Maine Audubon
@maineaudubon.bsky.social
Maine Audubon works to conserve Maine wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people in education, conservation, and action.
Birders wanted for a fun birding opportunity 🪶! Birdability Week is coming up, so help us get a better understanding of accessibility at Maine birding hotspots.
For more information and to sign up for Birdability Week events, read more below.
maineaudubon.org/news/birdabi...
For more information and to sign up for Birdability Week events, read more below.
maineaudubon.org/news/birdabi...
Birdability Week 2025! Events and a Fun Birding Volunteer Opportunity - Maine Audubon
Maine Audubon is committed to helping everyone get outside to enjoy wildlife, but it’s easier for some than others. Those with disabilities, health concerns, or other accessibility issues may have a…
maineaudubon.org
October 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Birders wanted for a fun birding opportunity 🪶! Birdability Week is coming up, so help us get a better understanding of accessibility at Maine birding hotspots.
For more information and to sign up for Birdability Week events, read more below.
maineaudubon.org/news/birdabi...
For more information and to sign up for Birdability Week events, read more below.
maineaudubon.org/news/birdabi...
It was a record-breaking summer for the Maine Coastal Bird Project! The Coastal Birds crew spotted 174 breeding pairs of Piping Plovers (beating the previous record of 157 in 2023), resulting in 251 fledged chicks. Thanks to all the partners and volunteers who make this possible!
tr.ee/12RgtG
tr.ee/12RgtG
Plovers All Over: 2025 season recap - Maine Audubon
Yes, it was another record-breaking season! Breeding pairs of Piping Plovers hit a record high in 2025 reaching 174 pairs, smashing 2023’s record of 157 pairs. A total of 251 chicks fledged, only one…
tr.ee
October 8, 2025 at 3:29 PM
It was a record-breaking summer for the Maine Coastal Bird Project! The Coastal Birds crew spotted 174 breeding pairs of Piping Plovers (beating the previous record of 157 in 2023), resulting in 251 fledged chicks. Thanks to all the partners and volunteers who make this possible!
tr.ee/12RgtG
tr.ee/12RgtG
Maine Audubon's Gilsland Farm Visitor Center and Nature Store in Falmouth will be closed to the public from Monday, October 13, until Sunday, November 2, for maintenance. Trails will be open dawn to dusk (no dogs please!), and all programs will run as scheduled.
Thanks for your patience.
Thanks for your patience.
October 7, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Maine Audubon's Gilsland Farm Visitor Center and Nature Store in Falmouth will be closed to the public from Monday, October 13, until Sunday, November 2, for maintenance. Trails will be open dawn to dusk (no dogs please!), and all programs will run as scheduled.
Thanks for your patience.
Thanks for your patience.
Maine Audubon staff had a great time at the Sun Day Rally in Portland this weekend, talking to the hundreds of attendees about the Endangered Species Act and renewable energy!
September 22, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Maine Audubon staff had a great time at the Sun Day Rally in Portland this weekend, talking to the hundreds of attendees about the Endangered Species Act and renewable energy!
The gray catbird really lives up to its name. It's a robin-sized bird with a black cap and a tail that tends to wag as it talks. And does it talk! In this week's Bird of the Week with WGME, Field Naturalist Stacia Brezinski talks about the catbird, how it sings, and more!
Newborn in the woods? Nope, just a gray catbird
In this Bird of the Week segment, Maine Audubon's Stacia Brezinski helps us get to know the gray catbird.
wgme.com
August 8, 2025 at 9:21 PM
The gray catbird really lives up to its name. It's a robin-sized bird with a black cap and a tail that tends to wag as it talks. And does it talk! In this week's Bird of the Week with WGME, Field Naturalist Stacia Brezinski talks about the catbird, how it sings, and more!
