Events & Programs: Adult

• Monday May 27, 2013 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
• Scarborough Marsh
• Price: $See details below for price

Run or walk at one of the most scenic and special places in Maine and support the Scarborough Marsh.

The race starts at 9 a.m. at the Nature Center on Route 9. A 1K Fun Run for kids started at 8:30 a.m.
Entry fee:
• $14 preregistration
• $17 race day registration
• $4 Kids 1K Fun Run (12 and under)

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• Wednesday May 29, 2013 7:00 am – 10:00 am
• Kennebunk Plains
• Members: $25.00 - Non-members: $35.00
• Van ride from Falmouth, add $10.00 (departs at 6 a.m.)

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.
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• Thursday May 30, 2013 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Free

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.
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• Saturday Jun 1, 2013 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
• South Windham
• Members: $30.00 - Non-members: $40.00

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.

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• Thursday Jun 6, 2013 – Thursday Aug 29, 2013
  7:00 am – 9:00 am
• Thursday
• Gilsland Farm
• Members: $5.00 - Non-members: $8.00

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.

• Friday Jun 7, 2013 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
• New Harbor, ME
• Members: $80.00 - Non-members: $100.00

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.

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• Sunday Jun 9, 2013 9:00 am – 11:00 am
• Cape Elizabeth
• Members: $30.00 - Non-members: $30.00

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 →

• Wednesday Jun 12, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Members: $12.00 - Non-members: $15.00

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.

Learn more →

• Thursday Jun 13, 2013 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
• Bangor Public Library
• Free

Heinrich focuses on the animal kingdom in the extremes of the warmer months, with all its feeding, nesting, fighting, and mating. He observes the complex interactions of animals and plants with nature, giving depth to the relationships between habitat and warming of the earth.

Leader: Joyce Rumery

• Friday Jun 14, 2013 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
• Fields Pond
• Free

Sponsors and birders alike are welcome to this rollicking potluck dinner. Come with a dish and birding stories! Or, come with a dish and listen to birding stories. Some of the teams even put on skits. Winning teams will be announced. All ages welcome.

• Wednesday Jun 19, 2013 – Wednesday Aug 28, 2013
  7:00 am – 8:30 am
• Wednesdays
• Scarborough Marsh
• Members: $3.00 - Non-members: $5.00

The best birding is often early morning when birds are busy feeding. Look and listen for snowy egret, glossy ibis, herons, willet, sparrows and more. We start our tours at the nature center and carpool to birding “hotspots” in the immediate area. Birders of all levels and abilities are welcome to join.

Free for volunteers.

• Wednesday Jun 19, 2013 – Wednesday Aug 28, 2013
  10:30 am – 12:00 pm
• Wednesdays
• Scarborough Marsh
• Members: $5.00 - Non-members: $7.00

Explore the marsh for plants and animals through discovery-oriented, fun-filled activities that use all five senses. Participants will touch the marsh fish, the mummichug, look for the many migrating and resident birds, and look through algae to discover the minute creatures living there. This program is for “children” of all ages.

• Wednesday Jun 19, 2013 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Free

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. 
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• Thursday Jun 20, 2013 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Fields Pond
• Members: $10.00 - Non-members: $15.00

Float along the lake shore, as waning day becomes moonlit night. Loons, eagles, and bats may grace your trip. Bring your own canoe/kayak or rent one of ours.

• Thursday Jun 20, 2013 7:00 pm – 8:15 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Members: $10.00 - Non-members: $12.00

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. 
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• Friday Jun 21, 2013 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Fields Pond
• Members: $7.00 - Non-members: $10.00

Join us on this longest day of the year for a celebration of nature in summer. Enjoy a little storytelling, a little natural history, and a twilight walk. All ages are welcome.

• Saturday Jun 22, 2013 7:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Bangor City Forest
• Members: $20.00 - Non-members: $30.00

Need help improving your sparrow identification skills? Sparrows are small and not very “flashy” so they can be challenging to recognize. Join us for a tour of Orono Bog, Prospect, and Frankfort visiting the bog, Mendall Marsh and nearby blueberry barrens. In addition to the more common sparrows, we’ll look for Lincoln’s, Vesper’s and Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrows.

Leader: John Wyatt

• Saturday Jun 22, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Members: $12.00 - Non-members: $15.00

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.
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• Sunday Jun 23, 2013 9:00 am – 11:00 am
• Cape Elizabeth
• Members: $30.00 - Non-members: $30.00

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 →

• Tuesday Jun 25, 2013 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Stratton Island
• Members: $50.00 - Non-members: $65.00

Not far from the Scarborough shore, Stratton Island is a nesting colony and roosting site for a remarkable diversity of coastal birds.

