, he was patient with us over 70 crowd members (we teased him about “nobody over 70 ever again”), enthusiastic and had a great sense of humor. He is very easy to be around, making all feel comfortable.

Of course, the pelagic trip was, for us, the high point. We would suggest that you make the trip to Vinalhaven a regular part of the tour, and add Captain John Drury a must. He was a real character, and took special pains to make sure we saw all that we could see…even the Red-billed Tropicbird.

And the trip up Mt. Washington was so very interesting, with all the vegetation changes as the altitude changed. AND we got the Bicknell’s Thrush!

“Maine, from the mountains to the sparkling waters” perfectly describes this tour, as it encompassed a wide variety of habitat and birds. Definitely a “must” if you want to see some hard-to-get species.’

Joyce and Bill We would recommend this trip to anyone interested in Alaska birding. Jacob was very knowledgeable and helpful. He took his time with us Ohio people that had never seen many of the birds there. The sites and road trips were well chosen and worthwhile. David and Joyce

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Testimonials

An excellent trip! There is a good possibility of seeing all endemics, plus many other birds. The guide is terrific, the lodging and meals are great, the van is comfortable. We visited many different habitats with different birds. A nice way to see much of Puerto Rico.

I was on a tour at Macgee Marsh that was led by Glenn and some others. It was fabulous! I learned so much and even got to speak Spanish with him. He was very knowledgable, enthusiastic and patient with those of us with limited birding experience. What a wealth of information!

No photo of Machu Picchu does justice to it. Seeing it is awe inspiring, and I use that phrase very sparingly. But it was not the highlight of the Birding Machu Picchu trip.

THE highlight was, and always will be, Edison Buenaño. His skill as a guide and his encyclopedic ecological knowledge are unparalleled. This was my eighth trip with Wildside and I never had a guide who wasn’t first rate but Edison is the apex of that very tall pyramid. We saw a wide variety of avian species at every(…)

My wife and I plus two close birding friends just returned from a 1 week birding tour of the Dominican Republic led by Gabriel Lugo. It exceeded our expectations! The weather was cooperative, planning by Wildside was excellent and our leader Gabriel was amazing. My wife and I had used Gabriel before when we did a birding tour of Puerto Rico back in 2012. Once again he displayed a vast array of knowledge about the birds calls, habits and his sighting was excellent. What a great trip we had. (…)

The Dry Tortugas is one of those “must visit” places for every birder! Wildside Nature Tours offers a fantastic experience, with comfortable living quarters on the boat and delicious, freshly prepared food each day. Adrian Binns and Chris Brown are exceptional guides. True professionals – they made sure that all eyes connected with every bird. Their passion for the birds, and their appreciation of the surrounding beauty of the island, ocean and landscape was contagious. Their enthusiasm enh(…)

I was not sure what I was getting into with this tour, as this was my first guided trip. I feel that I had gotten pretty far with photography on my own, and have built a bit of a following. That said, I also felt I’ve hit a bit of a plateau with processing and creativity in the field.

Working with Kevin in the field and seeing what he was able to create in the situations given was inspiring to say the least. This gave me a bit of re-kindled spirit towards(…)

Loved the beautiful birds we saw on this trip! It is difficult to pick just one as a favorite. The pine marten was an amazing sight and who could forget the regurgitations of the Northern Hawk Owl who was so accommodating to stay in the same area all four days for all to enjoy? Adrian, Alex and Chris were wonderful guides who worked HARD to find all the birds who cooperated. As usual, a couple species were elusive, but that just gives us an opportunity to visit the area again in the fut(…)

Just back from the amazing River of Raptors tour—Robert and Alex were incredible guides.

This was my 15th Wildside trip. All my trips with Wildside have been great!! This one is definitely a trip you don’t want to miss. Seeing all these “Chickens” was a very special and unique experience some of the birds would be very difficult or impossible to see on your own. Our guide Chris knows the birds, and their locations like no one else. He’s guided this trip many times and knows where to go! I really like Wildside trips due to the small number of birders ( no more than seven). Al(…)

Wildside Nature Tours are THE best, we enjoyed Belize so much, the locations chosen for this 25th anniversary trip allowed more time at a particular location which we really enjoyed. You are as busy as you choose to be and still get the field opportunities offered. Belize was our second Wildside trip, what we have found was we arrived as strangers on both trips and left as family. Each day was filled with history, culture and Kevin’s team know how to find those AWESOME shots. You can s(…)

Thanks, Kevin, for an awesome and amazing week [in Glacier Nation al Park] and for sharing your terrific knowledge and experience with us. Your expert photography knowledge helped me to grow and be a better photographer. Your birding and nature skills have inspired me! Your passion for your work is contagious!

Spain provided fantastic birding, culture, and food. We arrived a day early to visit Seville, a wonderfully walkable city with great architecture and parks. Donana wetlands teemed with ducks, waders, and shorebirds. We were mesmerized by vultures and eagles at the rocky cliffs. It was great fun to look for bustards in flowing grasslands. Scenery was stunning in the Pyrenees mountains; it was amazing to watch the Wallcreeper cling to crags high in a vertical cliff. We ate the most mouth-wate(…)

What can I say? It was a trip of a lifetime. Even now, three weeks later, I have scenes of Africa in my night dreams and day dreams. – Tanzania, March 2009

The Wildside Cuba trip was a winner from start to finish. From all the endemics checked off; to our wonderful, hard working Cuban guides; to principal guide, the indomitable Gabriel Lugo; this trip is a must for your Western Hemisphere bucket list.

I’ve been on 18 Wildside tours and Hawaii is among the best. Mandy and Chris were terrific guides and hosts. As hosts they thought of every detail including places to eat, snacks for the road and most importantly bathroom stops! Their knowledge of the birds is only one part of their expertise. Mandy is well versed in all things Hawaii including the vegetation, animals, bugs, whales etc. The accommodations and meals were all first class. Again, a terrific trip that I highly recommend!!!

Lee is a great teacher both about camera settings and birds. The photography sessions had a great number of photo opportunities and the local guide was very knowledgeable.

My biggest benefit was the amount of personal instruction on settings and techniques from Lee. I now shoot totally differently and the keeper rate has greatly increased. Besides that Lee is just a fun guy to be around!

Thanks for a really wonderful trip to Spain. Adrian put together a great itinerary and Yeray was an excellent local guide. I really enjoyed Adrian’s sense of humor and easy-going approach to the trip. There was a great sense of camaraderie amongst our group that I believe you fostered. I would definitely do another birding trip with you. I had a spectacular time.

You really want to see tropical birds but don’t like to constantly change hotels? Can’t or don’t want to do a lot of jungle hiking? Not familiar with the tropical bird groups? The riverboat base with skiff rides along the water edges give an up-close look at a wide variety of birds, monkeys, sloths, and river dolphins. The few walks are not difficult and can be optional. Partner not a birder or a photography buff? As space allows, they can learn photography tips on one trip and go looking a(…)

Thank you for a tremendous custom trip you put together and led us on throughout Kenya and Tanzania this past month. From beginning to end it was a spectacular success due in principle to your masterful planning, professional work ethic and calm, deliberate and patient demeanor. – Feb 2017

Adrian, thank you for a wonderful Kenyan adventure. Your superb birding skills, knowledge, and your patience and good humor make traveling with you a delight. Assante sana!

Robert Straub is the best guide that I have ever worked with. He really enjoys showing ‘his’ birds and ‘his’ chosen place to others.

Birding in Spain with Adrian was a truly spectacular trip. We saw an extraordinary number of migratory and resident birds, admired gorgeous landscapes, and ate the most delicious food at every single meal! From wetlands and waterbirds at Donana, and raptors soaring the cliffs of Monfrague, to bustards at Belchite, and the amazing Wallcreeper at the Pyrenees, we experienced new sights and adventures each day. Such a wonderful trip!

Trinidad is a place like no other. There is the magic of seeing so many birds of different species and many very close. Time to practice those action shots. I learned so much about my camera and shooting from the photographer Roger Neckles. His enthusiasm was contagious. He knows where to go to find the birds. The background scenery is also special in your photos. Roger tries very hard to fulfill your every need. I requested to see the Gold and Blue Macaw not dreaming I would see one on my (…)

The spectacle of thousands and thousands of raptors streaming and kettling overhead cannot be described in words. Every birder should experience this in Veracruz at least once in their lifetime. – Veracruz 2013

Thanks for making this a wonderful trip! Your skill, knowledge, patience and good humor are stellar 🙂 – Florida April 2017

The Pantanal wildlife is spectacular. You couldn’t ask for better photo ops of jaguars and an ocelot. We had over 250 bird species with good views on almost all of them. Adrian Binns and our local guide, Fisher, were very knowledgeable and helpful in spotting and identifying the birds. Adrian is the only guide that called before a trip to make sure it was what I was looking for. At the airport, Fisher made sure everyone was checked in before he left. Highly recommended.

Kevin, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the Amazon trip and your expertise in photography, birds, and the tropics in general. Truly, I don’t know how you had the time in your life to acquire your depth of knowledge; didn’t you ever sleep? In any event, keep doing what you are doing–I think you were born to lead eco-trips!

Gabriel’s birding tour was one of the best birding tours we’ve ever taken. Based on the excellent reviews we found online, we booked a private half-day tour and the price was very reasonable. Gabriel is a well known birding expert in Puerto Rico and he knew all the best locations for spotting PR endemics and other sought after species. He is very professional, friendly, and a good driver. He picked us up at the hotel in a nice, clean car and had an excellent spotting scope. The tour tu(…)

I took the Galapagos trip that began June 16, 2019. The trip exceeded my expectations and they were already pretty high. Everything was praiseworthy–the logistics, the ship, the crew, the food, and the guides. Kevin Loughlin, Pedro Guaycha and John Kricher are all so experienced and knowledgeable, and fun to be with. Kevin is a very relaxed but efficient leader, so the atmosphere is always enjoyable. The photo opportunities were of course spectacular.

The pace was not leisurely! Early m(…)

This was my first trip with Wildside and my first guided birding trip, and it was more than I ever thought possible. Once I hooked up with Alex, the guide, everything was taken care of. I didn’t have to worry about directions to the best birding sites, and each stop seemed to be made specially for the group. Alex’s knowledge is encyclopedic, and his understanding of habitat and ability to ID mammals, insects, and reptiles only enhanced the overall positive feel of the excursion. Numero(…)

A small group tour of the Galapagos on a private boat is definitely the only way to go. To visit these enchanted islands with a leader as experienced as Kevin Loughlin means that you will almost always be in the right place at the right time to catch all the action at the best times of day in the best light.

Adrian, I was so impressed with your enthusiasm for the birds and constant effort to teach us, not to mention your ever-engaging wit.

Thanks again for another wonderful birding trip. I really enjoyed the islands and the hidden corners of Scotland. Your good humor and friendship add so much to the trip.

