Special Programs and Workshops

Hawks in Flight -- By the Hundreds!
Friday, October 5 through Sunday October 7, 2007

Imagine seeing hundreds -- maybe even thousands -- of hawks in a single day! That's what we'll plan to experience this fall at Lighthouse Point Park in East Haven, Connecticut.

More hawks fly past Lighthouse Point in the fall, on average, than almost anywhere else in the eastern US -- including Hawk Mountain. It's a great place for hawkwatching, with ample parking, rest rooms and a lovely, unobstructed view. The birds often fly by close overhead, affording spectacular looks.

The kinds of hawks we're likely to see include Bald Eagle, Northern Goshawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Harrier, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin and Peregrine Falcon.

In addition to the hawks, thousands of Bobolinks, Cedar Waxwings, Blue Jays, American Robins, Tree Swallows, Red-winged Blackbirds, and large numbers of many other species pass Lighthouse Point each fall. We usually see the local Monk Parakeets, too!

We'll carpool down to Connecticut (about 4 hours each way from Portland, Maine), and rendezvous on the afternoon of Friday, October 5th at an inexpensive, conveniently located motel. That evening we'll share a concise but informative hawks-in-flight ID workshop. On Saturday and Sunday we'll hawkwatch all day, weather permitting. By the end of this trip you'll know your hawks! We can also do some general birding (fall warblers, shorebirds) at one or more of the many excellent sites in the area if we choose.

Please contact me for more information and to reserve a spot. Our group size is limited to 12. Cost is $100 per person, not including transportation and accommodations.

The magnificent Red-tailed Hawk is just one of the many raptor species we'll connect with on this trip!

Time to Learn Your Shorebirds
Held in Summer/Fall

Few bird families can frustrate birders like the shorebirds. Look out across a shoreline, marsh or mudflat and all you see are distant, gray-brown shapes scuttling around. It's hard to know where to even begin the ID process.

A few hours in the field with an experienced mentor (who happens to have a really good spotting scope) can make all the difference. With a little support you'll quickly learn to identify most species confidently. I love shorebirds and thoroughly enjoy sharing my passion. Rather than struggling to decipher tough-to-spot plumage details, we'll focus on size, shape, behavior and bold color patterns to learn who's who among these endearing, fascinating birds. I'll also share what I know about their natural history and the drama of their lives on the wing.

Mentoring sessions are by appointment from mid-July through mid-October, with the tide cycle being a big factor in what time of day we go. Please contact me for more information. The cost is $50 per 2-hour session for 1 to 2 people, plus $10 for each additional person.

Herons and Egrets of Scarborough Marsh
Held in Spring/Summer

The graceful herons and egrets are among the most beautiful and best-loved birds. And Scarborough Marsh in southern Maine is one of the best places in our area to find a wide variety of these magnificent birds, including Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Green Heron, Snowy Egret and Great Egret. Another stunning wader that frequents the marsh is the iridescent Glossy Ibis.

Let's get together and I'll show you the best spots from which to observe these birds -- along with many other fascinating species. I'll also share a bit about the natural history of the salt marsh if you'd like.

These trips are by appointment in June, July and August. Please contact me for more information. The cost is $50 per 2-hour session for 1 to 2 people, plus $10 for each additional person.

Fear Not the Sparrow
Held in Fall
Sparrows, finches, and other "Little Brown Jobs" can present identification challenges for beginning and experienced birders alike. No worries! With a little guidance, patience, and practice these subtly beautiful birds are fun to identify and appreciate.

We'll focus on learning the most common species first, during their fall migration and stopover time when they're most numerous in appropriate habitat.  We'll investigate not only plumage details, but also behavior, "general impression of size and shape," and other clues.

Mentoring sessions are by appointment in October through mid-November. Please contact me for more information. The cost is $50 per 2-hour session for one person, plus $20 for each additional person.

Intro-duck-tion to Ducks
Held in Fall/Winter
Did you know that in northern New England there are more different kinds of ducks around in the fall and winter than at other times of year? Ducks are the perfect bird family for new birders to get started with: they're large, colorful, hang out in the open, and have lots of "character." As a group they're fun and relatively easy to identify.

On the other hand, in many species the males, females, and young can all look different. And they're often found waaaaay off across a body of water, so they look small even in binoculars. A little guidance (and a good spotting scope) can make duck-watching much more enjoyable. We'll learn how to ID both male and female ducks. And as we're watching them we'll also talk over what and how they eat, where they breed, their migration patterns, and whatever else might be of interest to you.

Mentoring sessions are by appointment from mid-October through December. We'll work with the tide and weather conditions to pick the best spots for our outing. Please contact me for more information. The cost is $50 per 2-hour session for one person, plus $20 for each additional person.

Winter Raptors Workshop -- featuring Snowy Owls!
Held December through March
The salt marshes and open fields of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newburyport, Mass. are an exceptional gathering place for raptors in winter, including Snowy Owls and Rough-legged Hawks -- visitors from the Arctic that are rare south of Canada. Northern Harriers, Red-tailed Hawks, Cooper's Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, American Kestrels, Merlins and other raptors also spend the winter there.

This all-day trip focuses on identifying raptors in flight at Parker River NWR. But we won't forget to look for sea ducks, "winter finches," and other fun birds. As a bonus, we'll also stop at the Ipswich River Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary to hand-feed the tame Black-capped Chickadees that live there! 

This trip is open to 1-4 people anytime from late November through mid-March. Please contact me for more information and to pick a date. The cost is $100 for one person plus $50 for each additional person (not including a small charge for transportation, if applicable).

Winter Seabirds of Maine
Held November through mid-March
Maine's coastal waters are the winter home of a rich diversity of bird species, many of which are uncommon south of Maine. Highlights include King Eider, Harlequin Duck, Barrow's Goldeneye, six alcid species including Dovekie, and three species of Loons.

Please join me for a half-day adventure to observe and enjoy these winter jewels -- as well as Maine's spectacular coastline and a cozy lunch spot if you're in the mood.

The peak time for Maine's winter seabirds is from late November through mid-March. Please contact me for more information. The cost is $50 for one person plus $25 for each additional person (not including a small charge for transportation, if applicable).

Meet the Warblers!
Held early May through late May
Our eastern wood-warblers are living jewels -- incomparably beautiful but not always easy to see or identify. Warblers are a diverse group and the differences between them can be subtle. Plus the colorful males often look different from the plainer females. Even their songs can be confusing.

Nevertheless, the warblers' passage through our area is one of the most fun and exciting times in the birding year! Everybody loves warblers! Here's your chance to view appreciate them in greater detail and depth as they migrate through our area on the way to their breeding grounds. 

The best time of day to view spring migrants, warblers included, is usually in the early morning. So it's best to start our walk by 7AM -- even earlier if you can manage it. Every day brings new birds, with some arriving earlier in the season and others later.

Please contact me for more information. The cost is $50 for one person plus $25 for each additional person (not including a small charge for transportation, if applicable).