Spring Migration Hotspot: Weskeag Marsh

Tue, 04/13/2021 - 6:15am

About this blog:

  • Eliza is a sophomore in high school. She loves birds, looking for birds, and most everything related to birds. She also plays the piano, is an active Girl Scout, and loves gardening. She is very excited to be fully vaccinated and to be able to see her friends and family! 

Known locally and around the country as a fantastic shorebird and waterfowl stopover spot, Weskeag Marsh (near the Dragon Cement factory in Thomaston) is one of the best places around to go birding during spring migration. We are starting to see spring migration pick up a lot, especially regarding waterfowl and shorebirds. This past weekend I made a quick trip to Weskeag, and there wasn’t a moment where a bird wasn’t calling or flying around in the marsh. This is a great spot for lifers (birds that you have never seen in your life), especially for beginners. I know I see a new bird there almost every time I go. 

One of the best things about this marsh is that there is almost always an experienced birder there, pointing out birds they are seeing to other people. This is how I find a lot of the birds that like to hang out around the edges, like Great Blue Herons and Red-tailed Hawks. Some other common birds that you can find there right now include Killdeer, Snowy Egrets, Common Mergansers, Mallards, Green-winged Teals, Song Sparrows, and Red-winged Blackbirds, among many others. 

This is one of my favorite places to go birding, and I hope you will enjoy it too. Happy birding!