Brown-headed Cowbirds are easily overlooked among the flocks of returning blackbirds in early spring. They are a similar shape and size to Red-winged Blackbirds, and the males of both species are mostly black. Male Brown-headed Cowbirds have no red or yellow on the wing, and a brown head. Females …
Maine's Naturalist
Natural climate solutions offer hope in addressing climate change
If you are reading this blogpost on the Maine Audubon website, you likely: know about climate change and that we are already seeing its effects in the landscape all around us; realize that humans are the historical cause, the greatest ongoing contributors, and the source of all future threats …
Susannah Lerman talk to focus on the potential for yards to increase biodiversity
In a recent groundbreaking study titled "Humanity for Habitat: Residential Yards as an Opportunity for Biodiversity Conservation," Dr. Susannah Lerman and her team of professional ecologists and conservationists have unveiled a paradigm-shifting perspective on urban biodiversity. Published in the …
Here’s how Swida Dogwoods provide nesting habitat for so many birds
Our 2024 Bringing Nature Home Plants of the Year, the Swida dogwoods, are an important group of plants for many reasons, but they are especially significant for a number of songbird species that nest in Maine. Red-osier, Silky, and Gray Dogwoods all form hedges and thickets in wetlands and field …
Trail tips for mud season
As we enter into March we can see the signs that winter is starting to fade into the rearview mirror. Temperatures are feeling warmer and daylight hours are longer, giving us more reasons to get outside. Spring and the months just before it are pivotal times for many ecosystems and are often a …
Amphibians are on the Move: Prepare for Big Night!
Things are starting to spring, and even sing! We often look to the skies as birds return to Maine in spring, and we start hearing bird songs. But let’s remember to look down as well as up, and listen for other sounds like the calls of Spring Peepers! Maine’s incredible reptiles and amphibians, or …
Backyard Bird of the month for March: Mourning Dove
The “mourning” song of the Mourning Dove is one of the first birdsongs many people learn, partly due to the abundance of this species. They are one of the most widespread species in North America, and have benefited greatly from human development. These habitat generalists are found everywhere …
Making beginner birding more accessible
This spring, we are increasing the accessibility of our birding programs with Accessible Beginner Birding at Gilsland Farm. If you’ve been unsure about joining a bird walk in the past, this is the one for you! Once a month, starting on March 9, from 10 am to noon, we will meet for an outing intended …
Backyard bird of the month for February: Golden-crowned Kinglet
If you’ve got a quarter nearby, hold it in your hand for a moment. That quarter, at approximately 6 grams, is the same weight as Maine’s smallest winter resident bird, the Golden-crowned Kinglet. These tiny, lively birds can survive temperatures as low as -40℉, in part by roosting in small groups, …