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| Freeport Wild Bird Supply is pleased to announce an expanded selection of travel, tours, workshops, and other outings. We look forward to additional offerings in the near future. As soon as trips and programs are scheduled, they will be added here. And don't forget to join us for a free local birdwalk every Saturday at 8:00am. |
| 2010 Poor Man's Pelagic Series Five dates this summer and fall - see below. Cost: 4-5 hours on the water for only $40!!!! After seven superbly successful outings in 2009, our “Poor Man’s Pelagic” series returns for 2010 aboard Odyssey Whale Watch in Portland. Basically, the deal is that Derek will join the Marine Mammal Expert and Spotter aboard the boat, and will focus on the detection and identification of seabirds aboard the regularly-scheduled whale watch outings, leaving at 10:00am and returning around 2:00pm (EXCEPT June 12 which leaves at 12:30pm and returns around 4:30pm), for about 4 hours of pelagic birding! That's right, 4 hours for a mere $40!!! But yes, there is a catch. For one thing, we will not be chumming. And secondly, these are primarily whale-watching trips - we won't be able to spin the boat around for a rare shearwater, or move in for a closer look. (Of course, if enough of us go, we may have a little more influence over the Captain, but no promises!) As you know, whale-watching trips can produce excellent bird sightings, even without the dedicated effort of a chartered pelagic trip, and, for TBA bucks, well, you get the idea! The dates are (subject to change at this time): June 12 (Saturday): 12:30pm. July 22 (Thursday) August 17 (Tuesday) September 12 (Sunday) October 6 (Wednesday) So, here's what you do. It's simple. Just contact Freeport Wild Bird Supply to find out how you save $7 off the regular whale-watching ticket price of $47. Then, contact Odyssey directly at http://www.odysseywhalewatch.com/ to make your reservation. While reservations are not required, they are suggested, as these boats can fill up fast. But, if any space remains, walk-ons are welcome at the same bargain pricing! (Please arrive a half-hour early on the date of the trip if you still need to purchase a ticket) So, that's it - cheap, easy, and flexible. Now, all we need are for the birds to cooperate! |
| A Fall Week on Monhegan with Derek and WINGS Saturday 9/25 - Saturday 10/2. Join Derek and Will Russell on Monhegan during the height of fall migration for a full week of searching the island for regular migrants, rarities, and vagrants. For complete information, including lodging arrangements and a complete itinerary, visit the WINGS website: http://wingsbirds.com/tours/view/206. Read Will Russell’s narrative from the fall trip here (http://wingsbirds.com/tours/narrative/206) and view the complete birdlist (http://wingsbirds.com/birdLists/birdlist/206). |
| Monhegan Migration Weekend 2010 Saturday 10/2 - Monday 10/4 Cost - Per diem; see below. Join Derek on Monhegan during the height of migration for 1-3 days searching the island for regular visitors, rarities, and vagrants. This is a casual outing, with boat and hotel reservations, as well as meals, on your own. Although we are likely to eat meals together, we'll have more flexibility on rooming and eating arrangements this way. Also, you can come and go as you please, based on whatever boat and departure times and locations suit you best. Sign up for 1,2, or 3 days. Cost - $40 per person, per day for one day, or $30 per day per person for multiple days. Once again, we’ll be staying at the Trailing Yew (although folks are welcome, as always, to stay elsewhere) We have blocked off rooms for 12 people at this time, with the possibility of adding more rooms if we need them. Reservations are made through the Trailing Yew, at: Please call (207) 596-6194. Office hours: 9:00am-noon, 3:00pm-5:00pm. While we don’t have a group rate, the excellent prices INCLUDES a home cooked DINNER, PLUS breakfast. Rates are $100 for single occupancy, and $170 for double occupancy, per night. While we do lose a little flexibility for our meal times here, we get a great dinner for less than $25 (and less than $10 per couple, as compared to staying at the Monhegan House)! Remember, you do not have to stay or eat with us, but of course, your company is most welcome! There will also be less people sharing each bath (approx 1 bath per 5 rooms), which will make early morning starts a little more convenient. Coffee and tea are also