Habitat Fall 2024 : simplebooklet.com

NEWS & NOTESMaine Audubon was honored to participate in WHERE2024, the Walk for Historical and Ecological Recovery, this summer. Convened by the public history nonprot Atlantic Black Box, this is a series of seven walks at seven sites in Maine, the rst of which was on June 22, when the Atlantic Black Box and The Third Place’s EcoBIPOC Network led The Walk to Unsettle Portland, “a daylong collective practice in unsettling our understanding of this place by surfacing the suppressed stories of those who walked here before us.” Held at the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth, it was a well-attended, remarkable program, with speakers, discussions, and interpretive signs placed along the trails, all of which expanded our knowledge of the history of Maine’s connection to slavery and the colonial impacts on the Wabanaki Nations. Understanding and acknowledging the complexities and conicts of history will aid us in our navigation of both today and tomorrow. There are four more WHERE2024 walks scheduled for this fall, in Hallowell, Brunswick, Saco, and York. More: walkwhere.orgMaine Audubon Executive Director Andy Beahm welcomes participants to The Walk to Unsettle Portland.WHERE2024Walk for Historical and Ecological RecoveryShorebird Monitors WantedAfter a successful pilot project in 2023 engaging the public with information about migratory shorebirds on Maine beaches, we are at it again in 2024! Shorebirds that breed in the far north stop by Maine to rest and refuel on their way to their southern wintering grounds. Some travel as far as southern South America. If you want to learn more and help spread the knowledge and appreciation of these tiny travelers, we’d love your help. We are hoping to expand our range beyond southern Maine plover beaches in 2024. Volunteers will be trained on shorebird and outreach basics, and then walk along coastal stopover sites and talk to people about how they can help our feathered visitors. More: email shorebird@maineaudubon.org.Making a Plan of ActionThe New England Cottontail was identiﬁed in the 2015 report as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need.In MemoriamIn May, we lost a great participant in the Loon Restoration Project. Bill Moore had worked with us on a nesting raft on Pequawket Lake/Horne Pond since 2022. Last year he was thrilled when the loon pair hatched a chick from the raft after one mate was rescued from shing line entanglement. An educator, consultant, and outdoorsman, Bill loved the project and was out there on his dock many days during the breeding season telling lake users about the loon pair, befriending them, and asking them to respect their nesting area. He’ll be greatly missed. Maine, along with every other state in the nation, is embarking on a herculean eort to update its 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), required by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to access hundreds of thousands of dollars through the State Wildlife Grants program. The purpose of the SWAP, per Congress, is to keep as many species as possible o the threatened and endangered list by identifying those species and habitats that are declining or otherwise compromised and developing conservation actions to enhance habitats and boost populations. The plan includes a list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need, key habitats associated with them, identied threats for both species and habitats, and conservation actions for all. It also includes a plan for how to engage partners and the public in both the development of and the implementation of the plan. Maine Audubon is playing a key role in facilitating the update to the plan, due October 2025. We want to hear from you about what you care about, if you have any additional information about any of the species or habitats, if you have suggestions for actions we can take, and what you think the top priorities for action should be. You can nd the 2015 SWAP on the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife webpage (meshwildlife.com), where updated sections for the 2025 plan will be posted as they are drafted. Stay tuned to learn how you can get involved! Loon Restoration ProjectHere are the numbers from a mid-season check-in from the Loon Restoration Project team just after August 1, 2024. Stay tuned for the nal results in our next issue!Loon restoration project technician Ethan Daly deploys a cedar raft.DIFFERENT LAKES AND PONDS74CHICKS HATCHED on rafts so far19RAFTS DEPLOYED in 202485(includes redeployment of 57 that were launched in 2023)RAFTS USED for nesting so far16(we expect some pairs will use the rafts when they make a second nesting attempt after their ﬁrst attempt fails on a natural nest)By the numbersMore than300VOLUNTEERS!Photo: Eli Kao2 3MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 2024 FALL 2024 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT

Page 3

Page 4

Val grew up in Randolph, Massachusetts, then made an early escape to the woods of Blue Hill, Maine. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Environmental Sciences in 2018 from the University of Maine. Throughout and after her university years, Val wandered her way through seasonal eld research and environmental education positions in Georgia, Colorado, and Washington before hunkering down in Maine in 2020. She earned her MS in Ecology and Environmental Sciences from UMaine in 2023, studying river restoration work on the Narraguagus River. In all of her work, Val cares deeply about good science communication, relationship building, and not taking herself too seriously. She lives in Old Town and spends her free time gardening, canoeing, and playing with clay. NEWS & NOTESMaine Audubon is pleased to announce that this summer, Val Watson (she/her) joined our Northern Programs and Operations team as Naturalist and Nature Center Manager, based at the Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden. Creating Community Tree Nurseries Across MaineMaine Audubon is thrilled to announce an exciting new project which will develop four community tree nurseries in Maine’s largest urban areas, as well as in Machias. These four nurseries will produce trees that city arborists will use to restore the forest canopy in Portland, Bangor, and Lewiston/Auburn, and will be used in habitat restoration projects Downeast. These conservation horticulture nurseries will be overseen by City Parks and Public Works sta, managed by Maine Audubon, and staed via new work study programs for teens from marginalized communities, with help from numerous intercultural partners such as Maine Community Integration, Maine Association of New Americans, and Wabanaki Youth in Science. The project will also benet from overarching oversight from Forestry Professor and Penobscot citizen John Daigle at the University of Maine, who will help ensure connections to forestry research and careers, as well as Wabanaki conservation values. This project is made possible by a Project Canopy grant from the Maine Forest Service, who we are excited to partner with on this important project.This project demonstrates the nexus of ecological restoration, social justice, and community engagement in our most populous and impacted landscapes. While Maine Audubon will focus the resources of this grant on engaging marginalized youth, we also plan to incorporate more public programming around these important topics. Please stay tuned to our website for more information.Bringing Nature Home in Portland SchoolyardsSchoolyards are busy places full of people, even in the summertime, and many schools have robust gardens, large trees, hedgerows, and even ower beds that provide food, shade, and beauty that humans need and appreciate. However, on closer inspection, many of these places have been planted—like other developed landscapes—with species lacking the ecological connections and benets that their native counterparts provide. This is additionally problematic when the students’ curricula is increasingly focused on native plants, especially as a means to study the cultural and natural history of the places they call home. Over the summer, our partners at Maine Association for New Americans helped us recruit 10 teens to help us learn about and plant species from the K-5 Wabanaki Studies curriculum at Portland elementary schools. These new plantings will enable teachers and students to visit these plants as they grow and bloom during the school year while they study their importance to Wabanaki culture, relationships with wildlife, their indications for climate change, and other ecological benets they provide. And the schoolyards just got more beautiful, too! Thanks to the Sam L. Cohen Foundation for its ongoing support for Bringing Nature Home in Portland Public Schools.Planning and Planting: Fall is the Best TimeThanks to those of you who made the June Native Plants Festival & Sale yet another record-breaking event! We hope you all spent the summer, like we did, restoring and maintaining habitat throughout Maine by putting plants in the ground. All year long, though, our native plants team points to early fall as the absolute best time to plant new plants and get started on restoring habitat in your garden, yard, or community. Cooler weather, shorter days, and more moisture in September and early October all make for ideal conditions for new transplants to settle into forever homes in the ground before drifting o to winter dormancy so that they’re ready for a full growing and reproductive season next spring. Whether you are spending early fall enjoying the fruits and owers of earlier planting labor, or just recently discovering the beauty and benets of Maine native plants, September and early October is the perfect time to buy and plant new plants. Visit shop.mainenativeplants.org to see what’s available, make a purchase, and schedule a pickup before it actually is too late for this year.More: maineaudubon.org/plantsExpanding River In My Backyard The River In My Backyard (RMB) program was launched in 2020 to help students in the Bangor School District understand the significance of the Penobscot River watershed as vital habitat for endangered Atlantic Salmon and other wildlife. This two-year project was funded through a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/North American Association for Environmental Education (NOAA/NAAEE) grant focused on connecting environmental education organizations with federally supported (21CCLC) afterschool programs. This initial program fostered what has become an ongoing relationship between the Bangor School District and Maine Audubon.This year, a new NOAA/NAAEE grant award will enable Maine Audubon sta to expand the RMB program to the Piscataquis River. Partnering with RSU 68 in Dover-Foxcroft, students from the rural communities of Sebec, Dover-Foxcroft, Monson, and Charleston will take part in the RMB program. The Piscataquis River is the rst major tributary to branch o the Penobscot River, and this area is considered to have one of the highest quality cold water habitats available for native Atlantic Salmon in the northeast United States. Starting this fall, Maine Audubon sta will be working with RSU 68 students and sta to implement STEM-based environmental education related to the Piscataquis River and the Penobscot River watershed. The RMB program provides students with learning experiences that are grounded in their local community, helping them understand the human ecological impacts to the watershed and respond to current and future challenges.INTRODUCING Val Watson4 5MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 2024 FALL 2024 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT

