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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. |
| Minnesota in Winter with Derek and WINGS February 5 - 10, 2010. Derek will now be leading the 2010 Minnesota in Winter tour for WINGS. This is a great opportunity to snag such species as Boreal, Great Gray, and Northern Hawk-owl, along with the other fun boreal residents and irruptives, such as Pine and Evening Grosbeaks, crossbills, Gray Jays, Black-backed and American Three-toed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Bohemian Waxwing, rare gulls, Gyrfalcon, and much more. The mammal-watching can be quite exciting as well. Take a look at the itinerary and additional information on the WINGS website: http://wingsbirds.com/tours/view/115 |
| A Week on Monhegan with Derek and WINGS May 23 - 29, 2010 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. Monhegan’s small village is inhabited year-round by a few hardy lobstermen and women and their families. In the warmer months, a thriving summer colony and art scene feast on the celebrated Maine coast scenery. We’ll be arriving before the throngs of summer tourists, and will probably have the island largely to ourselves, sharing only with other birders, local lobster fishermen, and artists. 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. Visit: http://wingsbirds.com/tours/view/239 to learn more! |
| 2010 Poor Man's Pelagic Series Five dates this summer and fall - see below. Cost: 4-5 hours on the water for only $TBA 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 1:00pm and returns around 5:00pm), for about 4 hours of pelagic birding! That's right, 4 hours for a mere $TBA!!! 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) July 22 (Thursday) August 17 (Tuesday) September 12 (Sunday) October 4 (Monday) 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. 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! |
| Maine and New Hampshire Tour with Derek and WINGS June 19-28, 2010. Join Derek as he takes over leading the comprehensive Maine-New Hampshire tour for WINGS. He's added a number of new locations to target the wide range of breeding birds of the region, with emphasis on the "boreal specialties" and breeding seabirds. Some of the targets includes 25 species of warblers (including Blue-winged, Palm, Cape May, and Mourning), 9 species of flycatchers (including Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied), 7 species of thrush, (including BICKNELL'S of course), and much more: from Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills and shearwaters to Nelson's and Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows to Spruce Grouse. 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 |
| Birding by Schooner! July 25-31, 2010. 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! As we visit Matinicus Rock and Eastern Egg Rock (wind and weather permitting, of course), well be 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 to 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 three summers in the Seal Island - Matinicus Rock area! 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 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 2007 excursion: Part I: http://maineoutdoorjournal.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=5431 Part II: http://maineoutdoorjournal.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=5430 Hope to see you aboard! |
| 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 1-4 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. 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! |
