I don’t think there could have been a more perfect month to start my tenure as President than May. The property is bustling with action, migrating birds are returning, and wild flowers are starting to bloom. Coming back to Maine Audubon has felt like coming home and seeing my family after I’ve been away on a long trip.
My first month has been a whirlwind. I’d say I’ve graduated from drinking from a fire hose to maybe a garden hose; there is so much to learn. There are new programs, people, buildings, and properties Yet, much is the same; the staff here are extremely capable and passionate, the properties and buildings are stunningly beautiful, and the members, supporters, and visitors are committed to the organization and our mission.
I’ve had the pleasure of joining in on quite a few events already. We traveled to Newry to connect with new partners and community members; it was amazing to see the energy around all the possibilities for new collaborations and the work Maine Audubon is doing in Western Maine. I had the chance to observe the Wabanaki field studies program, a collaboration with Portland Schools, and got a firsthand view of the wonder of first-graders exploring the pond and looking at a Spring Peeper up close.
I spent an afternoon working with staff to remove invasive species at our Mast Landing Audubon Sanctuary in Freeport, and of course I’ve managed to join a few bird walks! I joined Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox and a dozen or so folks watching warblers in the rain in Evergreen Cemetery in Portland. It was raining hard enough that the warblers were on or below eye level, a welcome change from the normal warbler neck I get this time of year. Then in only one week’s time, at Gilsland Farm, on a much warmer sunny day, most of the leaves had emerged, making the birds a little more elusive, or at least harder to see.
Last week I visited our Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden and reacquainted myself with the property and programs there, and met many of the incredibly talented staff for the first time. Did you know we have both a professional opera singer and a competitive ballroom dancer on staff? Talk about hidden talents!
My office overlooks the pond and the outdoor classroom, and every day I hear children singing or squealing in delight as they run through the grass and explore the joys of spring at Gilsland Farm. It is my most favorite sound of all, a stark contrast to my prior office in Augusta and a daily reminder that I am exactly where I am meant to be—helping to connect children, and all people, with nature and instill in them a passion for our natural world.
I will be at the Native Plants Festival at Gilsland Farm on June 6, so if you are in the area, stop by and say hi, and learn about the program and how you can help birds and pollinators right in your back yard. Otherwise I look forward to meeting you in the field soon!
