Monhegan has long been known as an artist’s island, and all summer long tourists traipse across the small isle, visiting galleries and studios in search of the next Rockwell Kent. Come September, though, the island finds itself hosting another breed of traveler. Well, two other breeds — birds and birders. Over the past fifteen years, Monhegan has earned itself an international reputation as a birdwatching Eden, and every autumn hundreds of avian enthusiasts from across North America and from as far away as Europe flock to the little square mile at sea to watch warblers and hawks and myriad rare species as they rest up to head south.
 
Twelve miles from the main, Monhegan is the only piece of terra firma for miles and it sits right on the Atlantic Flyway, the turnpike for our feathered friends, so it’s a natural place for birds to take a breather on their autumnal migration. It’s not uncommon to see upwards of seventy-five different species in a day, and rare birds, such as the magnificent frigatebird, the northern wheatear, and the painted bunting, show up with fair consistency.
 
Where there are birds, of course, there are sure to be bird watchers. Maryann Boody, of the Trailing Yew, a local guesthouse, says they make up 50 percent of the Yew’s business at this time of year. Peter Vickery has been among these bird enthusiasts for decades now. Co-author of A Birder’s Guide to Maine and an avian ecologist for Massachusetts Audubon, the Richmond resident hasn’t missed a year for the past two decades.
 
The wealth of birdlife and the interaction between species is spectacular, Vickery explains. “You see merlins chasing songbirds and eating them right in front of you. You’re right in the middle of it, and that’s always exciting.” Migration schedules differ, so various species show up at various times, according to Vickery, but they are close enough to provide an amazing opportunity for a birder with only a week to spare. “Most people think of the peak as the third week of September,” he says. “But it’s like a meal with seven different courses. There are different components and different flavors in each week.”
 
(Published September 1997)