Once again, as they have every year since 1983, volunteers across Maine set their alarm clocks early, gulped down some coffee, and were out on lakes by 7 a.m. to record observations about Common Loons in the Annual Loon Count. For half an hour, more than a thousand volunteers were paddling kayaks, …
News
Monitoring Bird Illness (July 2021)
There is an unknown disease that has been causing bird deaths in parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States over the past two months. This blog post will be used to share updates and useful information about the disease, particularly as it pertains to Maine birds. At this time (11 July …
July 2021 Coastal Bird Crew Update: Chicks Are Off The Ground
July is here, and while fewer Piping Plover nests are popping up on sandy beaches, a lot of work remains for the Coastal Birds Crew to ensure that young flightless chicks successfully fledge off Maine’s coast. Piping Plover chicks fledge or can fly short distances on the beach within 25 days of …
Summer is a great time to explore
Summer is a great time to explore Gilsland Farm, and we have plenty of opportunities to get your family outdoors and learning about wildlife together! We have several new programs this year, so take a look. Read & Ramble: Join us for an outdoor storytime, geared towards children ages 3-5 and …
July Plants Update: Plants for a Changing Climate
The heat has finally broken. Those final few days of June were certainly tough on people, plants, and animals. While that heat wave was clearly a weather event, it’s a good reminder that things seem to be changing much more broadly; it’s more than just record highs on specific dates and what’s doing …
Maine Audubon and partners receive grant for loon restoration
In 2003, 98,000 gallons of oil spilled in Buzzards Bay from a tank barge called Bouchard B-120. An estimated 531 Common Loons, overwintering in Buzzards Bay (off the coasts of MA and RI), died from direct or indirect impacts from this spill. Now, a natural resources damage settlement from this …
Andy’s blog: Allagash trip reinforces need to act on behalf of wildlife
Slosh, slosh, slosh. As I lay on my back in a tiny backpacking tent just steps away from the gently flowing Allagash River, I could hear a steady sloshing. At first, the rhythmic sound made me think of my grandchildren and the sounds they make as they splash through springtime puddles in their …
2021 Piping Plover Census Smashes Last Year’s Numbers, But Not Without Its Challenges
Over 120 pairs of endangered piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) were recently counted during the annual Piping Plover Census: a combined effort led by Maine Audubon, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maine Department of Inland Fish and Wildlife, and a diverse network of volunteers. Monitors traveled …
Nature Explorer Backpacks open up a world of wildlife
Make your outdoor family time a science-based experience that fosters environmental literacy with our new Nature Explorer Backpacks. Nature Explorer Backpacks include tools, resources, and activities to encourage deeper exploration of the wildlife and ecosystems found at Gilsland Farm Audubon …