Birding Tour with Derek Lovitch, Harpswell East

This walk is now full. To join the waitlist, email Phil Croteau at programs@hhltmaine.org. The birding tour begins at Long Reach Preserve, which offers a great range of habitat from the brackish marsh to a unique bog, peaceful ridgetop forest to the shores of Long Reach. Keep your eyes open for Eastern kingbirds or cedar waxwings around the marsh and apple trees. In the forest listen for the distinct call of ovenbirds or maybe a pileated woodpecker. The little bog often hosts a pair of mallards along with Nashville warblers in the heavy cover. The shores of Long Reach will offer a mix of waterfowl and hopefully a bald eagle soaring on the breeze. Next to Little Ponds Preserve, which is a quiet little oasis for birds from hairy woodpeckers to hermit thrushes, veerys to eastern phoebes, and maybe a house wren, snowy egret, or sharp-shinned hawk. The last stop will either be one of the Devil’s Back Trails or the lower Cliff Trail along Strawberry Creek depending upon time available. These trails offer a mix of upland habitats that should be ringing with the calls of warblers like the common yellowthroat and the Northern parula, maybe yellow-rumped or magnolia warblers. Along the ocean expect to see herring gulls and double-crested cormorants with white-throated sparrows singing in the trees around you.

The group will visit two Harpswell Heritage Land Trust preserves and one trail managed by the Town of Harpswell, starting at Long Reach Preserve, carpooling to Little Ponds Preserve and either Devil’s Back Trails or the Cliff Trail, and returning to Long Reach Preserve by 12 p.m. This program welcomes birders of all experience levels.

This event is capped at 12 participants and advance registration is required. The fee for this event is $10. Scholarships are available, please contact Phil Croteau at programs@hhltmaine.org. Please bring good walking shoes, binoculars, water, and snacks.

Derek and his wife, Jeannette own and operate Freeport Wild Bird Supply, a retail store that caters to birders of all levels. The store serves as a vehicle for Derek to share his enthusiasm for birding, birds, and bird conservation. The store is also the home base for a growing tour guiding operation. He is the author of two books: How To Be a Better Birder and Birdwatching in Maine: A Site Guide. He was also the “Tools of the Trade” Department Editor for Birding magazine for six years. His writing has appeared in Birding magazine, Birder’s Guide, Birder’s World, Bird Observer, Bird Watcher’s Digest, NJ Audubon, North American Birds, and others. Derek also enjoys hiking, exploring new natural areas, developing his native plant garden, good food, and beer.