available before breakfast, to fuel those first couple of hours of birding. (http://www.trailingyew.com/). Derek will already be on the island, leading is WINGS tour, so the weekend will “officially” begin at dinnertime on Friday, the 1st, with the first walk leaving the Yew at dawn on Saturday, the 2nd. He will be returning to Port Clyde on Monday, via the 4:30pm ferry. (www.monheganboat.com). The other option is the Hardy Boat, out of New Harbor: http://www.hardyboat.com/ or the Balmy Days out of Boothbay. Last year's outing was highlighted by Clay-colored Sparrows, a Lark Sparrow, a great raptor show, a White-eyed Vireo, a Grasshopper Sparrow, and an amazing show of Greater and Cory’s Shearwaters. Here are Derek’s blog entries from the past three years to see what you have been missing!: 2009: http://maineoutdoorjournal.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=15553 2008: http://maineoutdoorjournal.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=8207 2007: http://maineoutdoorjournal.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=5399 Don’t miss this year’s excitement! Please sign up, and make your hotel reservations soon. The trip is limited to 15 people. The co-leader will be announced shortly. If a co-leader cannot be found, the trip will be limited to 10 participants. |
| Dedicated 6-Hour Pelagic aboard Odyssey Sat. 10/23: 9:00am to 3:00pm. Cost TBA Thanks to the success of the Poor Man's Pelagics Series in 2009 (great turnout, and great birds!), we are extremely excited to announce another DEDICATED birding trip aboard Odyssey Whale Watch in Portland. We're calling this our "exploratory" pelagic, because it has been a very, very long time (ever?) since a pelagic has been run this late in the season from Portland. Our hope is for jaegers, Great Skua, alcids - including, perhaps, Atlantic Puffin and Dovekie? - and Great Skua. Did I mention Great Skua? But really, we don't know what to expect, but at this bargain price - INCLUDING 4 EXPERT SPOTTERS AND CHUM! - why not give it a try? This is a very exciting opportunity, and at this price, it's one that cannot be missed! Contact Odyssey Whale Watch (http://www.odysseywhalewatch.com/) or call (207)775-0727 for reservations. ALL RESERVATIONS are being handled by the good folks at Odyssey, no special passwords or arrangements necessary - just give them a call! |
| ANTARCTICA!!! November 4-22, 2010 (Hurry!) Derek (on board as one of the birding guides as a representative for WINGS) and Jeannette are travelling with Oceanwide Expeditions on a 19-day cruise between Tierra del Fuego and the Antarctic Peninsula! Join us! This trip leaves Ushuaia, Argentina on Nov. 4th and returns on Nov. 22nd, travelling through the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Orkney Islands, South Shetland Islands, and finally the Antarctic Peninsula. This itinerary is an amazing combination of time at sea and on land. Opportunities to observe multiple species of albatross, petrels, shearwater, and whales will be abundant from the ship. On land, we will visit the colonies of fur seals, penguins, albatross and other seabirds. But, this trip is not just about the wildlife. There will also be ample opportunity to learn about the exploration history and culture of the region with visits to villages on some of the islands, both occupied and abandoned. For a more detailed itinerary, see http://www.oceanwide-expeditions.com/trip/show/PLA21-2 . For booking information, contact WINGS at: wings@wingbirds.com or 888-293-6443 (toll-free). We know this is short-notice, but this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity cannot be missed! |
| Woodcocks Gone Wild! at Pineland Farms Saturday, April 9: 6:30pm Cost - $5 per person. Join us for our annual evening outing to Pineland Farms in New Gloucester for the sky-dancing of the American Woodcock. Witness the spectacular show as this cryptic and secretive species erupts in a swirling and twirling display of sound and flight. Displaying Wilson's Snipe are also possible. Meet at 6:30pm at the "Wax Room," below the Visitor's Center at Pineland Farms. We'll caravan onto the farm for a short walk to our favored viewing location. Bring a light-weight chair if you wish. Pre-registration is not required. The rain date will be 4/16 |
