For generations of Maine students, a class field trip to the State House in Augusta also included a visit to the Maine State Museum. Approximately 15,000 students toured the museum annually for structured educational programs. The Museum’s artifacts and exhibits brought the history of our state and its people up close and personal, sharing what […]
Birding
Small Wonders: Amazing bird adaptations
Bird bodies are amazing. That can be assumed by watching them zip around in the air at twice the speed of a human on foot. Challenges like temperature regulation, migration, and diving push birds’ bodies to the limit, and high mortality rates are a fact of life in the bird world. It’s estimated that a […]
Oct. 10: Enjoy a Relaxing Day of Birdwatching at the Big Sit!
Many birdwatchers are familiar with Big Day, an international, twice-a-year celebration of birds, in which people count the birds they see over the course of 24 hours. In the spirit of these fun events, many bird-loving communities gather together, explore birding hotspots, and even make a competition to see who can spot the most species! […]
Small Wonders: Alarm Calls
About a year ago, on the way to work, I stopped to admire a Black-capped Chickadee that had landed in a small tree only a few feet away. It watched me while making its “chickadee-dee-dee” call, and I gazed back, feeling grateful that a wild animal had chosen to share space and interact with me. […]
Unplug at Borestone Mountain this September
After Maine Audubon took over Borestone Mountain from National Audubon in 2000, it took a lot of hard work to get the lodges back into the condition that visitors appreciate now. Two volunteers who played a big part in that were George Libby and Gary Roberts, and they started leading weekend trips called the “Borestone […]
Spreading our wings: Let’s explore a new Downeast area together
The work we do on behalf of Maine wildlife is often made more impactful when it’s done in collaboration with others. This summer Maine Audubon is embarking on a new partnership with Frenchman Bay Conservancy (FBC), a nonprofit land conservation organization in Downeast Maine. Since the late 1980s, FBC has conserved more than 25,000 acres […]
Join us in July for the 43rd Annual Loon Count!
The loons are back and nesting on lakes statewide and we need your help to monitor their population! Every year since 1983, hundreds of volunteers have gone out to lakes and ponds across Maine on the third Saturday in July. These volunteers submit data about the number of loons they observe from 7 to 7:30 […]
Your observations matter!
This World Migratory Bird Day, we’re really embracing the theme “Every Bird Counts: Your Observations Matter.” This message that community science plays a critical role in conservation is one that feels especially close to home for us at Maine Audubon! Community science is a big part of what we do, and honestly, it’s one of […]
Optimism in the Face of Development: Birds & Cities
When you’re thinking about birding, the first places that come to mind are probably remote nature preserves, large expanses of marsh, or maybe even national parks like Acadia. You might not spend your time watching the pigeons that nest in the eaves of your neighbor’s house or the Chipping Sparrows that sing from that lone […]