Page 5

Page 6

NEWS & NOTESBY NICK LUNDTHE HOUSING MARKET in Kennebunk is tight, so it was surprising that a block of brand-new riverfront apartments went unoccupied. But this spring, York County Audubon’s Kathy Donahue was thrilled to discover some new tenants moving in: Purple Martins were using the gourds at Madelyn Marx Preserve.These large, graceful swallows are in trouble. They’ve experienced a nationwide population decline of one percent per year since 1960, but a decline of ve percent per year in Maine over the same period. Complicating things is that Purple Martins in the eastern U.S. nest almost exclusively in structures provided by humans—hanging gourds or elaborate pole-top mansions—and so rely on continued human maintenance for their nests.In 2016, the York County Audubon Chapter decided to try to help. Chapter volunteers worked with the Kennebunk Land Trust to place a pole with six plastic, cone-shaped “gourds” at the Madelyn Marx Preserve along the Mousam River near Parsons Beach. The site was chosen carefully: it’s just within sight of one of the area’s few existing Purple Martin colonies, on private property o Great Hill Road.The Madelyn Marx gourds went up in early April 2017, but no martins moved in. Kathy would wake up early and travel to the site two or three times per week to play Purple Martin dawn song recordings in hopes of luring nesters over. Still, nothing took, and the gourds were taken down and stored for the fall.This pattern continued for years. Kathy and her team, including former York County Audubon Board member Ken Janes, would hang the gourds in spring and spend weeks trying to lure martins across before taking things down in the fall.Kathy had all but given up by the spring of 2024. She still put the pole up but didn’t spend as much time as she used to playing songs or even checking on the box. But then, somehow, it happened. Kathy heard through the grapevine one May morning that a birder had seen Purple Martins using the Madelyn Marx gourds. She went to look for herself, and was shocked to see not one, but all six gourds lled with birds. “It was such a wonderful feeling,” said Kathy, “after all that work, to see those birds nally nd their way over.” York County Audubon has been monitoring the success of the nesting birds throughout the summer, and will have the apartments ready again next spring when these rare birds hopefully continue their residence.Federal Grant to Fund Study of Scarborough MarshThe 3,200 acre Scarborough Marsh is the largest contiguous salt marsh system in Maine. Dozens of bird species—including a suite of endangered and threatened species like Saltmarsh Sparrows and Roseate Terns—visit the salt marsh, brackish creeks, coastal fresh marsh, and tidal ats, along with hundreds of other plants and animals.Owned by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the marsh has long been an important destination for humans as well. Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center, managed by Maine Audubon since 1972, is one of our most-visited locations, with thousands of canoers, kayakers, birders, hikers, anglers, schoolchildren, and nature-lovers stopping by every year. But visitors are witnessing a changing landscape, as stronger and more frequent storms have increased ooding throughout the marsh, washing over the high marsh grasses and nesting Saltmarsh Sparrows, and forming pools of water on the marsh surface. What’s more, the pace of change at the marsh has accelerated in recent years.To help address this critical situation, in April, ocials from the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that local partners will receive $1.4 million in coastal resiliency funding to help plan for the future of Scarborough Marsh.The Scarborough Land Trust is leading and coordinating the project, along with partners Maine Audubon, Ducks Unlimited, Maine Coastal Program, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Town of Scarborough, and several others. The partners will work together to:1. Develop plans to address undersized tidal crossings and ooded roadways; 2. Develop a site-specic plan that restores and protects marsh hydrology and both low and high marsh habitat; 3. Identify and prioritize corridors for marsh migration; and 4. Develop an outreach program to engage the public around threats to the marsh and opportunities for restoration. Maine Audubon will lead the outreach portion of the grant, working with partners to create and distribute outreach materials, host activities such as nature walks and a bioblitz, draft and distribute yers, brochures, and maps, and design and post signs with information about the ecological signicance of the marsh and plans to restore it. We will also explore opportunities for improving public access and recreation, including for underserved groups.In addition, Maine Audubon will conduct a feasibility study to consider options for relocating and/or expanding Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center. Flooding at the current site is only projected to get worse, and will likely be inaccessible once the Department of Transportation raises Pine Point Road, where the center is currently located.We are excited about the investment NOAA is making in this project, which will set the stage for restoring Maine’s largest and most diverse tidal marsh and wildlife habitat, and improving the public’s understanding of and appreciation for the challenges the marsh faces from rising seas.The nature center building received some improvements after the winter’s storm damage, including new siding and trim, new wiring/outlets, new pressure treated ﬂooring and ﬂoor joists, repainting, partial deck replacement, new display cases and shelving, a new porta-potty enclosure, and more.CHAPTER SPOTLIGHT YORK COUNTYPurple Martin Perseverance Pays OPhotos by Kathy Donahue6MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 20247FALL 2024 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT

