Small Wonders is a monthly column by Field Naturalist Stacia Brezinski that’s rooted in the notion that everything is incredible if we look closely enough. One of the first things I learned when I started at Maine Audubon last month was that staff will work outside as soon as it’s above forty-five degrees. I might […]
Maine's Naturalist
Fiddlehead, Ostrich, and Cinnamon: All about Ferns!
Ferns might be my favorite plant group. Many share a recognizable morphology—a “ferny” look—yet they’re a class of plants with gorgeous structural diversity. Yesterday I took a walk at Gilsland Farm with a macro lens to see what species were up. I bumped into a fern about forty-five seconds after leaving the Visitor Center. The […]
Pollinator Spotlight: Solitary Bees
We’re using the time leading up to the 10th anniversary Pollinator Parade, hosted at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center on May 10, to highlight a few of our favorite pollinator species! If you have tickets to the parade, consider this some extra costume inspiration. And even if you can’t attend, we hope these posts will help […]
Building for Barn Swallows
In my years of regular birding at Gilsland Farm, I’ve seen several species come, and others go, as breeders on the landscape. These changes are generally caused by changing habitat compositions and of course our warming climate, which has caused historically southern species to now nest here. We typically think of nesting habitats as the […]
Preparing for the Emerald Ash Borer: Announcing our spring webinar series
Background: Emerald Ash Borer poses a uniquely devastating threat to Maine’s ecology, economy, and cultural history. Three native species of ash, all of which are key ecological and economic keystones, are being destroyed by the invasive pest which has been introduced in North American temperate forests. Climate change has aided the insect’s broadening range, while […]
Andy’s Note: Changes in ice out dates and bird song mark spring’s arrival
Happy spring! As we transition from winter to spring, two of the key indicators I always look for are the sharp increase in birdsong, which I notice during my morning runs, and the timing of ice out on the pond at Gilsland Farm and at my camp that lies about 30 miles inland on Loon […]
Backyard Bird of the Month for April: Brown Creeper
The Brown Creeper is a small, unique bird, which can be found all over Maine but is often under-detected because of its remarkable plumage. Coming in at just over five inches long, these little brown birds sport a splotchy brown back complete with slender streaks making them completely camouflaged against brindled bark. They use their […]
Announcing the 2025 Plant Genus of the Year!
Each year, we highlight one standout group of plants that deserves a little more love in our gardens. Last year, we chose Swida dogwoods as our genus of the year. In 2025, it’s all about Carex. Often overlooked but endlessly valuable, Carex (also known as sedges) are some of the most versatile, resilient, and ecologically […]
Backyard Bird of the Month for February: American Crow
One of the most ubiquitous birds around, the American Crow is a bird often seen from your yard but not often thought of as a “backyard bird” since they rarely come to feeders. Crows are very opportunistic, being both omnivores and scavengers, so they are just as likely to steal a big chunk of suet […]