Maine
Waterville volunteers count birds in daylong Christmas count
Greg LeClair looks for birds through his scope Saturday in Clinton during the Christmas Bird Count. Hannah Kaufman/Morning Sentinel
WATERVILLE — Volunteers traversed a 7.5-mile radius of towns, neighborhoods and fields Saturday, making note of every bird they saw or heard as part of an annual Christmas Bird Count.
Organized by the National Audubon Society, a bird conservation nonprofit facilitated by Maine Audubon and other local chapters, the volunteer-led counts take place in over 35 locations across Maine, running from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5.
Waterville’s count gathered about 20 volunteers Saturday to cover a region spanning Clinton, Fairfield, Vassalboro, Sidney, Belgrade, Winslow and Benton. Some of the volunteers work in wildlife and conservation fields and are regarded as local bird experts, while others are just getting into the hobby.
The count helps state wildlife entities track bird populations, monitor fluctuations and understand long-term trends. At the end of the day, all of the data is reported to the count’s coordinator, which then gets sent to National Audubon to be consolidated into a state report.
That data informs many of the state’s conservation decisions, said Doug Hitchcox, staff naturalist at Maine Audubon.
“Whether it’s the programs we do, the things we talk about — we use so much Christmas Bird Count data,” Hitchcox said. “The wonderful thing about it is it’s the longest-running community science project, so that long-term data set really does a good job of showing you the trends, and that is just so beneficial to us and arguably anyone doing the larger scale conservation work.”
Christmas Bird Count participants can be identified as either feeders or fielders, said Greg LeClair, coordinator for Waterville’s count. Feeders stay at home and monitor the birds that appear at their feeders, while fielders venture out to count the birds.
“Fielders drive around, walk around and go looking for birds that way,” LeClair said. “Some of them are even out before sunrise and after sunset, looking for owls. We have a lot of different corners covered. We get people out in wetlands and forests and open fields and in the city, and we just try and tally every bird we can find.”
On Saturday, the conditions for birding were almost perfect. It was cold but not too cold, with low wind, reasonably clear skies and snow concentrated around food sources, causing birds to feed near roads and at bird feeders. By 10 a.m., LeClair had gotten eyes — and binoculars — on multiple turkeys and hawks, four cardinals, three juncos, a merlin and two savannah sparrows, which are uncommon in the winter due to their preference for grasslands.
A savannah sparrow sits in a tree Saturday, an uncommon sight during the winter in Maine. Photo courtesy of Greg LeClair
Already, groups of volunteers were exchanging excited texts about their findings in each territory. For many, that excitement builds on years of data from past Christmas Bird Counts.
LeClair said that Waterville’s count has helped to identify new bird population trends.
“What’s been really cool with Waterville is we’ve been able to see new species kind of trickle in with both habitat and climate change,” LeClair said. “So if you look back in our data, you can see when the first northern cardinals started showing up, and more recently, it’s been things like red-bellied woodpeckers and Carolina wrens that are pretty new to the count, but they’re reliably showing up every year now, which is pretty cool to see.”
Spotting rare birds during the count is an exciting bonus. If something rare does show up, LeClair said that taking photos is heavily encouraged, as well as the use of Merlin, a bird sound identification app.
This is Audubon’s 125th Christmas Bird Count. The first count happened on Christmas Day in 1900, proposed by ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, and it’s been an Audubon holiday tradition every year since.
Greg LeClair looks through binoculars from his parked car Saturday during the Christmas Bird Count. Hannah Kaufman/Morning Sentinel
With the state of Maine poised to update its Wildlife Action Plan in 2025, up-to-date bird data is important. Hitchcox said Christmas Bird Count data can be compared with data from the Maine Bird Atlas, a recently completed five-year catalog of birds from citizen scientists across the state.
“We have the best data on Maine birds that we’ve ever had, and then also being able to look at the long-term data through Christmas Bird Counts, through breeding bird surveys, that gives us a very complete picture.”
It’s impossible for volunteers to count every bird in a 15-mile diameter. But even incomplete data gives biologists an understanding of population and climate trends.
Over the last few decades, new species have been expanding northward and are breeding in Maine, spending harsh winters where they formerly only stayed for summers. This year’s data may also give an early picture of how avian influenza is impacting different bird populations.
While counting birds is the primary focus, Hitchcox said the Christmas Bird Count also brings people together.
“I really like it because it brings a lot of the experts — the people who have been doing it for 30 or 40 years — and often pairs them up with people who are brand new to it,” Hitchcox said. “And it’s one of the best multigenerational opportunities as well. It’s an amazing opportunity to kind of see what a cool, diverse hobby this is, and we’re doing it in this long-running tradition of collecting data, which I think is one of the best ways we can be giving back to birds.”
There will be more opportunities to get involved in birdwatching across Maine next year. The Great Backyard Bird Count is in February, and Global Big Day, an event where birdwatchers around the world record as many species as possible, is planned for May 10. In the meantime, anyone can download the Merlin app as a first step in identifying birds.
