Few monthly transitions are as pronounced as the move from April to May.
May marks the return of color, the fuller emergence of plant life, and increased animal activity. A jaunt in the woods in the Portland area reveals new bird species arriving on a daily basis. Trout lilies are already poking up through last fall’s brown leaf litter, and the first Mourning Cloaks can be seen looking for tree sap.
At Maine Audubon, our activities this month track these phenological shifts. Ahead of our third annual Native Plants Sale & Festival on June 16, our staff and volunteers are planting plugs and gearing up for another fun, educational event at Gilsland Farm. We’re also excited to welcome spring and the 20th anniversary of our Fields Pond Audubon Center with a special family-friendly event on May 6.
Our education staff are out in the field, too. As the warblers return, take your pick of Weekday Warbler Walks with staff naturalist Doug Hitchcox, who is leading them on Monday-Thursday mornings at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland and on Fridays at Capisic Pond. (Doug is also leading Maine Bird Atlas trainings around the state — including in Augusta and Holden, near Bangor. These are a great opportunity to participate in an important citizen science project.)
April saw another successful run of sold-out vacation camps — which means the summer camp season is just around the corner. There is nothing as fun as when this property swells with the sounds of excited laughter from children learning about the wonders of nature. Be sure to reserve your space if you have not already.
We are also coming off a busy legislative session. Our staff advocate Eliza Donoghue was in Augusta and around Maine advocating tirelessly on behalf of Maine’s wildlife, and her work continues in earnest, including focused efforts with respect to land use planning in the North Woods and in defense of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Sign up to receive our Action Alerts so you’re always in the know about how you can make a difference in the public policy arena. (We are also preparing to survey Maine’s gubernatorial candidates about their positions on wildlife-related issues — stay tuned for the results ahead of the June 12 primary.)
This week, I am spending some time in the Rangeley area. An afternoon walk the other day revealed a few remaining patches of snow, and darkening ice on the lake. The next week will bring dramatic changes here and across Maine, and a real shift towards another stellar Maine summer.
I look forward to enjoying it with you!