Page 7

Page 8

eFields Pond, HoldenJosephine Newman, GeorgetownHamilton, West BathMast Landing, FreeportGilsland Farm, FalmouthScarborough Marsh, ScarboroughEast Point, Biddeford PoolBorestone, ElliotsvilleEast Point BY MAGILL WEBEREast Point is a true migrant trap. It sits at the easternmost point of Biddeford Pool, well known as one of the best birding locations in all of New England. It’s an old-school birding destination that has been lauded for its mega rarities (Variegated Flycatcher, Surfbird) over generations of birders. When I rst came to Maine for college it was the one birding spot I already knew about, and since then I’ve lost track of the hundreds of hours I’ve spent staring through my scope at the ocean there when weather conditions are right. When we were looking at buying a house in Maine, I had a short list of criteria, one of which was to be within thirty minutes drive of the eastern tip of Biddeford Pool—meaning East Point Audubon Sanctuary.While Midcoast and Downeast Maine are famed for their many peninsulas and rocky coastline, York County is largely sand beaches without any real features. Biddeford Pool’s exceptional geography as an east-west oriented peninsula, with one of the only major granite outcrop features along York County’s largely sandy coastline, makes it a migrant trap. It is the single best place in York County to look for rarities and watch bird migration in action when the weather patterns change. It’s a place that makes birders better birders because you have to really study the weather and anticipate when it will set up for amazing conditions.In nor’easters or strong winter onshore ows, particularly in late winter and early spring, watch for alcids and large rafts of sea ducks that stage between East Point and Wood Island, just oshore. East Point can occasionally be exceptional in mid-May when conditions are right with big overnight ights of migrating birds that encounter low clouds or light rain or a shift in wind direction from south to north just before daylight. With the right sorts of conditions, migrating songbirds can get pushed down to land and often reverse course multiple times coming across the mouth of Biddeford Pool near East Point. With strong onshore winds in summer, look for seabirds like Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, shearwaters (including Manx), and Northern Fulmar. While East Point can be good at all times of the year when the weather is right, it is best for seawatching in strong onshore winds in fall when hurricanes, tropical storms, and early nor’easters glance the New England coast. It’s not for fair-weather birders, but if you want the best chance of seeing pelagic birds in Maine without getting on a boat, grab a scope and go stand out at the end of East Point during strong onshore winds.An avid lifelong birder, Magill Weber is on the board of both Maine Audubon and the American Birding Association, sits on the Maine Bird Records Committee, and is a former member of the Arizona Bird Records Committee.SANCTUARY This Fall FINDING From EAST POINT to MAST LANDING, JOSEPHINE NEWMAN to HAMILTON, these four sanctuaries oer beautiful fall foliage, great migration vantage points, and peaceful walking trails. We asked four people to share their special thoughts about these sanctuaries and what you can ﬁnd there in the fall. We hope this will inspire you to visit. YORK MERRYMEETING MID-COAST DOWNEAST FUNDY PENOBSCOT VALLEY WESTERNChaptersYou can also discover plenty of fall wildlife and habitat at our four centers as well. Borestone, ElliotsvilleFall is the best time to hike the summit and other trails at Borestone! Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, FalmouthTwo miles of trails right outside of Portland, plus guided nature and bird walks this fallScarborough Marsh Audubon CenterGood fall birding right from the center plus a short nature trail across the streetFields Pond Audubon Center, HoldenExtensive trail system with lovely fall foliage on view; also check out the new fall hiking club and guided bird walks (see page 19)Our centers were buzzing with activity all summer long, with campers racing through the ﬁelds and woods at Gilsland Farm and Fields Pond, canoe tours and birders visiting Scarborough Marsh, naturalists leading walks at Borestone, and much more.Now, as we transition to fall, it’s time to let our other sanctuaries take center stage. QUICK FACTSEast Point Audubon Sanctuarymaineaudubon.org/visit/east-pointSituated at the very end of Biddeford Pool among private residences and a private golf course, the 27-acre East Point Audubon Sanctuary contains a short but spectacular trail along the perimeter of the point, oering rare public access to this stretch of the Maine coast. Please note that parking is very limited at the end of Lester B. Orcutt Boulevard along the shoulder with room for about 6 cars. The entrance is marked on the left as you face the water. There is a short right of way trail between and around private residences which takes you to the main sanctuary trail. Dogs, even while leashed, are not allowed in our wildlife sanctuaries.Lester B. Orcutt Blvd., Biddeford PoolUntitled layerUntitled layerEast Point SanctuaryCommon Eider9FALL 2024 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT

Page 9

Page 10

Mast LandingEarlier this year, Maine Audubon Land Steward Liz Thibault was tasked with taking a closer look at the existing trail networks that weave through all Maine Audubon sanctuaries. As with most trails throughout the northeast, she observed wet, rooty, and rocky conditions that are often indicative of a trail experiencing erosion at an accelerated rate. On trails, increased rates of erosion are often unintentionally caused by human impact. Conservation-driven trail builders combat these rising rates by assessing the landscape and creating a plan of action that provides a good experience for visitors, while also following best practices that protect the surrounding ecosystem.Liz noticed that several sections of trail at Mast Landing Audubon Sanctuary in Freeport had become muddy and washed out. There were a few existing structures in place to help with this issue, but over the years and through dierent weather events, those structures had shifted or become submerged. This prompted Maine Audubon’s Properties Department to develop a plan that would create a more resilient walking surface for trail users that allows water to ow as it should. In June, Maine Audubon sta and volunteers constructed a 110-foot puncheon style footbridge that sticks true to best trail practices, while providing a more enjoyable experience for visitors.The boardwalk, says Liz, “has two turnpikes that are 75 feet long in total and it elevates you a foot and a half o the ground. Now, you’re not rushing through the mud or looking down to see where your feet are going. Instead, you can take in the scenery, and see what’s around you. I stood on it and it already feels dierent! For the rst time, I was seeing a dierent height of that tree, or a dierent view of that plant.”The new bridge is just past the kiosk on the Ridge Trail, immediately as you enter on the main path. This is just the beginning of Liz’s plan to make the visitor experience more enjoyable; she is planning to make the trail network more cohesive, possibly closing a few trails, improving the trail maps, and adding new and improved trail blazes.“There is a little loop, that’s not shown on the trail map,” she says, “that takes you to a ravine where there is a hemlock grove. The forest feels really dierent there. There are steep walls where you can look down into the ravine, and a little bench. It’s just a really nice reection spot.” However, it’s easy to miss, so once there is new signage and updated trail maps, visitors will be able to nd it more easily. “Ideally,” Liz says, “Mast Landing will be a great showplace both for nature and for outdoor recreation.” Liz would like to extend her gratitude to Seasonal Stewardship Assistant Anna Marden and the dedicated volunteers who helped make this project a great success. From material hauling to measuring and cutting, dirt digging to hardware installation, many individuals were required to use their brains and muscles in the Maine summer heat for each step of this project. It takes a team to accomplish a project of this magnitude, and the results of having a solid crew speaks for itself!Hamilton BY GLENN EVANSHamilton Audubon Sanctuary oers special opportunities in the fall. While the Hamilton forests are mostly populated with coniferous trees, there are enough deciduous trees to make for some spectacular viewing. The colors peak during the second week of October. One of my favorite places to view the colors is from the “rst bench” on the Blue Trail during a late afternoon high tide in mid-October overlooking the tidal cove. The colors from the trees and their reection in the water make it as beautiful as any place on the face of this earth. In fact, over twenty years ago, the local paper ran an article about many religious leaders meeting in Brunswick to talk about spirituality and nature. The picture used for the article was taken from the rst bench on the Blue Trail at Hamilton (as was the above photo). Since then, the trail system at Hamilton has expanded, and there are additional great views from both the Red and Green Trails.It might be too late now to see this, but in late August, the Snowy Egrets start ocking for migration around the Back Cove trees at Hamilton. Sometimes there can be easily more than a dozen birds whose white feathers against the green tree foliage can seem bright enough to appear like lights in the trees.Glenn Evans and his wife Marianne Warner are caretakers of the Hamilton (West Bath) and Josephine Newman (Georgetown) Audubon Sanctuaries.QUICK FACTSHamilton Audubon Sanctuarymaineaudubon.org/visit/hamiltonEncompassing 86 acres in West Bath, Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary lies on a peninsula in the New Meadows River. A 2.75-mile trail system winds through several diverse habitats—cove and mudﬂats, fringing salt marsh, upland meadow, and upland forest. Dogs, even while leashed, are not allowed in our wildlife sanctuaries.Only one mile from the bustling downtown of Freeport, Mast Landing is 145 acres of diverse habitat rich in human and natural history. It is located along the Harraseeket River estuary, with more than three miles of trails that wind along a stream and tidal marsh and through orchard, ﬁelds, and forest. Dogs, even while leashed, are not allowed in our wildlife sanctuaries.See page 20-21 for information about volunteer events here this fall.681 Fosters Point Road, West BathMast LandingQUICK FACTSMast Landing Audubon Sanctuarymaineaudubon.org/visit/mast-landing65 Upper Mast Landing Road, Freeport Photo: Glenn Evans10 11MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 2024 FALL 2024 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT

