Bird Watching

Birders from southern and inland states should lengthen their life lists along the Maine coast, which attracts migrating birds cruising the Atlantic flyway and boasts populations of numerous native shorebirds, such as plovers (including the threatened piping plover), terns, whimbrels, sandpipers, and dunlins. You'll see a surfeit of herring and great black-backed gulls along with the common tern; less frequently seen are Bonaparte's gull, laughing gulls, jaegers, and the arctic tern. Far up the coast near Lubec, look for members of the alcid family, including razorbills and guillemots. Puffins (another alcid) nest on several offshore islands; tour boats to view puffins depart from Boothbay Harbor, Bar Harbor, and Jonesport.

For a recording of recent sightings of rare birds, call tel. 207/781-2332.