Our 2024 Bringing Nature Home Plants of the Year, the Swida dogwoods, are an important group of plants for many reasons, but they are especially significant for a number of songbird species that nest in Maine. Red-osier, Silky, and Gray Dogwoods all form hedges and thickets in wetlands and field edges, which creates important habitats […]
News & Notes
Maine farms join Bird-Friendly Maple program
For many people in Maine, March means one thing: maple syrup. Throughout the state, sugarmakers are now busy boiling maple sap into syrup. You might not see the connection to wildlife, but those very same forests that make Maine one of the top three maple producing states also support some of the highest diversity of […]
Trail tips for mud season
As we enter into March we can see the signs that winter is starting to fade into the rearview mirror. Temperatures are feeling warmer and daylight hours are longer, giving us more reasons to get outside. Spring and the months just before it are pivotal times for many ecosystems and are often a period in […]
Amphibians are on the Move: Prepare for Big Night!
Things are starting to spring, and even sing! We often look to the skies as birds return to Maine in spring, and we start hearing bird songs. But let’s remember to look down as well as up, and listen for other sounds like the calls of Spring Peepers! Maine’s incredible reptiles and amphibians, or “herps” […]
Preparing for the April Eclipse: What Does Wildlife Do in the Dark?
Hopefully you’ve heard by now, but there’s a major astronomical event on the way. On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will occur over North America, and a big swath of Maine is in the “path of totality.” It’s going to be a big deal no matter where you are in Maine, so […]
Backyard Bird of the month for March: Mourning Dove
The �mourning� song of the Mourning Dove is one of the first birdsongs many people learn, partly due to the abundance of this species. They are one of the most widespread species in North America, and have benefited greatly from human development. These habitat generalists are found everywhere except extensive wetlands or forest, and prefer […]
Making beginner birding more accessible
This spring, we are increasing the accessibility of our birding programs with Accessible Beginner Birding at Gilsland Farm. If you�ve been unsure about joining a bird walk in the past, this is the one for you! Once a month, starting on March 9, from 10 am to noon, we will meet for an outing intended […]
Summer Camp Registration opens March 4 & 5
It’s hard to believe we’re already gearing up for summer camps! Here is all the information you need to prepare for summer camp sign-ups opening this March! Online summer camp registration will fall on Tuesday, March 4 and Wednesday, March 5 at 7 pm EST. Registration will be split by age group with Preschool (Sprouts […]
Sanctuary Spotlight: How Tagging Hinders Tree Health
Merriam-Webster defines wilderness as an area essentially undisturbed by human activity together with its naturally developed life community. For those of us that enjoy recreating outdoors, that definition can vary depending on our intended use and interest. But there is one overarching theme that tends to be present when we are hiking, biking, or simply […]