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 …
News & Notes
Installing Bird Safe Windows at Gilsland Farm
Maine Audubon and our partners are continuing to spread the word about bird safe architecture through our BirdSafe Maine program. An essential part of that work involves displaying different bird safe window treatments, especially on the many windows of our Gilsland Farm headquarters in Falmouth, to …
Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce Names Maine Audubon Nonprofit Organization of the Year
The work of Maine Audubon’s Coastal Birds Crew was in the spotlight last month as the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce named Maine Audubon the Nonprofit Organization of the Year at a ceremony on October 12. Coastal Birds Project Director Laura Minich Zitske and Biologist Laura Williams accepted …
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 …
Changes may be coming to Maine’s Endangered Species Act
The Maine Endangered Species Act, or MESA, has been instrumental in protecting imperiled species in Maine since 1975. The Act is implemented by the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIFW), and currently provides special protection to 26 endangered and 25 threatened birds, mammals, …
Backyard Bird of the Month for October: House Sparrow
House Sparrows are a common sight in many backyards. Their constant presence and invasive designation makes them easy to overlook, but they can be an entertaining study, especially going into the fall as they change their appearance. Most of our native species need to molt (or replace) their …
Grants, awards, and other good news!
Sharing good news from across the organization about recent grants awarded, fun news items, partner news, and more! Enhancing the Nature Trail at Scarborough Marsh Thanks to a grant funded by the Scarborough Rotary and the Prouts Neck Association, Maine Audubon will be able to enhance the …
Last chance: Fall native plants sale (with 20% off)!
After another tremendous season, the 2022 Bringing Nature Home Plant Sale is coming to a close. The last day for ordering your native plants will be Friday, September 30, with final pickups occurring the following Thursday (October 6) and Friday (October 7) curbside at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth. …
Keep hummingbirds happy with native plants
Late summer is a wonderful time for observing Ruby-throated Hummingbirds foraging in the garden, and an even better time for planning fall plantings to benefit your visiting hummingbirds next summer. There are many native plants that hummingbirds utilize for food, and providing a variety of these …