This was my Sixteenth Wildside trip and my sixth plus trip with Alex. I’m losing count !! This was a great bird packed couple of days!! Alex is the energizer bunny of bird guides! As with all of Wildside’s trips you are getting a great guide and host. The standout moments for me were the Poorwill that we got to examine closely, the Golden Cheeked warbler feeding its baby chick, and the one and a half million Mexican Freetail Bats flying out from underneath the bridge in Austin !!! What a(…)

Naturally, the hawk flights were the highlight of the trip but we enjoyed everything else as well; the morning bird walks, the boat rides, the museum in Xalapa, the food, and the very nice camaraderie between the participants and the guides. Robert is certainly a class act! He did his best to make sure all involved were happy with everything and, of course, he is an excellent birder.

I also want to offer high praise in regards to Alex. He is as gifted a birder as I have been with as (…)

You have the best coverage for getting all the Florida specialties, and you allow extra time to ‘get the birds.’

I just returned from this excellent birding tour. Glenn Crawford is one of the very best bird guides I have traveled with; his eyes and ears are amazingly attuned to birds, and he is very skilled (and patient) in describing a bird’s location in dense tropical foliage. He is personable and quite attuned to the individual needs of participants. The two lodges where we stayed are wonderful, with friendly staff, excellent food, and terrific accommodations. People considering the tour should kno(…)

I just returned from your fantastic trip to Arizona. I had 70 life birds including Elegant Trogan, Montezuma Quail and Five Stripe Sparrow!!! Chris and Steve were great guides. I plan on going to your Maine and Northern California trips next year. Thanks for another great birding trip!

I’ve been on 18 Wildside birding trips from Maine to Hawaii. Every one has been terrific I’ve also been to Costa Rica Belize and the Galapagos with Wildside All the guides are very knowledgeable and helpful Meals are not included on US trips which is fine with me since I don’t eat every meal and can order as much or as little as I want The guides are terrific and very helpful!

Adrian was an amazing guide, knowing virtually every bird we heard and saw. In addition to knowing them on sight or sound, he planned special stops to find individual birds that would not be available anywhere else.

In addition to identification, Adrian was also a font of knowledge about the animals we saw (birds and otherwise); I learned about more than just birds on the trip.

The lodges we stayed at were all great, giving us the opportunity to see wildlife in public spaces in the b(…)

You know how much this trip meant to me. It was so much more than I would have ever even imagined. I was a little worried that I would be disappointed because I held Galapagos on such high expectations. I feel silly for even thinking that!

I never felt so close to nature in my life. From the Sea Lion that happily played with us in the water to the Mockingbirds coming right up to my camera to the Boobies who had no worry about us passing right by, even when they had young with them. The s(…)

The 2020 Amazon Riverboat Photography workshop provided all participants a multitude of interesting and challenging photography opportunities. From macro shots of frogs and insects, to shots of nine species of primates, to screen filling birds, like the horned screamers and pterodactyl-like hoatzins, there were not many moments when we were not photographing something. The pros offered continuous suggestions and reminders to help assure we had great images.

The riverboat was large, comf(…)

Just wanted you to know what a WONDERFUL time we had with you in India – a TERRIFIC guide, wonderful participants, great birds and SPECTACULAR TIGERS. Yes, ours was a great trip; I was so impressed with your enthusiasm for the birds and constant effort to teach us, not to mention your ever-engaging wit. – Northern India 06

This trip was a spectacular exploration of an amazing unique habitat. Mind-boggling non-stop variety of waders, raptors, caiman, capybara and jaguars! A memorable moment included paddling alongside remarkable Giant Otters crunching fish as they fed and communicating with eerie ear-splitting screams. – Pantanal 2010

I just have to say … you guys are superstars! With your awesome skills at showing birds to people, you made a LOT of people happy during the Biggest Week In American Birding! Thank you so much; we’ll look forward to seeing all of you again, back here in Ohio or somewhere else around the world!

How many ways can we say thank you for this wonderful experience? During this trip we’ve enjoyed so much not only your expert bird identification but also all the side info on many species including mammals. You have a very sharp eyesight and excellent skills in getting us onto the bird. You are patient, keep all situations light with a nice sense of humor and calm demeanor that instills trust from your clients. Suffice it to say that we would not hesitate to travel again with you. – Keny(…)

Thanks again Adrian for another great trip (#13 I think) of birding in a wonderful location. You’re a great guide, but you’re also an outstanding teacher. I know Kenya is one of your favorite destinations, and it was so enjoyable to see things through your eyes. Best birding activity – at Lake Baringo with Francis, five owl species, and on the boat ride, the Fish Eagles, Little Bittern and Allen’s Gallinule. Best animal-bird interaction – the Red-billed Oxpecker going into the Rhino’s ear(…)

Once again we had a terrific birding trip with Wildside. Belize was a perfect tropical birding introduction for Pat and I. The accommodations and meals were great. The variety and numbers of birds was overwhelming. And I can’t say enough good things about Glenn our guide. He was SUPER!!!! We definitely will be doing another Glenn guided trip in the near future. Thanks again for a wonderful week!

From the tropical Pacific coast, to ancient oak cloud forests, to stark treeless habitat at 11,000 feet, the Wildside Nature Tours Costa Rica birding adventure was a great success. Thanks to our guide – arguably the best birder I ever met and commanding an encyclopedic knowledge of natural history – we tallied 346 species in a little over nine full days of birding!

It’s not the quantity but definitely the quality of birds on this trip. We didn’t have too much snow and no colder than 15F each day. Our guides Alex and Steve , who was a local, knew exactly where to find each species. No matter how long it took to find. I really enjoyed the quiet locations, the forests and thankful for the 12 lifers.

The trip exceeded my expectations. The leaders [Kevin Loughlin & Pedro Guaycha] were patient and answered all questions. The yacht crew were attentive and well trained. Food onboard was well prepared and satisfying. The time passed too quickly and every day brought new adventures.

Thank you Adrian for 3 fabulous weeks of wildlife watching. I expected this to be a birdy trip and it far exceeded my expectations. Your enthusiasm, knowledge and wit made every sighting, bird and mammal, into a lasting memory. I particularly enjoyed spending time sitting and watching the wildlife and waiting for the unexpected to happen. It never disappointed and neither did the entire trip.

I want to thank you for helping make our Dry Tortugas so enjoyable. We had a great time and the birding was impressive.

We had extremely high expectations, and they were easily exceeded. We loved everything about the trip. Probably what impressed us the most is the way Kevin and his folks made sure everyone’s interests were a point of focus. As birders, we felt like we received all the help we could have asked for, and I’m sure the photographers felt the same way.

Little did I know that when I met you all those years ago that you would help me have one of my “life experiences”. I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed this trip/experience. Every day was new birds, exciting animal sightings, amazing places and oh so many laughs. What a perfect blend of people and nature this has been for me. I’m so thankful tp have been able to experience your knowledge and expertise in this magical land. Thank you….with so much gratitude. – Tina S.

Our trip to Kenya was otally AMAZING! Well worth the elephants walking freely, a leopard in a tree, the gnu spectacle in the river with the crocs, herds of zebra, getting chased by hippos in the lake , lions walking right by the jeep, both white and black rhinos, 3 types of giraffes, and the many unique birds. My husband and I took his dream trip to the Galapagos with Kevin a year earlier and this was my lifelong dream to go to Kenya. So glad we did before the pandemic and health issues. (…)

Winter birding can be challenging but Alex, Chris and Adrian kept our spirits high with their laughter, expertise, and unmistakable talent for spotting target species. This trip would not have been the same without these amazing guides. As always, expectations were exceeded and I can’t wait for my next Wildside adventure!

I am so happy to have been able to grab a spot on this tour. Adrian was amazing – he is not only able to find the birds, but he also made sure everyone had a look! How he found the Black Noddy I will never know, but I think it has to do with Adrian’s “Noddy Rules!!” We saw beautiful Sooty, Bridled and Roseate terns and so many nesting Magnificent Frigatebirds and Sooty Terns with young. We also saw lots of warblers, thrushes and even a Rose-breasted Grosbeak! The Makai was so comfortable a(…)

Thank you again Adrian and Toby for a wonderful trip, and thanks for the excellent report. I read it while sweltering in our heat, so the mention of rain only made me want to return to Scotland. – June 2018

Our Wildside trip to Cuba in April 2019 was fantastic. For a long time I wanted to visit Cuba and this trip was one of the best tours I have been on and exceeded my expectations. The trip was so well organized and included some of the most beautiful locations in Cuba. We had a small group and a wonderful guide, Gabriel Lugo who met us in Miami and took care of the details for the whole trip. He is an experienced knowledgable birder and showed a great deal of patience to make sure we all(…)

This was my sixth Wildside trip. All have been fantastic! This is my second trip with Alex as my guide. Alex is very knowledgeable and very well prepared. The highlight birds for me were the Ridgway’s rails, the THREE Ruffs and the 25 YES 25 California Condors and most were feeding only 100 yards away! The Pelagic trip was a real bonus seeing the Tufted Puffin and two Blue Whales. Looking forward to the two trips I’ve already booked for 2020.

I just returned from the Tetons very enthusiastic about the leader, Kevin Loughlin. Not only does Kevin run a terrific workshop, he’s a wonderful photographer and a charming man. during the workshop he was always teaching and helping all the attendees. Although he was not familiar with the Olympus OMD, he solved all of my issues because he knows photography so well!

We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Adrian in Spain. Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. We appreciate your patience and sense of humor especially. We had great birds and great times – thanks to you.

Wildside Tours’ four-day Dry Tortugas boat trip produced the goods in spades. Leaders Adrian Binns, who legally changed his name to suit his profession, and actor/birding guide Andy Samberg/Chris Brown were wildely funny – and effective guides…we had SO much fun!

Joel and I wanted to thank you again for the wonderful trip to the Tortugas. We appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us and making the trip so enjoyable. It was truly a memorable trip!

Adrian, thanks for a great trip! We thoroughly enjoyed birding with you again and appreciate all the extra effort you put into making the trip a learning experience as well as finding the birds.

There was no way we were going to Alaska on our own (for both knowing all the little tidbits and for safety… i.e. bears). I was more than impressed with Kevin’s care, interest, knowledge, patience, and enthusiasm.

My wife and I joined Kevin on his Belize tour March 2019. We both had a wonderful time and experience. My wife, not a photographer, came along and really enjoyed herself. The tour had ecology related info, area history, bird watching and photography. The lodges we stayed in were perfect and the food was even better.

Dear Adrian, Your vast knowledge of birds, habitats were especially appreciated, and your thoughtful attention to all of your birders!

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to India. Adrian is an outstanding leader with a thorough knowledge of the birds, history and culture of India. He was extremely helpful and patient in finding and identifying the birds and was an excellent teacher on the fine points of identification of similar species.

