Maine Birding Trail National Wildlife Refuges and State for Information Visit Parks
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the Regions Travel Resources MAINE of Maine Birding Maine Office of Tourism can supply information on wildlife The most forested state in America The Maine Beaches touring opportunities, guides, outfitters, lodging and other TRAIL also has one of the longest Long sand beaches and amusements. Notable birds: Piping services. For in-depth information visit www.visitmaine.com coastlines and hundreds of Plover, Least Tern, Harlequin or call 888-MAINE61 (888-624-6361). Aroostook County lakes and mountains. Duck, and Upland Sandpiper. The birds like the variety. Greater Portland Regional contact information appears on each of the maps and Casco Bay contained within this Guide. So will you. Home of Maine’s largest city and Scarborough Marsh. Notable Other helpful resources: birds: Roseate Tern and Sharp- tailed Sparrow. • Maine Audubon Midcoast Region Offering nature-based programs, trips, and Extraordinary state parks, islands, events for all ages. and sailing. Notable birds: Atlantic For information visit www.maineaudubon.org Puffin and Roseate Tern. or call 207-781-2330 Downeast and Acadia Land of Acadia National Park, • Maine Birding Trail national wildlife refuges and state For information visit www.mainebirdingtrail.com parks. Notable birds: Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, and Spruce • Maine Department of Agriculture, The Maine Highlands - Grouse. Bangor, Katahdin, Conservation & Forestry Maine Lakes and For information visit www.maine.gov/doc/parks Moosehead Lake Mountains or call 207-287-3821 Ski country, waterfalls, scenic nature and solitude. Notable birds: Common Loon, Philadelphia • Maine Department of Inland The Vireo, and Boreal Chickadee. Fisheries and Wildlife Kennebec Downeast For information visit www.maine.gov/ifw Valley and Acadia The Kennebec Valley Great hiking, white-water rafting or call 207-287-8000 Maine Lakes and the Old Canada Road scenic and Mountains byway. Notable birds: Warbler, • Maine’s National Wildlife Refuges Gray Jay, Crossbill, and Bicknell’s Offering trails and interpretive programs. Thrush. Contact U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at www.fws.gov The Maine Highlands - Bangor, Katahdin, Moosehead Lake The Maine Guides have a rich heritage of safely leading visitors Midcoast Region Site of Moosehead Lake and Mt. into remote areas in the state. For more information contact: Katahdin in Baxter State Park. Notable birds: Spruce Grouse, and • Maine Professional Guides Association Black-backed Woodpecker. Greater Portland www.maineguides.org and Casco Bay Aroostook County Rich Acadian culture, expansive • Maine Association of Sea Kayaking w. e. agriculture and rivers. Notable Guides and Instructors birds: Three-toed Woodpecker, Pine Grosbeak, and Crossbill. www.maskgi.org The Maine Beaches s. • Maine Wilderness Guides Organization www.mwgo.org 0510 15 20 25 30 Scale of Miles Philadelphia Vireo, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, maine Bicknell’s Thrush, and a variety of warblers. Both of the Legend secretive Sharp-tailed Sparrow species are late nesters and are reasonably easy to see through July. Atlantic Hiking Contents Puffins, Razorbills, and Arctic Terns are also reliable irding Restrooms B finds on offshore islands through the period. When trail the woods go quiet in August, the focus shifts to the Handicapped accessible 1. Maine Birding Information exceptional shorebirding at select locations all along the Picnic facilities It’s no secret that Maine is one of North America’s top Maine coast. At times thousands of migrating shorebirds Fee charged 2. Legend birding destinations. For breeding warblers, boreal of a dozen or more species can be found, providing specialties, and birds of coastal and offshore waters, identification challenges for birders of all abilities. 3. The Maine Beaches Maine offers unmatched opportunities to find some of ● ● ● J F M ● ● ● ● ● ● A M J J A S ● ● ●O N D the country’s most sought-after species. Spanning both Forest songbirds begin flocking in August, and their fall Optimal viewing months 5. Greater Portland and Casco Bay the forest transition zone from deciduous to coniferous migration builds and peaks in September. Offshore woodlands, and the coastal transition zone from sandy islands and the ends of peninsulas often attract spectacular 9. Midcoast Region beaches and saltmarsh estuaries to rocky shore, Maine concentrations of these migrants, with warblers again Acknowledgments provides a wide range of habitats for birds, many of often stealing the show, and the attendant Sharp-shinned 14. Downeast and Acadia which reach their northern or southern range limit Hawks and Merlins keeping everything moving. Maine’s Bob Duchesne conducted the principle research, here. This diversity is reflected in a state list of regularly protracted fall migration period continues well through writing and mapping. 