The stars aligned for me the weekend of July 20. About 1,300 of you will recognize that date because you volunteer for Maine Audubon's Annual Loon Count. Those of you who keep careful journals will recall it as a weekend with record high temperatures in the forecast. For me, it was marked on my …
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A Loony Winter
To say we've had crazy weather this winter in Maine would be an understatement. Many lakes remained unfrozen as we headed into the winter, then finally iced over, only to unthaw in a warm spell, and freeze again with the next cold snap. These conditions have made it tricky for all of us planning on …
Maine Audubon and partners receive grant for loon restoration
In 2003, 98,000 gallons of oil spilled in Buzzards Bay from a tank barge called Bouchard B-120. An estimated 531 Common Loons, overwintering in Buzzards Bay (off the coasts of MA and RI), died from direct or indirect impacts from this spill. Now, a natural resources damage settlement from this …
Former Loon Project Intern Reflects on Her Experience, Thesis, and Path Forward
“I want to be an environmentalist,” 10-year old me told my family. They laughed and didn't really understand what I meant, but now I'm graduating college in a semester with a double major in Wildlife Biology and Wildlife Management. I grew up in a populated town in Delaware where both my parents …
If You Find an Injured or Dead Loon or an Egg
If you find an injured loon… If you find or hear about a sick, injured, or entangled loon, report it to one or more of the following entities for assistance. Be ready to provide your name, the loon's location, any photos or video, whether it's an adult or chick and any other details you have. You …
Planting Oaks and Counting Loons
Greetings, June was an exciting month for Maine Audubon as we hosted Doug Tallamy, the author of Bringing Nature Home – a book which has really inspired a science-based movement to plant native plants. Doug's work as an entomologist documents in a compelling fashion how native plants support a vast …
Loon chicks hatching on new artificial nesting platforms!
It’s always exciting when a loon chick hatches, but this summer we’re more excited than ever to announce that a loon chick has hatched on an artificial nesting platform! As part of the new Maine Loon Restoration Project, Maine Audubon has worked with volunteers to put out 13 loon rafts this year. …
Commonly Misidentified Species: Diving Birds
COMMONLY MISIDENTIFIED SPECIES: It’s not always easy to identify Maine’s most beloved birds. Maine Audubon biologists and naturalists commonly field identification questions along the lines of “is it this, or that?”. Many species look similar from a distance, but there are some great telltale signs, …
WIN! Gov. Mills Signs into law a bill that will help protect loons from lead poisoning
One of Maine's most iconic wildlife species will benefit from a new law signed this week by Governor Mills that phases out the use and sale of small-sized painted lead fishing tackle. Common Loons can accidentally ingest lost or discarded lead tackle when it sinks to the bottom, causing illness and …