The First Session of the 131st Maine Legislature is still in full swing, with hundreds of bills still left to be decided. We'll keep you updated on all the wildlife-related bills, but we wanted to let you know about some good news about a pair of bills we've been working hard on. SUCCESS! …
News & Notes
Backyard Bird of the Month for June: Baltimore Oriole
If you have apple or plum trees in your backyard, you have probably already seen Baltimore Orioles in them. These striking orange and black icterids return to southern and central Maine in mid-May, and usually head straight for blossoming fruit trees to forage for insects. They will also visit …
Growing endangered species at home (and at school)
In our work to conserve wildlife and habitat, Maine Audubon will always devote special attention to species of wildlife which are rare, threatened, or endangered. Our partners at the state and federal government are responsible for designating, or “listing,” these species. As I write, our …
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 …
Weighing in on insect populations
Insects are possibly the most overlooked and undervalued animals on the planet. Without them, our entire ecosystem would not survive. So we were concerned, a few years ago, to hear that insect populations are in decline, possibly even crashing. According to one study, 40 percent of the world’s …
Talking fishing lead-free with the Crappie Hippie
Our very own Laura Williams was a guest on the Fish Nerds Podcast last month, talking about lead-free fishing. The podcast host, the “Crappie Hippie,” originally scheduled her for ten minutes but they had so much fun, it turned out to be the focus of the whole show. Podcast host John King (aka …
“Bringing Nature Home” in Guilford
During the month of May, Maine Audubon worked with students at Piscataquis Community High School to restore habitat and landscape interest on a popular path along their namesake river. This culminated in students and staff planting 180 native wildflowers, each species chosen for specific ecological …
Seeking Environmental Education Assistants!
Are you a 14- to 17-year-old who wants to spend time exploring outdoors with campers this summer? Do you want to build skills, gain experience, and have fun while volunteering? If so, we hope you’ll apply to be an Environmental Education Assistant (EEA) with Maine Audubon’s summer day camps for …