In his latest Nature Moments video, Bowdoin professor and Maine Audubon trustee Nat Wheelwright asks: Have you ever noticed tumor-like growths on plants? Fungi, insects, mites and bacteria are like “body snatchers,” penetrating plant cells and manipulating them to produce galls, cankers and witch’s brooms for the parasites’ benefit. Fortunately, most are benign. Nature Moments�are […]
Maine's Naturalist
South Texas Trip Report
This winter we offered a trip to escape the cold, partnering with Field Guides Inc to travel to southern Texas. We spent this week long tour birding in�The Rio Grande Valley which is, in the words of our guide Doug Gochfeld, “One of the most iconic birding destinations in the United States, with a great […]
Nature Moments: The Odd Thing about Mosses
In his latest video, Bowdoin professor and Maine Audubon board member Nat Wheelwright explains that mosses are among the most ancient plants on earth — and their peculiar biology shows it. The lovely leafy green plant that all of us are familiar with? It has just half the normal number of chromosomes, like an egg […]
Nature Moments: Sugar Maple Tappers
In February, when it’s still frigid at night but daytime temperatures are starting to warm, it may look like trees are just sitting their doing nothing — but inside their cells, changes are happening and sap is starting to flow, explains Bowdoin professor and Maine Audubon trustee Nat Wheelwright in his latest video. Nature Moments�are […]
Nature Moments: How to Keep a Nature Journal
The latest Nature Moment from Nat Wheelwright and acclaimed natural history writer Bernd Heinrich gets at the gist of what it takes to be a naturalist: being attentive. (Bernd authored the excellent feature article on this topic in our Fall 2017 issue of Habitat magazine.) Do you sometimes wish you could take a break from […]
Nature Moments: Outsmarting Squirrels
Check out Nat Wheelwright’s latest “Nature Moments” video! Why is it so hard to keep squirrels off birdfeeders? After all, they’re just rodents with brains the size of a ping-pong ball. Squirrels are such amazing problem-solvers because they’re observant, social, experimental and persistent. Nature Moments�are filmed with the help of Wilder Nicholson, Rebecca Goldfine, Tom […]
Caution: Alcid X-ing
Something is going on with alcids… During most winters, birders strain their scopes along the coast, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of these generally elusive birds. Alcids (short for Alcidae, the family that includes our Atlantic Puffin, Thick-billed and Common Murres, Razorbill, Dovekie, and Black Guillemot, plus other much rarer species for Maine) […]
Nature Moments: Life Under the Ice
Check out Nat Wheelwright’s latest “Nature Moments” video! Have you ever wondered what could be living underneath the ice of a frozen pond? With no light or air, and temperatures just above freezing, you’d think life would be impossible, but… Nature Moments�are filmed with the help of Wilder Nicholson, Rebecca Goldfine, Tom Porter, Paul Benham […]
Rare Bird Alert: Slaty-backed Gull
On Friday, February 23rd, I had the pleasure of meeting with folks from the City of Augusta to talk about improving birder access to the Hatch Hill Landfill. This site, a large municipal active landfill, has become increasingly popular for birders because of the large number of gulls attracted by the trash, and the large […]