How do different plants or animals grow and develop? What stages of life can you see around you? Do young plants and animals always look exactly like their parents? Step outside or peek out your window and you’re bound to see new life this time of year. Birds are laying eggs or caring for their […]
News & Notes
Bee Engaged on World Bee Day
To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee, One clover, and a bee, And revery � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � -Emily Dickinson While waxing poetic certainly romanticizes our beloved bee, here’s the hard truth: bee populations are in peril. Extinctions are occurring […]
Sign our Petition to the Maine Climate Council
The Maine Climate Council is forging ahead in its important mission to develop a plan to help the state achieve its bold climate targets. In order for the Council to adopt a strong and effective plan with concrete steps that will grow Maine’s economy, reduce air pollution, and build healthy, resilient, and equitable communities, they […]
2020 World Series of Birding
We’re taking part in a COVID-safe version of this�famous birding competition, run by NJ Audubon, on May 9, 2020. A team representing Maine Audubon will spend 24 hours finding as many different bird species we can, trying to beat teams from all over the Eastern Seaboard. The event will be a showcase for the diverse […]
Hooray! Hooray! It’s Endangered Species Day!
There once was a land that was teeming with Brown Bar-ba-loots, Humming-Fish, and luscious, beautiful Truffula Trees, or so goes Dr. Suess’ iconic fable, The Lorax.� Those Bar-ba-loots, Humming-Fish, and Truffula Trees were vital members of the fictional ecosystem that Dr. Suess created.� However, the Once-ler’s unrepentant disregard for the environment, in his quest to […]
In Loving Memory: Dori Barnes
On May 1, Maine Audubon’s Director of Finance and Human Resources, Dorothy (Dori) H. Barnes (May 4, 1966�May 1, 2020)�our passionate, hard-working, larger-than-life, fierce, loyal friend�left this world way too soon. Dori always spoke the truth and she kept us honest. Generous and inclusive, she valued family and love and laughter and friendship. She was […]
Seven Months in the Life of a Snapping Turtle
Seven months ago, a nest of Snapping Turtle eggs hatched at the edge of the parking lot at Gilsland Farm. You can read about that eventful day and the decision to overwinter one of the hatchlings in a previous blog post, Introducing Our New Roommate: A Baby Snapping Turtle.� After consulting various experts and the […]
Elementary Connections: Spring Wildflowers
What woodland flowers bloom first in our area? How can you tell them apart? What insects or animals help these early blooming flowers reproduce and grow through pollination? Ephemeral: What does that mean? When talking about the early-blooming flowers that pop up in forests around New England, folks often use the phrase �spring ephemerals.� Ephemeral […]
Good luck, young salmon!
If you’ve followed along with our adventures in salmon-rearing in previous years, you know that May is when we typically release our Atlantic Salmon fry into the Presumpscot River watershed. Of course, this year has been anything but typical, with participants in the Fish Friends program scrambling to adapt to school closures and stay at […]