The Galápagos Islands are a unique destination that requires an experienced tour company to expose you to all its wonders. Kevin of Wildside Tours knows this place as well or better than anybody! You will be totally immersed in the wildlife and scenery-a sensual experience that will have you re-telling your trip over and over to friends and family. It couldn’t get any better than what we experienced. My wife says NOTHING will ever top this as a birthday gift. Wildside is the best!!

Not enough superlatives to describe this tour. Great leader from Alyce Bender, putting us right where the whooping cranes were in morning light and afternoon in the photo blinds. Boating on the bay was fun, finding the crane families with the best light was easy as Alyce knew the area and crane lore. Boating back after cranes went to feed in fields was eventful as we stopped at oyster bars and reefs to shoot oyster catchers, terns, and many other shore birds. Tour leader Alyce displayed gre(…)

Thanks again for leading a wonderful trip, Adrian. I loved your sense of humor and appreciated your patience and great people skills.

Our small crew thoroughly enjoyed each hour of every day and weren’t shy about saying so. I know they loved their Wildsides experience in Belize.

I was lucky enough to meet and bird a little with the Wildside team at BWAB. You guys and gals are awesome – it was great meeting you all!

Adrian – I am still humming with all the adventures we had in East Africa. Just wanted to let you know that our Tanzania-Kenya safari was unbelievable!

As the most novice birder on the trip, I was treated to a wonderful group of helpful participants–leaders, naturalists and fellow travelers. Patience abounded! What a store of information I have gathered, my head swims in colorful birds and other animals. Our stop at riverside villages was enlilghtening.

Chickens close on the leks were the most unique N. American birding experience we have ever had, even after birding for about 40 years.

The Dry Tortugas had been on our bucket list and this trip allowed us to check it off in style. The boat was roomy and comfortable easily housing the eleven participants. The crew was friendly and accommodating, and the food was excellent (which is typical of Wildside tours). We enjoyed pelagic birding both to and from the islands and excellent birding on the islands. Adrian, our tour guide made sure everyone got on the birds. And he looked at hundreds of Brown Noddys to find the one Black (…)

Fantastic photographic adventure! Wolves, fox, coyotes, buffalo beyond imagination, eagles (Bald and Golden), panoramic views, you name it — we saw it and the leaders provided it.

Tour leader Kevin is the consummate host and trail guide plus we had Lee Hoy who must be the greatest Olympus Camera technician. I was impressed at how much better my photography became as the week progressed. Night seminars about composition techniques and histogram usage were excellent.

Home now, laund(…)

This trip to Kenya was an AMAZING experience of a lifetime! Couldn’t believe we could see over 450 birds in so short a time. Seeing all three types of giraffes, 2 species of zebras, elephants, blk and wh rhinos, wildebeests, etc. in their natural setting was wonderful. And that lake of flamingos! WOW! The drama of the gnu and the crocodiles was truly an experience one could only have in Africa. Adrian was the best of leaders and his Kenyan birding helpers were fabulous. We loved the (…)

This was a trip of a lifetime and Adrian Binns is a remarkable leader — who includes culture, and his knowledge of the life history of mammals, birds, and other wildlife we see. You can’t truly immerse yourself in a county if you don’t get to know the culture and the people along with the wildlife and their interesting behaviors. He also is a good listener if you have concerns. The places we stayed at were wonderful, different and fascinating. Adrian’s love and knowledge of Africa r(…)

I’ve been lucky enough to go birding with Edison in a variety of places, and it’s always a blast. His skill at finding and identifying birds, his enthusiasm for every bird, and his personal warmth and sense of humor all combine to make him a great leader in the field.

I first met Edison Buenaño in person at Biggest Week in American Birding in 2012. I have now birded with him several times in the U.S. and South America. Edison’s combination of keen eyes, gifted ears, and great leadership skills make Edison one of the best birding guides I have ever met. He is patient with his customers and is not condescending in any way. I would not hesitate to recommend Edison as a guide to any person or group. He has earned both my trust and admiration.

I would recommend Wildside Nature Tours for anyone who wants to explore this area of Alaska and I suggest that you do. The glaciers are grand and amazing (and shrinking), the bears are grand and I was in awe watching them, the whales are majestic and graceful, the scenery is beautiful.

Seldom does a trip touch my heart where I know I will remember all the details. Well there were too many details to remember, but the experience of seeing Alaska touched my heart and the best part was shar(…)

How Glenn can find a stub tailed spadebill and white whiskered puffbird 10 feet in the woods and behind a tree is just amazing. Going boondocking thru the woods resulted in An Ornate Hawk Eagle mating. What more can a birder ask for!!!

This is our fifth trip with Wildside. All five trips were fabulous and Kevin and his guides are terrific. This trip to the Galapagos is in a class of it’s own and the trip every birder and nature photographer must do!! Kevin Loughlin, Pedro Guaycha and John Kricher were exceptional guides and hosts. The new boat, staterooms, staff and fresh food were all first class. I cannot recommend this trip enough. The wildlife was up close and amazing. We even got to snorkel with sea turtles, sea lion(…)

Our trip has been wonderful. The falcons were amazing, a true wonder of the natural world. Like witnessing a a massive snow storm, except instead of snowflakes, the sky was filled with falcons. The people of Pangti were warm and welcoming and their accommodations entirely satisfactory. Though the falcons were the crown jewels, the rest of the trip was also thrilling, from watching the primates of the gibbon sanctuary to seeing rhinos up close from the back of an elephant. We were well (…)

One of my favorite tours! Good mix of birds and mammals. Fantastic photographic opportunities. Great food and lodging. Wildside does it right!

Thank you sooo much for the Dry Tortugas tour. It was everything I was hoping it would be and more.

Superb trip! Let’s start with the snowy scenery — just gorgeous. And then the birds. We saw many we had never seen before, and never could have expected to see otherwise. Adrian or Alex or Chris would spot a tiny dot at the top of a tree and say, “That’s a ….” and we’d pull over and, sure enough, they’d be right. They were generous with their exhaustive knowledge, and we learned a lot. Their friendliness and good natures made the trip so much fun in so many ways. We came home exhau(…)

Best birds in the country? Spring in Arizona makes an awfully strong case. Best guides in the country? That’s an even easier debate. This Wildside Tour was a real pleasure and an excellent value, packing in so many good birds in so many unforgettable places, all from one convenient central site. For the raptor-lover, Southeast Arizona in March will offer great looks at some of the most unique and specialized birds of prey that we have. The Tubac Hawkwatch is a terrific place to observe the (…)

Watching bats fly out at dusk from the Austin bridge; seeing spinning phalaropes at Hornsby water treatment plant; tracking down target Golden-cheeked Warblers at Balcones NWR; observing up-close Painted Buntings from multiple blinds at South Llano State Park. Austin and surrounding locales hosted a whirlwind of wonderful birds, habitats, and experiences! Guide Alex Lamoreaux provided great leadership and expertise in this highly-rewarding short trip.

The Puerto Rico trip is a great way to see a unique and memorable set of endemic birds while touring the island. There is opportunity to see very varied terrain while observing a varied group of birds.

The trip was one of the best trips I have experienced this year. Chris was a wonderful tour guide, he truly went above and beyond when it came to the birding experiences. I highly suggest that this organization should keep up with the birding tours. As long as Wildside keeps doing birding tours you will still have customers, myself including. If you are taking suggestions for potential new places. I think that Wildside should look into the far east, Thailand and Vietnam just to name a few. (…)

Edison loves the birds of South America (his home turf) like the Sword-billed Hummingbird loves a trumpet flower! He’s a walking encyclopedia of field marks and call notes – an expert on neotropical birds and conservation, and equally as passionate about sharing his knowledge with the rest of us. He’s also excellent company in the field and seems to know half the people in Latin America on a first name basis. Can’t wait to go birding with Edison again!

Thank you for all your efforts in arranging this wonderful trip, finding us all the target birds and for my surprise birthday celebration. – Morocco April 2017

The pace of the tour was fine, went to many good birding places including new ones for us, loved all the time we got to spend at raptor counts and marveled at the locations where we saw them; Chalchihuecan early in the AM, Cardel, Chichi, and west of Chichi later in the afternoon. We were privileged to go to the banding station. And the trip was flexible enough that we went to Cantona, where history combined with birds. The food was excellent. – Veracruz ‘River of Raptors”

Thank you for making the Dry Tortugas an enjoyable experience. You are a terrific guide, full of information and very caring about your ‘flock’. – April 2017

Robert Straub is a tour leader who is enthusiastic and patient (and who seems to enjoy himself, too).

This was my third trip to the Dry Tortugas. Unlike all of the others, the boat ‘Makai’ was very comfortable and far more private. The group was small and friendly. The food excellent. The crew worked well together. Adrian worked hard to find every possible bird and to ensure the comfort of all aboard. Thanks for a great trip.

Our trip to the Brazilian Pantanal exceeded our expectations. Adrian’s spotting skills are phenomenal – expert eyes and ears. We were particularly impressed by his determination that every trip participant see the target species he, our local guide, or fellow participants have identified. Adrian’s knowledge of the natural world is vast and deep, and his enthusiasm for sharing that knowledge contagious. His experience, professionalism and sense of humor made him a pleasure to travel with(…)

I can’t begin to offer enough praise for Glenn. He was extraordinary on all counts. He was one of the most skilled birders I’ve had the pleasure of birding with, and his people skills were off the charts. It was a pleasure and an honor to have the chance to meet and spend time in the field with him. He’s an amazing guy!

Robert Straub is the best guide I have ever worked with. He really enjoys showing ‘his’ birds and ‘his’ chosen place to others. – Veracruz ABA tour 2009

Your birding expertise and spotting ability are amazing. Thanks so much for your patience, kindness, stories and great attitude, it was a memorable and fun trip.

Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and leadership. Jim and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with you and Toby in beautiful Scotland.

This tour surpassed all of my expectations and was superbly run by Glenn Crawford. His knowledge and bird finding abilities were excellent. It was a great pleasure being around him. I highly recommend him and my intention is to go on another tour, once he is the tour leader

The trip was really something, getting around to all the chicken leks…and finding all the great birds. Thanks for making my 700th ABA bird (Gunnison Sage-Grouse) special with the champagne celebration.

Got to meet a few of you at the Magee Marsh Boardwalk this past week. You guys were wonderful. Thanks for all your help and knowledge. Hope to see you again next year!