Page 11

Page 12

SPECIAL SECTIONLEGISLATIVE & ADVOCACYSecond Session of the 131st Maine Legislature2024 UpdateDear Maine Audubon members and supporters, The second and ﬁnal session of the 131st Maine Legislature concluded in May and it was nothing short of a whirlwind! Thanks to you, Maine Audubon continued to make great strides to conserve wildlife and habitat in this short legislative session, and we wanted to summarize our eorts with you.But we’re already looking ahead, as well. The First Session of the 132nd Maine Legislature is just a few short months away, and Maine Audubon advocacy sta will be hard at work pushing for additional protections for Maine wildlife and habitat. Follow along with our new priorities and add your voice to our eorts by signing up for our Action Alert emails at maineaudubon.org/act.FRANCESCA “CHES” GUNDRUMDirector of AdvocacyAudubon teams up with architects, USM to urge businesses to add bird protections“It’s very clear that bird strikes reduce when solutions are installed.” Maine Audubon Advocacy and Outreach Manager Nicholas Lund in MaineBizMAY 31, 2024 Maine legislature ﬁnalizes bills to protect, enhance water quality on freshwater lakes and ponds“Our freshwater lakes and ponds are a core part of Maine's identity.”Maine Audubon Advocacy Director Ches Gundrum, on WABI-TVAPRIL 3, 2024OPINION: We must be smart in our push for new housing“By not only growing quickly but growing smart, we can create the types of neighborhoods and com-munities that we want while also protecting wildlife in the state that we love.”Maine Audubon Conservation Director Sally Stockwell, in Portland Press HeraldFEBRUARY 2, 2024Legislature By the NumbersJoin our Action Network: maineaudubon.org/actMore than 1,900 messages were sent to legislators by Maine Audubon members and supporters.We had 941 signatureson our Aquatic Invasive Species petition, one of our largest petitions ever.Maine Audubon testiﬁed on 23 individual billsin the Second Session, and 80 total in the entire 131st Legislature.Josephine NewmanBY NANCY J. JOHNSONJosephine Newman Audubon Sanctuary is like my better half: my signicant other, my best friend. I walk in the sanctuary every day, and I mean EVERY DAY, no matter how hard it is raining, snowing, sleeting, gusting; no matter how hot and buggy or how cold. There are four dierent trails. The Orange Trail has a lovely stream with a bridge over it that runs right down to the tidal ats. Walk a little farther and there is a waterfall, which is spectacular in the spring. You walk up a hill and meet the head of the Yellow Trail, also called the “Abandoned Cottage” or Cabin Trail. That is where the Red, Yellow, and Orange trails intersect. The Red Trail and the Blue Trail are very quiet. The Red Trail is the hardest and longest. You climb high up on the rocky ledges and have stunning views of the water. I love the Blue Trail because it passes by the reversing falls. At a certain point, when the tide is going out or in, the water starts to run faster and you can hear it being sucked out or in, like a waterfall that goes both ways! If you go around the loop of the Blue Trail, you end up at a pond lled with water lilies, Blue Flag Irises, Bull Frogs, and some little creatures that make a sharp, quick peeping sound as they jump through the water. Deer like to walk through the pond and munch on plants. The other day, I saw a fawn by the rocky foundation that is near the sanctuary entrance.In the fall, the sanctuary is full of hikers enjoying the cool crisp air and the manifold colors in the trees and wildowers. The diversity of owers has diminished drastically, but you can still nd some purple asters, goldenrods, Queen Anne’s Lace, and milkweed pods. The sycamore trees turn red much earlier than any other trees, but the maples, oaks, and birch ame out in reds, oranges, and yellows. The pines lose some of their needles, acorns and other nuts ripen and fall. Witch Hazel blooms; look for yellow owers in deciduous woodlands. As leaves fall from the trees and bushes, look for old squirrel and bird nests. There are many other species and spectacles in the autumn terrain. Come and see what other wonders you can nd here. Nancy J. Johnson is a widely published poet, who studied for many years under Charles Simic, the former Poet Laureate of the United States.QUICK FACTSJosephine Newman Audubon Sanctuarymaineaudubon.org/visit/josephine-newmanJosephine Newman Audubon Sanctuary, a 115-acre preserve in Georgetown, is a hidden gem in the heart of midcoast Maine. Bounded on two sides by salt marsh, the sanctuary features more than 2.5 miles of trails that traverse meadows, coastline, forest, and rocky ridges. Visitors can usually expect a private hike around the rugged, wooded peninsula, and along blus rising above the ocean. Please note: Dogs, even while leashed, are not allowed in our wildlife sanctuaries.From the junction of U.S. Route 1 and Route 127 in Woolwich, just east of the Woolwich-Bath bridge, head south on 127 for 9.1 miles to Georgetown. Take a sharp right at the sanctuary sign and follow the dirt entrance road to the parking area. Parking is limited.See page 21 for information about a volunteer event here this fall. Sanctuary Access Road o Route 127, GeorgetownArtist Sarah Baskin painting en plein air at Josephine Newman Audubon SanctuaryYours in conservation,IN THE NEWS12MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 2024

