Wow, where did July go? I guess it wasn’t just the rain that was evaporating. I hope that you and your families enjoyed the month and are preparing for a fun filled August.
At Maine Audubon, July brought continuing success with this year’s Piping Plovers fledglings (despite some very busy beaches) and the excitement of more than 1300 volunteers assisting us with our 38th annual Loon Count. We were also pleased to resume our summer camp programs and to continue welcoming many visitors to our sanctuaries.
As we think about August, we are excited to see more and more of you visit our sanctuaries – particularly those that are more seasonal like our Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center and our Borestone Mountain Audubon Sanctuary. If you have not visited either of those yet, I’d encourage you to take a look. They are both unique and very special places.
Also on our minds is a flurry of nature art programs that we’ll be hosting in the next couple of months:
On August 25, we are cohosting a program with the Portland Museum of Art and the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, In the Shadow of a Pine: Black Poets from Maine Respond to David Driskell. This sold out program will be accompanied by a story walk through Gilsland Farm that brings Driskell’s paintings out into the sanctuary for all to enjoy. When you visit Gilsland Farm, check out the beautiful nature photography of Dudley Warner in the gallery, or sign up for a Create with Nature Family Program with our Early Childhood Educator Molly Woodring.
Looking ahead to September, we hope you will join us September 9-12 at all eight of our sanctuaries as plein air painters from around the state create new work inspired by Maine’s beautiful landscapes. The Brush with Nature art auction will follow later in the month. Art and nature go hand-in-hand. Maine Audubon has a long history of great art, and we’re working hard to build on that legacy.
Finally, as we’re getting past the hottest days of summer, don’t forget about our Native Plants program. I was just looking at all of the beautiful plants that we have and I’m impressed with the fine work of our horticulturalists – the plants look so vibrant. This is a great time to fill in the spaces in your yard to make some prime habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife visitors. Be sure to check out our 3-part workshop with Wild Seed Project.
Enjoy the finest that Maine has to offer this August. It is a great time to create some new and special memories that you can reflect back upon this winter.
