Events & Programs: Gilsland Farm
20 Gilsland Farm Road [Map]
Falmouth, Maine 04105
(207) 781-2330
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- Curious Cubs
Tuesday Apr 2, 2013 – Tuesday Jun 11, 2013
10:30 am – 1:00 pm
Tuesdays - Family Fun
Wednesday Apr 3, 2013 – Wednesday Jun 12, 2013
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Wednesdays - Good Night Nature
Tuesday May 28, 2013 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm - Family Fun
Tuesday Apr 2, 2013 – Tuesday Jun 11, 2013
9:15 am – 10:15 am
Every Tuesday - Thursday Morning Bird Walk
Thursday Mar 7, 2013 – Thursday May 30, 2013
7:00 am – 9:00 am
Every Thursday - Summer Family Fun
Monday Jul 22, 2013 – Monday Aug 12, 2013
9:15 am – 10:15 am
Monday mornings - Summer Family Fun
Monday Jul 22, 2013 – Monday Aug 12, 2013
10:30 am – 11:30 am
Monday mornings - Summer Family Fun
Monday Jun 24, 2013 – Monday Jul 15, 2013
10:30 am – 11:30 am
Monday mornings - Summer Family Fun
Monday Jun 24, 2013 – Monday Jul 15, 2013
9:15 am – 10:15 am
Monday mornings - Summer Squash
Wednesday Jul 17, 2013 – Friday Jul 26, 2013
9:15 am – 1:00 pm
Wednesdays and Fridays - Summer Squash
Wednesday Jun 26, 2013 – Wednesday Jul 3, 2013
9:15 am – 1:00 pm
Wednesdays and Fridays - Summer Squash
Wednesday Aug 7, 2013 – Friday Aug 16, 2013
9:15 am – 1:00 pm
Wednesdays and Fridays - Sprouts
Tuesday Jul 9, 2013 – Friday Jul 12, 2013
9:15 am – 2:45 pm - Summer Squash
Tuesday Aug 6, 2013 – Thursday Aug 15, 2013
9:15 am – 1:00 pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays - Summer Squash
Tuesday Jul 16, 2013 – Thursday Jul 25, 2013
9:15 am – 1:00 pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays - Summer Squash
Tuesday Jun 25, 2013 – Tuesday Jul 2, 2013
9:15 am – 1:00 pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays - Grassland Birds of Kennebunk Plains
Wednesday May 29, 2013 7:00 am – 10:00 am - Seabirds of Matinicus Rock
Friday Jun 7, 2013 8:00 am – 4:00 pm - Wildflower Walks – June
Wednesday Jun 12, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm - Tide Pool Exploration
Saturday Jun 15, 2013 9:30 am – 11:00 am - Fern Ecology and Identification
Saturday Jun 22, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm - Bird Banding Breakfast (July)
Wednesday Jul 10, 2013 7:00 am – 9:00 am - Sprouts
Tuesday Jul 30, 2013 – Friday Aug 2, 2013
9:15 am – 2:45 pm - Secrets of the Wild
Monday Jun 24, 2013 – Wednesday Jul 3, 2013
9:00 am – 3:00 pm - Nature Detectives
Monday Jul 8, 2013 – Friday Jul 12, 2013
9:00 am – 3:00 pm - Blooming Discoveries
Monday Jul 15, 2013 – Friday Jul 19, 2013
9:00 am – 3:00 pm - Water Worlds
Monday Jul 22, 2013 – Friday Jul 26, 2013
9:00 am – 3:00 pm - Wonders of Wildlife
Monday Jul 29, 2013 – Friday Aug 2, 2013
9:00 am – 3:00 pm - Sunset Puffin Cruise II
Saturday Aug 3, 2013 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm - Incredible Explorations
Monday Aug 5, 2013 – Friday Aug 16, 2013
9:00 am – 3:00 pm - Awesome Adventures
Monday Aug 19, 2013 – Friday Aug 23, 2013
9:00 am – 3:00 pm - Paddlebirding 2
Sunday Jun 23, 2013 9:00 am – 11:00 am - Paddlebirding 1
Sunday Jun 9, 2013 9:00 am – 11:00 am - Borestone Mountain Naturalist Weekend
Friday Jun 28, 2013 – Sunday Jun 30, 2013
10:00 am – 1:00 pm - Paddle on the Little and Presumpscot Rivers
Saturday Jun 1, 2013 10:00 am – 2:00 pm - Maine Audubon Speaker Series – American Nations by Colin Woodard
Wednesday Jun 26, 2013 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm - Sunset Puffin Cruise I
Saturday Jul 13, 2013 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm - A Day to Peaks Island