This trip to Southern California was my seventh Wildside trip. This trip was, as all of my trips with Wildside, fabulous! This was also my third trip with Alex Lamoreaux as guide. Alex is a superb all around birding, flora and fauna expert. As a bonus he has a great knack for picking great dinner spots. My wife and I have been on five North American tours and two international tours, with two more trips with Wildside to come this year. Treat yourself to one of their many trips – you won’t b(…)

I traveled with Gabriel on the 5 day 4 night Puerto Rico tour and was delighted by his professionalism as both a guide and tour leader and was very impressed by his birding skills. Gabriel showed great care in making sure all members of our group got good views of a select group of endemics. He is a very capable photographer and was quite patient and helpful in providing assistance to me with my photography. Gabriel’s ability to handle all aspects of our trip while keeping a watchful eye(…)

This is my second tour with Alex and will be far from my last. He is such a gentle, even-keeled young man besides being an excellent birder, guide and group leader. It was a relaxed and fun trip. We saw almost every bird we targeted and some. He was so patient in his explanations and making sure everyone was catered too. Thanks

This was the trip of the year. Despite the tour only being four days, Alex manages to jam it full of incredible experiences that will leave you in awe of the natural beauty of Texas as well as his knowledge of the birds who call it home.

The tour transitioned from birding spot to birding spot seamlessly without any awkward pauses. The trip is well planned and perfectly executed to ensure that all time is well utilized to see as many birds as you can. This is a short trip so there’s very(…)

I wanted to let you know that my Maine birding trip last week was beyond all my expectations. Chris and Alex were terrific hosts and guides. They went beyond the call of duty and their efforts paid off with a great Puffin trip. This is my third birding trip with Wildside and Chris Brown does a fabulous job picking lunch and dinner spots which really makes for a successful, well rounded trip.

Robert Straub is fluent in Spanish and very knowledge about the area. There were no ‘language problems’ anywhere, making the trip run very smoothly.

The prairie chicken tour was fabulous. Gary and I were so happy with Chris’ leader abilities that we would love to go the FL + Dry Tortugas tour with him next April. – Colorado, April 2018

Wow! This trip was a stunner, and I am highly recommending it to everyone I know. I hope to take many more trips with you, Adrian. Having spent a month in Morocco almost 40 years ago I was thrilled to return with you. You are a terrific guide; you know Morocco, its birds, customs, people, places, language and cuisine. The enjoyment you provided surpassed my highest expectations. It was fun to see you greeting old friends there with hugs, and your comfort and ease were infectious to particip(…)

Adrian – Thanks for a fabulous trip! The chickens really were spectacular, and Colorado is beautiful!

This was so much more than a birding tour of Morocco; it was truly a cultural experience.

This was the most productive photo tour I have ever experienced, Kevin! Thanks!

Gabriel is a super knowledgable and talented guide. He knows exactly where to look for each of the Puerto Rican endemics and more. He takes great care of everyone in the group. Can’t recommend him highly enough!

Thank you for another wonderful trip filled with stunning scenery, magnificent cultural landmarks, delicious food, and of course great wildlife.

The India tour, with great views of birds, mammals, and iconic palaces as well as Rajasthan culture was easily the most memorable of some dozen overseas trips we have taken in the past few years. – India, 2008

The best trip ever! The birds, animals, geology, and plant material are totally unique to the area and amazing. Kevin Loughlin, Pedro Guaycha, and John Kricher were wonderful leaders who were very knowledgeable, patient, and fun to be with. The yacht was extremely comfortable and the crew could not be more accommodating. In summary this was a great trip and would not change anything about it.

Mammals and birds were everywhere. The crater was amazing as were the sheer number of wildebeest in the Serengeti. You certainly put us right in the middle of migration. This safari far exceeded my expectations. Thank you! – Feb 2015

The Botswana trip with Adrian Binns was truly a trip of a lifetime.

As a new birder, I learned so much from Adrian’s instruction and loved the camps we stayed at in Botswana. In addition, Adrian and the other folks on the tour were delightful travel companions.

Botswana is a magical place (and we saw many, many elephants in the wild, which I wanted so badly to see). I highly recommend this tour!

I think you are great professionals, knowledgeable birders and very caring about your fellow travelers. You are not afraid to share what you know and that is really important. I have been on other tours and yours are by far the best.

We didn’t just see, or tour, the Galapagos Islands with Wildside Nature Tours…we experienced the Galapagos Islands with all five senses, such that it will live in our memories as vivid as it was those magical twelve days of August, 2017, aboard the our yacht…may we yet again be so fortunate as to undertake such an adventure.

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A birding adventure in Maine

By Sally Siko

This past summer I had the opportunity to go birding up in Maine. The plan was to scout out the state in preparation of my upcoming birding tours in Maine. After 3 days on the trails, it turned out to be an incredible trip which yielded 53 different species of birds plus epic views and really good food.

Day 1 was spent scouting around the Acadia NP area. Michael and I started off the day with a beautiful hike along the coast at Great Head. The morning was very foggy but gosh it was gorgeous up there in the woods.

Everything was silent except for the sound of a distant fog horn, a very noisy Winter Wren and a pissed off (yet adorable!) Red Squirrel who chattered loudly as we walked past him. It took about 20 minutes or so of hiking a gentle uphill slope before the forest opened up to a wide open cliff view overlooking the Atlantic. We stood up on the rocks taking in the grand view before us, marveling at the icy green North Atlantic slapping at the cliff below. Several Herring and Black-backed Gulls were circling overhead, it was neat to watch them preen and squabble over food once they landed on the rocks.

There were a couple Black capped Chickadees flitting through the pines as well as a curious Black and white Warbler who followed me as I wandered around the bluff in search of good photos and great birds.

A few minutes later it started to sprinkle a little so we headed down the Acadia Park Loop rd to look for more cool stuff. We ended up at Moose Lake SP where we encountered a few different species of Warblers including Blackburnian, Pine, Common Yellowthroat and a Northern Parula. It was neat to see these tiny feathered gems so far north.

By now we’d walked a few miles and were building up an appetite so we decided to grab a couple lobster rolls for lunch at the Bar Harbor Lobster Pound. https://www.barharborlobsterpound.com The rolls were delicious!

Although they seemed a bit pricey ($72 for two rolls and a couple drinks!) it was still pretty fucking awesome to bite down into that buttery bread and sweet lobster. Washing it all down with an Old Soaker Root Beer really hit the spot so totally worth the price IMO.

By now it was mid day and actually a little warm outside so we took a quick drive to take in the sights and sounds of Bar Harbor. Gosh what a beautiful town! Tons of great restaurants, hotels and shopping plus it’s a hub for a few boat tour companies which dock on the area. *more on that later…

Once the sun was a bit lower in the sky, we drove up onto Cadillac Mountain in hopes of enjoying a good sunset and maybe a great view of the Northern Lights which had been forecasted to be extra bright that evening. Unfortunately, mother nature had a different plan in mind as the mountain peak quickly was enveloped by a bunch of clouds rolling through.

There was no way that we’d get to see the aurora borealis with these weather conditions but gosh it was absolutely gorgeous up there watching the sun sink into the hazy horizon below.

Cadillac Mountain turned out to be a pretty good birding spot as well with sightings of Wild Turkeys, a Herring Gull (yes there was an actual Herring Gull sitting on a rock wall in the parking lot at the top of the mountain lol!) Common Ravens, Blue Jays, American Crows, a Hermit Thrush, an American Robin, two Song Sparrows, several Dark-eyed Juncos, a couple White-throated Sparrows and a cheerful Common Yellowthroat. Truly a nice way to wrap up my first full day at Acadia!

Day 2 and we were hitting the road again, heading inland to check out the Moosehead Lake area. I’d found an interesting birding spot called the B&A Railroad North which I’d targeted as being a good spot to find Boreal Chickadees and White-winged Crossbills. (Lifers I’d yet to tic off my list). While we were driving along a gravel track through the woods, I got lucky and spotted several Ruffed Grouse as they crossed the road. It was thrilling to actually grab a couple photographs of these birds, as I’ve never managed to do so before.

Continuing on we ended up at an intersection of gravel paths so we walked a bit from here. It wasn’t long before I heard the calls of Boreal Chickadees emanating from the woods, so I started pishing in hopes of drawing a couple of out into the open. Happily, one did fly out and landed onto the outer edge of a pine bough which allowed me to grab a couple photos before it flew back into the deep woods. Success!

In addition to that Boreal Chickadee there were a bunch of other cool birds at that spot too such as a Hermit Thrush, an American Robin, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, a Nashville Warbler and as always, several cheerfully singing Common Yellowthroats. Although I didn’t get to tic off a White-winged Crossbill here at the Railroad site I was pleased with what I saw!

From there we continued heading north to our destination of The Birches Lodge at Moosehead Lake. https://www.birches.com

We’d booked a Moose Cruise for later that day but since we arrived a little early, we decided to grab a quick lunch at the resort’s restaurant. Omg the food was delicious! ( roasted & chunky carved Turkey on that sandwich, yum!) As great as the food was, the service was even better.

One thing I have to share now is how awesome the people of Maine are. Everyone was super nice and welcoming. It didn’t matter where we traveled throughout the state, the people were just awesome. Our waitress at The Birches was very friendly and made us feel right at home as we ate lunch in the north woods. As a bonus, I even got to meet the owners wife Tania Willard. She was so excited once I told her that I was a birding guide! We talked for a few minutes about all of the great birds in the area and it warmed my heart to encounter another business owner who loves the outdoors and birds as much as I do. Tania told me to be on the lookout for Belted Kingfishers and White-winged Crossbills (a lifer for me) during the Moose Cruise. As luck would have it, we spotted both species while out on the water! Yay!

The Moose Cruise was a lot of fun. At first everything was quiet, the water was smooth as glass and the world around us was an impossible shade of green. My gosh what a peaceful place!

Then as the boat made its way up the river the birds started making an appearance. It started with seeing a beautiful Common Loon sitting on its nest (wow!) and got even better from there lol!

There were Canada Geese, a Wood Duck, Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, Wild Turkeys, Double-crested Cormorants, Turkey Vultures, an Osprey 2 Belted Kingfishers, a Blue-headed Vireo, a couple Winter Wrens, 7 White-winged Crossbills (yay!) and a Pine Warbler to round out the boat trip. We even lucked out and spotted a mother moose and her calf crashing through the brush along the shoreline. Freak’n awesome!

Day 3 had arrived and with it, a powerful offshore storm. The winds were high and the surf was churning like a washing machine. This was a problem because I’d reserved a boat to take out onto the ocean in order to photograph the Puffins who nest on the small rocky islands which line the coast. Unfortunately the rough seas prevented any boats to depart so unfortunately, I was unable to get out there onto the water. It’s okay though! I’ve been in contact with a bunch of great Puffin boat captains and will be heading back to Maine in July 2024 to try again to share these birds with my guests.

Not wanting to waste a single moment feeling unhappy about missing out on a boat trip, we decided to explore more of the trails of Acadia National Park at Schoodic Point. This area is even better IMO for birding since it’s far less crowded here than along the Loop Road on the western side of the park.

There was a gentle light mist of rain falling as we hiked in the Blueberry Hill area and along the Anvil Trail. All was quiet save for the sound of the surf hitting the rocks and the occasional calls of the gulls flying overhead. The air smelled so good along the coast with the gentle scents of pine, saltwater and beach roses wafting on the cool breeze. When we ventured deeper into the woods, we were quickly enveloped in a world of emerald green ferns, spongy soft moss and ancient pine trees. Walking these trails felt like stepping back in time.

