Did you go birding on Black Friday instead of shopping through the night? Maybe you watched some evening grosbeaks and purple finches at the feeder? We ourselves were happy to have missed the Black Friday craziness. Instead of shopping until exhaustion, we were soaking in the sun on the Caribbean island of Aruba, watching bright orange troupials and yellow-bellied bananaquits coming in to feed on mango juice on our hotel patio.

But we appreciate that all of us still probably have to pick up at least a few holiday gifts in the coming weeks. 

And we’re here to help.

We would like to take this opportunity to give you two gift suggestions that will not only make your shopping easier but will make the recipient very appreciative to receive such a unique and special gift!

For just about anyone in your gift giving circle who lives in, once lived in, or just loves to visit our great state of Maine, we humbly submit that a copy of a beautifully illustrated, slim book called “Maine’s Favorite Birds” might be just the thing for them. Yes, we did write it and so obviously are not above a little self-promotion! But we also know that people who have even the slightest interest in birds (and face it, who doesn’t?) and even the slightest interest in Maine (or even New England in general) have universally loved having a copy of Maine’s Favorite Birds. The book illustrates, with gorgeous watercolor paintings, a little over 100 of the birds that are most likely to be encountered in the state. This makes it much easier to identify and learn our birds without struggling through the 800 or so species and two to three thousand images in a standard field guide. Plus, we have strived to write clever and creative descriptions of the plumage and vocalizations that will make them memorable. There’s even a section in the back of the book that lists some of the best places to go birding in the state—a mini site guide to help someone begin birding beyond their backyard. Even if someone just wants a souvenir to remind them of a visit or of growing up here, we hope you’ll find that “Maine’s Favorite Birds” is a fabulous gift! 

Regular readers of this column will know that we have been visiting some of the islands of the Dutch Caribbean—in particular the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao—for more than 25 years.  And you may know that we published a book last year on the birds of these islands and how to find them, called “Birds of Aruba, Bonaire, & Curaçao: A Site and Field Guide.” Surprisingly, huge numbers of Mainers and New Englanders have visited or regularly visit these islands, particularly the island of Aruba. We are always surprised how, when we mention the islands, we find so many of our family, friends, and acquaintances have traveled to one or more of these tropical destinations. We hope you will consider this another great gift for anyone who may have visited or may one day wish to visit these islands and enjoy troupials, and bananaquits, and bare-eyed pigeons, and flamingos, and ruby-topaz hummingbirds, and brown-throated parakeets—to name just a few of the amazing birds that occur there.

Both books may be available from your local bookstore and are always a click away through online outlets including from the publishers themselves.

“Maine’s Favorite Birds” is available from Tilbury House (a Maine publisher) at https://tilburyhouse.com/book/nonfiction/maine-and-new-england/maines-favorite-birds/

“Birds of Aruba, Bonaire, & Curaçao: A Site and Field Guide” is available from Cornell University Press at http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/?GCOI=80140100155320

Jeffrey V. Wells, Ph.D., is a Fellow of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Dr. Wells is one of the nation's leading bird experts and conservation biologists and author of the “Birder’s Conservation Handbook.” His grandfather, the late John Chase, was a columnist for the Boothbay Register for many years. Allison Childs Wells, formerly of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is a senior director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, a nonprofit membership organization working statewide to protect the nature of Maine. Both are widely published natural history writers and are the authors of the popular book, “Maine’s Favorite Birds” (Tilbury House) and the recently released “Birds of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao” from Cornell University Press.