Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip!

The Maine Brews Cruise and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are excited to resurrect our collaboration for three very special outings in 2024.

These unique, relaxed birding and beer-ing adventures that you have come to love combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with visits to sample the delicious creations of some of our favorite local breweries. These tours are a perfect introduction to birding and/or craft beer, and a great opportunity to travel with significant others, friends, and family that have interest in one topic, while your interest is primarily in the other (for now!). Seasonal birding hotspots and great local beer – a perfect combination, and we’ll even do all of the driving!

Birds on Tap Kick-Off
Thursday, April 25th, 2024
5 – 7pm
Warblers and Wort
Sunday, May 19, 2024
Shorebirds and Steins
Sunday, August 11, 2024
The Boat Trip!
Sunday, October 20th, 2024

Birds on Tap Kick-off FREE Event!
Thursday April 25, 2024
5 – 7pm
@ Portland Beer Hub

Derek Lovitch of Freeport Wild Bird Supply and Birding Guide for the Birds on Tap! Series will be joined by the Maine Brews Cruise team for a casual get-together of bird- and beer- minded folks. We’ll chat about the upcoming tour slate, the Birds on Tap! concept, and of course, birds! Learn more about the Maine Brews Cruise and the Portland Beer Hub and enjoy a flight of Maine-made bird-themed beers (available for purchase). And who knows, some bird trivia or other birding games might even break out.

Warblers and Wort
Sunday, May 19, 2023
8:00am – 2:00pm

May means warbler migration, and the destination for Warblers and Wort will hit two of Maine’s most famous springtime migrant traps, Portland’s Evergreen Cemetery and nearby Capisic Pond Park. Two oases in the urban jungle, featuring water sources and a mix of various habitats, help concentrate migrant birds that found themselves in or over the city come sunrise. After migrating all night, tired travelers look for refuge: food, water, and shelter, and urban greenspaces are absolutely critical for refueling.

Warbler diversity will rapidly be increasing, up to 18 species possible by the middle of May, depending on the progression of the season. Other species, such as sparrows, raptors, and other Neotropical Migrants such as orioles and tanagers are also on the move, increasing our chances of seeing a diversity of species. If the cemetery’s apples and cherries are blooming, we may be in for quite a treat as these are absolute magnets for hungry migrants. Meanwhile, most trees have yet to fully leaf out, making them easier to spot!
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It’s sometimes hard to leave Evergreen on a busy spring morning, but if we do, it will be for the very short trip over to Capisic Pond Park, where we’ll continue to seek migrants of all shapes and sizes.

After about 3 hours of birding, we will be transported to two of our great local producers to sample their offerings and learn their styles.

The samples are included in the tour price, and The Maine Brews Cruise will supply a light snack and water. Bring binoculars. We also recommend bringing a lunch or additional snack if you so desire. Light-colored, long-sleeve shirt and pants are highly recommended to reduce the nuisances of biting insects.

We’ll be doing all of the driving, so you can relax!

Meeting Location

• Meeting time: 8am
• Meeting location: Marginal Way Park & Ride
  • opposite the intersection of Diamond St & Marginal Way
  • just East of Franklin Ave.

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time.

We’ll return to Marginal Way Park & Ride (Portland) at 2:00pm

Shorebirds and Steins
Sunday, August 11, 2023
10:00am – 4:00pm​
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The original BoT Roadtrip! in 2015, our most popular tour returns to Scarborough Marsh at prime time for a good variety of migrant shorebirds. We’ll learn how to identify our common species, and search for the rare. Up to 20 species of shorebirds are possible! We’ll practice identifying our “peeps” (Least, Semipalmated, and White-rumped Sandpipers) and attempt to tease out a rare Western or even a Baird’s among the masses. We’ll look for local breeding American Oystercatchers and Willets, while searching for migrants such as Red Knots on their way from the high Arctic to the southern tip of Argentina.

And not to worry, we’ll take a look at everything else, such as Common, Roseate, and Least Terns; herons and egrets, and who knows what else? We may even get a chance to see Nelson’s and Saltmarsh Sparrows depending on time, wind, and tide.

After about 3 hours of birding, we will be transported to two of our great local breweries to sample their offerings and learn their styles.

The samples are included in the tour price, and The Maine Brews Cruise will supply a light snack and water. Bring binoculars and a spotting scope if you have one. We also recommend bringing a lunch or additional snack if you so desire. Sunscreen, a light jacket in case the wind turns onshore, and sturdy comfortable walking shoes are also recommended – we will be out in the sun for the duration of the birding portion of the tour.

We’ll be doing all of the driving, so you can relax!

Meeting Location

• Meeting time: 10am
• Meeting location: Marginal Way Park & Ride
  • opposite the intersection of Diamond St & Marginal Way
  • just East of Franklin Ave.

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time.

We’ll return to Marginal Way Park & Ride (Portland) at 4:00pm

The Boat Trip! 
Sunday, October 20th
9am – 2pm

For the first time ever, Birds on Tap! is hitting the water! That’s right, we taking a cruise. And our goal is to find a rare bird or two.

This very special trip will take us across Portland Harbor to the private House Island. We’ve been granted special permission to come ashore and scour the island here in the first peak of the fall “Rarity Season.” We’ll follow well-maintained trails through the island’s mosaic of open habitats, scrub, and young woods. These are great habitats to search for vagrants and other seasonal rarities, and we’ve eyed the habitat from our birding days on Peak’s Island.

While rare birds are rare, we are still going to expect the unexpected. But more likely are regular migrants of the season such as a variety of sparrows, and a growing diversity of waterbirds. At the very least, we’ll have resident waterbirds and several species of gulls to sort through. We are having daydreams of a rare flycatcher! 

As we motor across the harbor, we’ll begin to familiarize ourselves with some of the common waterbirds, such as Common Eiders and Common Loons to look at, while you enjoy a local craft beverage produced in the city of Portland. 

The beverages are included in the tour price, and The Maine Brews Cruise will supply a light snack and water. Bring binoculars We also recommend bringing a lunch or additional snack if you so desire. Sturdy comfortable walking shoes are also recommended, as are a variety of layers as it can be quite chilly on the water by the end of October. 

Meeting Location

• Meeting time: 9am
• Meeting location: Portland Beer Hub: 320 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101
  • on street parking is available in Portland’s Old Port
  • parking garages are also an option and listed below
    • Fore Street Parking Garage – 427 Fore Street, Portland
    • Fisherman’s Wharf – 202 Commercial Street, Portland
    • Custom House Parking Garage – 25 Pearl Street, Portland

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your departure time.

We’ll return to Portland Beer Hub at 2:00pm