Many long-time readers of this column will remember that we have an abiding interest in the islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire—three islands off the Venezuelan coast that were historically once…

It’s a bird that seems to pass through here in Maine quickly in spring. Though it is typically more widespread and abundant in fall migration, it prefers habitats that are often not heavily…

A few nights ago, according to BirdCast, more than a billion birds were up in the air migrating south across the U.S.  BirdCast (birdcast.info), for those that are not familiar with it, is a…

In the days before Hurricane Lee made its way toward Maine and Nova Scotia, lots of migrating land birds were moving through our area.…

A reader sent us a link to an interesting TikTok video a few days before Hurricane Lee was expected to hit. In the video, a young Maine lobsterman in a red T-shirt and blue jeans standing at the…

One of the rarest birds in North America has made an appearance in Maine! A Kirtland’s warbler was photographed on Matinicus Rock on Sept. 10. For us, the Kirtland’s warbler has always been almost…

School is much more than a place for academic learning. It’s a safe, secure place where students can feel valued, respected and nurtured. It provides a sense of belonging and community. Students…

All through the summer, the background noise in many a historic Maine town (for those paying attention) is the constant chittering of chimney swifts overhead. These sooty brown-colored “flying…

A sliver of sparkling white beach was the last stronghold against the incoming tide for the last-of-the day beachgoers, their brightly colored beach toys, umbrellas, towels and bathing suites…

The glorious blue-sky summer day on Sunday lured us to take a ride down to Pemaquid Harbor. The tide was near high when we arrived in the late afternoon, and the temperature still warm enough for…

The oppressive heat and humidity have finally broken for us here in Maine, but many parts of the U.S. and other regions of the world are still enduring record-breaking heat. We know that high…

Quiet.

Deep, profound quiet.

A quiet, unbroken by low grumbling of distant traffic or the white noise of an overhead jet. No buzzing lawnmowers or sirens. No dogs barking or brakes…

The first image directly in front of you as you enter Maine Art Gallery is the color photograph of Kaleb, a Bath Iron Works shipfitter taken by Bath photographer/artist Heather Perry. Kaleb is…

Maine gets a good share of very rare birds. Some of them keep coming back.

Over the past few weeks, Maine’s ocean and offshore islands have played host to at least two exceptionally…

We were watching an osprey recently as it flew up with a fish it had caught in the Cobbosseecontee Stream in Gardiner. The meal it had just captured was likely destined for a nest some distance…

With wildfire smoke warnings in parts of Maine this past weekend, we are experiencing some of the unhealthy air that people in New York City and other urban areas dealt with a few weeks ago. Our…

The songs of birds give great pleasure to most people. The lilting warbles and trills of that early spring song sparrow can give a little lift to the heart as the snow melts and the daylight hours…

More often than not, the quiet ambles of our dog walks seem to yield some of our most interesting bird experiences. That was the case yet again last night. We took our little black dog out for one…

The heat was oppressive, like a mid-July day, not like what we are used to on the second day of June here in Maine. But as we stepped outside to walk the dog in the morning, there was an…

Like many people on the recent very warm, sunny Memorial Day weekend, we decided to head to the beach, where the temps were markedly cooler. We went to a spot that is a favorite of many Mainers…

It should come as no surprise to learn that some of the greatest mysteries of the bird world are within some of our most common and familiar birds. Take the ever-present blue jay, for example. On…

We have had the good fortune to be able to be spending time with family in Central Florida, from where we are writing this column. While many birds are just returning to Maine in mid-May, the bulk…

Looking across the valley during a noontime dog walk around our neighborhood a few weeks ago, there among the drab, gray trunks and limbs of yet-to-leaf-out maples and oaks was a burst of yellow.…

Mistakes happen. Even in the bird world. Take for example the osprey that recently tried repeatedly to place sticks atop a tall light pole, high above the Bates College athletic field in Lewiston…

The recent legal challenges surrounding the abortion medication mifepristone have cast a shadow over reproductive rights, not just in Maine, but across the country. While the legal battles…

Denying someone the right to work or have equal access to money is not only mean and unfair, it’s a form of domestic abuse. Economic abuse is usually minimized and misunderstood because talking…

For much of last week, we were fortunate that our backyard was blessed with the presence of one of our largest and brightest colored sparrows, the fox sparrow. While there are a number of…

Called the “snowbird” by many people, the species officially known as the dark-eyed junco is a common and widespread winter visitor to much of the U.S. Here in Maine, flocks of juncos from Canada’…

Opening night for the first annual Maine Photographers Showcase drew artists and photography fans to Boothbay Region Art Foundation in Boothbay Harbor April 1. This outstanding collection of work…

The numbers are in and 2022 was a doozy. While total reported scams to the Federal Trade Commission dropped by 1 million, the total reported amount lost grew by $2 billion for a total of $8.8…

Maine is famous for its blueberries. Those small, deep-blue spheres have a sweet, rich, and earthy taste that seems to somehow capture the deep history of where they come from: barren lands taken…

In April of 2010, the unthinkable happened. An oil drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana exploded. The operation, called Deepwater Horizon and operated by international corporate…

Last Friday, a friend told us that he had heard his first American woodcock of the year the night before. Woodcock are birds that are more often heard then seen, at least by most people. Those who…

A recent Maine-based magazine ran a feature about winter surfing in Maine. That article was highlighting people who enjoy the thrill of grabbing their boards and catching waves in the middle of  …

These warm days of late, even if interspersed with colder, more seasonal temperatures and occasional snow, have predictably made many of us humans think of spring. Birds seem to be feeling it, too…

It was winter the way we expect it here in Maine. The sun was shining and the sky blue, but the morning cold was intense, making the slightest breeze feel sharp and painful on any uncovered part…

All crimes that seek to steal money or sensitive information through deception are loathsome. But perhaps the most pernicious involve crimes of the heart. Online romance fraud is rampant and…

The Steller’s sea-eagle is back! We have to assume that, unless you live under a rock, you well remember the flurry of excitement last winter when one of the largest flying birds in the world made…

One way to protect yourself from identity thieves is by opting into two-factor authentication. This means that to log in to a given site, you enter your password, and then are prompted to enter an…

There have been lots of warnings in the news about the lack of ice on lakes and rivers in Maine this winter. Many traditionally frozen lakes and rivers have either frozen only for a short time or…

In the current environment of almost everyone being angry, I cannot get excited about having a conversation about current events. But, I thought people might find it interesting to hear what truck…

Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness for women and their children in the United States.…

The arrival of finches from the north has always been an event that birders here in Maine and New England have…

Some have called it the “mountain mockingbird” or the “mockingbird of the sagebrush” but its official name is the sage thrasher. If you’ve never heard of it, don’t feel bad. It’s not a bird we…

As your voice in Augusta, I take my responsibility to pass laws that make a real and positive impact on the lives of people in our community very seriously. I’ve done my best to be as accessible…

Summer in Maine can be a fun and relaxing time – especially if you’re a student on school break. The summers I spent exploring our great outdoors when I was a kid are some of my most cherished…

Soaring gas prices are hitting us and so many of our friends and neighbors hard. The fact is, most of us rely on gas to power our cars, and we rely on our cars to get us where we need to go.…

Last week, …

Like many in our community, the leaked Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade filled me with sadness and fear. Though the news didn’t come as a total surprise, it did drive home for many of…

As I speak with families across Lincoln County about the challenges they’re facing, one thing I’m hearing time and again is the difficulty of…