Hinckley Park

Hinckley Park is a wooded hideaway in the center of residential South Portland that is very popular with dog walkers. Its popularity with birders is due to the notable variety of habitat contained within its 40 acres. Trails surround two small ponds at the heart of the park. One is an old ice pond. On the near side, the terrain drops steeply from the trail to the ponds, providing scrubby cover and changeable slope that birds relish. Power lines behind the trails provide a grassy area that borders oak woods on one side and pine on the other. All these transition zones between field, woods, slope, and water, and between pine, grass, brush and oak account for the habitat’s richness. Expect a good variety of warblers in spring. Check for rough-winged swallows over the ponds.

Directions: From downtown Portland, take the bridge to South Portland along Route 77. After crossing the bridge, continue for 0.8 miles along Route 77 (Ocean Street), and then turn right onto Highland Avenue. Follow for 0.3 miles and look for the park entrance on the left. From I-295, drive south toward South Portland, crossing the Fore River to Exit 4. Follow the signs to Route 1 (Main Street) in South Portland. Proceed south on Route 1 (Main Street) and turn left onto Broadway. Follow Broadway 2.3 miles to Route 77 (Ocean Street), turn right onto Ocean Street, and follow 0.2 miles to the right turn onto Highland Avenue.