Birding event set for Saturday
PRESQUE ISLE – A sure sign of spring is the departure of ice and snow and the arrival of migratory birds in Aroostook’s woods, fields and waterways.
Some traveling thousands of miles, these birds fill the landscape with their song as they begin the nesting season here in northern Maine. Aroostook Birders bird watching club will celebrate the return of these amazing birds and International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD), Saturday, May 12, with a birding walk held at Arnold Brook Lake Recreation Area in Presque Isle.
Created in 1993, International Migratory Bird Day is celebrated in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Central America to call attention to one of the most important and spectacular events in the Americas – bird migration. It is an invitation for communities to celebrate and support the conservation of returning migratory birds.
The group will be walking the trails and roads through the woods at the park looking and listening for bird species that have just returned to our area from a long migration in the south. Participants will also scan Arnold Brook Lake’s diverse grassland, wetland and lake habitats, which attract over 125 species of birds. Bald eagles, common loons, warblers and waterfowl are all likely to be seen.
Binoculars, field guides and cameras are recommended equipment for those attending. A spotting scope will also be available for use by all. Anyone in the community with an interest — from beginners to experienced birders — is encouraged to attend the walk. Birding club members will be on hand, ready to assist with identifications.
The Arnold Brook Lake Recreation Area entrance is located at the western end of the Niles Road on the south side of Presque Isle. Those interested in joining the “migratory bird” walk should meet at 7 a.m. at the upper parking lot. This is a rain or shine event, so birders are advised to dress for the weather. For information or questions about the walk, contact Bill Sheehan at 227-7301.
Aroostook Birders Club will offer other local opportunities for spring birding during the month of May with Friday bird walks in Caribou and Wednesday early morning walks through Mantle Lake Park in Presque Isle.
For further information about these walks visit the club’s website www.aroostookbirders.com.
