Many birdwatchers are familiar with Big Day, an international, twice-a-year celebration of birds, in which people count the birds they see over the course of 24 hours. In the spirit of these fun events, many bird-loving communities gather together, explore birding hotspots, and even make a competition to see who can spot the most species! […]
Sanctuaries
Join us for community science power hours this fall
With the leaves changing and temperatures dropping, it’s a great time of year to get out and explore nature! As we move through fall, we can watch many seasonal changes unfold. Earlier in the season, you can still find many flowers blooming and attracting pollinators. But as the weeks go by, many of these birds […]
Providing environmental education to high school students in Orono
Incoming first-year students at Orono High School are embarking on a journey that will deepen their connections to the world around them. These students won’t be traveling to far off exotic locales, but instead will be connecting with their local watershed through an interdisciplinary, place-based education program called Watershed Academy. Initiated by Orono High School […]
All Persons Trail Coming to Gilsland Farm
One of the hallmarks of Maine Audubon’s vision is to create accessible, inclusive, and welcoming wildlife sanctuaries that provide a haven for Maine wildlife and broaden access to nature and experiential learning for everyone. Stepping over tree roots, navigating an uneven path, and climbing up a grassy slope: these present unsurmountable obstacles for many people. […]
Scarborough Marsh wraps up for the summer
For many, Labor Day Weekend signifies the transition into the fall season. Schools are starting back up, sunny days at the beach give way to cooler mornings, and for us at the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center, that means the end of the summer season, but one that ended with some of our busiest days of […]
Native Plant Communities: Salt Marshes
Along the coast of Maine, saltmarsh plant communities are abundant and important. Studies show that saltmarshes can sequester carbon up to 10 times faster than forests! The broad umbrella of saltmarshes contain a gradient of plant communities that feature different characteristics based on salinity, easily distinguished by distance from the coast. Salt-hay Saltmarshes form in […]
Updates on Invasive Plant Removal at East Point Audubon Sanctuary
September 1, 2026 update: After several successful rounds of treatment in 2025, year two of a multi-year invasive plant control project is currently underway at East Point Sanctuary. A licensed contractor, Wilkinson Ecological, has already visited the site twice to chemically spot treat newly sprouted plants, and will likely return at least once more this […]
Campers, thanks for a great summer!
Camp is over and school has started—it’s a bittersweet time. Campers, we’ll miss you! GILSLAND FARM After eight fun-filled weeks of summer camp at Gilsland Farm, it’s time to clean out the cubbies and put the sprinkler away. But first, we wanted to revisit some of our favorite moments from the summer. This year brought […]
Better walking thanks to new boardwalk at Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary
Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary in West Bath has received a lot of stewardship attention as of late! One major upgrade is a new boardwalk. Cole Epstein, Maine Audubon Seasonal Stewardship and Grounds Assistant, and I worked hard to haul a lot of timber into place for the construction of a 140-foot-long boardwalk. The area originally had […]