The 2018 Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! Schedule
The Maine Brew Bus and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are excited to collaborate on twelve great outings for 2018 in the fourth year of our popular Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! series.
These unique, relaxed birding and beer-ing adventures combine great local birding at seasonal hotspots with visits to sample the delicious creations of some of our favorite local producers. And now we are featuring one different tour itinerary each month!
These tours are a perfect introduction to birding and/or craft alcohol, 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!).
It’s another way to make learning about birds and birding even more fun, and it is also a great way to support several Maine businesses. The trips introduce people to new alcohol producers, new birds, and new places in a casual atmosphere that makes both birding and beer appreciation approachable.
We’ll visit breweries (and now a couple of cideries and distilleries, too!) from Newcastle to Fryeburg to Kittery, and we’ll bird seasonal hotspots throughout southern Maine.
Our expert bird guide for the series is once again Derek Lovitch. Derek’s lifelong passion for birding has inspired his careers as a biologist, author, tour guide, and business owner.
He is the author of Birdwatching in Maine (University Press of New England, 2017), and also How to Be a Better Birder (Princeton, 2012).
Derek and his wife, Jeannette, own and operate Freeport Wild Bird Supply, an independent bird-feeding and birding specialty shop. Lovitch serves as a private guide for clients throughout the state and also leads trips worldwide for WINGS Birding Tours.
Our Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! tours are priced at $65 per person, which includes expert bird guiding with Derek, beer guiding from The Maine Brew Bus, samples at the producer locations, and round-trip transportation from either Freeport Wild Bird Supply or the Marginal Way Park and Ride in Portland.
“These tours are a perfect way for couples or friends with different interests to spend the day together. We take the pressure off learning about complex topics from identifying shorebirds to hop characteristics. One does not need to be a “birder” to enjoy these outings. People of all skill levels are encouraged to join us!” – Derek Lovitch
The alcohol samples are included in the tour price, and we will even supply a light snack (a delicious vegetarian hand-pie) and water.
So whatever your birding interests are, we have a tour for you! Complete details of each tour and links to trip reports from prior outings, along with information about registration are available on the Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! link below.
And don’t miss our last tour of 2017! You can still hop on the bus Sunday, December 10th for Farms and Fermentation. We’ll go birding on Mayall Road, along the Androscoggin River, and at Lake Auburn. And then we will go drinking at Bear Bones Beer in Lewiston and Norumbega Cidery in New Gloucester.
Book Farms and Fermentation on December 10th now!
Want to know more? Our tours have been featured in the Portland Press Herald, Maine Public Radio, and the Associated Press.
And for a little more about the history of our tour partnership with Freeport Wild Bird Supply, check out this blog entry.
We look forward to seeing you aboard the bus for a Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! this year. Great birding and beer-ing opportunities await!
Questions? Call 207-865-6000, email freeportwildbird@yahoo.com, or visit Freeport Wild Bird Supply to pay by cash or check. To conveniently pay online, click on the “Book Now” links below or on the calendar. Please note that tour venues and details may change without notice due to unforeseen circumstances. For information on the Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! cancellation and refund policy, click here.