Saturday Jul 27, 2013 7:15 am – 4:00 pm - Moose Rut Weekend
Friday Oct 4, 2013 – Sunday Oct 6, 2013
6:00 pm – 12:00 pm - Speaker Series – What the Robin Knows
Wednesday Nov 13, 2013 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm - Peony Bloom & Ice Cream Social
Wednesday Jun 19, 2013 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm - Understanding the Risks of Tar Sands for Maine
Thursday May 30, 2013 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm - Weekend at Gulf Hagas: The Grand Canyon of Maine
Friday Aug 23, 2013 – Sunday Aug 25, 2013
1:00 pm – 11:00 am - Thursday Morning Bird Walk
Thursday Jun 6, 2013 – Thursday Aug 29, 2013
7:00 am – 9:00 am
Thursday - Butterflies for Beginners
Saturday Jul 20, 2013 9:00 am – 12:00 pm - Wildflower Walks – August
Wednesday Aug 14, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm - Wildflower Walks – July
Wednesday Jul 17, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm - Mushroom Workshop
Saturday Sep 7, 2013 9:00 am – 1:00 pm - Bar Harbor Pelagic Trip
Saturday Sep 14, 2013 6:00 am – 2:00 pm - Bald Eagles of Merrymeeting Bay
Saturday Sep 21, 2013 8:30 am – 1:30 pm - Naturally Curious by Mary Holland
Thursday Jun 20, 2013 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm - The Trees of Gilsland Farm
Saturday Aug 10, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm - Birds of Stratton Island I
Tuesday Jun 25, 2013 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm - Birds of Stratton Island II
Sunday Jun 30, 2013 10:00 am – 1:00 pm - Birds of Stratton Island III
Sunday Jul 14, 2013 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
- May
- Bird Walk at Hedgehog Mountain
Hedgehog Mountain is another gem owned by the town of Freeport. Since it’s May, we’ll be focusing on migrating songbirds – warblers, sparrows, grosbeaks, tanagers and more!
Directions: The trailhead is located on Hedgehog Mountain Road off Pownal Road. A gravel parking area is located on the left just before the Recycling Center gate. Trail map available at Freeport Conservation Trust.
- Good Night Nature
Please join us for this gentle moonlit hour based around a bedtime story about animals of the night. Come in your pajamas, but prepare to venture outdoors. We’ll play, sing, create art and have a snack before you head home to sleep.
Accompanying adults and siblings under two of registered children are welcome at no charge.
- Grassland Birds of Kennebunk Plains
In heavily forested Maine, large grasslands are uncommon, and so are the birds for which they provide habitat. This ecologically significant area hosts several state endangered species, and provides habitat for some of the rarest breeding birds in Maine. On this morning walk we will look for some of these species, including Upland Sandpiper, Grasshopper Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, Prairie Warbler, and Vesper Sparrow.
Learn more - Understanding the Risks of Tar Sands for Maine
Dylan Voorhees, Clean Energy Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, will present the basic background on what tar sands is and why Maine finds itself in the center of controversy regarding tar sands and tar sands pipelines. He will outline the risks posed by tar sands to Maine, including spill risks, route of pipeline in proximity to natural resources and drinking water, toxicity, climate emissions and others. Finally, Voorhees will give basic information on permitting and environmental review (or lack thereof) for use of Maine’s oil pipeline to carry tar sands.
