BANGOR DAILY NEWS • December 13, 2025
Mainers — true Mainers — think a sunny day of 22 degrees and no wind is downright balmy. Perfect for birding. On colder days, Maine birders have only one big decision in the morning: how many layers to wear. Maine is larger than the other five New England states combined. Traveling longer distances is normal for Mainers. A birding excursion from Bangor to southern Maine is just a quick hop. In fact, Mainers don’t describe in miles how far it is to where a rare bird is being seen. They estimate how long it takes to get there. Mainers know where the Atlantic puffins are. We wish snowy owls would visit more often. Mainers are self-reliant, rugged and resilient. Nobody gets the best of us. Except squirrels. Maine is a state of 1.3 million people. People from away think that all birders in Maine must know each other. We do. ~ Bob Duchesne