When Jeff Tarling retired from his role as Portland’s Arborist in January, we were sad to see him go, but honored to have collaborated with him on many projects. Jeff worked for the city for 34 years and became well known for his passion for trees, his community engagement, and his commitment to the …
Maine's Naturalist
Where are the birds?!? (post Hurricane Lee Edition)
It is that time of the year again, when a combination of factors can cause a decreased detection of birds, especially at bird feeders. Some years this is more noticeable than others, and based on the number of phone calls and messages we've been getting recently, there are a lot of people asking …
Rescuing the American Chestnut
There are many discouraging stories when it comes to our native tree species these days: Emerald Ash Borer, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, and Beech Leaf Disease, to name a few. The story of the American Chestnut, however, has had a much more positive trajectory in recent years, mainly thanks to the work …
Record what you see and contribute to community science
Whether you are already a keen observer of nature, or are just starting to take notice of those plants and animals around you, consider getting involved in a community science project this summer. There are many ways that observations from individuals can help naturalists, planners, city parks …
The next step of Muddy’s journey!
Early last September, a nest full of baby Snapping Turtles hatched here at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth. We found as many of them as we could and moved most of them to different locations near the pond and the Presumpscot River, where they could safely crawl to the water. We kept one of them, the …
Behind the scenes at Borestone Naturalist Weekend
Just south of the North Woods, and at the doorway to the 100-Mile Wilderness, sits Borestone Mountain Audubon Sanctuary. Maine Audubon’s largest and northernmost sanctuary, it sprawls out over the slopes of the namesake peak from the old Bodfish station on the Canadian Pacific Line, near the …
Appreciating Portland’s Big Trees
On a beautiful, sunny Friday afternoon in late October, staff members from Maine Audubon, Portland Parks, U.S. Forest Service, Maine TREE Foundation, and The Nature Conservancy gathered in Portland to visit some of Maine’s biggest trees right here in “Forest City.” While all of us on the tour …
Who’s that turtle in the tank?
Earlier this fall, on September 7, some observant visitors notified our staff at Gilsland Farm that there was a baby Snapping Turtle in the parking lot. Echoing the events of three Septembers prior, we began searching the parking lot and surrounding area for tiny crawling turtles. Female Snapping …
Commonly Misidentified Species: Nuthatches
It’s not always easy to identify Maine’s most beloved birds. Maine Audubon biologists and naturalists commonly field identification questions along the lines of “is it this, or is it that?” Many species look similar from a distance, but there are some great telltale signs, both visual markers and …