Great news! This week, Maine’s Bureau of General Services released voluntary guidelines incorporate bird-safe principles in publicly-funded buildings, including schools. Maine Audubon and others helped the state develop these guidelines; read the Maine Biz story:
Maine becomes one of four states to take action on bird-safe architecture
“The silver lining to the window collision problem is that it is easily within our ability to fix,” said a Maine Audubon representative.
www.mainebiz.biz
August 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Great news! This week, Maine’s Bureau of General Services released voluntary guidelines incorporate bird-safe principles in publicly-funded buildings, including schools. Maine Audubon and others helped the state develop these guidelines; read the Maine Biz story:
In his Ask Maine Audubon column in the Press Herald, Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox explains the difference between Eastern Cottontails and our native (and rare) New England Cottontails, why Easterns are considered invasive, & more. Seeing rabbits? Tell us! www.pressherald.com/2025/08/02/e...
August 5, 2025 at 3:29 PM
In his Ask Maine Audubon column in the Press Herald, Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox explains the difference between Eastern Cottontails and our native (and rare) New England Cottontails, why Easterns are considered invasive, & more. Seeing rabbits? Tell us! www.pressherald.com/2025/08/02/e...
In this week's Bird of the Week on WGME-TV, our Conservation Director Sally Stockwell shares great information about the Great Crested Flycatcher, a beautiful and common backyard bird. Hear its call, find out where it nests, and how to tell it from a Phoebe.
'Wee-eep!': Hear this flycatcher before you see it, high in Maine's treetops
In this Bird of the Week segment, Maine Audubon's Sally Stockwell helps us get to know the great crested flycatcher.
wgme.com
August 1, 2025 at 3:29 PM
In this week's Bird of the Week on WGME-TV, our Conservation Director Sally Stockwell shares great information about the Great Crested Flycatcher, a beautiful and common backyard bird. Hear its call, find out where it nests, and how to tell it from a Phoebe.
In this week’s Ask Maine Audubon column in the Portland Press Herald, Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox answers a reader’s question about why a bird might lay eggs in more than one nest. Turns out it is in fact smarter to keep all your eggs in one basket!
These birds are better off keeping all their eggs in one basket
For eastern phoebes, a single nest requires so much incubating that splitting up the effort is almost sure to fail.
www.pressherald.com
July 14, 2025 at 12:54 AM
In this week’s Ask Maine Audubon column in the Portland Press Herald, Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox answers a reader’s question about why a bird might lay eggs in more than one nest. Turns out it is in fact smarter to keep all your eggs in one basket!
Learn to love Maine's infamous Herring Gull! Maine Audubon Field Naturalist Stacia Brezinski joins WGME's Stephanie Grindley for the Bird of the Week to talk about gulls and why they deserve our admiration.
'Trash bird' or problem solver? Learn to love Maine's infamous herring gull
In this Bird of the Week segment, Stacia Brezinski with the Maine Audubon tells us all about the herring gull.
wgme.com
June 28, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Learn to love Maine's infamous Herring Gull! Maine Audubon Field Naturalist Stacia Brezinski joins WGME's Stephanie Grindley for the Bird of the Week to talk about gulls and why they deserve our admiration.
ICYMI: yesterday was all about summer birding! Have a listen as Maine Audubon's Nick Lund and Freeport Wild Bird Supply's Derek Lovitch talk about what birds are up to right now, how we can help protect them, and even perhaps see some rare birds.
Summer Birding
Summer is nesting season—learn what species to look for and where to view them, as well as what to know about bird conservation
www.mainepublic.org
June 24, 2025 at 3:29 PM
ICYMI: yesterday was all about summer birding! Have a listen as Maine Audubon's Nick Lund and Freeport Wild Bird Supply's Derek Lovitch talk about what birds are up to right now, how we can help protect them, and even perhaps see some rare birds.
“It’s two pounds of fury coming at you.” Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox says it was a good decision to close trails in Augusta after a goshawk attacked a runner; the territorial bird should only have a few more weeks on the nest, & trails will reopen after that. www.centralmaine.com/2025/06/17/a...
Augusta bird attack prompts trail closure at Bond Brook Trails
'Two pounds of fury:' Officials believe a nesting goshawk is defending its territory and is attacking people it deems threatening.
www.centralmaine.com
June 18, 2025 at 1:22 PM
“It’s two pounds of fury coming at you.” Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox says it was a good decision to close trails in Augusta after a goshawk attacked a runner; the territorial bird should only have a few more weeks on the nest, & trails will reopen after that. www.centralmaine.com/2025/06/17/a...