At first there wasn’t much activity going on (wildlife wise) but as we walked the shorelines and forests of Schoodic Point, the birds started to become a little more active despite the foul weather. Here we saw a raft of Common Eiders, Canada Geese, a Black-throated green Warbler, an Ovenbird, several Golden-crowned Kinglets, a Gray Catbird, a few Dark-eyed Juncos, a couple Song Sparrows and a pair of Yellow-rumped Warblers. Not too bad considering that the weather was a bit dodgy. We ended the morning by getting a bonus sighting of a juvenile porcupine making its way across the road.

I’ve never seen one before in my life, so it was very cool to finally lay eyes on a real live Porcupine! He was super cute and we were absolutely thrilled to see one of these remarkable creatures up close.

The day ended with a stellar dinner at the Union River Lobster Pot. https://www.lobsterpot.com Oh my goodness that was a great meal! 1 1/4 lobster served with clams, a big red potato and one of the sweetest ears of corn I’ve tasted. So much buttery goodness I can’t even describe how good it was without drooling a little lol!

I’ll tell ya, it was a difficult decision to make in order to point my car south to head home. Don’t get me wrong I do love North Carolina, but Maine is an incredible place. The people are lovely. There’s zero traffic. The food is superb. The views, unbelievably beautiful. And the birds, omg there are so many up here that we don’t get to see often (or ever!) in the south. I left dreaming (and yeah now seriously considering) about buying some land so that I can offer birding tours on a frequent basis in Maine. At least it will be great to spend the summer working in Maine where it’s cooler during the hottest months in NC. Lol we will see!

Photo by Michael Wildrick

Anyway, to sum it all up, Maine is freaking awesome and I cannot wait to get back there again soon. I’ve got space available for reservations in 2024 so if you’d like to join me, feel free to hit up the link below for details 🙂

Birding tour Maine

MAINE BIRD WATCHING TOUR CALENDAR

HERE IS THE SPECIES LIST FROM THIS TRIP VIA EBIRD

Canada Goose Golden-crowned Kinglet Gray Catbird Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Raven Great Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Hermit Thrush Common Eider Wood Duck Mallard Hooded Merganser Wild Turkey Common Loon Turkey Vulture Osprey Belted Kingfisher Blue-headed Vireo Winter Wren White-winged Crossbill Pine Warbler American Goldfinch Chipping Sparrow Boreal Chickadee Hermit Thrush American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Ruffed Grouse Blue-headed Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Black-capped Chickadee Golden-crowned Kinglet Red-breasted Nuthatch Nashville Warbler American Redstart Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Northern Parula Blackburnian Warbler Pine Warbler Common Yellowthroat Black-throated Green Warbler Ovenbird

See you down east soon!

Bird watching tours, trips, adventures and birder news in North Carolina and beyond

Maine Birding Field Notes

Trip reports, essays, rare bird reports, and more from derek lovitch's and freeport wild bird supply's birding in maine and beyond., 2023 down east adventures birding tours..

Freeport Wild Bird Supply is very excited to partner with Down East Magazine’s Down East Adventures for our third year. In 2023, we are expanding our offerings to include two exclusive overnight trips, along with our popular ½- and whole-day targeted workshops.  Focused on skill-builder rather than list-building, there will be plenty of “life birds,” but also more knowledge and education about birds, habitats, birding, and much more about the natural world.

The full list of upcoming tours can be found here .   At the conclusion of each tour, I’ll post the trip report here.

• Winter Waterbirds Workshop, January 15.

This Purple Sandpiper was about as cooperative as it gets for us at Sohier Park in York.  Later, it was joined by its friends (photo below).  This is really a lovely shorebird when viewed as well and as close as we experienced.

Extremely strong winds and very high seas presented a challenge as we sought out wintering waterbirds along the southern York County Coast. We worked hard to find sheltered water where we could observe birds well, but when we did find that secluded cove, peninsula lee, or rivermouth, we were treated to incredible looks at many of the birds we had hoped for.

We looked down on Red-breasted Mergansers at Perkin’s Cove, and you’ll never be closer to a Common Loon than we were at the Ogunquit Rivermouth. We checked a few more locations than I usually need to on this tour, but our most productive spot was the southern shoreline of Sohier Park at The Nubble. There, we were treated to close views of Black and White-winged Scoters, Harlequin Ducks, and a most-cooperative flock of Purple Sandpipers.  We then ended the day at hidden Abbott’s Pond, where we enjoyed a break for the wind, close comparisons to study details between Mallards, American Black Ducks, and hybrids thereof. 

Meanwhile, a group of 8 or so Black-legged Kittiwakes were feeding off of Short Sands Beach, and a stunning adult Iceland Gull passed by at The Nubble. Unfortunately, the seas were just a little too rough to find any alcids today, but we knew they were out there!

• Spring Migrant Songbirds Workshop, May 14.

This stunning Blackburnian Warbler nicely demonstrated the value of blooming oak trees for seeing warblers in the middle of May.

Four hours later we had not left Evergreen Cemetery in Portland…a very good sign. There was just no need to move along, the birds kept coming to us. In the end we tallied a respectable 16 species of warblers, even though growing a list was not our goal. What made this workshop successful, however, was how well we saw just about all of the warblers and other songbird migrants throughout the morning.

Warblers were a highlight of course, including repeated quality time with favorites such as American Redstart and Black-and-white Warblers, the two most plentiful migrants this morning. We also enjoyed great looks at several Chestnut-sided Warblers, Magnolia Warblers, and Northern Parulas, with fantastic studies of Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Yellow Warbler, and Wilson’s Warbler. We also saw two newly-arrived Tennessee Warblers which aren’t always easy to get looks at. There was a good amount of song this morning, so we had chances to listen and learn many of these species as well.

Shortly after hearing a Red-eyed Vireo and my describing it as “high up and often hard to see,” we found one in the lower branches of a nearby oak, and watched it sing, forage, and do all things vireo for almost 10 minutes!  Likewise, after hearing distant Ovenbirds, we had two walking around right in front of us! Beginning with a view of a Veery on the ground in the open, we saw it again as the walk ended, only a few feet in front of us for another great view and chance to observe and study.

During the morning, we chatted about migration, habitat, and the process of building the necessary toolkit to build birding skills. Finishing the walk with a quick overview of some references (we had too many birds to leave much time for anything more), we recapped a very productive and instructive morning of spring birding.

• Rangeley Birding Workshop, June 6-8.

Our first overnight tour together, the Rangeley Birding Workshop was based at Bald Mountain Camps in Oquossoc, nestled on the shore of Mooselookmeguntic Lake. Common Loons greeted us, but so did the rain. June of 2023 was one of the rainiest Junes on record in Maine, and we were very thankful for the wood stoves in each cabin!

Our first morning, 6/7, began at Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary, with lots of singing Blackburnian Warblers. A large flock of Red Crossbills flew over, two Yellow-bellied Flycatchers were heard clearly and then glimpsed, and a variety of common warblers were detected. A confiding pair of Canada Jays was the highlight – as they often are – but even the common warblers were tough to see today, so we focused on practicing our birding by ear skills.

Enjoying our delicious boxed lunches at the Rangeley Waterfront Park, with more Common Loons offshore, we delved into an impromptu gull workshop, using each age class of Ring-billed Gull as an introduction to molt, feather topography, and identification. A 3 rd -cycle Herring Gull kindly dropped in for comparison as well. In inclement weather, we take advantage of whatever learning opportunities the birds are willing to provide!

After lunch, we poked around the Mingo Spring Birding Loop, with good looks at the likes of Least Flycatcher, Alder Flycatcher, and Dark-eyed Juncos among others. But as rain returned, we called it a day and settled in to dry out in front of our stoves instead of an afternoon of lake-watching from the BMC property.  And dinner was absolutely delicious!

Day 2 began with a brief walk around the BMC property (American Redstart, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, etc) followed by a foray over to the famous birding destination of Boy Scout Road, looking to build on the identification toolkit we worked on the previous day. We parked half the cars at one end and then walked the length of the road, birding along the way. But it was rather quiet here too – the ongoing story of June 2023. We did have some more Red Crossbills, a fantastic view -finally – of a Blackburnian Warbler, several Alder Flycatchers, and once again more Canada Jays. But this time, it was a family group of a pair with 2 juveniles in tow!

And then it began to rain. Again. A lot. But I give this group credit – they soldiered on! Of course the rain began in earnest when we were as far from either set of cars as possible, so there wasn’t really a choice, but still, spirits remained high and the birding continued. A pair of Hooded Mergansers, a singing Palm Warbler, and a Spotted Sandpiper were among the last birds of the outing, before the water had penetrated our clothing and it was time to call it a day and hope for better conditions next year!

• Shorebirds Workshop, August 10.

The best way to learn shorebirds is to see them in their preferred habitats, feeding, moving, and mixing with other species, such as these Short-billed Dowitchers (a sandpiper) and Semipalmated Plovers here at Hill’s Beach in Biddeford.

An absolutely perfect day of summer weather (finally!) greeted us for this annual favorite outing. And the only thing better than the weather this day was the birding!  Recent insane rainfalls have led to very high water in many of our favored high-tide, upper-marsh locales, so we focused on tidal habitats including beaches and mudflats, altering our usual routine from the start.

Beginning in Biddeford Pool, we introduced shorebirds with several Spotted Sandpipers along Ocean Avenue before jumping into the mixed species flock on Biddeford Pool Beach on the outgoing tide. There we estimated over 1,250 Semipalmated Sandpipers and 200 Semipalmated Plovers as we learned the basics of shorebird (sandpiper vs. plover) identification and began to work our way up to teasing out a couple of White-rumped Sandpipers and Ruddy Turnstones from the masses. 2 Killdeer in flight overhead were our only two of the day.

Kicking off our shoes to spend the rest of the morning on the sandflats of Hill’s Beach, we compared a Piping Plover to the many (400+) Semipalmated Plovers and 30 Black-bellied Plovers. A single juvenile Least Sandpiper was out of place on the beach, but offered a perfect opportunity to closely study the differences in shape, size, and overall structure to the 150 or so Semipalmated Sandpipers that were scattered about. 59 Short-billed Dowitchers gave us the chance to really observe shape and feeding styles, practicing identifying these birds both near and far.

Over at The Pool, a distant “Western” Willet joined 7 “Eastern” Willets, as we advanced into subspecific identification just briefly before stopping for lunch as the tide began to roll in.