Learn more - June
- Paddle on the Little and Presumpscot Rivers
Join naturalists George Libby and Gary Roberts for a flat water paddle on the Little and Presumpscot Rivers. George and Gary will discuss the natural and human history of these rivers and the surrounding land as you enjoy the scenic beauty.
Learn more - Thursday Morning Bird Walk
Join us each Thursday for an easy stroll through Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm Sanctuary. We’ll walk the property looking for birds, and anything else that peaks our interest.
Bring your binoculars and a field guide if you have one. Please dress to be comfortable outside for 2 hours.
Guide: Mike Windsor is the staff naturalist at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm Center. An avid birder and outdoor enthusiast, Mike has worked as a field biologist, environmental educator and trip leader.
- Black-throated Green Warbler © Pam Wells
- Scarlet Tanager © Pam Wells
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird © Pam Wells
- Seabirds of Matinicus Rock
A 32-acre island 18 miles offshore at the mouth of Penobscot Bay, Matinicus Rock is one of Maine’s most important seabird nesting colonies. Here, Atlantic puffins, razorbills, common murres, black guillemots, arctic and common terns, and laughing gulls all gather to nest.
- Paddlebirding 1
Paddlebirding is back! If you missed these programs last summer, you have another chance to improve your birding skills and try the growing sport of Stand-Up Paddleboarding. This year, we’re going to explore Great Pond in Cape Elizabeth. The lake’s flat, calm waters are ideal for beginners to paddleboarding, and the surround habitats offer refuge for birds. We’ll also have the opportunity to jump off the boards and bird from firm land.
Learn more - Wildflower Walks – June
Although the official start to Summer is still a few weeks away, wildflowers are already blooming. This is our second in a series of Wildflower Walks offered at Gilsland Farm. Join us for just this one program, or attend them all to watch the flowers transition through the season.
- Tide Pool Exploration
Families of children ages 6 and up are invited to join Cathy Stivers for a close-up look at the amazing life within a tide pool. Trip will include a scavenger hunt and exploration of the tenacious and adaptive creatures that live among the rock crevices and seaweed found in the ever-changing tidal zone.
Learn more - Peony Bloom & Ice Cream Social
Maine Audubon extends our thanks to our Peony Circle of Friends, dedicated members, donors and volunteers who have supported us for over 20 years. Please join us as we honor our Peony Circle members at this year’s Peony Bloom and Ice Cream Social.
Learn more - Naturally Curious by Mary Holland
Mary Holland, naturalist, author, environmental educator and nature photographer, invites you to join her in a visual journey through the 12 months of the year, as she highlights the natural events that take place during the different seasons in New England.
Learn more - Fern Ecology and Identification
Ferns and their allies are ancient plants. Although abundant in the Northeast, the number of species is small compared with wildflowers, and the astute observer can readily learn to recognize these woodland dwellers. During this outing, we’ll learn about fern ecology and will focus on distinguishing characteristics. Please come prepared to spend the morning outside.
Learn more - Paddlebirding 2
Paddlebirding is back! If you missed these programs last summer, you have another chance to improve your birding skills and try the growing sport of Stand-Up Paddleboarding. This year, we’re going to explore Great Pond in Cape Elizabeth. The lake’s flat, calm waters are ideal for beginners to paddleboarding, and the surround habitats offer refuge for birds. We’ll also have the opportunity to jump off the boards and bird from firm land. - Secrets of the Wild
In this eight day session, campers will discover the mysteries of wildlife living at the sanctuary by rolling over logs, examining tree cavities, and playing educational games in forest habitat.
- Summer Family Fun
Join your child in these playful sessions as we explore, sing and create together accompanied by the sights and sounds of the sanctuary in summer. Perfect for families with children of mixed ages.
- Summer Family Fun
Join your child in these playful sessions as we explore, sing and create together accompanied by the sights and sounds of the sanctuary in summer. Perfect for families with children of mixed ages.
- Summer Squash
Drop your child off for this half day program full of adventure, exploring the forest, meadow, salt marsh, and pond at our sanctuary. Themes include: Teeny Tiny Critters, Paddlers and Hoppers, and Feathered Friends.
