In the few quiet moments that are the islands in a steady stream of fun and bustle during the holiday season, I find myself reflecting upon our 2023 accomplishments at Maine Audubon and how they position us for an even more impactful 2024. Our new tagline "your wildlife community" says it all. We …
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Backyard Bird of the Month for January: Pine Siskin
The Pine Siskin is a unique finch with a unique name, at least in North America; the name originates from Eurasia where there are many siskin species. Though probably onomatopoeic to some degree (they make many metallic noises in their chattering songs that are close to “sisk”), the name came to …
Homeschoolers invited to new program at Fields Pond
Ignite your children’s curiosity and innate love of nature this winter at Fields Pond Audubon Center’s all-new Homeschool Naturalist program, which we have designed for children ages 8 to 12 who are being homeschooled. We have developed this brand new program and are offering it as a series of …
Fish Lead Free: Recycle Time!
We recycled 218 POUNDS of lead fishing tackle this past week! Maine Audubon has been collecting lead tackle from anglers across the state for about ten years through our Fish Lead Free initiative to reduce loon deaths. It only takes a loon ingesting one small piece of lead tackle to result in the …
Fields Pond has a month of family fun this December
Embrace winter through wildlife this season at Maine Audubon’s Fields Pond Audubon Center. We’ve got a month full of activities that can help connect you and your family to wildlife and the outdoors, while still celebrating the holiday season. Fields Pond Audubon Center, just seven miles from …
Numbers are in for Maine Audubon’s 40th Annual Loon Count
(Above photo: This striking photo was taken by Elizabeth Payne, an annual loon counter; used by permission) And just like that we have 40 years of loon count data for the state of Maine! On July 15, 1503 volunteer loon counters headed out to 374 lakes to gather important data, allowing Maine …
Changes to Common Bird Names
Earlier this month, the American Ornithological Society (AOS) announced a plan to change the eponymic bird names, those named after people, in the US and Canada. The announcement comes after years of work by the AOS, holding listening session, meeting with stakeholders, and ultimately deciding that …
Backyard bird of the month for December: American Robin
The American Robin, or kwikweskas in Abenaki, is one of the most widespread and beloved backyard birds in North America. They are often easiest to locate by their sputtering calls, from which their onomatopoeic Abenaki name is derived. While these large, charismatic songbirds are heralded as a sign …
Let’s go birding this winter — virtually
This winter, join us virtually to improve your birding from the comfort of home, with Virtual Birding, a free online program taking place every other Monday evening, December through February. Through the magic of live-streamed bird feeder cameras, I will guide viewings of birds in Maine and …