Page 13

Page 14

THE SKY IS BRIGHT and blue, streaked with clouds as thin as carded wool. I weave between stumps, planting acorn after acorn. The patch cut is as still as the waters of a new beaver pond. The forest hangs limbo, a brief pause in its perpetual arc of change.I stand and squint into the sun. To the west, clouds gather over hitawbagw—the Lake Between. As I watch, the clouds move east, crossing the paved streets of the city. Behind them, a wall of rain sweeps the earth like a wedding train.The light turns dim and ominous, the leaves of the trees fluttering anxiously. I lean on my acorn-planting stick as dark clouds cross the sun, turning the patch cut into something bleak and brutal and ugly. When I rst walked this mountain I saw a forest of ghosts and shadows, a forest that was the memory of something beautiful, lost long ago. I do not know if I can save this forest—all I know is that it is beyond inaction, that it will not save itself. The light changes, and I remember that this patch cut is an act of love, a switchback on the winding path toward a better world.Humidity cloaks the land, drawing tiny, round beads of sweat from my skin. As my fingers touch another acorn, a raindrop strikes the back of my hand, rolling between the small bones of my ngers. Suddenly, droplets are stippling the soil like falling stars, throwing up little clouds of dust. I kneel, watching the water run around the stumps and the upturned leaves, drawing spiderwebs on the earth.One day, when this patch cut has become a diverse young forest, I will walk through it and remember this autumn day, when my hands were young. I will remember that each oak was once an acorn between my ngertips, that this forest is a child of responsibility—something that we could only have embodied together. No one but me will ever truly know the pieces of myself that I have left on BOOK SPOTLIGHTBill Number Description Position ResultSMART GROWTHLD 1134Changes Maine’s legal deﬁnition of the word “subdivision” making it easier for bigger subdivisions to avoid environmental review processesDefeatedLD 1673Establishes a working group to coordinate collaboration among state agencies to help promote smart growth and development in high-use corridorsBecame law!AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIESLD 1342Adjusts the “Preserve Maine Waters” sticker costs to help combat aquatic invasive speciesBecame law!HABITAT PROTECTIONLD 1685Changes to Maine Tree Growth Tax Law that would unnecessarily limit program participationDefeatedLD 2253Authorizes Department of Environmental Protection to issue a stop-work order if a development project is violating the agency’s laws or rulesSigned into law by Gov. Mills!SHORELINE PROTECTIONLD 2101Strengthens the enforcement of shoreland zoning laws needed to protect water quality and loon habitatSigned into law by Gov. Mills!LD 2284Prohibits wakesurﬁng activities in less than 15 ft. of water or within 300 ft. of the shorelineSigned into law by Gov. Mills!EDUCATIONLD 1642Modernizes several parts of the Wabanaki Studies LawSigned into law by Gov. Mills!PRIORITY LEGISLATION IN THE Second Session of the 131st LegislatureLEGISLATIVE & ADVOCACY 2024 Updateis a forester and author from Vermont whose book, How to Love a Forest, comes out in September, 2024, from Broadleaf Books. He will be giving a talk:Tuesday, September 24, 6 pm Gilsland Farm Audubon Center Falmouth, METhis will be a hybrid talk with an option to watch online. Books will be available for sale and signing at the event. This is an excerpt from Chapter 10 in the book. How to Love a ForestThe Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing WorldBY ETHAN TAPPERthis mountain, the labor of love that being the steward of this land has been. I will know, and that is enough.We owe too much to the future to be imprisoned by the past. As the storm passes over me, I am grateful to be anything at all, grateful to be alive at a time when there is so much worth saving. Today I choose to live in a world that is just awakening, just beginning to discover what it truly is. I look toward the broken ridge of the mountain and feel a powerful nostalgia, not for the past but for the future. High above the storm, the light is swelling, calling everything upward, toward a world that is just beginning.Reprinted with permission from How to Love a Forest by Ethan Tapper, copyright © 2024, Broadleaf Books. More: EthanTapper.com/bookETHAN TAPPERHere is a rundown of how several of our Second Session bills fared. For a closer look at a more complete list of key bills we were involved with, visit: maineaudubon.org/advocacy/legislative-prioritiesNew legislation will help Maine wildlife on lakes and ponds“Almost every single animal in the state of Maine utilizes the habitat, at some point in their life, around a lake or pond, so whatever we can do to protect them is vital.” Maine Audubon Director of Advocacy Francesca Gundrum, on NewsCenter MaineJUNE 10, 2024IN THE NEWSIn May, Advocacy Director Francesca Gundrum (far left) attended Gov. Mills' ceremonial signing of LD 2101.14 15MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 2024 FALL 2024 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT

Page 15

Page 16

Mushroom & Edible Plants Walk with North SporeSaturday, October 26, 10 am–12 pmLouis Giller of North Spore Mushrooms will lead a walk to identify mushrooms at Gilsland Farm. We’ll also discuss connections to wildlife and how to responsibly harvest edible species. Program participants will receive 20% o all North Spore products at the Maine Audubon Nature Store.PAJAMA STORYTIME Halloween EditionTuesday, October 29, 5:30–6:30 pmGive your Halloween costume another outing at Pajama Storytime! Join Maine Audubon educators for a night of nocturnal animal celebration. We’ll start with free play before joining together for a craft followed by a reading of Amara and the Bats. Eyes on OwlsSaturday, November 9, 10:30–11:15 am, 12:30–1:45 pm, 2:30–3:45 pmJoin naturalist Marcia Wilson and photographer Mark Wilson in person for Maine Audubon’s annual live owl show. Each show includes a hooting lesson, an entertaining slideshow, and a close-up look at several dierent owl species. The 10:30 show is meant for a younger audience, and will include a story read-along and the live owl show. The 12:30 and 2:30 shows, for all ages, include a slide presentation called “Owls Up Close” plus the live owl show. The program will be outdoors under a tent and no walk-in tickets will be oered. Member Double Discount and Fall Bird Seed SaleSaturday, November 9–Monday, November 11, 10 am–4 pmIt’s our fall retail special long weekend sale! Members get 15% o optics and 20% o on all in-store items. Visit the store to check out our new products and holiday gift items.Seed Sowing WorkshopSaturday, November 23, 10 am–12 pmWinter is a great time to sow native seeds so they’ll be ready for a strong start come spring. Maine Audubon sta will introduce native seed propagation for growing plants from seed. Participants will leave with several pots sown with seeds and ready for maintenance-free outdoor germination.OCT29 NOV9identiﬁcation of native, naturalized, and invasive species. We will learn to identify the most common species, separate lookalike species, and contribute our sightings to community-based science projects.Turtles & TykesWednesday, September 18, 9:30 am–12:30 pmCalling all young turtle enthusiasts: Join us for a free drop-in program for toddlers (and preschoolers) and a grown up! Explore the world of turtles through sensory observation, art, movement, and stories. At 11 am, we’ll have a read-aloud of A Blanding’s Turtle Story. Autumn Equinox at Maine AudubonThursday, September 19, 4–7 pmA special fundraiser hosted by Portside Real Estate Group, with live music, food trucks, children’s activities, adult beverages, auction, and more! SEPT18 SEPT19 Gilsland Farm Audubon CenterFALMOUTH/GREATER PORTLANDGilsland Farm Birdhouse Restoration Project Friday, September 6, 12:30–3:30 pmJoin Maine Audubon’s Properties Department for an afternoon of light woodworking, restoring several birdhouses that will replace broken houses throughout the property.BRINGING NATURE HOME Book ClubTuesdays, September 10 & November 12, 5–6:30 pmLed by BNH Program Manager Andrew Tufts, this is an opportunity to come together to analyze books and share ideas. SEPTEMBER: The Light Eaters, Zoë SchlangerNOVEMBER: The Nature of our Cities, Nadina GalleGilsland at 50 Artist ReceptionSunday, September 15, 2–4 pmThe Gilsland Farm at 50 art show celebrates the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center and the 50 years of Maine Audubon’s presence in this location. Meet and mingle with the artists and view their works. Accessible Beginner BirdingSaturdays, September 14, October 5, November 2, 10 am–12 pmThese outings are inclusive and accessible for all, intended for those new to birding. We will bird the ﬂat walkways around the buildings at Gilsland Farm, will not walk more than a half-mile, and will only stop where there are places to sit. We’ll have extra binoculars!Fall Plant WalksSundays, September 15, October 6, November 3, 10 am–12 pmJoin us for a plant walk for all skill levels, focused on SEPT6BI- MONTHLYSEPT15MONTHLYMONTHLYFall Frolic! Saturday, September 21, 10 am–2 pmSee back cover for complete details. How to Love a Forest book talk with Ethan TapperTuesday, September 24, 6 pm (with online viewing option)Ethan Tapper will talk about his new book, How to Love a Forest (see p. 15 to read an excerpt). Books will be available for sale and signing at the event.Sparking Seeds: Creative Nature Journaling Sunday, September 29, 9 am–12 pmFor artists and creatives who already keep a nature journal, this class explores new ways to deepen and enliven a nature journaling practice. Melissa Sweet is an award-winning author and illustrator of many children’s books, a Maine Master Naturalist, and Maine Guide who teaches nature journaling and documenting the natural world with words and images. FAMILY FUN Fall SessionWednesdays, 9:30–10:30 am OR 10:45–11:45 amOctober 2–November 13 (7 week session)Young children (ages 2–5) and their grown-ups are invited to spend an hour exploring nature together through stories, songs, art, and play.Gilsland Farm Bench and Picnic Table Restoration Project Friday, October 4, 12:30–3:30 pmJoin Maine Audubon’s Properties Department for an afternoon of light woodworking as we work together to restore benches and picnic tables throughout the property. Gilsland Farm Invasive Species Removal Project Fridays, October 18 & November 15, 12:30–3:30 pmJoin Maine Audubon’s Land Steward for an afternoon ﬁlled with invasive species removal! Together we’ll work towards creating a more balanced ecosystem, removing Asiatic Bittersweet, Buckthorn, and Multiﬂora rose that continue to crowd out native plant and tree species. Involves a short hike and light tool use.SEPT24SEPT29WEEKLYOCT4MONTHLYOCT26Fall EventsFull event listings, prices, and registration: maineaudubon.org/eventsNOV14 Thursday, November 14, 7–8:30 pm (with online viewing option) As the days grow shorter and we brace for the coming winter, join us for a cozy and entertaining evening of live storytelling! We’ll hear from biologists, ecologists, and activists as they each share personal stories to help us relate and reconnect to the ways wildlife prepare for winter, including the amazing phenomenon of hibernation. Special guests will share stories around our evening’s theme, with time for questions afterward, in this hybrid program. For folks attending in person, we’ll have refreshments available and time to mingle. SEPT21 NOV9-11NOV23Full Event Listings, Prices, and Registration MAINEAUDUBON.ORG/EVENTSPhenomenal: Seasonal Stories from Your Wildlife Community16 17MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 2024 FALL 2024 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT

