What are those birds?

Today is one of those quiet days that are sometimes called weather breeders, still and quiet, clear as a bell with bright sunshine. The current official forecast would seem to confirm that call. We are scheduled to have another snowstorm Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday. Another in a steady string of snowstorms this winter. I love the snow, after all if it is going to be winter the ground may as well be white.
 
Last week I spent part of an afternoon chipping ice out of the driveway, especially around the front door. I looked across the lawn and into the apple tree. There was a medium sized bird that I did not recognize at first glance. The sun was behind the bird making any color very hard to see. I watched for a minute or two and soon there was another one. Now I was curious! So I walked up on to the deck trying to get a better angle.
 
Whatever it was it had a deep red or brick color breast. Now I am really thinking this is an exotic bird of some sort. Finally I get close enough and the angle so that I can see color and shape in the sunlight. Sure enough not an exotic at all but a robin! As I walk a little closer I can see that there are maybe a dozen robins down along the brook. Hopping around on the snow and ice like they always do on the lawn in spring. So those of you who were feeling like this winter would never end. The robins are here spring cannot be too far away. I hope that they know what they are doing, it sure still looks like winter to me.
 
 
Rate Increase
 
It was inevitable; after five years I have to raise prices. All of you know about the things pushing me to increase because you are experiencing them as well. Fuel has doubled in price and groceries have gone up at least 20 percent at my house. In order to be able to deliver the same level of service that my clients deserve and have come to expect I simply have to charge more.
 
Fishing trips will be $275 for a half day trip and $475 for a full day, still including lunch. Pricing for nature exploration trips looks more like the pricing for fishing trips at $275 for up to four on any of those trips. I know that the value of all of these trips still far exceeds the prices that I am charging for them but I never like to have to go up. With a new boat and a variety of new trips I am certain that the value Maine Outdoors offers will be even better. I am still committed to donating 10 percent of profit each year to conservation education efforts in Maine.
 
 
Sometimes all you need to do is watch!
 
One day I had let the dogs out for their afternoon run and chance to play in the snow.  I was filling the wood box in the house and making trips between the garage and the House.  On my last trip I happened to glance up and catch out of the corner of my eye two birds flying into the pine tree alongside the driveway.  One was quite small, a chickadee turned out and the other I assumed at first to be a mourning dove.  Both landed in the pine and for a second all was quiet.  Soon though the chickadee began flying frantically through the branches of the pine with the larger bird in hot pursuit.  Clearly the larger bird was not a mourning dove. First because doves are not that maneuverable in the trees, second they are not predators and certainly would not chase a chickadee for several minutes.
 
I stood and watched fascinated. I realized that it was a northern shrike chasing down supper.  The chase went on for what I would guess to have been as long as two minutes.  The shrike was eventually successful in his pursuit stopping on a branch where I could see him very clearly with the chickadee in his talons.  The amazing thing is that because shrikes are fairly rare I had previously seen one briefly and at some distance.  Yes I identified it but had not gotten a really good long look.  Here I was standing in my own garage and not only getting a really good look at a shrike but got to watch it chase down it's prey.
 
After maybe 30 seconds to shrike flew off with it's supper and I went back to filling the wood box.  Sometimes all you need to do is pay attention and amazing things are going on right in your own front yard.
 
 
Booking now for the coming season!
 
Reservations continue to come in for next spring and summer. If you are planning to be in the area this year please give me a call or drop me an e-mail so we can plan a date to spend some time outdoors together.