Maine Audubon

Connecting People With Wildlife

Best of January 2018 (PHOTOS)

by Ariana van den Akker

By

Hamilton Sanctuary in the winter with a fresh blanket in snow

Oh January.

There’s something about January. The holidays are over and the air is (mostly) frigid, but slowly and surely the days are getting noticeably longer. It’s a quieter month, both in terms of wildlife and programs here, which is great for slowing down and taking time to look around.

There were a couple surprises this month: biologists Laura Minich Zitske and Susan Gallo spotted a Star-nosed Mole while they were cross country skiing around Gilsland Farm, and educators Molly Woodring and Karen Arno found a Sharp-shinned Hawk eating a Mourning Dove right outside our Discovery Room.

But mostly, January was all about fluffy songbirds and snow globe landscapes.

American Tree Sparrow
An American Tree Sparrow puffs its feathers during a light snow at Gilsland Farm on January 5.
Hamilton Sanctuary in the winter with a fresh blanket in snow
The bridge into Hamilton Sanctuary in West Bath looks like a real-life snow globe in fresh snow on January 18.
A Star-nosed mole at Gilsland Farm in January
Two of our staff biologists spotted this Star-nosed mole in the West Meadow at Gilsland Farm on January 11.
Sharp-shinned Hawk and Mourning Dove
A Sharp-shinned Hawk chows down on a Mourning Dove outside the Discovery Room at Gilsland Farm.
Hamilton Sanctuary in the winter with a fresh blanket in snow
Light peeks through the branches during an afternoon walk at Hamilton Sanctuary in West Bath on January 18.
Black-Capped Chickadee
A Black-Capped Chickadee rests on a branch at Gilsland Farm on January 5.
Hamilton Sanctuary in the winter with a fresh blanket in snow
The view of Williams Island from the Green Trail at Hamilton Sanctuary in West Bath on January 18.
Hamilton Sanctuary in the winter with a fresh blanket in snow
Tall pines line part of the Green Trail at Hamilton Sanctuary in West Bath on January 18.
Tufted Titmouse
A Tufted Titmouse puffs its feathers to stay warm during a cold spell at Gilsland Farm on January 5.
Gilsland farm in winter after a snow
The orchard at Gilsland farm after a fresh snow on January 18.
Hamilton Sanctuary in the winter with a fresh blanket in snow
Much of the Blue Trail at Hamilton Sanctuary in West Bath winds quietly through thick groves of firs. Hamilton is particularly beautiful after a fresh snow, like on January 18.