Barred owl at Deering Oaks Park in Portland on Jan. 11, 2019. Jeff Cherry photo

Maine winters can be dark and barren, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great time to see birds. 

The colder months herald the arrival of dark-eyed juncos, the snowbirds, and other visitors such as finches (pine siskins and pine grosbeaks), which follow the cyclical crops of conifer tree cones. And they aren’t alone. Plenty of cold-adapted resident species, such as crows and blue jays, stick around, too. 

For those unwilling or unable to venture out, snow can draw birds to backyard feeders en masse, making them easy to observe from the warmth of indoors. Plus, they are easier to spot. With few leaves on many trees and a monochrome landscape, winter birds often make themselves known.

The menagerie of winter species can vary depending on the weather, what your yard looks like and where you live. But there’s often a nest hidden nearby. And one might wonder how they manage to survive. 

“The more people become aware of the birds around them, the more they awaken to the natural world,” said Nick Lund, Maine Audubon advocacy and outreach manager. “[They gain] an improved understanding of their habitats, which trees particular birds prefer, how they move based on the weather, what they like to eat and how they eat.” 

Staying curious can make a difference. 

For those embarking on Audubon tours or birding at their leisure this winter, Lund pointed to phone apps like eBird and Merlin Bird ID, resources he said have broken down barriers to ornithological pursuits. 

Now, people can track avifauna while contributing to a broader scientific database. Researchers receive data from millions of worldwide users, leading to information on bird movement and trends. Among the findings: Some species in Maine that used to head for warmer climates are staying put. 

Eastern bluebird (sialia sialis) at Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust Salt Bay Farm in Damariscotta on Dec. 13, 2016. Jeff Cherry photo

Pemaquid Peninsula birdwatching

Jeff Cherry, president of the Midcoast Maine Audubon Chapter, lives in Newcastle, where he spends most of his time birding within a 15-mile radius of his home.

A retired woodworker and antiques dealer, his passion for avifauna began as a Bowdoin College student pursuing ornithology. In 1976, his class visited Damariscotta Mills, where they spotted bald eagles — a rare sighting before the population rebounded from its seriously endangered status. 

From that moment on, he was hooked.

Yellow-bellied sapsucker (sphyrapicus varius) on Lewis Point Road in Newcastle. Jeff Cherry photo

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The Midcoast Maine Audubon Chapter aims to facilitate two monthly bird tours, which Cherry often leads in Knox, Waldo and Lincoln counties. 

Sometimes, there are only a handful of participants, and others, upwards of 30 people tag along. While attendance fluctuates depending on the destination, time of year and weather conditions, Cherry said the variety of enthusiasts’ skill levels stays consistent.

“We have regulars who join us,” Cherry said. “But we also welcome newcomers. There’s nothing better than watching their eyes light up their first time out.” 

He described winter as one of the most magical times for birding, grouping common species into three categories: those that are present year-round (chickadees, crows, blue jays, various seagull species, and mallard and black ducks), migratory breeds (warblers) that migrate south but return to breed, and others (common goldeneye and the American tree sparrow) that arrive from farther north. 

“This time of year, downy woodpeckers with their tidy red caps frequent the feeder,” Cherry said. “They swoop in to feast. If I ever get around to hanging a garland this year, I will try to arrange it to mimic the arc of their flight.” 

In Cherry’s opinion, the blue jay’s plumage appears even bluer against the backdrop of snow. One of his favorite events is when dark-eyed juncos return to snack on safflower seeds that the tufted titmouse pushed out of the feeder in search of sunflower seeds, which they prefer. 

In neighborhoods along the Pemaquid Peninsula, hawks perch in the bare branches of trees, in plain view. Meanwhile, the crows, aware of their presence, remain in constant surveillance.

Lesser black-backed gulls (larus fiscus) in New Harbor, Bristol, on Feb. 20, 2024. Jeff Cherry photo

Watch, learn and snap a photo

When birdwatchers understand the habitats and behaviors of species, they can identify specific trails for spotting them. To find a scarlet tanager, one might hike through mature deciduous forests where these birds are known to breed.

That said, various factors, like weather, can hinder that predictability.

“You will always find something if you approach birdwatching with an open mind,” Cherry said. “It’s almost impossible not to spot birds — even rare species. Forty years ago, eagles were uncommon. If you spend time outdoors now, you’ll notice they’re everywhere.” 