19. Maine Lakes and Mountains occurring birds that now numbers over 330 species. October into November as waterfowl, grebes, loons, alcids, and a variety of gulls take up winter residence along the PHOTO CREDITS: Inside bird images, Garth McElroy, 23. The Kennebec Valley Birding in Maine is a year-round activity. Spring migration coast. Among the 32 waterfowl species that regularly occur www.featheredfotos.com; Snowy owl photo on cover Cynthia is long, with the hardiest species arriving as the snow begins in Maine annually is the spectacular Harlequin Duck, Farr-Weinfeld, www.cfwphotography.com. 25. The Maine Highlands - Bangor, melting in early March and continuing well into early June which now can readily be found at an increasing number Katahdin, Moosehead Lake with a final northward push of shorebirds. The songs of of sites through the winter. Although land birds can be mixed sparrow flocks and the distinctive display-flight scarce during the coldest winter months, the possibility 29. Aroostook County sounds of American Woodcock in early April are welcome of finding a Rough-legged Hawk, Snowy Owl, Northern notes to this eagerly awaited season. Blue-headed Vireos, Shrike, Bohemian Waxwing, or a flock of one of the 31. Code of Birding Ethics Hermit Thrushes, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and other vocal “northern finches” that irrupt periodically here always passerines make their presence known soon thereafter, makes birding outings well worthwhile. 31. Travel Tips accompanied by hawks that pour into the state through the month. Highlighting the spring migration for birders are Rural, extensively forested, studded with thousands of water 32. Travel Resources the warblers: beginning with the first Palms and Pines in bodies and rivers that drain to a deeply indented coastline, late April and finishing with the late-arriving Mournings Maine invites exploring for birds. Visiting the sites listed 33. Birds of Maine Checklist in late May, the warbler migration is center stage at many in this brochure should provide the traveling birder with of the most popular—and most accessible—birding sites many opportunities to find most of the species that regularly around the state. A good morning at one of these sites can occur in the state over the course of a year. These sites tally 22 or more warbler species. Shorebirds build in are among the state’s best known and representative number through May, peaking during its last week. birding locations. There are many others, however, and a careful look at detailed maps, coupled with an effort to June and July are alive with breeding activity. Time seek out local knowledge of where to find birds, will also This guide is abridged from The Official Guide to the spent hiking mountain trails and exploring the spruce- be rewarding. Building public awareness in the value of Maine Birding Trail, published by Down East Books, fir and mixed woods of the Northern Forest provides birding tourism—and being respectful of both private 2009. The Official Guide contains hundreds of additional opportunities to find such target birds as Spruce Grouse, property and the birds themselves—helps advance the sites, maps, and tips for birding Maine in all seasons. Cover Photos: Snowy owl Biddeford Pool, Maine Black-backed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, efforts to conserve our birdlife. Available at www.downeastbooks.com 1 2 Map A THE MAINE BEACHES 3. Marginal Way 5. Kennebunk Plains Wildlife THE MAINE BEACHES Management Area map a Marginal Way in Ogunquit is a narrow, paved, mile-long 1. Fort Foster footpath that hugs the rocky shoreline. It is extraordinary Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area protects a any time of year. In winter, Harlequin Ducks and Purple sand plain ecotype that is home to unusual grassland species Fort Foster in Kittery sits on Gerrish Island overlooking Sandpipers can be plentiful and all of the sea ducks are seldom encountered elsewhere in the state, including 1 Saco a large expanse of ocean and tidal river. This is a good possible. The path is lined with low shrubs, making it Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrows, Upland Sandpipers, 202 95 9 migrant trap in spring and fall, and a winter place to look ideal for sparrows, mockingbirds, and cardinals any time Prairie Warblers, Eastern Towhees, and Brown Thrashers. 111 Biddeford Biddeford for alcids, sea ducks, and Purple Sandpipers. This is the of year and migrating passerines in spring and fall. May be Important: stay on dirt trails. 1 9 Pool site of a fort that protected the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard icy in winter. Sanford 35 6 through both World Wars. The park gate is closed from late directions: fall to late spring, but birders may park at the gate and directions: From Route 1, turn west on Route 9A (High Street), then in 0.3 miles turn right 99 From Route 1 in Cape Neddick, follow Route 1A south 0.9 miles. Turn left on Shore onto Route 99. Follow for 4.2 miles and look for the parking areas on both 5 Kennebunk walk in during the off-season. May be icy in winter. Road in Ogunquit and proceed 4.6 miles to a hard right turn onto Perkins Cove Road. sides of the road. 9A directions: From Route 1 in Ogunquit, follow Shore Road 0.8 miles south to the entrance to 9 Kennebunkport ● ● ● ●J F M A ● ● ● ● ● ● M J J A S O ● ●N D 95 4 From Route 1 in Kittery, follow 103 east 3.5 miles.