REMINDER: ROAD CLOSED!
On Monday, June 16, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth is closed due to road work. The Visitor Center and Nature Store will be closed and the trails and peony garden will not be accessible. We will reopen on Tuesday, June 17 at 10 am. Thank you!
On Monday, June 16, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth is closed due to road work. The Visitor Center and Nature Store will be closed and the trails and peony garden will not be accessible. We will reopen on Tuesday, June 17 at 10 am. Thank you!
June 16, 2025 at 12:40 PM
REMINDER: ROAD CLOSED!
On Monday, June 16, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth is closed due to road work. The Visitor Center and Nature Store will be closed and the trails and peony garden will not be accessible. We will reopen on Tuesday, June 17 at 10 am. Thank you!
On Monday, June 16, Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth is closed due to road work. The Visitor Center and Nature Store will be closed and the trails and peony garden will not be accessible. We will reopen on Tuesday, June 17 at 10 am. Thank you!
Reposted by Maine Audubon
I give 30-50 outreach presentations per year for @maineaudubon.bsky.social but my favorite might be my annual talk for the Belfast Free Library / Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition. Great crowd, they laugh at all my jokes, and they send me off with a fresh-baked pie. 💯
May 14, 2025 at 12:09 PM
I give 30-50 outreach presentations per year for @maineaudubon.bsky.social but my favorite might be my annual talk for the Belfast Free Library / Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition. Great crowd, they laugh at all my jokes, and they send me off with a fresh-baked pie. 💯
Today (May 16) is Endangered Species Day! It's the perfect day to show your support for the Endangered Species Act. Learn more about how important the Act is, and how it's currently under threat. Please sign our petition!
The Federal Government is Taking Unprecedented Action Against the Endangered Species Act - Maine Audubon
The Endangered Species Act is perhaps the most famous and effective wildlife conservation law in the nation, but the Trump Administration has recently proposed a change that would significantly…
maineaudubon.org
May 16, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Today (May 16) is Endangered Species Day! It's the perfect day to show your support for the Endangered Species Act. Learn more about how important the Act is, and how it's currently under threat. Please sign our petition!
Vernal pools are small in size, but they're huge in value, providing habitat for lots of Maine wildlife. A new bill can help protect Significant Vernal Pools from development threats. Sign our petition to show support & we'll represent at the hearing Monday! secure.everyaction.com/jpXO7N9G0k6r...
May 2, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Vernal pools are small in size, but they're huge in value, providing habitat for lots of Maine wildlife. A new bill can help protect Significant Vernal Pools from development threats. Sign our petition to show support & we'll represent at the hearing Monday! secure.everyaction.com/jpXO7N9G0k6r...
Neonicotinoid pesticides harm ecosystems that support our farmers and food system. A bill being considered in the legislature would ban use while still allowing for emergency exemptions. Protect Maine’s native bee species! Sign the petition to urge Maine lawmakers to support LD 1323: buff.ly/hz6mjnr
buff.ly
April 11, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Neonicotinoid pesticides harm ecosystems that support our farmers and food system. A bill being considered in the legislature would ban use while still allowing for emergency exemptions. Protect Maine’s native bee species! Sign the petition to urge Maine lawmakers to support LD 1323: buff.ly/hz6mjnr
Many thanks to Ryan Munn at WGME for joining Coastal Birds Project Director Laura Zitske at Higgins Beach to talk about Piping Plovers and how beachgoers can help protect the birds and the beaches this season.
Endangered piping plovers return to Maine with beach restrictions in place
Piping plovers are endangered sandy colored shore birds that are found along much of the east coast.
wgme.com
April 5, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Many thanks to Ryan Munn at WGME for joining Coastal Birds Project Director Laura Zitske at Higgins Beach to talk about Piping Plovers and how beachgoers can help protect the birds and the beaches this season.
