(Above photo: Loon Count Day photo by Bruce Small) It’s early in the morning. It’s foggy. Humidity is high. But you’re an Annual Loon Count volunteer, so you drink your coffee, you pick up your binoculars, you straighten the papers on your clipboard, and you take to the lakes! Sometimes the skies are clear and […]
Community Science
Loon Restoration Project Recap: 2026 was a transition year
The Maine Loon Restoration Project began in 2021 as a five-year project that aimed to give Maine loons better chances for breeding success and reduce threats to their survival. The five-year grant ended in 2025, so 2026 was a transition year that has us now working in these main areas: loon nesting rafts and nest […]
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! […]
Join us for community science power hours this fall
With the leaves changing and temperatures dropping, it’s a great time of year to get out and explore nature! As we move through fall, we can watch many seasonal changes unfold. Earlier in the season, you can still find many flowers blooming and attracting pollinators. But as the weeks go by, many of these birds […]
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 […]
Become an (i)Naturalist
Continuing our series highlighting different community science programs, May is a great time to learn about using iNaturalist. This is a database where you can submit sightings of any living things! iNaturalist is “an online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature.” You can contribute via the web […]
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 […]
Apply for our Vernal Pool Stewardship Award!
With spring comes melting snow, rainy days and nights, and amphibians making the journey to vernal pools that come alive with this spring weather. Vernal pools are ephemeral, meaning that they’re only temporarily filled with water in the spring and fall. The seasonal nature of these pools make them perfect breeding habitat and nurseries for […]
Become a Phenology Observer with Signs of the Season
Do you hear the Spring Peepers in your backyard? Are you watching for the first time you see a Monarch Butterfly or Ruby-throated Hummingbird this season? Do you notice when the leaves first start to turn in the fall? Your observations of seasonal changes (also known as phenology) could help scientists to better understand how […]