Back Cove in Winter

maine, nature, landscape

Hands down, one of my favorite places to bird in all of Maine is Portland’s Back Cove. Making a complete loop is always satisfying in some way, and just over three miles of walking creates in me a sense of accomplishment, but not exhaustion. Though it’s beautiful all year round, winter on the cove is […]

Winter at Popham Beach

maine, beach, coast

Most people think of beaches as summer destination spots. Sun, surf, and sand meet colorful towels and beach blankets as kids belly flop into the waves. However, during the winter months beaches become my favorite go-to destinations for a different reason: the birds. Popham Beach State Park remains open all year round (though certain days […]

Birding Knight’s Pond Preserve

maine, nature, travel, birding

Knight’s Pond has been a staple of my childhood since my family moved back to Southern Maine when I was 12. Shallow, with an outcropping of marsh vegetation in the center, Knight’s Pond freezes into the perfect skating pond every winter. Why have I never liked rink skating? Because swooshing perfect loops around Knight’s Pond was always […]

It’s that time of year again! The annual Christmas bird counts have nearly begun.

In the 1800’s, Americans would celebrate the Christmas holiday by heading to the fields and woods with their guns, killing as many  birds as they possibly could in order to “win” the competition with their friends and neighbors. You can imagine the toll the hunting took on local avian populations; as a result, in 1900 […]