Page 17

Page 18

Native Plant Success StoriesWednesday, November 20, 6:30–7:30 pmIn this online program, you’ll hear stories of how native plant projects around the region are bringing plants into the built environment, how native plants are replacing traditional landscape plants in public spaces, and how the people leading those projects are fostering public acceptance of native plants in the landscape. Fields Pond Audubon CenterHOLDEN/GREATER BANGORNature Journaling with Karen ZimmermannWednesday, September 4, 5:30–7:30 pmKaren O. Zimmermann, Maine Master Naturalist, Registered Maine Guide, watercolorist, and nature journal instructor, will discuss dierent ways to journal, lead us through warm-up exercises, and we’ll also spend time observing and recording, using all our senses. No art skills required; supply list will be provided. SEPT4SEPT10Family Bug Blitz Saturday, October 5, 6:30 pmGet up close and personal with our crawling and ﬂying insect neighbors! Following a short indoor presentation, we’ll attract insects to our Nature Center using special lights. Insects will be identiﬁed, released, and entered into a database. A fun and educational experience for the whole family.Seed Collection Field Experience Saturday, October 19, 10 am–12 pmLearn how to collect native seeds from a variety of species actively producing seed. We’ll discuss techniques and timing, and how to collect seed ethically, without causing harm. You’ll have the opportunity to collect seeds, and will go home with some seed packets of your own. Join the October 9 online session to prepare in advance!Stream Explorers WorkshopSaturday, October 19, 1–3:30 pm Come and practice your sampling methods and macroinvertebrate identiﬁcation skills at this in-person training workshop. Stream Explorers is our community science project featuring aquatic insects and what they can tell us about wildlife habitat and water quality. Educational resources for classroom teachers will be available.OCT19OCT19Bangor GreendrinksTuesday, September 10, 5–8 pmMaine Audubon is partnering with Bangor Greendrinks and Geaghan’s Brewery for an event focused on sustainable local businesses and local environmental projects. Network with professionals from throughout the Greater Bangor Region. Free, family-friendly (but bring your IDs, if you’d like a beer!). Bats!Thursday, September 12, 7:30–8:30 pm Meet our neighbors in the night sky: bats! We’ll spend time indoors learning about why bats are such important members of our natural community and how we can do our part to help them thrive. Then we’ll go for a stroll through the meadow to see who’s out to visit.Mushrooms of MaineSaturday, September 21, 11 am–2 pmJoin local favorite David Spahr, author of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada, on a journey through the world of fungi. Time will be spent both indoors and outdoors learning about mushroom identiﬁcation, folklore, collecting, and cooking.Fields Pond Hiking ClubTuesdays, September 17, 24, October 1, 8, 15, 5:30–6:30 pmNEW! Join a Fields Pond naturalist for a guided hike for adults. Together we’ll observe the changing of the seasons and learn how regular observations of nature can contribute to science worldwide. Hikes will be a pace manageable for the whole group. Fall Bird WalksFridays, September 13, 20, October 4, 11, 18, 25, 7:30 amFields Pond Naturalist Val Watson will lead weekly walks during fall migration, which provides an excellent opportunity to see birds you may not otherwise get a chance to see. Add to that the challenge of identifying birds that have molted from their breeding plumage and you have an exciting mix.Fall Stewardship DaySaturday, October 5, 9 am–12 pm Join the Fields Pond Sta for a morning of stewardship activities focused on improving our trails, Nature Center, and other public use spaces. Bring work gloves and sturdy footwear. Snacks provided!SEPT21 WEEKLYWEEKLYOCT5OCT5Saturday, October 12, 9–11 amJoin us for our annual trail running event. This challenging course will take you up through our beautiful, wooded trails, onto the adjoining Holden Land Trust trail system for the perfect fall foliage tour! Register by September 1 to get a race T-shirt. Kids are invited to participate in a short fun run at 10:30 am.OnlineCURIOUS BY NATURE Fall EditionThursdays, September 19, October 3, 17, 31 6:30–7:30 pmJoin a naturalist to learn about one Maine species each session. We’ll explore everything from scientiﬁc names to extreme adaptations and odd morphology. Strengthen your knowledge of Maine’s ﬂora and fauna in a fun and informal setting.Collecting Seeds from Native PlantsWednesday, October 9, 6:30–7:30pmFall is a great time to collect seeds from many of the native plant species in Maine. This online program will explain how and when to eectively collect seed from native plants, as well as the ethics of seed collection and how to be sure we’re not causing more harm than good. For hands-on practice, come to our in-person workshop October 19 at Fields Pond.Winter Garden PrepWednesday, October 23, 6:30–7:30 pmPreparing our gardens for winter traditionally involves removing brush and raking leaves. But is this really what’s best for our garden and the wildlife that lives there? In this online program we’ll create a new fall checklist designed to keep our gardens providing high-quality habitat all year round!Sowing Native SeedsWednesday, November 6, 6:30–7:30pmIn this online program, we’ll talk about how and when to sow native seeds to get them ready for the growing season. Then come to the follow-up in-person workshops, November 9 at Fields Pond and November 23 at Gilsland Farm.Virtual BirdingThursdays, November 7 & 21, 6:30–8 pmBird with us from the comfort of home! Maine Audubon naturalists will guide a viewing of feeder cameras from around the world to expand our birding abilities during the cold, dark months.BI- WEEKLYOCT9OCT23 NOV6 BI- WEEKLYNOV20OCT12Thursdays, September 19, October 3, 17, 31, 10 am–12 pmWe will explore, observe, and track phenological variations in plant and animal life across the seasons right here on Fields Pond’s landscape. Parents, this program can be an integral part of your child’s science curriculum! BI- WEEKLYFull Event Listings, Prices, and Registration MAINEAUDUBON.ORG/EVENTSFall Foliage 5K Trail RunHome School NaturalistSEPT1218 19MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 2024 FALL 2024 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT

Page 19

Page 20

Wild Basketry Workshop with Jessica SteeleFriday, November 8, 5–9 pm Wild basketry is an ancient craft that transforms natural materials like grasses, vines, and tree bark into functional containers. In this hands-on class, Jessica Steele will explain how to collect, process, and weave locally sourced plants; students can choose to weave a larger basket or several smaller ones.Seed Sowing Field ExperienceSaturday, November 9, 10 am–12 pmWinter is a great time to sow native seeds so they’ll be ready for a strong start come spring. In this hands-on workshop, Maine Audubon sta will introduce native seed propagation for growing your own wildﬂowers and other plants from seed. Participants will leave with several pots sown with seeds and ready for maintenance-free outdoor germination. Join the November 6 online session to prepare in advance!A behind-the-scenes look at raptor behaviorTuesday, November 12, 6 pmVery few raptors are given the opportunity to accept a new role as an educational ambassador. Join Birdsacre Director Grayson Richmond for an insider’s look at what it takes to prepare a bird of prey for public education appearances. Whether it’s an owl, vulture, or hawk, each bird has its own unique journey.Reading the Forested Landscape: a History of Fields PondSaturday, November 16, 10–11:30 amEver wondered why some parts of the forest ﬂoor are smoother than others? What can a big oak or a multi-topped pine tell us about the history of a landscape? Go on a guided hike with Fields Pond Naturalist Val Watson to ﬁnd out how observations of a forest can help us understand its history of human use and natural disturbance. This hike will be a slow 1-2 miles over uneven forested terrain.NOV9Borestone Audubon SanctuaryELLIOTSVILLEBorestone Naturalist WeekendSeptember 27–29Spend two nights in our historic Adirondack style lodges for a unique wilderness experience on the shores of Sunset Pond, in the heart of this 1600-acre North Woods preserve. Options include hiking Borestone Mountain or Peregrine Ridge, canoeing on the pond, learning about the wildlife and habitat, and relaxing on the porch! Mast Landing Audubon SanctuaryFREEPORTTrail Construction ProjectSaturday, September 14, 9 am–12 pmJoin Maine Audubon’s Land Steward for a morning of trail construction, tackling a trail tread rehabilitation project in sections that are experiencing drainange and/or erosion issues. We’ll move materials into place so that we can begin the construction of stone turnpikes. Volunteers can expect to be lifting/carrying dimensional timber, moving stone materials with wheelbarrows, and digging with a variety of hand tools. Come spend part of your day outdoors at this unique property and learn about sustainable trail practices. Picnic Table Construction ProjectSaturday, October 12, 9 am–12 pmJoin Maine Audubon’s Land Steward for a morning of light carpentry work. We’ll work together to construct two new picnic tables in the ﬁeld located just beyond the historic mill site at the sanctuary. We will also be demolishing two older picnic tables that are no longer functional. Involves short hike and light tool use.Trail Blazing ProjectFriday, October 25, 12:30–3:30 pmJoin Maine Audubon’s Land Steward for an fun afternoon of trail maintenance. Volunteers will work alongside Maine Audubon sta to blaze the trail network and SEPT27-29 SEPT14 OCT12OCT25trim back the trail corridor to make it easier for visitors to navigate. Volunteers will learn about proper blazing standards and gain insight into the importance of blaze placement for all season trail use. Involves 1.5-2 mile hike and variety of tool use.Invasive Species Removal ProjectSaturday, November 2, 9 am–12 pmJoin Maine Audubon’s Land Steward for a morning ﬁlled with invasive species removal! Together we’ll work toward creating a more balanced ecosystem at the sanctuary. Volunteers will serve alongside Maine Audubon sta to manually remove Asiatic Bittersweet, Multiﬂora rose, and Honeysuckle that continue to crowd out native plant and tree species. Involves short hike and light tool use.Josephine Newman Audubon Sanctuary GEORGETOWNInvasive Species Removal ProjectFriday, September 27, 12–3 pmJoin Maine Audubon’s Land Steward for an afternoon ﬁlled with invasive species removal! Together we’ll work toward creating a more balanced ecosystem at Josephine Newman Audubon Sanctuary in Georgetown. Volunteers will serve alongside Maine Audubon sta to manually remove Asiatic Bittersweet and Multiﬂora rose that continue to crowd out native plant and tree species. Involves short hike and light tool use.NOV2 SEPT27 StatewideBar Harbor Pelagic Boat TripSunday, September 15, 6 am–1:30 pmMaine Audubon’s annual fall pelagic trip out of Bar Harbor has long been a must-do outing for the region’s birders. The trip is so eagerly anticipated because of a great boat, great camaraderie, and, of course, great sightings of birds and marine mammals! Past trips have encountered all three jaeger species, both Great and South Polar Skuas, thousands of shearwaters and storm-petrels, Northern Gannets, Atlantic Puns, Razorbills, Common Murres, ﬁve dierent whale species, porpoises and dolphins, gray seals, and schools of tuna. Aroostook Goose ChaseSaturday, October 19, Caribou; Sunday, October 20, Mars HillJoin us to comb through the many waterfowl species migrating through northern Maine with hopes of ﬁnding a rare goose!SEPT15OCT19-20NOV8NOV16NOV12MID-COAST midcoast.maineaudubon.orgJoin the Mid-Coast chapter for these fall ﬁeld trips. October 5, 7–11 amField Trip Salt Bay Farm, DamariscottaOctober 12, 8 am–12 pmField Trip Green Point Wildlife Area, DresdenNovember 2, 8 am–2 pmField Trip Sabattus PondChaptersWESTERN western.maineaudubon.orgAll talks are hybrid, in person at Thomas Auditorium at UMaine Farmington, Wednesdays, 7 pm and live on Zoom (links will be on the webpage on the day of the talk). Talks are also recorded for later viewing. September 11Maine Audubon legislative update with Nick LundOctober 9Vagrant birds seen in Maine with Herb WilsonNovember 13Mountain lakes as sentinels of change in the northeast with Drs. Rachel Hovel and Julia DalyFull Event Listings, Prices, and Registration MAINEAUDUBON.ORG/EVENTSFields Pond Audubon Center continued20 21MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 2024 FALL 2024 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT

