Everyone at Maine Audubon was deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of Jed Wright, project leader of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Gulf of Maine Coastal Program and a frequent and close collaborator with many members of our staff and the broader Maine conservation community. In …
News & Notes
Is the sky bluer in the fall?
I love October -- the clear air, the bright leaves, and the deep blue sky. While appreciating the rich colors on a recent walk, I wondered, “Is the sky actually a deeper shade of blue in fall?” Thanks to physics, I was able to dig around and find the answer -- which is “yes!” Two light scattering …
2017 Legislative Summary
The November 2016 elections brought new faces to the Maine Legislature and to the committees that analyze environmental issues, all within a political climate in which vetoes from the Governor have come to be expected. The session was extended beyond its June adjournment date because of stalled …
Maine Audubon receives $97,000 grant to improve habitat in Kennebec River watershed
This month, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced $1.2 million in funding to “protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat in New England.” This includes a grant of $96,368 to Maine Audubon to improve mature forest habitat for forest-dwelling birds. Our work through this …
Reminder: Keep your hummingbird feeders up
You can tell it is October when we start using words like Selasphorus or Archilochus - these two mouthfuls are the genera of some of the hummingbirds that occur in North America, which could be in your yard right now. Even though mostly all of our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have left Maine by the …
My DC “Fly in” to protect ANWR for wildlife
Although Maine Audubon's lens is usually (and rightly) focused on wildlife and habitat issues within the state of Maine, there are times when issues "from away" warrant our time and attention. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is one of those. Maine is an unparalleled fall destination …
62 species seen at our 2017 Big Sit!
On Saturday we hosted the Big Sit at Maine Audubon's Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth. Over the course of the day, more than 30 people came by to help us count as many birds as we could. Ultimately, we counted 62 species of birds (see the full list), which was 10 more than last year. …
Photos from our Merrymeeting Bay Trip
On Saturday, September 23, Maine Audubon's 48th annual Bald Eagles of Merrymeeting Bay trip left Boothbay Harbor with beautiful, sunny weather. The five-hour round trip took us through a variety of habitats as we cruised on open ocean to the mouth of the Kennebec River, up the river to Merrymeeting …
King Middle School students restore wildlife habitat on school grounds
On Tuesday, October 5, 80 seventh graders at King Middle School in Portland worked with Maine Audubon and horticulture staff from the City of Portland to plant over 60 native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees along the Park Street entrance to the school. This planting project was the culmination of …