Waterville’s Christmas Bird Count will culminate with a tally rally at 5 p.m., sharing pizza and findings. But until then, as LeClair continues to circle the region, he said there’s one bird in particular he’s hoping to spot.
“Really, I think the one that makes it for me every year is the snow bunting,” LeClair said. “It’s a cute little white bird that forages in fields, and they look like little toasted marshmallows, and that’s my quintessential Christmas Bird Count bird.”
Outdoors
The BDN outdoors section brings readers into the woods, waters and wild places of Maine. It features stories on hunting, fishing, wildlife, conservation and recreation, told by people who live these experiences. This section emphasizes hands-on knowledge, field reports, issues, trends and the traditions that define life outside in Maine. Read more Outdoors stories here.
The weeks after ice-out are prime time for trout and salmon fishing in Maine.
While many anglers rely on live smelts, tandem streamer flies or classic lures like DB Smelts and Mooselook Wobblers, several Maine companies are producing lures that catch plenty of fish of their own.
I reached out to four Maine lure makers and asked them to send me their best catches from the last month, along with the lure that caught them.
Here’s what they sent.
Pine State Sports Supply
Owned by Justin Blouin and based in Lisbon, Pine State Sports Supply was founded in 2023. The company offers several styles of spoons and plugs designed to imitate smelt, dace, shiners, alewives and other baitfish. All trolling spoons are made by hand.
The Harry Lure
The Harry Lure is owned by Adam Bergeron. Founded by Harry Ellison, the lure was developed on New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee. Bergeron moved the company to Kennebunk and began stamping lures there in March 2024. Unlike traditional concave spoons, the flat lure is designed to swing side to side and flash light as it moves through the water.
Northeast Troller
Founded by Christian Carlson in 2016, Northeast Troller produces custom trolling and casting spoons from its shop in Thorndike. Carlson, who is also a taxidermist, began making spoons as a passion project and thank-you gift for his clients. The spoons are CAD-designed, painted and assembled in Thorndike, and tested on the water before production.
Dream Catcher Lures
Dream Catcher Lures are made by Jesse Dicker in Lincoln. Established in 2020, the company produces a variety of lures for salmon, lake trout and other species.
Its lineup includes a smelt series, trout casting and trolling spoons, dodgers, jerkbaits, bass poppers, jigs and worm-bait rigs.
Earlier this spring, Registered Maine Guides Jake Rackliff and Adam Bergeron landed a 10-pound rainbow trout on a Dream Catcher Lures Solid Pink UV.
WASHINGTON (AP) — There’s no shortage of competitive, high-stakes races and candidates with famous last names in Maine’s state primary on Tuesday.
Primaries for U.S. Senate and U.S. House will set the stage for a midterm general election in which Maine is expected to play a critical role in deciding control of both chambers. Maine voters will also have the opportunity in November to demonstrate the state’s fiercely independent streak when it comes to electing a new governor.
READ MORE: Amid controversial Senate campaigns, Paxton and Platner visit Washington to shore up support
The races feature the son of a U.S. senator, the daughter of a congresswoman, the brother of a former governor and the nephew and cousin of two presidents.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins is unopposed for renomination to a sixth term, which would put her on track to become the chamber’s longest-serving member from Maine.
Collins, the only Senate Republican to represent a state that Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried in 2024, is a pivotal figure in the effort to win control of the chamber in November. The 51% of the vote she received in her 2020 election bid was her poorest showing since the 49% she received in her first successful run in 1996. She is frequently at the top of Democrats’ list of incumbents to oust, but her Democratic opponents have never surpassed the 44% mark in her five previous races.
READ MORE: Platner’s wife calls reports about Senate candidate’s explicit texts with women ‘shameful’
Graham Platner is the leading contender for the Democratic nomination to challenge Collins. He’s a Marine and U.S. Army veteran who took up oyster farming following combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Platner originally faced a competitive primary against Gov. Janet Mills, the preferred candidate among some national Democratic leaders, but the second-term governor dropped out of the race in April citing fundraising challenges.
Platner has two remaining primary opponents, one of them a write-in candidate. Mills is still on the ballot, despite suspending her campaign.
As of May 20, Platner led all candidates, including Collins, in fundraising for the cycle, although Collins sat atop a larger war chest.
WATCH: Dissecting what the latest primary races mean for November elections
He received key early backing from Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who reiterated his support despite recent allegations that Platner had sent sexually explicit text messages to several women while married. Platner was embroiled in another controversy earlier in the campaign regarding a tattoo he once had that was recognized as a Nazi symbol.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden announced in November that he would not seek a fifth term in a district Trump won in 2024, along with its one electoral vote. Maine is one of two states that allocates some of its presidential electoral votes by congressional district.
