Legislation to Designate the Spring Peeper as our State Amphibian and Wood Turtle as State Reptile have Hearings in Augusta On February 3, Maine Audubon Policy Advocate Ania Wright will testify in support of a pair of bills aiming to shine a spotlight on some of Maine’s lesser-known wildlife. The Maine State Legislature’s Committee on […]
Media Release
State Sand Dune Restoration Fund Now Taking Applications!
Coastal sand dunes are one of the rarest habitats in Maine, making up just about 2% of the state’s coastline. Built over time by the actions of wind and waves, dunes and associated beaches and salt marshes provide invaluable ecosystem services and economic benefits. The importance of coastal dunes is increasing as climate change causes […]
Maine Audubon’s 41st Annual Loon Count Results Show Healthy Loon Population
Above photo: Loons on Fields Pond, Photo by Wayne Foote It was a very good year—for Maine loons! When every single number associated with the Annual Loon Count goes up, scientists at Maine Audubon say it’s a great indication that the Common Loon population is healthy. All the numbers of adult loons, loon chicks, lakes […]
Tackling Lead, One Retailer at a Time: It Adds Up!
Earlier this fall, an ad playing on the radio caught Dana Jenkins’ attention. “Calling all fishing tackle stores in Maine,” the announcer’s voice said. “Maine Audubon wants to pay your store for its lead tackle. A new law makes it illegal to sell painted lead jigs weighing 1 ounce or less or measuring 2.5 inches […]
BirdSafe Maine – Fall 2024 Season Recap!
BirdSafe Maine‘s Fall 2024 migration season concluded on Oct. 31, our fifth fall on the streets. In that time we’ve made some amazing progress in that time—highlighted by a new bird safe architecture ordinance in Portland and a new law to create statewide guidelines—but this fall we enjoyed a very satisfying realization of the effectiveness […]
Plover Season Wrap-up: Breeding Pairs Down but Productivity Back on Track
Despite severe winter storm damage on the beaches, Piping Plovers arrived in Maine right on schedule, starting to arrive in mid March with many in time for the early April snowstorm and solar eclipse. Hardy little birds, the Piping Plovers weathered the storm and started staking out their nesting territories by mid April. Although some […]
Maine Audubon offers money to retailers to buy back lead tackle
Calling all Maine fishing tackle retailers: Maine Audubon is offering to buy back your store’s lead tackle to help get it off the shelves—and keep it out of lakes. As of September 1, 2024, the sale of painted lead jigs weighing one ounce or less or measuring less than 2.5 inches long is prohibited, and […]
Maine Audubon Annual Loon Count Set for July 20
Nothing symbolizes summer in Maine quite like the haunting wail of a loon. The urge to help them and make sure that future generations will be able to hear that call is what has galvanized people to turn out, year after year, early on a Saturday morning in July, to count loons and aid in […]
Happy Fourth of July: Loon Restoration Project Update
By Ethan Daly, Loon Restoration Team Technician I was recently checking in on one of our new loon nesting raft sites near Gray, Maine. As I stood on the shore, speaking with a volunteer about how to minimize human disturbances to the raft, we watched two paddle boarders weave in between our strategically placed raft […]