Happy September, friends.
Like September’s spring counterpart, March, the coming month is one of transitions. It marks the beginning of autumn; it is one of the sunniest months of the Maine year, but it’s also defined by cool, comfortable nights; it is the month that humans begin preparations for the upcoming winter, harvesting our bountiful gardens, making sure our firewood is stacked and ready.
We take our cues from Nature. All around us we see the signs of change: errant leaves reddening on our maple trees, the fruit-laden branches on our apple trees gracefully arching towards the ground. Most young birds have fledged by now, and there seems to be a surge in activity as those that migrate fatten up for the journey. South-bound migrants like Semipalmated Sandpipers have already begun passing through Maine on their way to warmer climes.
At Maine Audubon, our events and programs are designed to help us all be more attuned to the changes happening in the natural world. Among them this month, we’re running our 48th annual Merrymeeting Bay boat trip on September 23rd. Led by former Maine Audubon executive director Dick Anderson — who led the first trip in 1969 — this is an amazing opportunity to see Bald Eagles and waterfowl that flock to this unique freshwater tidal estuary, and to learn about the incredible history that has shaped this part of Maine. If you haven’t been, you’re missing out.
We’re also hosting a great Family Nature Night about bats on September 13; a cool mushroom workshop at Fields Pond on September 23; and a fascinating Speaker Series discussion about “Sowing Native Plants” on September 28, featuring Wild Seed Project director Heather McCargo.
In keeping with the spirit of transitions, this month will also bring an overhaul of Maine Audubon’s online presence. We have already begun moving to a new event and course registration tool, which promises to make signing up for events much easier (try it for yourself at one of the event links above!). We are also getting ready to launch a brand new website at maineaudubon1.wpengine.com, which will be mobile-friendly, content-rich, and will offer some exciting new features, including a hub for naturalist information and news. An online e-commerce Nature Store will soon be unveiled as well!
Whether it’s digitally or in person, we hope you visit us this fall. We had a fantastic summer — as all of you who joined us for camps, events, remote pond surveys, and boat trips can attest — and autumn promises to be even more exciting. I hope to see you at a Maine Audubon sanctuary soon!
Andy Beahm, Executive Director
