Introduction to Winter Birding in Maine

Introduction to Winter Birding in Maine

Sunday, January 31st.  9:00am – 12pm. Meets at Kettle Cove, Cape Elizabeth

Instructor Bio

Derek Lovitch has made a career out of his lifelong passion for birds. After graduating with a degree in environmental policy from Rutgers University, he worked in avian research and education projects in all corners of the continent. Derek and his wife, Jeannette, live in Durham, Maine, and they own and operate Freeport Wild Bird Supply, a retail store that caters to birders of all levels since founding it in 2004. The store serves as a vehicle for Derek to continue sharing his enthusiasm for birding, birds, and bird conservation.

Derek has written three books: How To Be a Better Birder (Princeton University Press, 2012), Birdwatching in Maine: A Site Guide (University Press of New England, 2017 and the revised second edition Birdwatching in Maine: The Complete Site Guide (Brandeis University Press, 2024). He has worked as a tour guide throughout North America, currently focusing on Northern New England, with a growing emphasis with introducing people to the joys of birding and building their skills.

Workshop Description

There’s great birding at all seasons in Maine, and mid-winter is no exception. By visiting several seasonally-productive sites along Maine’s southern coast (with a few short to moderate-length walks at each), we’ll compare similar species while taking time to savor the splashes of color offered by winter seaducks in an otherwise gray and white landscape. Seaducks that breed in the high Arctic grace our shorelines – including all three scoter species and dapper Long-tailed Ducks, along with everyone’s favorite: striking Harlequin Ducks. Purple Sandpipers and Great Cormorants replace our summertime shoreline denizens. While possibilities include sought-after alcids, like Razorbills, we’ll spend more time focusing on the basics of common waterbird identification.

Directions: We’ll meet in the parking lot of Kettle Cove State Park, at the end of Kettle Cove Road off of Route 77 in Cape Elizabeth.

This is the first in a new series of workshops which focuses on how to get started in the world of bird-watching. We’ll cover the basics, starting with how to efficiently use binoculars, and learning how to really observe birds in a way that will build a toolkit for identifying and enjoying the avian delights around us. If you have never “really been birding” or are looking to get a handle on the basic skills necessary to advance, this series is for you! There is no question too basic; it’s a judgement-free zone! We can even answer “what the heck is birding?”

By taking advantage of seasonal hotspots, we’ll look at whatever is around us. Our goal is to learn how to observe; how to watch. We learn the most about birds by watching them, with binoculars, as opposed to staring at static images or buried in a viewfinder. Therefore, please leave your camera at home (or in the car), and binoculars are a must. Down East Adventures offers a wonderful series of Photography Tours, and our Monhegan Birding Weekend absolutely welcomes cameras. However, for this series, we are focused on putting the watching back in bird-watching!

The workshops are stand-alone, so you need not attend all three, but each will cover some new skills. Most of us need to hear things more than once to retain and apply new knowledge, so there will be some intentional redundancy for reinforcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What about transportation?

Participants are responsible for their own transportation, and if we relocate during the morning, carpooling from our first site will be highly encouraged.

What should I wear?

The most recommended piece of gear is a pair of sturdy waterproof footwear, with mud likely during outings. For colder weather outings, we like to layer, which usually means a base layer of synthetic, fast-wicking material, and warm fleece or soft shell. On some outings, sites we are likely to visit will not have shade, so light, loose-fitting clothing and a wide-brimmed hat are useful on warmer days. Other suggested items are found below.

• • Insect repellant
  • Sunscreen
  • Waterproof outerwear

What happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate?

The trip will only be canceled if road conditions are unsafe or expected to become unsafe before the conclusion of the tour, or if storms are so likely as to make conditions “unbirdable” for the duration of the outing.

What equipment do you recommend I bring?

• Binoculars
• No Cameras
• Spotting scope(optional)
  
• Notebook and writing implement
• Sibley’s Birds East field guide (the paper one, not the app).
• Waterproof footwear or shoes that you don’t mind getting wet or muddy

Cancellations

The payment is 50% refundable in the event you have to cancel, as long as the cancellation is made 21 days before the trip. After that time, your payment is non-refundable. Alternately, 100% of your payment will be refunded if a replacement can be found prior to the trip.

This workshop needs a minimum of three participants. In the event the minimum is not met, we may cancel or offer to move you to a different workshop.

Photo Credit

Many thanks to Dennis Harris for the wonderful photos taken during the 2022 workshop!