For the 36th year in a row, community scientists all over Maine ventured onto their local lakes and ponds on the third Saturday in July this year to count Common Loons. In total, 1, 414 people participated in the count this year (up from 1,350 in 2018), covering 292 lakes. Click here to see images, […]
Habitat Connectivity
Public hearing on NECEC provides opportunity to share concerns
This week, the public will have another opportunity to learn about and comment on Central Maine Power’s New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) project, a proposed 145-mile transmission line that would carry hydropower from Quebec to Massachusetts. On December 5, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers�the federal agency responsible for wetland and waterway regulation and […]
Bird numbers declining by the billions
A shocking new report published this week in the journal Science has outlined what many avid birders in Maine have been telling us for years: the number of birds we are seeing in our fields, forests, coastlines, and even our feeders is shrinking. Dramatically shrinking — on average by 29%, or one in every four […]
New Protections for Wild Brook Trout!
Thanks to the hard work of hundreds of volunteer anglers, the Heritage Waters Work Group, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and the many people who attended public informational meetings and hearings, most Brook Trout in northern Maine will soon have one less thing to worry about: the introduction of live bait fish […]
Renewed Urgency for Protection of Maine Wildlife
The most challenging aspect of human impact on the environment is that we get used to it. It’s easy to see colorful birds at your feeders this spring and forget that there are billions fewer songbirds than there used to be, or enjoy a day at the beach in Maine without realizing that the Gulf […]
Through the Lens with Nick Leadley: Photographing Banded Birds
One of the joys of being a nature and wildlife photographer are the interesting things I learn. Not just about photography, but about the birds and animals I encounter. Take for example 3NC. Okay, I know you are asking; who or what is 3NC? Well, 3NC is the identification code assigned to a Red Knot, […]
Following Monarchs to Mexico: Part 2
This is Part 2 of the Lambert family sojourn to Mexico in pursuit of Monarch butterflies. Read Part 1 here. An Intergenerational Quest In the fall, monarchs across the eastern United State and Canada migrate to a plot of fir trees in the mountains of Mexico last visited by their great great grandparents. How do […]
Following Monarchs to Mexico: Part 1
After three years of raising monarchs from eggs and caterpillars here in Maine, the Lambert family followed the Monarchs south to Mexico to see the next stage in their life-cycle. Here are some reflections from the metamorphosis and migration of Monarchs: At a time when Earth calls on human culture to transform to survive, monarchs […]
There’s Lots You Can Do to Help Streams and Fish This Spring!
As someone who works on stream connectivity and habitat, this is my favorite time of year. As the snow melts (at last!), the streams start flowing again, winding in every direction, under roads, through culverts, all across the state. Each step of the way, they provide critical habitat for fish and other wildlife. On top […]