The tremolo, the hoot, the wail, the yodel—some say that loon calls are among the best sounds in nature. One thing is for sure: People in Maine love “their” loons! Year after year, they get up early in mid July and head out, no matter what the weather, to take part in the Maine Audubon […]
News & Notes
Scarborough Marsh update: book your boat tours now!
The weather has been warming up and that means people have been out paddling boats around Scarborough Marsh! After what seemed like never-ending rainy Saturdays in May and June, we’re turning the page to sunny skies and busy days. We’ve had visitors already from 33 of the 50 states and from all over the world […]
Do fireworks disturb wildlife?
We always get questions about fireworks around the Fourth of July, but since the change to Maine’s law in 2012, now allowing Maine municipalities to adopt consumer fireworks ordinances, we hear about more and more conflicts with wildlife and not just around the July holiday. This simple answer is yes, fireworks definitely disturb birds, but […]
Loon Restoration Project Update: The lesson is patience
Above photo: Loon and young at Fields Pond; photo by Wayne Foote “This year, three eggs have been laid on one raft, which is exceptionally rare!” says Maine Audubon Loon Restoration Project lead scientist Tracy Hart. Her note reveals her delight in the ways loons continue to surprise us. “Sometimes,” she says, “a new egg […]
Maine Audubon Comments on CMP’s New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) Conservation Plan
First proposed back in 2017, New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) is a transmission line designed to bring electricity from hydropower facilities in Quebec to consumers in Massachusetts as part of the regional electrical grid. The construction route includes clearing a 150-foot-wide, 53-mile-long line through undeveloped Maine woods between the Canadian border and The Forks […]
School’s out: Our school-year programming recap!
It’s the end of school for many students here in Maine, and in the greater Portland area we are celebrating having worked with 5,000 students this school year (and that doesn’t even include vacation camps, festivals, or our public programming!). Through outdoor exploration, observation, experimentation, songs and games, art and storytelling, and engagement with the […]
June Phenology Report: Ecological Traps
June Phenology Report: Ecological Traps By Jocelyn LaClair, Seasonal Horticulture & Sales Assistant In the modern horticultural world, native species often take a backseat to non-native species selected for aesthetics and fast growth. But these choices can have devastating impacts on wildlife that often go unnoticed. Insects rely on specific host plants to develop due […]
Maine Legislature Passes Bill to Increase Protections for Vernal Pools
Maine Audubon is pleased to announce the passage of LD 497, An Act Regarding the Regulation of Significant Vernal Pools Under the Natural Resources Protection Act in the Maine Legislature. Formerly worked within LD 1882 in the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, this effort seeks to better protect state-recognized “Significant Vernal Pools,” essential breeding habitat […]
Maine Audubon Celebrates Passage of Neonicotinoid Pesticide Legislation
Maine Audubon is pleased to announce the passage of LD 1323, Resolve: Directing the Board of Pesticides Control to Evaluate the Impacts of Neonicotinoids on Pollinators, Humans and the Environment in the Maine Legislature. The bill requires the state to further evaluate impacts of neonicotinoid pesticides (“neonics”) on pollinators and people. LD 1323 secured bipartisan […]