You learn a lot while attending a birding festival. From Stonington to Lubec, Maine has just hosted three consecutive festivals along the Down East coast. One of the first things I learned this year is that Mainers aren’t too precise about where “Down East” starts.
For instance, at the Acadia Birding Festival during the first weekend of June, I was in command of some side trips “up the Down East coast.” That, in fact, was where the Down East Spring Birding Festival was held the week before, over Memorial Day Weekend. But during the weekend prior to that, I would wager that the iconic Down East accent was just as recognizable among lobstermen at the Wings, Waves & Woods Festival in Stonington.
Where, exactly, does Down East begin?
Pete Dunne is one of the most famous bird authors in the country. I enjoyed leading a walk with him at the Acadia Birding Festival, and I learned that when Pete is along, participants put all the tough questions to him and I can just kind of relax.
I learned from another co-leader, Casey Hynes, that poop matters. We were at the scenic overlook at Boot Head Preserve in Lubec, when he spied white stains below a nearby ledge. Upon closer inspection, it marked the nest of common ravens just above the stains. Three nestlings were squirming in it.
Later, we were looking for upland sandpipers on the blueberry barrens in Columbia Falls. Upland sandpipers are shorebirds that eschew the shore, preferring fields. They look like scrawny chickens with pinheads. Although they forage along the ground, they like to perch up on rocks, or even utility poles, to get a better view. Casey spotted some white stains on a nearby rock, and sure enough, there was a sandpiper close by. Casey really knows his, uh, poop.
I learned that a lot of people don’t really know how to use their binoculars. That’s not surprising, since binoculars are actually pretty tricky devices. Many people squint through one eye because they don’t know how to adjust the diopter. The what? One of the eyepieces is adjustable, because it’s common for one eye to be better than the other. The diopter lets the user set the focus so that both eyes get a clear view. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, have a friend show you.
Too many novices and even some experienced birders still stare through their binoculars, looking for a bird in the tree, and get frustrated when they can’t find it. Unfortunately, the field of view and depth of field are miniscule when peering through binoculars, making it tough to locate a bird in the foliage.
Binoculars magnify, but they also narrow the view. It’s like looking through a toilet paper roll. It’s best to just scan the general area, and wait until the bird moves, twitches, or burps.
I learned that puffins are still the sexiest birds in Maine. It’s the No. 1 draw for birders from away, and it is the key to success for these festivals. I learned that nobody in Maine works harder to show you a puffin than Captain Andy Patterson of Bold Coast Tours in Cutler. In close second place, Garrett Aldrich and his fellow captains at Isle au Haut Ferry in Stonington.
I learned that Inn on the Harbor in Stonington is an ideal place to stay for the Wings, Waves & Woods Festival, although Pilgrim’s Inn in Deer Isle is equally first-rate.
I learned at the Acadia Birding Festival that Acadia Cottages are a modern day miracle. Although located in bustling Southwest Harbor, the cozy cabins are set back in the woods, where it feels more like the Allagash. Except for the electricity and flush toilets, of course.
I learned that warblers have personalities. During my combined 13 days of guiding during these three festivals, I had to trick a lot of birds into showing themselves. Some species are aggressive and come right in. I’m talking about you, Mr. Ovenbird.
Some species couldn’t care less about anything I am doing to get their attention. That’s right, Mr. Magnolia Warbler. Some warblers come in and sit over your head. Some sneak in low, trying to get a peek at you without giving themselves away. Some circle around you. Some just sit and sing away any intruder. Even within each species, some birds are bolder than others.
Finally, I learned that some birds are clowns. I’m talking about you, Mr. Spruce Grouse.
Bob Duchesne serves as vice president of Maine Audubon’s Penobscot Valley Chapter. He developed the Maine Birding Trail, with information at mainebirdingtrail.com. He can be reached at duchesne@midmaine.com.
Follow the Bangor Daily News on Facebook for the latest Maine news.