He pointed to the cardinal, red-bellied woodpecker, turkey and bluebird populations, which have also significantly rebounded.  

In Cherry’s opinion, witnessing the return of northern shrikes — whether through binoculars, cameras or the naked eye — is an inspiring experience. He encouraged locals to familiarize themselves with neighborhood birds this winter and to track their observations.

A pair of evening grosbeaks at William Broussard’s backyard feeder. Purportedly, their eastern population has decreased substantially, but they can be found in small numbers breeding in New England, and their numbers will swell in some winters during “irruptive” years. William Broussard photo

Brunswick, Topsham, Bath birdwatching

Brunswick birder William Broussard dates his love for birds back to childhood. He used to identify birds for fun — a hobby that, although solitary, “felt very social.”

“Birdwatching means observing how species interact with the environment and studying their behavior,” Broussard said. “Growing up, my mother was a gardener, so I spent a lot of time tuning into the insects and flowers — and, of course, birds. At my home now, I’ve arranged shrubs and bird feeders to attract birds to my space, so I can watch them from inside, too.” 

Putting his garden to rest this winter, Broussard admired blue jays storing seeds under bark and in the ground. 

“In the fall, their brains increase in size to help them remember where they stashed their seeds for winter,” Broussard said. “In the spring and summer, they’ll grab a peanut from the feeder and eat it immediately. But when the weather turns, they’ll take one, fly off, dig a hole in the ground and bury the peanut. They can remember where it was buried after snowfall and dig it up months later.” 

Behavior isn’t the only thing that changes. In winter, birds’ diets change from insects or worms to fruits and nuts, as do their nesting habits. 

Before snipping goldenrods or weedy plants, Broussard urged locals to consider the white-throated sparrows that seek refuge. He has seen Carolina wrens create homes in even the strangest spots — like coffee pots and canoes left outdoors. 

“We play a role in advocating for the birds,” Broussard said. “What we do in our yards matters.” 

Brunswick, Bath and Topsham residents can attract tufted titmice, black-capped chickadees and northern cardinals by placing sunflower seeds in their feeders this winter. Adding suet can also attract hairy, downy and red-bellied woodpeckers. 

Even without feeders, the Midcoast will inevitably witness the arrival of dark-eyed juncos, pine siskin and pine grosbeak finches searching for spruce and pine tree conifer seeds. 

William Broussard’s favorite duck, the wood duck, breeds in Maine and winters farther south — a few stick around the Lewiston-Auburn area. William Broussard photo

‘It’s not like having pets; it’s more like reverence’

Like Cherry, Broussard has recorded his observations on eBird since 2013, which has allowed him to track notable shifts. 

For example, most sparrows tend to leave during winter, although he has noticed that they have stayed for the past three years, which he attributes to a warming climate. 

“It’s not like having pets; it’s more like reverence,” Broussard said. “When you notice the birds in your backyard, you realize you coexist with something much greater. Seeing them evokes joy, and studies have found that observing birds in nature can reduce stress and improve your mood — it’s a natural form of medicine.”

To ensure birds remain in the environment, Broussard has planted native plants and shrubs in his yard to create a suitable habitat. 

“Birding moves you beyond people and politics,” Broussard said. “It allows you to enjoy the presence of other beings even in the harshest of seasons.” 

For those hoping to embark on their expeditions, Broussard shared some of his favorite local trails: 

• The Bowdoin College Schiller Coastal Studies Center in Harpswell, abundant with sea ducks, shorebirds, eiders and gulls.

• Green Point Wildlife Management Area in Dresden, which offers access to brackish tidal water habitats along Merrymeeting Bay.

• Sabattus Pond, purportedly an excellent spot for duck watching. 

First-time users of eBird can start a free account to chart their observations or follow along with Cherry’s adventures near the Twin Villages @JeffCherry or Broussards’ Brunswick-Bath outings @WillBroussard.

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Gov. Maura Healey pledged that the cost of running emergency shelters housing migrants and locals would decrease from its historic levels and pushed back on conservatives who have labeled Massachusetts a “sanctuary state” harboring illegal immigrants.