Learn more - Birds of Stratton Island I
Not far from the Scarborough shore, Stratton Island is a nesting colony and roosting site for a remarkable diversity of coastal birds.
- Summer Squash
Drop your child off for this half day program full of adventure, exploring the forest, meadow, salt marsh, and pond at our sanctuary. Themes include: Teeny Tiny Critters, Paddlers and Hoppers, and Feathered Friends.
Learn more - Maine Audubon Speaker Series – American Nations by Colin Woodard
American Nations: The Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America
There’s never been one America, Colin Woodard argues in this award-winning book, but rather several Americas, each with its own, centuries-old ideals, values, and religious and cultural heritage. Understanding the real map of the continent and its rival cultures is essential to grasping our history, from the divisions of the American Revolution and Civil War to the “blue county / red county” maps of past and recent elections.
Colin Woodard, an award-winning author and journalist, is currently State & National Affairs Writer at the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram. He is a longtime foreign correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor and The Chronicle of Higher Education and a contributing editor at Down East magazine. A native of Maine, he has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents, and lived for more than four years in Eastern Europe. He is the author of American Nations: A History of The Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America (Viking Press, 2011), The Republic of Pirates: Being The True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down (Harcourt, 2007), the New England bestseller The Lobster Coast: Rebels, Rusticators, and the Struggle for a Forgotten Frontier (Viking Press, 2004), a cultural and environmental history of coastal Maine, and Ocean’s End: Travels Through Endangered Seas (Basic Books, 2000), a narrative non-fiction account of the deterioration of the world’s oceans. He lives in Portland, Maine. www.colinwoodard.com
- Borestone Mountain Naturalist Weekend

Borestone Mountain by Gary Roberts
Join Maine Audubon Naturalist Mike Windsor and Registered Maine Guide Gary Roberts on a trip to Borestone Mountain Sanctuary, located just 20 miles south of Moosehead Lake.
On this weekend retreat we will stay in the sanctuary’s historic Adirondack style lodges, which are accessible only by boat or on foot, lending an extra sense of remoteness and tranquility to this special place.
- Birds of Stratton Island II
Not far from the Scarborough shore, Stratton Island is a nesting colony and roosting site for a remarkable diversity of coastal birds.
- July
- Nature Detectives
Junior detectives learn investigative skills to search for evidence of wildlife around the sanctuary during this five day session. Campers will develop critical thinking skills to understand what animals are moving around the refuge and why, all while playing fun nature detective games and activities.
- Sprouts
Come to Sprouts, our extended day program, designed to coordinate with our multi-age summer camp. Children will discover firsthand the wildlife that lives here. They may look under logs in the forest, scoop tadpoles from the pond or net insects in the meadow. Children from both programs will lunch together, hear a story and play games before the younger children have a quiet rest period.
Learn more - Bird Banding Breakfast (July)
Join biologists from Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) for a bird banding demonstration. We’ll have the opportunity to see birds up close and “in the hand” and learn about the importance of monitoring bird populations. We’ll meet at the River Point Conservation Area in West Falmouth, and have muffins and coffee after the program.
Bird banding is a research tool used by scientists to monitor bird movement, productivity, life span and more. Mist nets are used to capture birds, and a small metal band is placed on the bird’s leg. After a series of measurements are quickly recorded, the birds are released unharmed. For more about BRI’s River Point project, please visit www.briloon.org/riverpoint
Important information about this trip: Bird Banding July 2013 [pdf]
- Sunset Puffin Cruise I
With its colorful, clown-like face and oversized bill, the Atlantic puffin has become one of the Maine coast’s most celebrated icons—a remarkable accomplishment for a species that had nearly disappeared from the state a century ago. Its resurgence is a testament to the dedication of Audubon biologists who led the way in reestablishing Maine’s seabird colonies, including Eastern Egg Rock at the mouth of Muscongus Bay.
Learn more - Birds of Stratton Island III
Not far from the Scarborough shore, Stratton Island is a nesting colony and roosting site for a remarkable diversity of coastal birds.