| Michigan: Migration in the Upper Peninsula with Derek and WINGS. April 21 - 27, 2011 This tour visits one of the most beautiful and sparsely populated areas in North America at near the time of peak migration for a number of enigmatic families of birds. Waterbirds (especially ducks, Red-throated and Common Loons, and Red-necked Grebes), Owls (Great Gray, Long-eared, Northern Hawk, Northern Saw-whet, Snowy, and Boreal), and diurnal raptors (especially Rough-legged Hawk, and Bald and Golden Eagle, and maybe even a Gyrfalcon) are on the move, and the Upper Peninsula is perfectly positioned to catch and funnel these species to specific concentration points. The vanguard of passerines are also on the migrating, in particular irruptive finches such as White-winged and Red Crossbill, Pine Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak, and Common and Hoary Redpolls as well as Northern Shrikes, Bohemian Waxwings, Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs plus the first longer-distance migrants such as a variety of sparrows. Furthermore, a number of resident species, such as Spruce and Sharp-tailed Grouse and Black-backed and possibly American Three-toed Woodpecker are active, and displaying males (especially the grouse) can be surprisingly conspicuous. We’ll spend much of our time at the migration hotspots of the famous Whitefish Point and the Keweenaw Peninsula, enjoying the spectacle of migration from hawk- and lake-watches. In between, we’ll scour the boreal forest for residents such as the two woodpeckers, Gray Jay, and Boreal Chickadee. Wintering waterfowl, “white-winged” gulls, and other resident species will also be targeted. There’s plenty of opportunity to chase rarities – from either side of the continent – and take advantage of concentrations of irruptive species. We’ll be applying the disciplines of geography, ecology (habitat), and meteorology to guide our birding efforts, and you can expect to take home many new skills to apply to your neck of the woods. There are few “guarantees” to be honest, with a trip based on irruptions and migration, but by covering a diverse array of habitats, and putting us in the best locations for the best birding, I have little doubt that this tour will yield a variety of birds and new knowledge and that every year will be different. To learn more, including viewing a prospective bird list, and to register, visit: http://wingsbirds.com/tours/michigan-migration-upper-peninsula/ |
| Monhegan Spring Weekend TBA Cost - $40/$30 (see below) We are pleased to announce this NEW spring tour, following the successful format of our annual fall Monhegan Migration Weekend! Join Derek on Monhegan during the height of migration for 1-5 days searching the island for regular visitors, rarities, and vagrants. This is a casual outing, with boat and hotel reservations, as well as meals, on your own. Although we are likely to eat meals together, we'll have more flexibility on rooming and eating arrangements this way. Also, you can come and go as you please, based on whatever boat and departure times and locations suit you best. Sign up for 1,2,3, or 4 days. Late May is a fantastic time to visit Maine’s Monhegan Island. Warblers in their summer finery are pouring through the Northeast, and many will drift over the Gulf of Maine on their nocturnal flights. Come dawn, the birds seek refuge on land, and Monhegan Island is perfectly positioned to catch arrivals. Rapidly changing weather conditions can result in massive “fallouts” of tired migrants, many of which will forage in the rocks on the shoreline. The possibility of overshoots from the south and vagrants from almost any direction adds icing to the cake of the fantastic birding afforded by this quaint little island. Once again, we’ll be staying at the rustic Trailing Yew will be our home for the week, featuring delicious breakfasts and home-cooked dinners. Our comfortable European-style accommodations only enhance the “turn-back-the-clock” mystique of the Mohegan Island experience (although folks are welcome, as always, to stay elsewhere, but there isn’t much open this early in the year). We have blocked off rooms for 12 people at this time (under “Derek Lovitch”), with the possibility of adding more rooms if we need them. Reservations are made through the Trailing Yew, at: Please call (207) 596-6194. Office hours: 9:00am-noon, 3:00pm-5:00pm. While we don’t have a group rate, the excellent prices INCLUDES a home cooked DINNER, PLUS breakfast. Rates are TBA for single occupancy, and TBA for double occupancy, per night. While we do lose a little flexibility for our meal times here, we get a great dinner for less than $25! Remember, you do not have to stay or eat with us, but of course, your company is most welcome! Coffee and tea are also available before breakfast, to fuel those first couple of hours of birding. (http://www.trailingyew.com/). With room and travel arrangements made on your own, the cost for this trip is only $40 per person for one day, or $30 per person per day for multiple days. |