In an end-of-year interview with the Herald ahead of her third year in office, Healey cast blame on the federal government for immigration issues in the Bay State, but said the expected $1 billion tab taxpayers are set to carry in each of the next several years will eventually deflate.

“It’s going to go down,” she said from inside the State House. “This is not a permanent situation, and it certainly is not sustainable, which is why I felt comfortable making the policy decisions that I have made to ratchet down the numbers.”

Only migrants who are legally allowed or paroled into the United States can access the emergency shelter system, which Healey has placed a set of increasingly restrictive changes on ever since she declared a state of emergency in August 2023 amid an influx of migrants.

The restrictions, including a 7,500 family cap on the system and limiting length of stays, appear to have had some effect. State officials reported spending less on state-run shelters in fiscal year 2024 than originally anticipated — $856 million rather than $932 million.

The cost is still above the $325 million the state has historically spent on emergency assistance shelters, which were set up under a 1980s law to house homeless families with children and pregnant women.

Arriving migrants and the money spent to take care of them have become a flashpoint on Beacon Hill, where Republicans routinely tried this year to implement residency requirements on shelters and cut back spending.

Top budget writers working for Healey are expected to ask the Legislature to approve another round of spending early in the new year to cover shelters for the remainder of fiscal year 2025. Without another injection of cash, money is expected to dry up in January, officials have said.

Sen. Ryan Fattman, a Sutton Republican, said even though new arrivals “forced” Healey to cut shelter costs and reduce the number of families relying on state aid, that has not stopped her from asking for more dollars to fund the system.

“The cost is overwhelming,” he told the Herald in an interview this past month. “In my opinion, what cost containment looks like is reforming the amount of time that people from out of state coming into the state can stay. You want to say 30 or 60 days? Okay, that’s a good reform.”

Healey said the measures she has taken are working — though they have faced harsh criticism from some advocates — and are buoyed by the fact that 65% of families who have recently sought shelter from the state are from Massachusetts.

“We’re not a sanctuary state,” Healey said. “We have a limited budget, and the emergency shelter system really was meant for Massachusetts families who were experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity and needed a place to go that was temporary.

“We’re trying to get to that place where emergency shelter is temporary and that it’s really there just for a limited purpose for a family,” the governor added.

But even as Healey touts her changes to state-run shelters, she has started to face a wave of conservative criticism for running what Republicans say is a “sanctuary state” just as President-elect Donald Trump has promised to undertake mass deportations when he takes office next year.

The term “sanctuary state” generally refers to a state or municipality’s willingness to offer more protection to undocumented immigrants.

But just because a city or town in Massachusetts considers itself a “sanctuary” does not mean there is no federal immigration enforcement, said Sarah Sherman-Stokes, associate director of Boston University’s Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Clinic.

“There are gaps between some of the statewide laws and city policies that remain vulnerable and will still feed non-citizens into ICE custody,” Stokes told the Herald.

In Massachusetts, many point to a 2017 ruling from the Supreme Judicial Court that bars state and local police from detaining a person solely on the basis of their immigration status, a decision that has since been used to prohibit interactions with federal immigration officials.

Healey said she believes “violent criminals should be deported if they’re not here lawfully” and that local, state, and federal law enforcement should work together to investigate and prosecute crimes and remove people from the country who are criminals.

But the first-term Democrat said she does not back “showing up at a hotel, and rounding up groups of people who are suspected to be here unlawfully, who are here working, and just deporting all of them without a process.”

Healey said, “I think what we need to do is work together here in Massachusetts to do both things: investigate, hold accountable, deport as necessary folks who are here unlawfully, who’ve engaged in criminal activity, absolutely, and also stand up for and protect the people who have been working here, going to school here, raising kids here, to ensure that they are not scared to go to the doctors or drop their kids off or school or go to work.”

The New Hampshire Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024 results for each game:

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

04-07-37-43-47, Lucky Ball: 08

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Day: 3-6-9

Evening: 5-5-9

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Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Day: 2-6-0-7

Evening: 4-8-4-2

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the New Hampshire Lottery drawings held?

• Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
• Pick 3, 4: 1:10 p.m. and 6:55 p.m. daily.
• Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
• Megabucks Plus: 7:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
• Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
• Gimme 5: 6:55 p.m. Monday through Friday.

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Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

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This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a New Hampshire managing editor. You can send feedback using this form.