A few weeks ago, we introduced you to BirdSafe Maine, a collaboration between Maine Audubon, the Portland Society for Architecture, and the University of Southern Maine to address bird-glass collisions across the state. Birds hold significance in our ecosystems by dispersing seeds and acting as pollinators, controlling bug, insect, and rodent populations, and helping to keep our streets and neighborhoods clean and free from disease.
Beyond these benefits, the intrinsic value of birds influences our lives each and every day.
Enter the birder
While birding has been a long-time hobby for many, it became a way for us to connect with one another outdoors while maintaining social distance during the pandemic. Cynthia Fitzmorris photo
Birdwatching, or ‘birding’ is the observation of birds in their natural habitat. While birding has been a long-time hobby for many, it became a way for us to connect with one another outdoors while maintaining social distance during the pandemic. According to CBS News, the online database eBird reported a 37 percent increase in users documenting bird sightings and more than 2 million people used the Merlin Bird ID app during 2020.
Birders in Maine are treated to views of some of North America’s most iconic bird species like the common loon, Atlantic puffin, bald eagle, and snowy owl. In fact, more than 450 bird species call the state home. Here’s how you can see them yourself. To read the CBS News story, visit hwww.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/birdwatching-making-comback-during-covid/. For more information about eBird and to document bird sightings, visit https://ebird.org/home. Download to use the free Merlin Bird ID app at https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org
Maine Audubon and birding responsibly
Whether you’re new to birdwatching or an experienced birder, Maine Audubon should be a resource you are familiar with. Maine Audubon has a birding guide specific to Maine along with an extensive list of conservation spaces that birders of all experience levels can visit on their website.
Local spaces like Falmouth’s Gilsland Farm, Scarborough Marsh, and East Point Audubon Sanctuary in Biddeford Pool can provide viewing access to nearly 300 species of Maine birds. Maine Audubon’s staff naturalist Doug Hitchcox hosts Birding Basics, a weekly event series discussing ins and outs of birding, free to the public.
For more information about Maine Audubon, conservation sites that are open to the public, and events, visit https://maineaudubon.org.
In addition to Maine Audubon’s conservation sites, there are many birdwatching spaces right here in South Portland; look no further than Bug Light Park. The iconic park is home to the innermost light in Portland Harbor along with a variety of native and migratory bird species. Birders here are treated to regular sightings of ducks, gulls, and herons, birds of prey like the red-tailed hawk, and even songbirds like the Maine state bird, the black-capped chickadee.
Fort Williams Park in nearby Cape Elizabeth, home to another of Maine’s iconic lighthouses, is a perfect space for birding. With plentiful parking and walking trails circling the park, Fort Williams is a great place to begin your birding journey comfortably and to enjoy responsibly.
You can even birdwatch from the safety of your home. Just remember to incorporate bird safe planning into your home, like adding window decals, shades, or painting, or updating your window infrastructure.
Our Sustainable City is a recurring column in the Sentry intended to provide residents with news and information about sustainability initiatives in South Portland. Follow the Sustainability Office on Instagram @soposustainability.
Steve Genovese is a Greater Portland Council of Goverments Resilience Corps Fellow serving in the South Portland Sustainability Office on an 11-month term. He can be reached at sgenovese@southportland.org.Â
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