- Blooming Discoveries
Gilsland Farm sanctuary provides an excellent training ground for campers to learn nature appreciation skills that deepen their caring and love for nature. Campers will develop skills like nature sketching, plant identification, and bird watching while being inspired by the history of famous naturalists to take action in the future. This week long session includes a field trip and sanctuary-wide games.
- Summer Squash
Drop your child off for this half day program full of adventure, exploring the forest, meadow, salt marsh, and pond at our sanctuary. Themes include: Teeny Tiny Critters, Paddlers and Hoppers, and Feathered Friends.
Learn more - Summer Squash
Drop your child off for this half day program full of adventure, exploring the forest, meadow, salt marsh, and pond at our sanctuary. Themes include: Teeny Tiny Critters, Paddlers and Hoppers, and Feathered Friends.
Learn more - Wildflower Walks – July
Summer is in full swing, and the wildflowers continue to bloom in the warmth. This is our third in a series of Wildflower Walks offered at Gilsland Farm. Join us for just this one program, or attend them all to watch the flowers transition through the season, and deepen your knowledge of these plants.
We’ll focus on the natural history and identification of the plants we find using Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. This book utilizes a simple and elegant key system, and with a little practice, it’s easy to use. If you have a copy of Newcomb’s please bring this with you (other field guides are welcome too).
Instructor: Mike Windsor is the staff naturalist at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm Center. An avid birder and outdoor enthusiast, Mike has worked as a field biologist, environmental educator and trip leader.
- Jewelweed
- Wildflower Walk © Kathleen Kelly
- Mullein
- Butterflies for Beginners
Join naturalists Doug Hitchcox and Mike Windsor for an introduction to butterfly identification and biology. We will walk through the Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary in search of these winged gems. A pair of binoculars (close focus preferable) will be helpful, but not required.Directions to Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary [pdf]. The parking area is just across from Ken’s Seafood on Pine Point Road in Scarborough.
- Water Worlds
Gilsland Farm sanctuary provides an ideal setting for campers to explore life in and around wet and wild areas like salt marshes and ponds. In this five day session, we’ll go searching for bullfrogs, and play aquatic games.
This session includes a field trip to MacWorth Island where campers can get their feet wet exploring marine creatures up close.
- Summer Family Fun
Join your child in these playful sessions as we explore, sing and create together accompanied by the sights and sounds of the sanctuary in summer. Perfect for families with children of mixed ages. Maximum of three children per adult. No charge for children under two with a registered sibling.
- Summer Family Fun
Join your child in these playful sessions as we explore, sing and create together accompanied by the sights and sounds of the sanctuary in summer. Perfect for families with children of mixed ages. Maximum of three children per adult. No charge for children under two with a registered sibling.
- A Day to Peaks Island
Bring a bag lunch and join Registered Maine Guides, Gary Roberts and George Libby, for a day trip to Peaks Island. Learn about the island’s history, from the time it was used as a summer gathering place by Maine’s early native peoples, its settlement in the 1600’s, to present day. - Wonders of Wildlife
In this five day session, campers will explore the pond, forest, meadow and salt marsh using scientific tools to uncover the little known facts about critters living on the sanctuary. We will play stimulating nature games that are both fun and educational.
- Sprouts
Come to Sprouts, our extended day program, designed to coordinate with our multi-age summer camp. Children will discover firsthand the wildlife that lives here. They may look under logs in the forest, scoop tadpoles from the pond or net insects in the meadow.
Learn more - August
- Sunset Puffin Cruise II
With its colorful, clown-like face and oversized bill, the Atlantic puffin has become one of the Maine coast’s most celebrated icons—a remarkable accomplishment for a species that had nearly disappeared from the state a century ago. Its resurgence is a testament to dedicated Audubon biologists who led the way in reestablishing Maine’s seabird colonies, including Eastern Egg Rock at the mouth of Muscongus Bay.
This popular evening boat ride sails out of New Harbor to Eastern Egg Rock, where we will circle the island several times for great views of puffins, terns, and other seabirds. The boat returns to the harbor at sunset to combine birding and a lovely summer evening on the Maine coast.
