Some dads get ties for Father’s Day. Some get tools. Jeff wanted a Lincoln’s Sparrow. Those first two gifts are pretty much guaranteed: we’ve never heard of a store running out of ties or power drills. Just check your friendly neighborhood store. On the other hand, acquiring a Lincoln’s Sparrow takes some effort. Since we Read More
Birding with Jeff and Allison
Do you enjoy watching and learning about birds? In “Birding with Jeff and Allison Wells,” these two lifelong birders share their birding adventures, knowledge, stories, and enthusiasm for birds. Jeff, National Audubon Vice President of Boreal Conservation and a Fellow of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is one of the nation's leading bird experts and conservation biologists, and is author of Birder’s Conservation Handbook. Allison Childs Wells, formerly of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and now Senior Director of Public Affairs at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, is a widely published natural history writer and birder. Jeff and Allison are coauthors of the books, Maine’s Favorite Birds and Birds of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao: A Site and Field Guide from Cornell Press.
Wowed by Warblers
Some days are better than others. That’s true when it comes to birding (though there’s no such thing as a bad day of birding), and it’s definitely true when it comes to warbler watching. Any opportunity to avoid the dreaded “warbler neck” (the cramping that comes from staring up at these tiny birds as they Read More
Maine’s Most Adaptable Bird?
We were captivated one recent evening by the songs of American Robins. As we listened to their carols echoing around our neighborhood during a lull in the rain showers, we started thinking about how adaptable robins are. We’d seen small flocks here and there over the winter, and just last week saw them in Florida Read More
Maine Birding Big Year: Update from the Field
Earlier in the year, we shared that we’ve decided to pursue a “mindfulness birding” Maine Big Year in 2019, keeping track of the different species we identify (by sight or sound) in the state. We noted, you may recall, that people who compete in Big Years do so with the hope of breaking a record. Read More
Sparrows Celebrate First Day of Spring & World Sparrow Day with Impromptu Concerts
We woke up this morning to the thin, quivery whistles of the “Old Sam Peabody” song of one of the two White-throated Sparrows that have made it through the entire winter in our yard. The songs were not the strong, perfect version that we all know as a quintessential sound of summer in Maine but Read More
Mindfulness Birding: Our Maine Big Year
Mindfulness birding. That’s how we’re describing our Maine Big Year. The Natural Resources Council of Maine has worked hard to protect many beautiful areas throughout Maine, covering a range of habitats that are important to hundreds of species of birds that breed in our state or pass through during migration. Maine is a terrific place Read More
Maine Bird Enthusiasts: Let’s Bird Hard for the Great Backyard Bird Count
With the Great Backyard Bird Count taking place Friday (Feb. 15) through Monday (Feb. 18), we bird enthusiasts—and we know there are many among supporters of the Natural Resources Council of Maine—have a great excuse to get out (or stay in!) for some extra birding. That’s because the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) invites everyone, Read More
Celebrating National Wild Bird Feeding Month
Millions of Americans – ourselves included – enjoy feeding and watching birds up close. In celebration of these fascinating creatures and the activity that provides us with an opportunity to get to know, February is National Wild Bird Feeding Month. We thought we’d celebrate it with members and supporters of the Natural Resources Council of Read More