| Maine and New Hampshire Tour with Derek and WINGS June 18-27, 2011. Join Derek on this comprehensive Maine-New Hampshire tour for WINGS. 179 species were recorded on his 2010 tour, including including 20 species of warblers, 9 species of flycatchers, 7 species of thrushes, 5 species of terns, 5 species of vireos, and 4 species of alcids. Some of the highlights included a great Roseate Tern show over the beach, an exceptional Upland Sandpiper performance in a blueberry barren, a 4th-state record Eared Grebe at a sewage pond, digiscoped photos of Bicknell’s Thrushes in the stunted spruce on Mount Washington, a juvenile Black-backed Woodpecker, a Spruce Grouse hen with chicks, pelagics off of Bar Harbor, and of course – Machias Seal Island. Other sought-after species seen in 2010 included Razorbill, Common Murre, Arctic Tern, American Pipit, Mourning Warbler, Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows, and White-winged and Red Crossbills. And of course, we'll see a lot of great places, and enjoy plenty of food - including plenty of lobster, if you so desire! Here's the itinerary and other details: http://wingsbirds.com/tours/view/111. Also be sure to check out the 2010 trip report and species list for this amazing trip! |
| The Birds of Casco Bay Aboard the Lucky Catch Sunday, July TBA. 8:00am to 11:00pm. Cost - TBA Join us for this very popular annual outing aboard the Lucky Catch. We'll enjoy the space, comfort, and speed of their new boat, as we motor on out to the tern breeding colony on Outer Green Island. There we'll look for Roseate (a record 15 pairs nested here in 2010) and Arctic Terns among the hundreds of pairs of Common Terns. We’ll also check out hotspots around the bay itself as time permits, where we’ll be looking for migrant shorebirds and lingering waterfowl, and enjoy other breeding species such as Black Guillemots and Common Eiders. We'll check out basking Harbor Seals, and look for a Gray Seal or two among them. We'll also visit a couple of Osprey nests, and we are likely to see the local breeding pair of Peregrine Falcons under the Casco Bay Bridge. Previous outings have yielded White-winged Scoter, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and Bridled Tern! And, most trips produce Wilson’s Storm-Petrel and Northern Gannet as well. |
| Birding by Schooner! July 2013 Join Derek and Jeannette aboard the Schooner Lewis R. French, America's Oldest Windjammer (and National Historic Landmark) for a truly unique birding experience. Enjoy peace, quiet, and tranquility (and environmental friendliness!)of wind-powered locomotion as we spend a week aboard the French enjoying great food, lots of rest and relaxation, and some great birding! We'll visit multiple seabird breeding colonies (Eastern Egg Rock, Matinicus Rock, Seal Island, and/or Petit Manan Island - wind and weather permitting, of course), to place us among thousands of breeding seabirds, including Atlantic Puffins, Common Murres, and Razorbills. Roseate, Common, and Arctic Terns will be seen, along with other local breeding species from Common Eiders, Black Guillemots, and Bald Eagles. In the open waters, we'll be on the lookout for Greater, Sooty, Manx, and perhaps even Cory's Shearwater, along with Leach's and Wilson's Storm-petrels. We will also hope for Parasitic Jaegers, and perhaps a surprise such as a South Polar Skua or the Red-billed Tropicbird that has spend much of the last four summers in the Seal Island - Matinicus Rock area and which put on a truly extraordinary show for us on our 2010 trip! Conditions permitting, we'll spend at least one day chumming offshore to bring seabirds in close, and we'll also spend a few hours looking for breeding birds on Monhegan Island - such as Carolina Wrens and a variety of warblers - and/or elsewhere on short land-based excursions. For more information, visit the Schooner French's website: http://www.schoonerfrench.com/birding.htm and http://www.schoonerfrench.com/ Also, take a look at Derek's photo journal from his blog about our 2010 excursion: http://maineoutdoorjournal.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=20340 Hope to see you aboard! |