The afternoon was spent at Scarborough Marsh, where our first two stops offered little (other than a calling Greater Yellowlegs to at least practice our shorebirding by ear) due to the very high water in the salt pannes from the recent rains. Pine Point more than made up for it on the rapidly incoming tide, however, with one heck of a shorebird show: 1500-2000 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 400-500 Semipalmated Plovers, a few more Short-billed Dowitchers and White-rumped Sandpipers, better looks at “Eastern” Willets, and the icing on the cake: a cooperative Whimbrel – our 13 th species of shorebird for the day.

Practicing with our identification tool kit, we tested ourselves on finding the uncommon species among the masses, and took a moment or three to simply sit back and enjoy the show. Now that we know how approachable shorebird identification really is, we can more fully appreciate these most marvelous migrants!

• Monhegan Birding Workshop, September 23-25.

Northern Gannets and two Green-winged Teal flying with 6 Surf Scoters from the ferry and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull greeting us upon our arrival seemed like a great sign for what would be a bird- and fun-filled weekend on the Migration Mecca of Monhegan.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the slowest (for both species and diversity) fall weekends I have ever experienced on the island. That being said, a big list wasn’t our goal. It was to learn birds – their ID, their migration ecology, and everything else that makes the island so special for birds and birders. And this is not tour guide spin: a slower day is better for that as we had ample opportunity to view almost everything we encountered, study them, discuss them, and luckily, what the island failed to provide in quantity, it certainly delivered in quality of observations.

On each day, we would find pockets of warblers here and there, but we kept coming back to  one particular willow and a nearby thicket that constantly hosted 4-5 Cape May Warblers (photo above), 4 Yellow Warblers, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and a smattering of others. The Cape Mays put on a clinic: all four plumages from pale, 1 st -fall female, to bright and spiffy adult male were on display.

Over the first day and a half, we took what the island offered, besides exceedingly pleasant weather! There was the hen Green-winged Teal feeding within three feet of us, fly-over Rusty Blackbirds in the morning, and Great Cormorants on the cliffs on an afternoon short hike to name a few highlights. The skies were punctuated by the occasional migrant Peregrine Falcon and the constantly-hunting Merlins.

Granted, we were really just looking at birds to fill the time between the incredible meals at the Monhegan House!

On our final morning, a good migration overnight produced a new arrival of birds for the “morning flight;” the concepts and nuances thereof were topics of regular discussion.

The group’s high spirits earned them a great morning, with a taste of what Monhegan birding has to offer. There were American Pipits and Yellow-rumped Warblers in Morning Flight, a flock of 10 truant Bobolinks circling around, an immature male Belted Kingfisher displaying to a very-uninterested female, more Cape May Warblers, and a surprising fly-by Wilson’s Snipe.

At one point we had four juvenile Sharp-shinned Hawks dogfighting, exemplifying the difference in sizes of male vs female raptors. And the workshopping continued with Great and Double-crested Cormorants side-by-side, migrant raptors including several Northern Harriers, and more species before breakfast than we had most of the previous weekend! Speaking of breakfasts, goodness, they were good as well.

We finished up with a gull workshop on the shoreline, opening eyes to just how easy most gulls are most of the time. The advanced course was the fly-by 1 st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull amongst Herring Gulls on the ferry ride back! And yes, we looked at butterflies, too!

The first of the 2024 Down East Adventures tours are already booking, with more to be announced soon. And since these Down East Tours fill up fast, don’t forget we offer a wide range of other tours, as well as private guiding services.

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Cooperative Extension in Washington County

4-h news in washington county – june 2024, table of contents.

Dates to Remember “Show Your Sparks” at the Washington County Fair – Exhibition Expansion Washington County 4-H Photo Contest 4-H Science Fridays Update Seed Tape Activity at Porter Memorial Library Seedling Sale National   Annual   Index   Survey – Help Needed! Cobscook Currents 4-H Club Oh Yea 4-H Grows True Leaders  Downeast Spring Birding Festival  News from the State

Dates to Remember

June 3: 4-H Summer Learning Series Registration Opens June 5: Fryeburg Market Lamb Intent to Participate Deadline June 8: Seed Tape Activity, Porter Memorial Library Seedling Sale June 14-15: June Jamboree at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds June 14: 4-H Camp and Learning Center Scholarship Deadline June 15: Pride 2024, Portland June 21: 4-H Science Friday-Ag and Ecology 101, Part 1 June 20-27: Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF), Washington D.C. June 22: 4-H Swine Judging Clinic with Randy Shipley at Cumberland Fairgrounds July 5-August 10: 4-H Summer Learning Series July 19-21: Maine 4-H Days July 26: Washington County 4-H Photo Contest Deadline July 26: 4-H Science Friday- Ag and Ecology 101, Part 2 August 16: 4-H Science Fridays- Blueberries August 24-25: Washington County Fair

“Show Your Sparks” at the Washington County Fair – Exhibition Expansion

Washington County 4-H is expanding at the Washington County Fair, adding six new exhibition categories! The exhibit categories include: 

• Civic Engagement/Community Service
• Conservation/Natural Resources
• Food Preservation
• Club Exhibit

We encourage Washington County 4-Hers to “Show Your Sparks” this year at the Washington County Fair, August 24th and 25th, by submitting up to five exhibitions. See our website for more information about exhibition guidelines. 

*If you do not have seeds for garden exhibit submissions, the Washington County Cooperative Extension office has a variety of seeds available! Stop by the Extension office during business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:00am-11:30pm and 12:30-4:30pm) to pick up seed packets. 

Washington County 4-H Photo Contest 

Animals, people, architecture, oh my! We can’t wait to see what pictures you will be submitting to the annual Photo Contest this summer. The Washington County 4-H Photography Contest is open to all Washington County 4-H members. Ribbons and premiums will be awarded. Please visit our website to learn more about submission guidelines. The deadline to submit photos to the Extension office is July 26, 2024.

4-H Science Fridays Update

No vernal pool? No problem! Youth at the May 4-H Science Friday learned about the magic of vernal pools by observing egg masses and modeling how a vernal pool forms, becoming an important habitat component in a forested ecosystem. 

Registration is open for summer and fall 4-H Science Fridays, which include Ag and Ecology 101 (Part 1 and 2), Blueberries, Apples and Forensic Science. This program series is available to youth ages 9-14 and is limited to 20 participants. See our website for more information about the program and to register. Contact Gabrielle Brodek, 4-H Youth Development Professional, at [email protected] or by phone at 207.255.3345 for questions, concerns and/or to request a reasonable accommodation. 

Seed Tape Activity at Porter Memorial Library Seedling Sale

The Friends of the Library will be hosting their annual Seed and Seedling Sale at the Porter Memorial Library on June 8th 9:00am – 3:00pm. Washington County 4-H will be leading a DIY seed tape activity where youth will make their own seed tape that they can plant at home. 

National   Annual   Index   Survey – Help Needed!

The mission of the National 4-H Council is to empower youth in 4-H programs to reach their full potential by working and learning in partnership with caring adults.  To assess our success in this endeavor, we are conducting an annual study to measure the impact of 4-H on youth and we invited you 4-H’er(s) to respond.  

You are voluntarily deciding whether or not to allow your child to participate in this study.  By allowing your child to complete and submit their survey response, you have given your permission for your child to participate. Your child can withdraw from the study at any time. 

If participating, please complete the survey by  May 31, 2023.

National 4-H Annual Index Survey:  https://4hcouncil.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9z96NFfcnfzPCd0

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact your local 4-H Office or contact (Dr. Kristy L Ouellette, 207-581-8021) with the Maine 4-H Program. Thank you for your time and interest, it is greatly appreciated.

Cobscook Currents 4-H Club

In May, the club learned about organic milk production and met the newest member of the Tide Mill herd. They learned about cow breeds, cow stomachs (4) and the individual personalities of the bovines. We are hoping there will be some farmers in the future!

The club had an outing to the dam and fishway over the Pennamaquan in Pembroke. Laura talked about the fish and their life cycle and importance as a resource, and discussed the rules surrounding the alewife fishing rules.

Oh Yea 4-H Grows True Leaders Updates

As May draws to a close, Oh Yea! 4-H Grows True Leaders ends its Aquaponics Workshop with a field trip to the Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research in Franklin, ME where the youngsters from Washington County will tour a large-scale system like the ones they built in class. Oh Yea! 4-H graciously applauds the help of the Seacoast Mission in Cherryfield, which provided working-space for our workshop while Mano En Mano awaits the opening of their new building, Princeton Elementary for allowing 4-H to function as an enrichment elective at their campus, and the 4-H Professionals Carla Scocchi, Melissa Malmstedt, and Scarlett Tudor for their expertise in aquaculture education.

Oh Yea! 4-H’s Youth Development Program for teens just kick started their summer with an amazing weekend stay at Tanglewood 4-H Camp in Lincolnville, ME under the guidance of the camp’s director, Jessica Decke and the coordinator, Reed Bridge-Koenigsberg. The camp offered problem-solving challenges, canoeing basics, pond skimming, fire-starting for outdoor survival, and plenty of opportunities for the teens to pal around and have fun together. The highlight of the overnight camp was the intermingling of all the Oh Yea! 4-H locations around Maine coming together to congregate and share culturally appropriate food. The Khmer participants provided traditional fish-dishes and eggrolls, the Latinx members provided homemade Mexican gorditas and mango salsa, and the camp staff made sure all dietary needs were met at every meal. We’ve decided that we will certainly like this to be an annual event.

Next on the agenda, 4-H professional, Jason Palomo and his community partner from Mano En Mano, Maria Paniaqua, will attend a professional development called Summer of Science, where 4-H professor, Mitch Mason, will provide training and materials for teaching teens how to be teachers themselves. Once the training is absorbed, internalized, and modified if needed, Washington County’s Oh 4-H teens will be given the same training to prepare them for providing research-based, experiential lessons to the students who attend Blueberry Harvest School in August. Stay tuned for more details.

Downeast Spring Birding Festival

In collaboration with Cobscook Institute, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and other organizations, Washington County 4-H delivered a program about owl pellets at Birdfest School Day, a field trip day where youth from local schools participate in a variety of activities, as part of the larger week-long Downeast Spring Birding Festival. Over 100 youth visited Cobscook Institute and rotated activities, learning about bird food webs, bird adaptations, plants and owl pellets at Cobscook Institute in Lubec. 

News from the State

Maine 4-H Days: Register Now! Where: Windsor Fairgrounds, Windsor, Maine When: Friday evening, July 19 – Saturday, July 20. Animal Science tracks are being scheduled from Friday, July 19 – Sunday, July 21.Registration is now open for 2024 Maine 4-H Days! There will be livestock events through the weekend, and dozens of enrichment workshops to choose from during the day on Saturday. Friday night will be a blast with a Youth Council Dance for youth ages 12 & up, and then a Move and Groove Family Movie Night for the rest!  Camping space is available at no additional charge.  Visit the website to learn more about the different activities, and to register now!

