Spring 2008

May

Tuesdays, May 6, 13, 20

WARBLER SERIES AT BRADLEY POND
7:00 am at Bradley Pond

For the 11th year we will have three warbler walks at the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust’s Bradley Pond. This relatively easy walk through varied habitat will focus on spring warbler migration.

Meet at 7:00 am at the east side of the Brunswick Hannaford or at +/- 7:10 am at Bradley Pond, 2nd parking lot. For directions or additional information, contact trip coordinators Ted Allen (207) 729-8661 or John Howland (207) 725-6734. Free and open to the public.

Wednesday, May 7

EXPLORING HERMIT ISLAND
7:00 am at CVS in Bath for Car Pool
7:30 at Hermit Island

Explore the “other half” of Hermit Island with its forest and hiking trails out to the more remote beaches. We will look for migrating warblers, thrushes, tanagers and grosbeaks, check the shore for shorebirds and waterfowl, and the sky for migrating raptors.

Meet at CVS in Bath at 7:00 or at Head Beach, Hermit Island, Route 216, at 7:30. For directions or additional information, contact trip coordinator Carol Jack at (207) 729-0220. Free and open to the public.

Saturday, May 10

BIRDS OF CRYSTAL SPRINGS FARM
7:30 at Crystal Springs

Crystal Springs Farm has a variety of habitats including fields, edge, forest and ponds. We hope to see swallows, sparrows, Bluebirds, Bobolinks, Meadowlarks and several species of warblers.

Meet at Crystal Springs Farm, Pleasant Hill Road, Brunswick at 7:30 am. For additional, information, contact trip coordinator, Ted Allen (207) 729-8661. Free and open to the public.

Wednesday, May 14

GREEN POINT FARM WMA

7:00 at CVS in Bath for Car Pool
7:30 am at Green Point Farm WMA

Expect a wide variety of migrant birds in the woodlands, fields, wild-rice flats and sky of Maine Inland Fish and Game’s Green Point Farm Wildlife Management Area in Dresden, Maine. Warblers and other woodland birds, sparrows and other field birds, waterfowl and raptors are all targets of this walk. Waterproof footwear is recommended.

Meet Mark Mahnke at the CVS in Bath at 7:00 to car-pool, or at 7:30 at Green Point. For directions, visit Green Point Farm Map and Directions or contact trip coordinator Mike Fahay at (207) 443-1253. Free and open to the public.

Last Two Weeks of May

Chimney Swift Migration Observations

Spotters will be looking for the arrival of the Swifts at a known roost at the former Brunswick High School on McKeen Street. When large numbers are observed, we will post the information along with the dates and time a Merrymeeting Audubon trip leader will be present at the High School.

For details see A Swift's Night Out.

Saturday, May 17

Warbler Walk Over Morse Mountain

7:30 am at Morse Mountain Conservancy – 2:00 pm

This is a great chance to see many spring warblers including Black-throated Green, Northern Parula, American Redstart, Black and White, Chestnut-sided and Yellow warblers. Blackburnian warblers are also often found here. The top of Morse Mountain offers a spectacular view of the marsh and barrier beach. We will end with a walk on Seawall Beach at the base of the mountain giving us an opportunity to see Piping Plovers and other shorebirds.

Meet at the conservancy parking lot on Route 216 (Small Point). Pack a lunch or snacks. For additional information or directions contact trip coordinator John Berry (725-2051). Free and open to the public.

Wednesday, May 21

Field Trip – Florida Lake, Freeport

6:30 am at Hannaford’s in Brunswick for Car Pool
7:00 am at Florida Lake

While small by State standards, this undeveloped pond is Freeport’s largest freshwater body. It provides prime waterfowl and wading bird habitat and a stopover point for many migratory species. American bittern, a species of special concern in the northeast, breeds in the area – a rich mix of forested wetlands, seasonally flooded shrub swamps, and aquatic beds.

Meet Ted Allen at Hannaford’s in Brunswick at 6: 30 am or at the parking lot at Florida Lake- Route 125 Freeport. For directions see Florida Lake Directions and Map For additional information, contact trip coordinator Judy Camuso at (207) 657-2814. Free and open to the public.