Events & Programs
Browsing event topic: hike
- Thursday Morning Bird Walk
Please join us for our weekly bird walk at Gilsland Farm. In addition to our feathered friends, we’ll be on the lookout for other plants and animals. All ages and abilities are welcome. You only need your curiosity and a sense of adventure.
Learn more - Nature Time: Spring Session
Nature in spring is a wonderful, mysterious time as life begins to emerge from the cold. Parents with children ages 2 to 4, come to our springtime nature-based program with stories, movement, art projects and an outdoor adventure. Parents take part too. Prepare to venture outside and be nature detectives for a part of each program.
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.
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- Black-throated Green Warbler © Pam Wells
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- Scarlet Tanager © Pam Wells
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- Ruby-throated Hummingbird © Pam Wells
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- 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.
- Summer Solstice Celebration
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.
- 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.
- Trail Blaze Party
Come join us for a day of good company and good work as we walk the trails and repaint the trail blazes. Snacks provided.
- 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.
- Butterfly Walk
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.
- Nature Time for Children: Summer Session
The summertime is made for getting out into nature! Parents with children ages 2 to 4 come to a nature-based program with movement, stories, art projects and an outdoor adventure. Parents participate too. Be prepared to be outside nature detectives for a portion of each program.
- Night Walk
Summer nights at Fields Pond are magical.
Join us for a guided exploration of the nocturnal world that most of us never experience.
- 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.
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- Jewelweed
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- Wildflower Walk © Kathleen Kelly
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- Mullein
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- 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.
- Night Walk
Summer nights at Fields Pond are magical.
Join us for a guided exploration of the nocturnal world that most of us never experience.
- 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. - 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 - 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).