UMaine 4-H Invites You to be a Part of Pride 2024 4-H will be participating in Pride festivities in Portland on June 15, 2024.  A pride event is a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, the rights won, and recognition of these individuals as existing and loved members of our communities. 4-H will participate in the parade portion by walking with a banner. Participants should plan on being at the event from noon – 2:30pm.This event is open to any 4-H member or 4-H volunteer. Friends, family, and 4-H alumni are welcome but must have a 4-H member/volunteer hosting them. Please register by June 10.

To register or for more information, go  to this webpage . If you have questions you can email  [email protected] .

Summer at 4-H Camps at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove The UMaine 4-H Camps at Blueberry Cove and Tanglewood have summer camp openings and scholarships to support Maine youth to attend. We are excited to connect 4-Hers to our programs.Overnight camps and Discovery Trips, ages 8-15: Week-long programs at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove or adventures along the Appalachian Trail or Downeast Farm Camp with Painted Pepper Farm.

Teen Leadership programs, ages 14-17: Two and three-week immersion trips to build leadership skills while exploring Maine’s beautiful natural areas via canoeing and backpacking.

We have scholarships available to cover up to 75% of the tuition for these programs. Funding is also available for first-time campers from National 4-H via CAMP III funds!

Check out programs online at  edu/tanglewood , email  [email protected] , or call 207.789.5868.

4-H Swine Judging Clinic with Randy Shipley! On June 22nd Maine 4-H will be hosting a 4-H swine judging clinic at the Cumberland Fairgrounds. Instructed by Randy Shipley of Shipley Swine Genetics, participants will learn how to visually evaluate swine, gain confidence in comparing animals against breed standards, and practice explaining logical reasons for opinion. Whether you are new to 4-H swine projects or have been doing them for years, don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an industry expert.Pre-registration is required. To sign up for the event please visit extension.umaine.edu/4h/swine/ . For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation please contact Sadee Mehuren at 207.342.5971 or  [email protected]

4-H Market Lamb Intent for Fryeburg Fair Youth planning to participate in the Market Lamb program at Fryeburg Fair need to submit the 2024 Fryeburg Fair Market Lamb Intent form by June 5 th . An online form is available, otherwise youth can print and mail a copy downloaded from the website .

4-H Tick Project The  4-H Tick Project is a community science project engaging K-12 youth and educators, made possible through a partnership between 4-H Youth Development, UMaine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab, Maine Forest Tick Survey, and members of the  Learning Ecosystems Northeast The project provides youth an opportunity to explore ticks and tick-borne diseases, which is a connected story of climate, ecosystem change, and public health. All educators interested in teaching about ticks in Maine are encouraged to participate in the project at no cost to you. This is a great project for 4-H clubs, SPIN clubs, homeschool groups, and more. For more information and to register, visit the  4-H Tick  Project webpage .

• Sustainability

By Brenda Reynolds . Published on June 4, 2024

MaineCat borrowing suspended

Starting June 4th, borrowing and lending between Maine libraries through the MaineCat Statewide Catalog is being temporarily suspended due to extended contract negotiations at the state level for van delivery service.

The State Library is working to restore services as soon as possible.

Please visit the Maine State Library Van Delivery FAQ for full details: https://tinyurl.com/5n6t5rpn

MaineCat titles already requested or on loan to you will retain their current loan period.

Bates patrons can use LibrarySearch to request materials from Colby and Bowdoin (and can still page Bates items).

Interlibrary Loan is also available.

Please contact Wesley Mech ( [email protected] ) for assistance with any MaineCat questions.

Beauty, death and drama: Live bird cams are nature’s soap opera

Bird cam fans tune in for a close-up look at the triumphs and traumas of avian lives.

On May 21, viewers witnessed a horrifying event in central Iowa: A nest with three eaglets blew out of a tree during a storm. Less than an hour later, a pair of adult bald eagles landed on the empty perch, carrying fish for their young. The concerned parents looked all around for their missing home and chicks.

The spectators were powerless to help. They were watching the tragedy unfold on computer screens far away from the ill-fated aerie. The distance didn’t lessen their urge to assist.

“I reached out to catch the fall, to be honest,” a Michigan birdwatcher wrote on a live chat on the Denton Homes eagle webcam . “I watched in horror, dismay and dread.”

Webcams have been delivering uncensored wildlife and unscripted dramas to nature lovers for more than a decade. The live streams of mammals, birds and marine life became a proxy for travel during the height of the pandemic, when nature was safest viewed through windows and online portals. The free entertainment is still going strong, in part because of the surprise plot twists.

“Some cameras can get millions of collective views. Many people are returning to the cameras daily, and sometimes multiple times a day,” said Mike Fitz, a naturalist with Explore.org ., the live nature cam network that made Fat Bear Week an internet sensation. “When you fall in love with these animals, then you are engaged in their stories.”

Thomas Fenn, a lawyer in Lexington, Mass., spends about two hours a day viewing bird cams, including one set up in his backyard. He watches birds at every opportunity, while at work or stuck in traffic.

“These sites put you in places that maybe you can’t travel to,” Fenn said, “and they’re a great diversion from having to draft a document or put away files.”

Streaming stars with beaks and feathers

The internet is chock full of animal webcams, with birds appearing in dozens of cameras run by private companies, nature organizations, academic institutions and government agencies. The feathered cast members star in about a third of the 190 or so webcams run by Explore.org . After the bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park, the Decorah North (Iowa) eagle cam draws the highest number of viewers. On Memorial Day, about 570 people watched a fledgling butcher a squirrel for dinner.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has used cameras for science since the late ’90s. In 2012, the lab debuted cameras that offered casual observers a look at a red-tailed hawk nest on campus and a great blue heron nest on nearby Sapsucker Woods Pond. The university in Ithaca, N.Y., has expanded to more than a dozen live streams in North America, Panama, Bermuda and New Zealand. The National Audubon Society and its partners run several webcams, including one installed in an Atlantic puffin burrow on an island in Maine and another focused on the million sandhill cranes that layover in Nebraska’s Platte River Valley between winter and spring.

A recent addition to the field is a camera trained on peregrine falcons on Alcatraz Island off the San Francisco coast. Since debuting on May 2, the live stream, a collaboration between the National Park Service and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy , has attracted more than 130,000 users, according to the conservancy. Depending on the minute, viewers might see falcon mom Lawrencium “Larry” gazing out to sea from their cliffside habitat, the two kids tussling over a carcass or chick fluff fluttering in the wind.

“S ince we’ve just started the Alcatraz live camera, we don’t really have a soap opera history of tragedy and broken marriages and whatever else might happen over time,” said Allen Fish, director of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory. “But the job of these live-stream cameras is to offer a window to people who want to have a deeper understanding of the falcons.”

The next few weeks will be peak viewing for species with incubating or hatched youngsters, such as puffins, kestrel, osprey, bald eagles and peregrine falcons. Like a doting parent, the cameras capture all of the baby birds’ milestones and share them with the world.

‘Raw, unfiltered nature’

In the field, birdwatchers often rely on binoculars. Most amateurs don’t have the time or patience to sit and wait for a bump in action. Webcams, however, provide a keyhole to the domestic affairs of birds.

“Folks can see some species fairly easily, depending on where they live, but never that intimately,” said Wayne Klockner, executive director of the American Birding Association . “The cameras trained on nesting birds, when the eggs hatch and the young are getting fed, growing bigger and beginning to test their wings, [are] in real time. This adds an extra dose of compelling nature.”

Many webcam aficionados say they keep the cameras on in the background like Muzak or NPR. When they hear a symphony of birdsong or a heavy-metal screech, they will turn their attention to the screen. But viewer beware: Nature is neither tame nor sanitized.

Klockner recalled a relaxing evening he and his wife spent watching an Allen’s hummingbird in California. The jewel-colored bird was in its wee nest when an uninvited guest swooped in.

“ We witnessed in real time a red-shouldered hawk grab the hummingbird,” said Klockner, who lives on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. “And that was the end of that webcam.”

Sharon Stiteler, a Minnesota-based birder and writer who goes by Birdchick , watches several webcams based on the season. She streams a tropical bird feeder at Canopy Tower in Panama , a mental escape during the harsh winters. She catches the spring migration of the sandhill cranes at Rowe Sanctuary in Kearney, Neb. She also follows a bald eagle camera run by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which had to console heartbroken viewers after a heavy snowfall snapped the branch holding a 2,000-pound nest. The sole chick did not survive the crash. More than a year after the incident, the camera is still rolling.

“We are in the process of setting up a new EagleCam and have left the old EagleCam in its original spot, showing viewers the old nest location and occasionally shots of the eagle pair as they visit their old territory,” said Elizabeth Nault-Maurer , communication specialist with the Minnesota agency’s Nongame Wildlife Program.

A number of webcams alert viewers to the possibility of disturbing scenes.

The Friends of Blackwater National Refuge in Maryland warns that its two bald eagle nest cameras will show “raw, unfiltered nature” that could include wildlife interactions and weather disasters. Case in point: On April 3, the video captured a great horned owlet gulping down a whole mouse. The Montana Osprey Project , which is affiliated with the University of Montana and Cornell Lab, warns: “Ospreys are wild birds — they are not pets, and this is not a Disney movie.”

If a bird is in peril, wildlife agencies favor a noninterventionist approach, a position they occasionally have to defend to their impassioned audience. When a bald eaglet at Decorah swallowed a piece of fishing line, Fitz said the staff explained its laissez-faire position to the public. The chick successfully expelled the foreign object.

An eagle chick in Minnesota did not fare as well. Stiteler said the bird became entwined in nesting material. Webcam devotees implored the DNR to help and grew enraged when the agency did not intercede, even though the nest was not under its purview. Stiteler said some of the viewers even contacted the governor. The agency finally stepped in, but it was too late.

“Anything that gets people engaged with birds or gets them to notice birds is a good thing because that leads to conservation,” Stiteler said. “But sometimes I enjoy the drama that people generate over it more than the drama in the nest.”

Seeing birds in person

Bird cameras are often placed in remote or clandestine locations so visitors won’t disturb the wildlife or the filming gear. The Alcatraz equipment is located in a rocky cranny far from the ferry landing and decommissioned prison building. Denton Homes , the construction company that runs an eagle camera in Iowa, asks the public to respect the privacy of the Majestics, the eagle family that resides on its private property. (After the nest fell last week, Saving Our Avian Resources brought the Denton Three to its rehab facility.)

However, a few destinations showcased on webcams welcome travelers. Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve, home of the Royal cams’ northern royal albatross, offers tours of its seabird colony on New Zealand’s South Island. The Canopy Lodge in Panama, which hosts Cornell’s camera, offers a variety of accommodations and birdwatching tours.

“It’s an eco-tourism destination,” said Ben Walters, communications specialist for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “so you can go visit the lodge and watch the feeder camera in person while you’re eating breakfast.”

