Maine

Unusual geese are showing up in Maine. Here’s where to look.

Published

4 months ago

October 26, 2025

Unusual geese are showing up in Maine. Here’s where to look.

It’s a great time for a wild goose chase. Insect-eaters are typically the first birds to skip town, migrating south. Seed-eaters linger a little longer. Waterfowl take their own sweet time.

As long as there is food in an ice-free pond, ducks and geese are happy to stay right here. Cold doesn’t bother them much, as anyone who has cooked a duck knows. They’ve got a fat layer of insulation that just won’t quit.

Goose-watching is like panning for gold. You’ve got to sift through a lot of sand to find a nugget. Canada geese are abundant. But there are sometimes strangers hiding among them. Many less common geese seem to be turning up this autumn, hiding in plain sight.

Snow geese appear regularly in Maine in autumn. They are abundant and extremely social, traveling and foraging in big flocks. They nest along the Arctic tundra edge clear across North America. In mid to late October, they migrate straight south, so most eastern Canadian breeders end up along the eastern seaboard. Central Canadian breeders winter along the Gulf coast. Western birds wait out the cold months along the Pacific.

Cackling geese delight birders with their small size and northern origins. Credit: Courtesy of Bob Duchesne

Snow geese migrate at their leisure, stopping for long periods to feed on the sedges and tubers they love. There is so much of this food supply along the Saint Lawrence River above Quebec that the province started a Snow Goose Festival, appropriately named in French “Festival de l’Oie des Neiges.” Hundreds of thousands of snow geese pass through, most stopping off at Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Refuge.

These snow geese typically bypass Maine, choosing instead a route over Vermont, where they know their favorite food is waiting for them. Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area in Vermont is the core area to see hundreds of thousands at this time of year.

Next stop: Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Pennsylvania; then on to the coast, from Delaware to North Carolina.

Not surprising for an abundant species, some snow geese wander into Maine on their way south. They’ve been entertaining birders across the state. If encountered, take a second look. You might find a Ross’s goose. It strongly resembles a snow goose, though smaller and with a shorter bill.

Greater white-fronted geese surprise birders with their striking markings. Credit: Courtesy of Bob Duchesne

Ross’s goose summers and winters in the central regions of North America. Vagrants in Maine are rare, but one popped up in Ellsworth a couple weeks ago. Another attracted a lot of attention in Bangor’s Maple Grove Cemetery three years ago.

A widespread species like the Canada goose typically has regional variation. In 2004, there were 11 recognized subspecies. That year, ornithologists decided the smallest subspecies was sufficiently different to declare the cackling goose as an official new species.

Cackling geese breed on the far northern edges of Canada and Alaska. In winter, they head south, mostly west of the Great Lakes. However, some wander. One turned up in Mars Hill Pond in Aroostook County a few weeks ago. Last Sunday, on a Maine Audubon-led field trip, seven birders enjoyed viewing a cackling goose at Arnold Brook Lake Recreation Area in Presque Isle.

That same field trip turned up a greater white-fronted goose at Lake Josephine in Easton. Greater white-fronted geese also breed in the far north, almost exclusively west of Hudson Bay. They winter west of the Mississippi all the way down to Louisiana. But a few visit Maine every autumn, so it’s not a surprise when one appears.

Pink-footed geese are unusual autumn visitors making a long journey from Greenland to Northern Europe. Credit: Courtesy of Bob Duchesne

Pink-footed geese are a surprise. They breed on the far side of Greenland and winter in Northern Europe. In recent years, more have been visiting the eastern coast of North America. Those lucky Aroostook County birders turned one up at Lake Josephine. Besides Maine, there are currently pink-footed geese attracting attention in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Nova Scotia.

Perhaps the Holy Grail of goose-chasing is the barnacle goose. Its nesting range extends from Eastern Greenland to Siberia. However, any bird that can both fly and swim is not so shy about crossing water, and barnacle geese occasionally show up here. I enjoyed my first (and only) sighting in Houlton a few years ago. And, yes, I learned the pair was there, and scheduled a wild-goose chase to see them.

Barnacle geese, Arctic wanderers from Greenland and Siberia, occasionally make a surprise appearance in Maine, delighting birders on a true wild-goose chase. Credit: Courtesy of Bob Duchesne

Barnacle geese are currently present in Québec and Nova Scotia. One was in New York in early October.

Birding in late autumn need not be dull. Songbirds may have headed for the tropics, but other birds have secretly taken their place. There are big flocks of Canada geese everywhere. Take a second look.

