Two Freeport companies partner for talk and tastings

FREEPORT – Birds, books and beers have something in common. At least that’s the way it will be on Monday, May 5, when Freeport Wild Bird Supply hosts a segment of the “Birds, Books, and Beers” series, in conjunction with Maine Beer Company.

Will Russell, who with Ina Lewington and Steve Howell wrote “Rare Birds of North America,” will do a book signing and presentation. The event will take place from 6-8 p.m. at Freeport Wild Bird Supply on 541 U.S. Route 1.

Russell will give a short talk, answer questions and sign copies of his book. The conversation will switch to Maine Beer Company, nearby at 525 Route 1, for at fresh beer in the tasting room while Russell signs more books.

“Rare Birds of North America” is an illustrated field guide to 262 bird species that have occurred as vagrants in North America. The book delves into avian vagrancy, its causes and patterns. For those who might wonder, it helps to answer how birds from other parts of the world end up on our continent.

Russell, who lives in Tucson but spent 15 years in Seal Harbor, travels the world leading bird tours. He calls Kenya the world’s greatest natural history experience. Vagrant birds, he said, stray to a place and/or time when almost all of its kind are somewhere else.

Why?

“Orientation errors of various kinds during migration and the effects of major weather systems that overtake birds when they’re migrating over water, or are forced over water,” Russell said. “We now know that even small birds can travel immense distances, presumably by drifting downwind when trapped by these systems.”

Russell said that he, Howell and Livingston intended “Rare Birds of North America” to be “useful” for the birding public. Edward S. Brinkley, editor of North American Birds, the journal of the American Birding Association, is quoted in the press release with glowing words for the book.

“’Rare Birds of North America’ is splendid,” he said. “There is warmth and humor in the prose, and the color plates are stunning and will ensure a strong audience for many years to come. Such a book is long overdue for North American readers.”

Books will be available for purchase at both locations.

Maine Beer Company’s tasting room offers its most popular varieties and new, often single-batch brews for purchase. Non-alcoholic beverages and snacks also will be available.

This will be the third installment of the “Birds, Books, and Beers” series, which kicked off last fall.

Freeport Wild Bird Supply also will presebt a special program featuring David Sibley, author of “Sibley Guide to Birds, 2nd edition,” on May 16.

“We continue to be Maine’s premier host of natural history presenters,” said Derek Lovitch of Pownal, who with his wife Jeannette owns Freeport Wild Bird Supply.

Author Will Russell will be on hand to talk about and sign the book, “Rare Birds of North America,” during “Birds, Books, and Beers” on May 5, at Freeport Wild Bird Supply and Maine Beer Company, both on U.S. Route 1.