Happy May, friends.
Just like the pollinators that have recently arrived at Gilsland Farm, Maine Audubon has been buzzing lately! Here’s a primer of some of the great and engaging happenings we’ve seen in recent days:

- A spate of remarkable rare bird alerts — including for a Vermilion Flycatcher and a Fieldfare — that sent staff naturalist Doug Hitchcox sprinting around�the state.
- Subsequent�media�coverage of these rarities that gave Doug a chance to educate us all about their significance.
- An Earth Day celebration that included a fantastic Scarborough Marsh Clean-Up and a presence at the March for Science.
- A successful April vacation camp session and another engaging live wildlife show.
- The Maine Outdoor Film Festival on April 20 brought in so many folks that some actually had to be turned away!
- A happy 232nd birthday for John James Audubon, whose prints we perused and whose storied, oft-doubted report of finding a Tufted Puffin in Maine we recounted.
- A productive meeting of our Chapter leaders in a beautiful location.
Now we’ve caught our breath — and just in time for May. If you haven’t locked down your plans for this month, be sure you’ve checked our Events page (or the listings in �the eNews email that probably sent you to this note).
When you do, you’ll see something for everyone, across the state: Fields Pond Audubon Center’s Springfest celebration on May 13; our upcoming family-focused Pollinator Parade & Festival on May 20; National Audubon’s Dr. Steve Kress discussing seabird restoration at L.L. Bean as part of our Speaker Series on May 25; and Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center’s Memorial Day Snowy Egret 5k race. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
I hope to see you at a few of these great events. In the meantime, we have big plans in the works for an action-packed Maine Audubon summer of connecting people to wildlife. We want you with us each step of the way.
Until next time,
Andy Beahm