Important information about this trip: Puffin Cruise 3 Aug 2013 [pdf]
- Incredible Explorations
In this ten day session, campers get their hands dirty with in-depth exploration of the natural world. We will put their newfound skills to practise by going on a field trip to MacWorth Island. We will go on another incredible off-site adventure as well, and play sanctuary-wide games.
- Summer Squash
Drop your child off for this half day program full of adventure, exploring the forest, meadow, salt marsh, and pond at our sanctuary. Themes include: Teeny Tiny Critters, Paddlers and Hoppers, and Feathered Friends.
Learn more - Summer Squash
Drop your child off for this half day program full of adventure, exploring the forest, meadow, salt marsh, and pond at our sanctuary. Themes include: Teeny Tiny Critters, Paddlers and Hoppers, and Feathered Friends.
- The Trees of Gilsland Farm
Maine is one of the most forested states in the lower 48. Trees play vital roles in the ecology of the Northeast, not to mention the economy of our region. Join us for a walk around Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm Sanctuary in Falmouth, as we learn about the trees in our forest. This outing will focus on the identification and natural history of our most common tree species. - Wildflower Walks – August
Summer is starting to wind down, but there are still many flowers to find and observe. This is our last in a series of Wildflower Walks offered at Gilsland Farm. Join us for just this one program, or attend them all to watch the flowers transition through the season, and deepen your knowledge of these plants.
We’ll focus on the natural history and identification of the plants we find using Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. This book utilizes a simple and elegant key system, and with a little practice, it’s easy to use. If you have a copy of Newcomb’s please bring this with you (other field guides are welcome too).
Instructor: Mike Windsor is the staff naturalist at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm Center. An avid birder and outdoor enthusiast, Mike has worked as a field biologist, environmental educator and trip leader.
- Wildflower Walk © Kathleen Kelly
- Wildflower Walk © Kathleen Kelly
- Awesome Adventures
In this five day session, campers will learn about and explore animal habitat on the sanctuary. We’ll play nature games based on the everyday adventures of animals like red-tailed hawks and groundhogs.
- Weekend at Gulf Hagas: The Grand Canyon of Maine

Gulf Hagas © Gary Roberts
Located in the mountains of central Maine, Gulf Hagas is a gorge carved out by the Pleasant River. Often referred to as the Grand Canyon of the East, this area is part of the Appalachian Mountain Trail. Camping, hiking, and great nature with two Maine Registered Guides.
Learn more - September
- Mushroom Workshop
The natural history of mushrooms and their role in ecosystems will be the focus of this day’s outing. We will search for, find and really discover the world of fungus, with discoveries at every turn through the Gilsland Farm property, discussing every fungus we encounter. An optional mushroom slide show will be presented during lunch (please bring food if you plan on staying).
- Bar Harbor Pelagic Trip
Maine Audubon’s annual fall pelagic trip out of Bar Harbor has long been a must-do outing for the region’s birders. The trip is so eagerly anticipated because of a great boat, great camaraderie, and, of course, great sightings of birds and marine mammals!
Learn more - Bald Eagles of Merrymeeting Bay
When Maine Audubon first began running this trip in 1969, sighting one or two eagles was all that could be expected. Since then, the bald eagle population has rebounded from the devastating effects of pesticide poisoning, and during last year’s trip we observed 38 eagles!
Learn more - October
- Moose Rut Weekend
Join fellow moose lovers for a unique weekend of moose stalking in the northern forest. In rut (breeding season) and looking for a female, adult male moose sporting full antlers for their month-long mating season are on the move. Our leaders will use birch-bark horns to imitate the breeding calls of a cow moose to draw in the bulls. With fall bird migration underway, there should be good birding, too.
Learn more - November
- Speaker Series – What the Robin Knows
Join Dan Gardoqui, science editor for What the Robin Knows and founder of White Pine Programs in York, Maine as he reads stories & facts from the book and clues us in on how birds reveal nature’s secrets. Dan will speak about his work editing the new book What the Robin Knows and share his enthusiasm and years of studying, interpreting and speaking the language of the birds.
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