Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center

See volunteer opportunities here.

Programs highlighted in red are still available!

2010 Programs & Events

Please check back frequently to learn about new programs and other updates.  Prices and dates subject to change.

The Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center will be open seven days a week from then on through Labor Day, from 9:30 to 5:30.  We will be open the first two weekends in September.

Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center offers a a variety of guided and self-guided walks and canoe tours in addition to exhibits, a nature store, and canoe rentals.

All guided programs are led by trained naturalists. Walking and canoe tours and specially-designed programs are available for groups at a discounted price.

Maine Audubon requires that all paddlers wear personal floatation devices; these will be provided for anyone who does not bring their own.

Snowy Egret 5K Run/Walk

Congratulations and thanks to all our racers in this weekend's Snowy Egret 5K! Download race results and awards here.

The race is sponsored by the Chiropractic Family Wellness Center. See the Snowy Egret 5K race page for more information.

CANOE AND KAYAK RENTALS

Daily, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Rent a canoe or kayak, and we'll also provide a map and nature guide.  You'll be all set to take a self-guided tour of the meandering Dunstan River to explore the unique habitat of the salt marsh.

At least one person in your group must be 18 years or older, and children must be at least 4 years old. Dogs are not permitted in the canoes.

Nonmembers:

$16/hour

$23 for 1 1/2 hours, and

$30 for 2 hours.

Maine Audubon members, and Maine residents on Sunday:

$15/hour

$22 for 1 1/2 hours, and

$29 for 2 hours.

WEEKLY PROGRAMS

Canoe Tours

Registration is not required.

Discover the wildlife and plants of Scarborough Marsh as you paddle the Dunstan River. Gliding through the marsh, you will be exposed to its many inhabitants, from the snowy egret catching fish along the edge of the river to the mummichogs swimming in the water. A trained naturalist will show you the numerous marsh plants and even give you a taste of an edible one. This tour is suitable for both novice and experienced paddlers.

Daily 10-11:30 a.m.
Members: $10/adult, $8/child (12 and under)
Nonmembers: $11/adult, $9/child

Family Nature Walk: Mummichogs and Marsh Muck

Registration is not required.

Explore the marsh for plants and animals through discovery-oriented, fun-filled activities that use all five senses. Participants will touch the marsh fish, the mummichog, look for the many migrating and resident birds, and look through algae to discover the minute creatures living there. This program is for “children” of all ages.

Wednesdays
10:30 a.m.-noon
$5/member, $7/nonmember (family discounts available)

Early Morning Birding

Registration is not required.

The best birding is often early morning when birds are busy feeding. Look and listen for snowy egret, glossy ibis, herons, willet, sparrows and more. We start our tours at the nature center and carpool to birding "hotspots" in the immediate area. Birders of all levels and abilities are welcome to join.

Wednesdays

7-8:30 a.m.
$3/member, $5/nonmember, volunteers free

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Paddlers of all abilities welcome on all tours.

Bird Monitoring

Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Join us at Scarborough Marsh for a marsh-wide survey of birds to document the numbers of individuals and species.  Timed to catch the beginning of shorebird migration, each group of monitors will be assigned a portion of the marsh to survey.  Depending on the assignment, surveys may be done on foot, by car or from a canoe (provided at the marsh or bring your own).  Beginning birders welcome!  They will go out with experienced monitors.

The morning will start with a brief introduction to the marsh and the survey methods, including a presentation on “Bird Counting 101”.  After that, monitors will disburse to their assigned sections, and actual surveys may last up to several hours (depending on location surveyed).  For more information, contact Linda Woodard at 883-5100 or e-mail smac@maineaudubon.org

This volunteer monitoring project is made possible through a grant from TogetherGreen. Audubon and Toyota came together to create TogetherGreen to fund volunteer projects all over the United States.  Check out TogetherGreen.org to find more ways you can help and to start logging your conservation actions.

August 15 9 - Noon

To view last years results, go here. (Excel)

To view July 17 2010 results go here

For a list of birding areas used for the survey go here. (PDF)

Full Moon Canoe Tours
Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Experience the sights and sounds of marsh creatures under the full moon. Watch for black-crowned night heron along the bank or snowy egret flying back to a nearby island for the evening. We may even see a harbor seal or a muskrat playing in the water.

August 22,23,24
8-9:30 p.m. (arrive no later than 7:30)
Members: $11/adult, $9/child (12 and under)
Nonmembers: $12/adult, $10/child

Sunset Canoe Tour
Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

This sunset paddle provides a unique opportunity toobserve herons, ducks and shorebirds as they return to their roosting spots for the night. As dusk approaches, listen to the creatures of the marsh prepare to settle in for the evening, or set out on their nightly forays.

August 6
7-8:30 p.m.
Members: $11/adult, $9/child (12 and under)Nonmembers: $12/adult, $10/child

Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk
Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Revive the lost art of foraging by learning to recognize common wild plants. Naturalist Gary Roberts will point out these plants and tell participants about their many uses. A list of edible and medicinal plants will be provided.

