Dear Katie,

Happy New Year! This month we are sharing just a few of the posts from our Harpswell Nature Watchers Facebook group. Want to see the rest? Click here to join.

What are you seeing out there? We'd love to hear from you! Click here for more information about Harpswell Nature Watchers.

Giant's Stairs on Bailey Island.

(Submitted by Lori Mazzaro. December 3, 2022)

So many times I've noticed in Long Reach Preserve the rectangular holes in trees that are distinctive for pileated woodpeckers, but I've only ever seen one flying over Route 24 from there. Today was the day! I've included a couple pictures of older and newer holes. It was great to see how it wields its beak like an axe chopping this way and that.

To see videos of the woodpecker, visit the Facebook group.

(Submitted by Gina Snyder. December 4, 2022)

Saw this barred owl today on Great Island, off 24, across from the school! Made my day.

(Submitted by Stacy Dean Seymour. December 15, 2022)

Small but mighty!

(Submitted by Jess Marie. December 22, 2022)

Lookout Point, amazing as always.

(Submitted by Molly Murphy Tannatt. December 30, 2022)

Around noon today the warmer weather, along with some off-and-on sun, brought out quite a variety of birds in our yard. A lot of chickadees, a bluebird or two, a robin, a cardinal, a tufted titmouse, a northern flicker, and a red-bellied woodpecker stuck around long enough for me to take some pictures. I also heard a couple of blue jays, but they eluded the lens. Then, just before sunset I spotted a barred owl perched on a wire over Rt-123 right near my house.

(Submitted by Howard Marshall. December 31, 2022)