Camden Hills State Park

With its spectacular scenery, Camden Hills State Park on Maine’s Midcoast region is a well-known retreat for migrating hawks. In fact, Camden Hills offers a safe place for many of Maine’s common bird species to roost. Birders might spot bald eagles, ospreys, great blue herons, piping plovers, or nesting terns.

The park’s most scenic vista is high atop Mt. Battie. An elevation of 800 feet above sea level gives birders and hikers breathtaking views of Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay. Keep your binoculars in focus, so you don’t miss the red-tailed, broad-winged, or sharpshinned hawks who are all migrating hawks on Mt. Battie. You might even see a turkey vulture or two.

You don’t have to venture too far on the 25 miles of trails to see Eastern Towhee or Brown Thrashers. These birds like to hang out by the oaks surrounding the parking lot.

The springtime hawk migration starts in mid- to late April, and the fall migration begins in late September. So whether you choose to watch hawks migrate around melting snow or turning leaves, Camden Hills State Park is a bird-watching Mecca. Come see for yourself!