Where to go

Our favorite destinations: These 12 destinations are at the top of our wish list for where to go this year, without crowds. In 2023, we explored an Alaskan bear paradise, Brooklyn’s famous pizzerias and a hidden gem in Italy, among other highlights .

Travel like a local: Residents share their favorite places in our top city guides: New Orleans , Rome , Tokyo and Mexico City .

National parks: This comprehensive guide has details on all 63 U.S. national parks. For a deep dive into five of the most well-known, you can listen to the Field Trip podcast . Then explore tips from locals for visiting Yosemite , Glacier and Everglades .

Tales from the road: Dolly Parton has opened a new resort at her theme park complex in Tennessee, while “Fixer Upper” stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have a new hotel in Waco . Road-trippers may be just as excited to see the cartoon beaver at Buc-ee’s , and bargain-hunters should consider a stop at the Unclaimed Baggage store in Scottsboro, Ala.

Bird Flu (H5N1) Explained: Third U.S. Dairy Farm Worker Infected With Bird Flu—With New Symptoms

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Here’s the latest news about a global outbreak of H5N1 bird flu that started in 2020, and recently spread among cattle in U.S. states and marine mammals across the world, which has health officials closely monitoring it and experts concerned the virus could mutate and eventually spread to humans, where it has proven rare but deadly.

A sign warns of a outbreak of bird flu.

May 30 Another human case of bird flu has been detected in a dairy farm worker in Michigan—though the cases aren’t connected—and this is the first person in the U.S. to report respiratory symptoms connected to bird flu, though their symptoms are “resolving,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

May 23 A new study with mice suggests that drinking infected milk can spread the disease—and that a certain type of pasteurization may not always be effective in killing the virus.

May 22 Michigan reported bird flu in a farmworker—the second U.S. human case tied to transmission from dairy cows—though the worker had a mild infection and has since recovered.

May 21 Australia reported its first human case of bird flu after a child became infected in March after traveling to India, though the child has since recovered after suffering from a “severe infection,” according to the Victorian Department of Health.

May 16 The USDA conducted a study, and discovered that after high levels of the virus was injected into beef, no trace was left after the meat was cooked medium to well done, though the virus was found in meat cooked to lower temperatures.

May 14 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released influenza A waste water data for the weeks ending in April 27 and May 4, and found several states like Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois and Kansas had unusually high levels, though the agency isn’t sure if the virus came from humans or animals, and isn’t able to differentiate between influenza A subtypes, meaning the H5N1 virus or other subtypes may have been detected.

May 10 The Food and Drug Administration announced it will commit an additional $8 million to ensure the commercial milk supply is safe, while the Department of Agriculture said it will pay up to $28,000 per farm to help mitigate the spread of the disease, totaling around $98 million in funds.

May 9 Some 70 people in Colorado are being monitored for bird flu due to potential exposure, and will be tested for the virus if they show any symptoms, the Colorado Department of Public Health told Forbes—it was not immediately clear how or when the people were potentially exposed.

May 1 The Department of Agriculture said it tested 30 grocery store ground beef products for bird flu and they all came back negative, reaffirming the meat supply is safe.

May 1 The Food and Drug Administration confirmed dairy products are still safe to consume, announcing it tested grocery store samples of products like infant formula, toddler milk, sour cream and cottage cheese, and no live traces of the bird flu virus were found, although some dead remnants were found in some of the food—though none in the baby products.

April 30 Wenqing Zhang, head of the World Health Organization's Global Influenza Programme, said during a news briefing "there is a risk for cows in other countries to be getting infected," with the bird flu virus, since it’s commonly spread through the movement of migratory birds.

April 29 The Department of Agriculture told Forbes it will begin testing ground beef samples from grocery stores in states with cow outbreaks, and test ground beef cooked at different temperatures and infected with the virus to determine if it's safe to eat.

April 24 The USDA said cow-to-cow transmission may be occurring due to the cows coming into contact with raw milk—and warned against humans and other animals, including pets, consuming unpasteurized milk to prevent potential infection.

April 18 Jeremy Farrar, chief scientist for the World Health Organization, said during a press conference the threat of bird flu spreading between humans was a “great concern,” since it’s evolved and has increasingly been infecting mammals (on land and sea), which means it could possibly spread to humans.

April 1 The CDC reported the second U.S. human case of bird flu in a Texas dairy farmer who became infected after contracting the virus from infected dairy cows, but said the person was already recovering.

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Can Bird Flu Spread Between Humans?

Bird flu doesn’t “transmit easily from person-to-person,” according to the World Health Organization. Bird flu rarely affects humans, and most previous cases came from close contact with infected poultry, according to the CDC. Because human-to-human spread of bird flu poses “pandemic potential,” each human case is investigated to rule out this type of infection. Though none have been confirmed, there are a few global cases—none in the U.S.—where human-to-human transmission of bird flu was thought to be “probable,” including in China , Thailand , Indonesia and Pakistan .

Is Bird Flu Fatal To Humans?

It is very deadly. Between January 2003 and March 28, 2024 there have been 888 human cases of bird flu infection in humans, according to a report by the World Health Organization. Of those 888 cases, 463 (52%) died. To date, only two people in the U.S. have contracted H5N1 bird flu, and they both were infected after coming into contact with sick animals. The most recent case was a dairy worker in Texas who became ill in March after interacting with sick dairy cows, though he only experienced pink eye. The first incident happened in 2022 when a person in Colorado contracted the disease from infected poultry, and fully recovered.

Is It Safe To Drink Milk Infected With Bird Flu?

Raw, unpasteurized milk is unsafe to drink, but pasteurized milk is fine, according to the FDA. Bird flu has been detected in both unpasteurized and pasteurized milk, but the FDA recommends manufacturers against making and selling unpasteurized milk since there’s a possibility consuming it may cause bird flu infection. However, the virus remnants in pasteurized milk have been deactivated by the heat during the pasteurization process , so this type of milk is still believed safe to consume.

Is It Safe To Consume Meat Infected With Bird Flu?

The CDC warns against eating raw meat or eggs from animals “confirmed or suspected” of having bird flu because of the possibility of transmission. However, no human has ever been infected with bird flu from eating properly prepared and cooked meat, according to the agency. The possibility of infected meat entering the food supply is “extremely low” due to rigorous inspection, so properly handled and cooked meat is safe to eat, according to the USDA. To know when meat is properly cooked, whole beef cuts must be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, ground meat must be 160 degrees and poultry must be cooked to 165 degrees. Rare and medium rare steaks fall below this temperature. Properly cooked eggs with an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills bacteria and viruses including bird flu, according to the CDC. “It doesn’t matter if they may or may not have [avian] influenza… runny eggs and rare pieces of meat” are never recommended, Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, director and professor for the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia, told Forbes. To “play it safe,” consumers should only eat fully cooked eggs and make sure “the yolks are firm with no runny parts,” Daisy May, veterinary surgeon with U.K.-based company Medivet, said .

What Are Bird Flu Symptoms In Humans?

Symptoms of bird flu include a fever, cough, headache, chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, runny nose, congestion, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, pink eye, muscle aches and headache. However, the CDC advises it can’t be diagnosed based on symptoms alone, and laboratory testing is needed. This typically includes swabbing the nose or throat (the upper respiratory tract), or the lower respiratory tract for critically ill patients.

How Is Bird Flu Affecting Egg Prices?

This year’s egg prices have increased as production decreased due to bird flu outbreaks among poultry, according to the USDA. A dozen large, grade A eggs in the U.S. costed around $2.99 in March, up almost a dollar from the fall. However, this price is down from a record $4.82 in January 2023, which was also spiked by bird flu outbreaks . Earlier this month, Cal-Maine Foods—the country’s largest egg producer—temporarily halted egg production after over one million egg-laying hens and chickens were killed after being infected with bird flu.

Why Do Poultry Farmers Kill Chickens With Bird Flu?

Once chickens have been infected with bird flu, farmers quickly kill them to help control the spread of the virus, since bird flu is highly contagious and fatal in poultry. The USDA pays farmers for all birds and eggs that have to be killed because of bird flu, as an incentive to responsibly try and curb the spread of the disease. The USDA has spent over $1 billion in bird flu compensation for farmers since 2022, according to the nonprofit Food & Environment Reporting Network.

Is There A Vaccine For The Bird Flu (h5n1)?

The FDA has approved a few bird flu vaccines for humans. The U.S. has a stockpile of vaccines for H5N1 bird flu, but it wouldn’t be enough to vaccinate all Americans if an outbreak were to happen among humans. If a human outbreak does occur, the government plans to mass produce vaccines, which can take at least six months to make enough for the entire population. CSL Seqirus, the maker of one of the approved vaccines, expects to have 150 million vaccines ready within six months of an announcement of a human bird flu pandemic. Although there are approved vaccines for other variants designed for birds, there are none for the H5N1 variant circulating. However, the USDA began trials on H5N1 animal-specific vaccines in 2023.

Key Background

As of May 30, more than 92 million poultry (primarily chickens) in 48 states have been euthanized because of bird flu since 2022, and 57 dairy cow herds across nine states have tested positive, according to data from the CDC (unlike chickens, cows appear to recover from the virus). The USDA believes wild migratory birds are the original source of the cow outbreaks that recently has experts concerned it may mutate and spread more easily in humans, though the CDC said its risk to the public remains low . Farrar called the cattle infections in the U.S. a “huge concern,” urging public health officials to continue closely monitoring the situation “because it may evolve into transmitting in different ways.” The increased number of mammal bird flu infections since 2022 “could indicate that the virus is looking for new hosts, and of course, moving closer to people,” Andrea Garcia, vice president of science, medicine and public health for the American Medical Association, said . The first report of a walrus dying from bird flu was detected in April on one of Norway’s Arctic Islands, and the first U.S. dolphin infected with bird flu died back in 2022, according to a report published April 18. More than 10 human bird flu cases were reported to the World Health Organization in 2023, and all but one survived. Bird flu has devastated bird populations, and 67 countries reported the deaths of 131 million poultry in 2022 alone. Although bird flu typically infects wild birds and poultry, it’s spread to other animals during the outbreak, and at least 10 countries have reported outbreaks in mammals since 2022. Around 17,400 elephant seal pups died from bird flu in Argentina in 2023, and at least 24,000 sea lions died in South America the same year. Besides cattle, bird flu has been detected in over 200 other mammals—like seals, raccoons and bears—in the U.S. since 2022. Although rare, even domestic pets like dogs and cats are susceptible to the virus, and the FDA warns against giving unpasteurized milk to cats to avoid possible transmission.

Further Reading

WHO Warns Threat Of Bird Flu Spreading To Humans Is ‘Great Concern’ (Forbes)

One In Five Milk Samples From Across US Had Traces Of Bird Flu Virus, FDA Says (Forbes)

Can Pets Get Bird Flu? Here’s What To Know (Forbes)

Avian H5N1 (Bird) Flu: Why Experts Are Worried—And What You Should Know (Forbes)

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