This past July marked the 35th anniversary of Maine Audubon's Annual Loon Count. As has happened on each third Saturday of July since 1984, a corps of dedicated volunteers ventured out on lakes and ponds across the state to search for, and count, Common Loons. In the 2018 count, 1,350 people …
Community Science
Seeing Beautiful New Birds At Your Feeders? They Might Be Evening Grosbeaks!
Some lucky Maine birders are seeing some unusual birds at their feeders this winter. They're yellow, but they're not goldfinches. They've got fat bills, good for crushing seeds, but they're not House Finches or Eastern Towhees. They're Evening Grosbeaks, an almost mythical species in Maine and a …
The Big Sit! The Largest Number of Birds With the Least Amount of Effort
The annual Big Sit is a combination of two things I love: birding and sitting down. The idea is to count as many birds as possible in a single day without leaving a 17-foot circle, and Maine Audubon will be hosting our 11th consecutive Big Sit event this coming Saturday, October 13. Big Sits are …
Roundup: Reports & Images from the 35th Annual Loon Count
Saturday morning, July 21, was the 35th year of Maine Audubon's Annual Loon Count. On Lakes and ponds around the state, over 1,400 volunteers headed out to tally the loon adults and chicks in their designated areas. Over the coming days and weeks, their reports will be collected and aggregated, …
Thank you to Oxford Elementary School!
We were thrilled to learn recently that Oxford Elementary School (OES) students had voted to award a very generous check of $1,000 to Maine Audubon as part of a recent project they've been doing on citizen science. As part of their work, students invited author Loree Griffin Burns to talk with …
The Maine Loon Count Turns 35!
It's nearly here! This year marks the 35th year that volunteers have been participating in annual Maine Loon Count. For three-and-a-half decades, dedicated volunteers have fanned out across the state to contribute to this important data-gathering event. This year, the loon project is proud to …
Marching for Science in Portland [Photos & Video]
Maine Audubon wildlife biologist Laura Minich Zitske, who leads our Coastal Birds Project, was a featured speaker at Portland's March for Science yesterday. Despite the chilly April temperatures, a dedicated corps turned out to support science and its wider inclusion in public policy …
Calling All Anglers: Help Find Wild Brook Trout in Maine!
Fishing season is open and it's time to cast a line! But I must admit -- I'm not a very accomplished angler. So I need your help! When I head out with my rod, I am often so distracted by everything else going on around me – I listen to bird songs and try to identify who's calling; I watch the …
Susan Gallo Receives Press Herald Source Sustainability Award
Last night, Susan Gallo received her Source Sustainability Award, presented to her by the Portland Press Herald in recognition of her leadership of Maine Audubon's annual Loon Count. From the Press Herald's original story: Every year, in early summer, hundreds of Mainers head out onto lakes …