In case you missed it: Staff naturalist Doug Hitchcox was a guest on Maine Calling today talking about spring birding. Listen to the show here:
Spring Birding
Which birds are arriving, why are some not migrating, and how is avian flu affecting Maine's wild birds? Plus: What to do to help protect birds from threats.
www.mainepublic.org
March 31, 2025 at 9:21 PM
In case you missed it: Staff naturalist Doug Hitchcox was a guest on Maine Calling today talking about spring birding. Listen to the show here:
Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30, join us as we mark the annual trek of billions of birds on their far-flung journeys. The Gear Up for Migration weekend includes our spring birdseed and optics sale, plus member double discount on all other in store items!
maineaudubon.org
maineaudubon.org
March 25, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30, join us as we mark the annual trek of billions of birds on their far-flung journeys. The Gear Up for Migration weekend includes our spring birdseed and optics sale, plus member double discount on all other in store items!
maineaudubon.org
maineaudubon.org
As we mark the 5th year of the BirdSafe Maine, we hope you will join us for the opening reception of BirdSafe on View, a multifaceted exhibition celebrating the work and successes.
Sunday, March 30, 2-4 pm at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth!
maineaudubon.org/advocacy/bir...
Sunday, March 30, 2-4 pm at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth!
maineaudubon.org/advocacy/bir...
March 23, 2025 at 6:00 PM
As we mark the 5th year of the BirdSafe Maine, we hope you will join us for the opening reception of BirdSafe on View, a multifaceted exhibition celebrating the work and successes.
Sunday, March 30, 2-4 pm at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth!
maineaudubon.org/advocacy/bir...
Sunday, March 30, 2-4 pm at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth!
maineaudubon.org/advocacy/bir...
In this Bangor Daily News article, Maine federal workers discuss being laid off and what the impacts are, including Tessa Corsetti, former regional bat coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
www.bangordailynews.com/2025/03/19/p...
www.bangordailynews.com/2025/03/19/p...
Maine federal workers laid off by Trump administration would go back to jobs ‘in a heartbeat’
Last week two federal judges ordered the reinstatement of thousands of employees who were fired unjustly, but some Mainers remain in limbo.
www.bangordailynews.com
March 21, 2025 at 3:29 PM
In this Bangor Daily News article, Maine federal workers discuss being laid off and what the impacts are, including Tessa Corsetti, former regional bat coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
www.bangordailynews.com/2025/03/19/p...
www.bangordailynews.com/2025/03/19/p...
@MainePublic Maine Public's Peter McGuire came on a Thursday bird walk to talk with Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox about what we can learn from birds and their behavior, and how a changing climate is affecting birds. Read - or listen - to the story!
Maine's shifting songbirds reflect a warming climate
Warming winters allow once rare species to stay in southern parts of the state year round.
www.mainepublic.org
March 20, 2025 at 9:21 PM
@MainePublic Maine Public's Peter McGuire came on a Thursday bird walk to talk with Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox about what we can learn from birds and their behavior, and how a changing climate is affecting birds. Read - or listen - to the story!
It's feeling a lot like spring today! We saw a groundhog in the meadow at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth, heard of Red-winged Blackbirds everywhere, and got news of the first Piping Plover observation (at Higgins Beach)! Photo thanks to/courtesy of Bill Donovan. What are your spring sightings?
March 11, 2025 at 9:07 PM
It's feeling a lot like spring today! We saw a groundhog in the meadow at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth, heard of Red-winged Blackbirds everywhere, and got news of the first Piping Plover observation (at Higgins Beach)! Photo thanks to/courtesy of Bill Donovan. What are your spring sightings?
"I can tell it's winter when my inbox gets flooded with inquiries about robins.” In this week's Ask Maine Audubon column in the Portland Press Herald by Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox, he answers all your questions about robins!
Known as a sign of spring, robins are year-round species
Wildlife questions from real Mainers answered by Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox
buff.ly
March 2, 2025 at 4:29 PM
"I can tell it's winter when my inbox gets flooded with inquiries about robins.” In this week's Ask Maine Audubon column in the Portland Press Herald by Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox, he answers all your questions about robins!