This year, 2018, marks the 100-year anniversary of the signing of our own Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It’s because of this treaty that many bird species—including some for which Maine is well known—are still with us. In fact, without the MBTA, species such as the Common Eider and Wood Duck likely would have disappeared from Read More
birds
Creature Feature: Common Eider
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) Cool Fact: Female eiders often combine their chicks together into larger nursery groups called “crèches” and collectively watch over them. As noted in a recent blog post, 2018 has been designated The Year of the Bird in celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the enactment of the historic Migratory Bird Treaty Read More
We Can’t Bring Extinct Species Back. It’s Our Duty to Protect Them Now.
By Jeff Wells, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed Since the age of 5, my son has been able to identify a bald eagle when one perches or flies near our house in Maine. Forty years ago, this would not have been the case, as Maine’s population had declined to only 30 nesting Read More
Maine’s Puffin Colonies Produce Record Number of Chicks — and They’re Chubby Too
The bonanza of chicks is good news for the vulnerable seabirds. by Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press Portland Press Herald news story Puffins face existential challenges, but the little birds found a new role in Maine this summer: baby boomers. The 2017 nesting season was the most productive on record for a group of vulnerable Read More
New Law Bans Lead Fishing Tackle to Protect Loons
By The Associated Press Bangor Daily News news story A new Maine law bans lead fishing tackle in hopes of protecting loons. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says keeping lead fishing weights out of Maine waters will better the birds’ survival and spur population growth across the Northeast. Ingesting lead fishing tackle is Read More
Black-backed Woodpeckers and Other Birds in Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
As you now, Maine’s Katahdin Woods and Waters (KWW) National Monument has been in the news again recently. While Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was doing a tour of the area, we decided to make another visit, on the same day. The birding opportunities in the Monument are so bountiful, but to keep this blog manageable, Read More
My Maine This Week: Loons by Linda Woods
“In between this weekend’s raindrops, I was able to capture some photos of this pair of loons near a loon nesting box on Pattee’s Pond in Winslow.” Photo by NRCM member Linda Woods of Winslow, Maine To see past My Maine This Week photos, or to submit a photo of your own to be featured Read More
My Maine This Week: Pam Wells
Did you know that Saturday, May 13 was International Migratory Bird Day? “Migration is on the run! Yeah! Many warblers have to Wells Forest in the last few days,” writes longtime NRCM member Pam Wells of Old Town, Maine, who shared these photos of some of her visitors over the weekend. To see past My Read More
My Maine This Week: Dave Small
“Watching nature do what nature does can be very entertaining. Seeing wildlife and geographic shows on television, considering vast improvements in photographic technology, can be a breath-taking experience. Seeing it first hand, and providing your own story line has its own remarkable rewards. It’s with those thoughts that I share my weekly NatureShots photo files Read More