Learn more →

• Friday Jun 28, 2013 – Sunday Jun 30, 2013
  10:00 am – 1:00 pm
• Borestone Mountain
• Members: $225.00 - Non-members: $250.00

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.

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• Saturday Jun 29, 2013 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Fields Pond
• Free

Come join us for a day of good company and good work as we walk the trails and repaint the trail blazes. Snacks provided.

• Sunday Jun 30, 2013 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
• Stratton Island
• Members: $50.00 - Non-members: $65.00

Not far from the Scarborough shore, Stratton Island is a nesting colony and roosting site for a remarkable diversity of coastal birds.

Learn more →

• Friday Jul 5, 2013 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Scarborough Marsh
• Members: $11 - Non-members: $13

Experience the marsh at this beautiful time of day.  See the reflection of the setting sun on the calm waters of the Dunstan River, observe the herons and shorebirds flying back to their roosts, and enjoy the sounds of the evening marsh.

• Wednesday Jul 10, 2013 7:00 am – 9:00 am
• River Point Conservation Area, West Falmouth
• Members: $15 - Non-members: $20

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]

• Saturday Jul 13, 2013 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Fields Pond
• Price: $3.00/proceeds go to North American Butterfly Count
• Children under 10 free

Help count butterflies for the North American Butterfly Count. Counts are held nationwide, and the Fields Pond Butterfly Count supplies important data about declines or increases of butterfly populations. Anyone interested in counting (and identifying) butterflies on that date elsewhere within the count circle should contact Pat Snyder for details at 567-3137 or dorine38@aol.com. The circle is 7.5 mile radius centered on Fields Pond.

• Saturday Jul 13, 2013 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Boat leaves from New Harbor
• Members: $35.00 - Non-members: $50.00

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 →

• Sunday Jul 14, 2013 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
• Stratton Island
• Members: $50.00 - Non-members: $65.00

Not far from the Scarborough shore, Stratton Island is a nesting colony and roosting site for a remarkable diversity of coastal birds.

Learn more →

• Wednesday Jul 17, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Members: $12.00 - Non-members: $15.00

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.

• Friday Jul 19, 2013 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Fields Pond
• Members: $10.00 - Non-members: $15.00

Float along the lake shore, as waning day becomes moonlit night. Loons, eagles, and bats may grace your trip. 

Bring your own canoe/kayak or rent one of ours.

• Saturday Jul 20, 2013 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary
• Members: $15.00 - Non-members: $20.00

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.

• Saturday Jul 27, 2013 7:15 am – 4:00 pm
• Peaks Island
• Members: $35.00 - Non-members: $45.00

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.

Learn more →

• Friday Aug 2, 2013 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Scarborough Marsh
• Members: $11 - Non-members: $13

Experience the marsh at this beautiful time of day.  See the reflection of the setting sun on the calm waters of the Dunstan River, observe the herons and shorebirds flying back to their roosts, and enjoy the sounds of the evening marsh.

• Saturday Aug 3, 2013 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
• Boat leaves from New Harbor
• Members: $35.00 - Non-members: $50.00

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]

• Saturday Aug 10, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Members: $12.00 - Non-members: $15.00

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.

• Wednesday Aug 14, 2013 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Members: $12.00 - Non-members: $15.00

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.

• Wednesday Aug 21, 2013 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
• Fields Pond
• Members: $10.00 - Non-members: $15.00

Float along the lake shore, as waning day becomes moonlit night. Loons, eagles, and bats may grace your trip. 

Bring your own canoe/kayak or rent one of ours.

• Friday Aug 23, 2013 – Sunday Aug 25, 2013
  1:00 pm – 11:00 am
• Gulf Hagas
• Members: $90.00 - Non-members: $110.00

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.
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• Saturday Sep 7, 2013 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Members: $25.00 - Non-members: $35.00

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).

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• Saturday Sep 14, 2013 6:00 am – 2:00 pm
• Bar Harbor, ME - meet at 5:30am (see attached PDF below)
• Members: $125.00 - Non-members: $160.00

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!
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• Saturday Sep 21, 2013 8:30 am – 1:30 pm
• Boothbay Harbor
• Members: $50.00 - Non-members: $75.00

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!
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• Friday Oct 4, 2013 – Sunday Oct 6, 2013
  6:00 pm – 12:00 pm
• Claybrook Mountain Lodge
• Members: $260.00 - Non-members: $285.00

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.
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• Wednesday Nov 13, 2013 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Gilsland Farm
• Free

Our Speaker Series is generously sponsored by Maine Magazine.

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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