The Democratic field to replace Golden includes former congressional aide Jordan Wood, state Auditor Matt Dunlap and state Sen. Joe Baldacci, brother of Democratic former Gov. John Baldacci.
The winner will face former two-term Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who is unopposed for the nomination.
Wood has far outraised the field, including LePage, in campaign contributions, although LePage had the most money in the bank as of May 20.
In the gubernatorial primaries, state Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former state Senate President Troy Jackson, renewable energy company co-founder Angus King III, former state House Speaker Hannah Pingree and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Deputy Director Nirav Shah all seek the Democratic nomination.
The Republican field includes former healthcare CEO Jonathan Bush, former U.S. State Department official Bobby Charles, former state Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason and businessman Ben Midgley.
King is the son of independent U.S. Sen. Angus King. Pingree is the daughter of Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree. Bush is related to Republican former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.
The governor’s office in Maine frequently changes party hands. The state hasn’t elected consecutive governors from the same party in 74 years.
Maine is divided into 16 counties, but elections are run by the state’s hundreds of cities and towns, a practice common in New England. Portland is by far Maine’s most populous city and forms the heart of the state’s Democratic base. The two congressional districts largely track with the state’s political demographics. The 1st Congressional District along the Southern Maine Coast is heavily Democratic, while the massive 2nd District to the north includes the bulk of the smaller, more rural areas where Trump performed best.
The state uses a ranked-choice voting system in which voters rank the candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of first-place votes, the last-place candidate is dropped, and votes cast for that candidate are reallocated among the rest of the field according to the preferences of the dropped candidate’s voters. This process repeats until one candidate emerges with a majority of votes.
Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied.
When do polls close?
Polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
What’s on the ballot?
The Associated Press will provide vote results and declare winners in contested primaries for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, state Senate and state House.
Who gets to vote?
Registered party members may vote only in their own party’s primary. In other words, Democrats can’t vote in the Republican primary or vice versa. Independent or unaffiliated voters may participate in either primary.
How many voters are there?
As of January, there were about 354,000 registered Democrats, about 309,000 registered Republicans and about 334,000 voters with no party affiliation.
How many people actually vote?
About 69,000 Democratic primary votes and about 60,000 Republican primary votes were cast in the gubernatorial primaries in 2022, when both nominees ran unopposed.
How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot?
About 26% of the Democratic primary vote and about 12% of the Republican primary vote in the 2022 primaries for governor was cast before primary day.
As of Thursday, about 56,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election, about 33,000 from Democrats, about 13,000 from Republicans and about 10,000 from voters not affiliated with any party.
When are early and absentee votes released?
In the 2024 general election, the state’s most populous cities and towns tended to release results from all types of voting together at the beginning of the night.
How long does vote-counting usually take?
In the 2024 general election, the AP first reported results at 8:44 p.m. ET, or 44 minutes after polls closed. About 50% of the total vote had been counted by 12:54 a.m. ET, and counting stopped for the night at 4:11 a.m. ET. By 3:13 p.m. ET the day after Election Day, about 90% of the vote had been counted.
When will the AP declare a winner?
The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.
How do recounts work?
Under a 2025 law, recounts in Maine are automatic if the vote is tied. A candidate for statewide or multicounty office may request and pay for a recount, although the charges are waived if the vote margin is not more than 1% of the total votes cast or not more than 1,000 votes, whichever is less. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.
Are we there yet?
As of Tuesday, there will be 147 days until the 2026 midterm elections.
— Robert Yoon, Associated Press
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PORTLAND (WGME) — Monday will be setting up to bring lots of sunshine with temperatures in the 70s and 80s across Maine.
Showers, thunderstorms, and rising humidity levels begin as early as Wednesday.
Planner for Monday, June 8th. (WGME)
The UV index will be very high at a 9.
Allergies continue to run moderate-to-high.
Birch, oak, and maples trees are the current allergens.
Temperature trend ahead this week. (WGME)
80s will be very common for the rest of the week, including the upcoming weekend.
Dew points ahead this week. (WGME)
Dew points will run near 60 at the coastline, indicating a sticky feel to the air.
Humidity will be on the rise, with dew points near 70 degrees by Thursday.
Rain chances ahead this week. (WGME)
Wet and stormy weather enters the forecast beginning Wednesday with afternoon and evening showers and storms.
More PM showers and storms will repeat on Thursday and Friday.
Wednesday evening. (WGME)
After bright spots in the morning on Wednesday, showers and storms will pop up by the late afternoon through the evening.
Thursday chance for showers and thunderstorms. (WGME)
A frontal passage will arrive midweek, bringing showers and storms to the area for the rest of the week. This will mostly occur in the afternoon.
Thursday and Friday will run warm, even hot, with temps in the 80s and low 90s inland.
As of Monday, there is a chance that Saturday starts with showers, but stay tuned for more updates throughout the week.
Do you have any weather questions? Email our Weather Authority team at weather@wgme.com. We’d love to hear from you!
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