           August 21
           $7/member, $9/nonmember

Early Morning Canoe Tour
Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Explore the marsh at this magical time of day when it's coming alive with the sounds and sights of birds and other marsh creatures. See the sun, low over the marsh, reflecting off the dew on the grass as flocks of sandpipers scurry along the bank probing in the mud. Paddlers of all abilities are welcome.

August 28

6:30 - 8:00 a.m.
Members: $11/adult, $9/child (12 and under)
Nonmembers: $12/adult, $10/child

Summer Wildflower Walk

Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Open your eyes to the colors of summer and explore with naturalist Gary Roberts the many varieties of flowering plants found in the salt marsh.

           August 18

           1 - 2:20 p.m.

           $5/member, $7/nonmember

Photography Exhibit

Come meet photographer Doug Hitchcox and view his stunning bird photography.  He will be at the center on Saturdays, Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays to give tips on how to get that perfect shot of wild birds.  Doug's artwork will be for sale throughout the exhibit.

Exhibition: August 14-28.   

Snowy Egret Day

(In conjunction with Friends of Scarborough Marsh)

Experience a day of family fun, including a bird walk, photography exhibit, canoe tours, Clam digging demonstrations, a used book sale, historic marsh artifacts with the Scarborough Historical Society, nature crafts, Volksmarch, making murals, walks on the Eastern Trail and more. There will be special programs for children as well as displays and information about our unique ecosystemFor a complete schedule click here. Snowy Egret Day Schedule

       August 14

        7 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
        Free (fee for some tours)

Shorebird ID Clinic and Field Trip

Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Shorebirds are at once inspiring and maddening. We thrill to the beauty of their wheeling flocks and the drama of their long-distance migrations. But when they settle down on a mudflat... they look like a bunch of brown blobs. It can be hard to know where to even begin the ID process. Fear not! This clinic/trip will give you a solid foundation for identifying shorebirds. We'll take an easy-to-learn approach that focuses on shape and behavior, not just plumage. After a relaxed evening slide show and Q&A, we'll head out the next morning for Scarborough Marsh -- Maine's "shorebird central" -- where we'll have many opportunities to study different shorebird species. From plovers to dowitchers to the bewildering "peeps," join us and take your shorebirding to a new level of skill and enjoyment. 

         Clinic: August 27, 6-8 p.m.

         Field Trip: August 28, 7-11 a.m.

         $30/member, $40/nonmember

Led by Scott Cronenweth (www.naturalpathwalks.com)

Sunset Canoe Tour and Star Gazing

Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Join us for a sunset canoeing and stargazing at the Scarborough Marsh! Enjoy the colors of sunset and watch shorebirds flying to their evening roosts while paddling through the marsh in canoes. Once night has fallen, we’ll explore the night sky from the water before going back to shore to stargaze with a telescope with astronomer Bernie Reim as our guide. Three planets will be visible in addition to the constellations of the late summer sky. Don’t miss this special opportunity to learn about and enjoy the Maine outdoors. Advance registration is necessary, call (207) 883-5100 to register for this event.

August, 28th at 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.

$11 members, $12 non-members.

Special Labor Day Weekend Extravaganza

Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Join us for a weekend of fun and savings!  Special events include used book sale, crafts for kids, hot dogs, end of season sale in the Nature Store, plus chances to win door prizes and special prize discounts on canoe tours and rentals. Saturday we will have a bake sale.  Get up to $10 off your canoe rental or tour.

September 4-6, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

CHILDREN'S PROGRAM

Nature Art

Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Through various art forms we will discover some of the secrets of the marsh. Children ages 7-10 explore the marsh, and then participate in a craft activity. All sessions offer different activities. Register for one, two, three or all four.

July 6, July 20, August 3, August 17
10:30 a.m.-noon
$5/member, $7/nonmember (family discounts available)

Interpreting the Salt Marsh Through Pottery
Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

This program designed for children ages 8-11 will begin with a treasure hunt of the marsh. We’ll search for natural artifacts such as shells, grass and flowers, and then incorporate the treasures into the pottery we make.

August 10
10:30 a.m.-noon
$7/member, $9/nonmember (family discounts available)

Tiny Tot Tour
Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Introduce your wee folk ages 3-5 to the unique marsh habitat through interactive, hands-on activities. They will experience the marsh firsthand, looking through algae for small critters, jumping on the mud and feeling the marsh fish, the mummichog. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

August 19
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
$5/member and one child, $7/nonmember and one child. Each additional child is $3/member, $4/nonmember.

Cat Tales

Registration necessary. Call (207) 883-5100

Bring your preschoolers ages 3-5 for a fun and exciting morning of stories, nature exploration and activities. This program includes story time and a craft activity related to the marsh or nearby ocean.

TBA

1:30 - 2:30 p.m
$5/member and one child, $7/nonmember and one child. Each additional child is $3/member, $4/nonmember.

Group Nature Explorations

Walking and canoe tours and specially designed programs are available for groups at a discounted price. Open to groups of all ages including school classes, community groups, families, and scout troops, all guided programs are led by trained naturalists and introduce participants to the environment around them.

Teachers receive a packet including pre- and post-trip activities, natural history information, and resources. More