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Maine

Maine competition gives creative entrepreneurs the chance to win money

Published

10 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Maine competition gives creative entrepreneurs the chance to win money

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – If you’ve ever wondered what goes into pitching a good business idea, you might want to stop by a Big Gig event.

The Big Gig Entrepreneurship Pitch Off brings professionals from across the state together to network and pitch their early-stage business ideas for a chance to win $500.

Tuesday’s competition was held at the Salty Brick Market in Bangor, and it drew a lot of spectators.

“The winners of each semifinal event get $500 and the opportunity to compete for $5,000, so that can make a huge impact on a business that’s just getting off the ground,” said Renee Kelly, a Big Gig organizer.

The winner of the competition, Colin McGuire, was also grateful for the opportunity to showcase his idea “Art on Tap,” which would connect local artists with local venues trying to put on events.

“The support tonight is huge, and it’s just giving me more enthusiasm for running with the idea,” he said.

The season finale of the competition will be held May 19th.

The location is yet to be determined.

If you’d like to apply to compete in the contest, you can go to biggig.org.

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Maine

This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak

Published

22 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak

Are you up for a Maine food challenge, or are your eyes bigger than your stomach?

A Waterville staple, Buen Apetito has a monster burrito just waiting for someone to eat it down to the very last bite.

This thing is a beast, literally called La Bestia, and it’s definitely a mighty task for a fearless foodie.

Take on the Buen Apetito La Bestia Food Challenge in Waterville, Maine

According to Buen Apetito, if you can finish a super-sized burrito in 30 minutes or less, you’ll get the $60 meal for free, a La Bestia champion shirt, and a picture on the wall of fame. That’s not to mention the bragging rights of dominating a task few will be able to conquer.

Wondering what’s in the burrito?

The Mexican restaurant shared in a Facebook comment on a post that the burrito is filled with “grilled chicken, chorizo, and tender shredded beef or pork. Built on a layer of seasoned rice, refried beans, and French fries, it’s melted together with a shredded Mexican cheese blend and a drizzle of creamy cheese sauce, sautéed peppers and onions, green salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, creamy guacamole, and a bed of shredded lettuce all wrapped in three extra-large tortillas fused into one epic wrap.”

Let’s just say that this thing is packed full.

The first La Bestia contender took up his fork and knife in December 2025, but despite coming close, he couldn’t come out with the win.

As of March 2026, the challenge has remained undefeated. But you never know, someone is bound to come out victorious.

Just note that you can only try your hand at this food challenge on Wednesday and Thursday.

Buen Apetito Has Been a Longstanding Waterville, Maine, Restaurant

First opened in 1999, Buen Apeitito has been around for nearly 30 years.

Centralmaine.com reported that the Mexican restaurant was originally located at the Railroad Square complex off Chaplin Street before moving to 99 West River Road in 2023.

A little over a year later, in 2024, Buen Apetito shared on Facebook that it was passing on the torch to new owners, including Dalia, “the heart and soul of [the] kitchen for twenty years,” her daughter, Norma, and Norma’s husband, Shawn.

READ MORE: Famous Maine Restaurant Buen Apetito Adds Powerhouse New Owner to Crew

And it seems like not only are things still going strong, but new additions like La Bestia food challenge are only enhancing the spirit of big flavor and delicious Mexican food at the Waterville staple.

So, you think you’re up for the task of taking down a beast of a burrito at Buen Apetito? Good luck.

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Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

The New York Time’s Best Restaurant Lists Feature These 7 Maine Spots

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

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Maine

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

How the Good Neighbor Day of Giving telethon is impacting Maine’s communities

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Monday’s telethon held by WABI in partnership with Penquis and Heart of Maine United Way Monday raised money for the heating of homes, something so basic, yet so significant in a state like Maine.

Danielle Hewes, Penquis contributor and volunteer, says some people might not even know that they qualify for heating assistance.

“I think there’s this misconception that you can’t get that if you’re working. Like that’s just for people on general assistance. The truth of the matter is this is for the people that are maybe not able to work, but also for the people that are working. They’re making ends meet,” she said.

For Danielle, that’s what makes events like the telethon so special: it’s making a real difference in the community with people who need the help the most.

Speaking about Penquis in particular, she said, “You learn about all of the other things they do and how they help the community and you can’t help but want to be a part of that.”

If you weren’t able to donate Monday, donations are still being accepted.

You can go to homeunitedway.org/heat.

You can also call 941-2800.

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