Page 21

Page 22

Naturalist HQDOUG HITCHCOX, STAFF NATURALISTSeptember1This week marks the end of COMMON NIGHTHAWK migration across Maine. Watch for these aerial insectivores passing over salt marshes and other open habitats in huge numbers, especially at dusk. Most of them migrate all the way to the Amazon basin in South America to feed on insects during the austral summer.15The most common species of gentians found in Maine, FRINGED GENTIAN and BOTTLE GENTIAN, are blooming now. True gentians, like Bottle Gentian, have ﬂowers that don’t open fully, and require strong pollinators, like native bumblebees, to pry open the petals and crawl inside to access the pollen.22EASTERN AMERICAN JACK-O’-LANTERN MUSHROOMS are usually found after rains this time of year. The fruiting bodies of this fungus are orange and grow in clumps at the base of logs or trees, sometimes resembling a jack-o’-lantern. Toxic look-alikes of edible chanterelles, the mushrooms also have bioluminescent gills that glow green at night to attract insects that spread their spores.October4This is probably the best week to see SANDHILL CRANES in Maine. In the ﬂoodplain of the Saco River, north of Fryeburg, many of the Sandhill Cranes that nested or were born in the ﬁelds and marshes of central Maine stop over on their southward migration. Keep an eye out for these large birds as they forage for leftover grains, insects, and other small animals.10AMERICAN WITCH-HAZEL is blooming in forest understories, attracting late-season ﬂies and wasps. The last woody plant to bloom during the season, this unique shrub or small tree also has mature fruits around the same time. When mature, these dry capsules explode, often with an audible “pop”, and expel their seeds 10 to 20 feet away from the parent plant. 25Two uncommon species are migrating through right now: AMERICAN COOTS and RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. Both species congregate in marshes and wetlands, or marshy edges of ponds and lakes. Rusty Blackbirds will often form ﬂocks in dead trees at the edge of the marsh, and have a distinct call that sounds like a rusty door hinge.November5This is a great time of year to spot huge ﬂocks of CANADA GEESE in open ﬁelds, especially salt marshes and agricultural areas. You might also see individuals of less common species like Snow Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, or Brant. Keep an eye out for smaller birds too: Horned Larks and Snow Buntings also feed on seeds in ﬂocks on the ground. Both species are so well camouﬂaged against the ground that they are often nearly invisible until they ﬂy. 13EASTERN GRAY SQUIRRELS are busy collecting and storing food, like acorns, crabapples, and mushrooms, for the winter. They often prefer the upper limbs of large Northern Red Oak trees to build their leafy dens, or dreys. 20Many species of small mammals and songbirds become dependent on dried seeds for food around this time. Plants like COMMON EVENING-PRIMROSE, composites (like goldenrods and asters), and grasses (like panic-grasses) have large seed-heads, often with hundreds of seeds per stem. You can provide food for wildlife throughout the year by leaving these tall, “weedy” species intact in your yard.The Naturalist’sFall AlmanacEVERY FALL SINCE , weather permitting, Maine Audubon has run the state’s largest pelagic trip out of Bar Harbor. These long boat trips are called “pelagics” because of the type of birds they are targeting—those that spend the majority of their lives at sea, only coming to land to nest. In the Gulf of Maine, we see a diverse blend of species coming here to nest, like puns and terns, as well as southern hemisphere breeders who spend the austral winter in our waters, like Wilson’s Storm-Petrels and most shearwaters. Our fall trips also see migrating seabirds like jaegers and our biggest targets, skuas. In preparing for the fall pelagic trip, I’ve been looking over our lists from the past 30 years, and seeing some noteworthy changes. First, I should acknowledge that this isn’t a rigorous survey; we don’t always follow the same route every year, and even the date can uctuate with some as early as the second weekend in September or as late as the rst week of October. This can change the species composition of any trip, but looking at the averages over the period, we can still see some trends.Some species like Great and Sooty shearwaters are seen annually, sometimes by the hundreds on our trips, with a long history of being in the Gulf of Maine. These two are southern breeders just looking for abundant food during their ‘winter.’ However, the recent arrival of Cory’s Shearwaters is noteworthy. Cory’s is a warm-water species that was not listed with any records in Ralph Palmer’s Maine Birds, the definitive reference book published in 1949 (though Palmer did say it likely occurred after storms). With the warming of the Gulf of Maine, we’ve seen this species become much more regular in our summers. Despite most Cory’s leaving by our fall pelagic trip, there were two records of single birds in 2003 and 2016, then amazingly (but perhaps expected) we counted at least 18 during our 2022 trip.Skuas are large seabirds, aectionately called “pirates” for the way they’ll use their large size to bully smaller birds and steal food, and we see two species in the Gulf A Sea Change in 30 Years of Pelagicsof Maine. South Polar Skua is a bit more regular and is also often seen on the west coast, but Great Skua is a rarer species that birders in North America rarely get a chance to see. After years of narrowing in on a date and region, we’ve had really good luck nding them as they stop in the Gulf after their breeding season ends. Unfortunately Great Skuas were hit especially hard by avian inuenza in the summers of 2021 and 2022, causing large declines in the breeding populations in the northeast Atlantic. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds surveyed seabirds in 2023 and found a 76% decline in Great Skuas since avian u hit the colonies. Looking through all eBird records in the past few years, no one has seen a Great Skua in the Gulf of Maine since 2021.These are just two of the more obvious changes we’ve seen here in the Gulf of Maine among the changing conditions. We hope you join us on our Bar Harbor Pelagic on September 15 this year, and look for more opportunities coming in 2025!Photo: Pam WellsPhoto: Nick LundPhoto: Dan WilderBy Field Naturalist Andy KapinosSANDHILL CRANEGreat Shearwater22MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • FALL 2024

Page 23

Page 24

20 Gilsland Farm RoadFalmouth, ME 04105 Your wildlife communityPenmor Indicia% PCW or FSC logo Volume 40, Issue 3The journal of Maine Audubon, ISSN 0739-2052, is published quarterly.habitat@maineaudubon.orgVisit Maine Audubon’s Centers and Sanctuaries which are free and open to the public from dawn to dusk.East Point, Biddeford PoolScarborough Marsh, ScarboroughGilsland Farm, FalmouthMast Landing, FreeportHamilton, West BathJosephine Newman, GeorgetownFields Pond, HoldenBorestone, ElliotsvilleSanctuariesCOVER PHOTO: Bridge along the Blue Trail at Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary, which traverses spruce and pine forest and crosses a brook before hugging the peninsula’s eastern shore. Maine Audubon Headquarters20 Gilsland Farm Road Falmouth, ME 04105(207) 781-2330maineaudubon.orgMagazine StaffMelissa Kim, EDITORNick Lund, ASSISTANT EDITORJenn Schmitt, EVENTS EDITOR PELLE Graphic Design, DESIGNStaff DirectorsAndy Beahm, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORErin Evans, FINANCENoah Gleason-Hart, PROPERTIESFrancesca Gundrum, ADVOCACYMelissa Kim, COMMUNICATIONSDavid Lamon, NORTHERN PROGRAMS & OPERATIONSKate Lewis, DEVELOPMENTSally Stockwell, CONSERVATIONEric Topper, EDUCATIONOfficers, Board of TrusteesMichael Catania, CHAIRAmy Weickert, VICE CHAIRTim Malisa, TREASURERSean Trahan, SECRETARYFall FrolicSATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 10 AM–2 PMCelebrate the change of seasons with us at our annual family festival! We will welcome fall and learn about seasonal ways to help wildlife with fun activities for all ages. The whole family will have a chance to: + Use our SEED BALL SLINGSHOT to launch a native plant seed ball into the meadow+ PLAY AND CREATE with colorful fall leaves+ Tackle the MONARCH MIGRATION OBSTACLE COURSE+ PRETEND TO DRIVE OUR TRACTOR and learn how we use it for habitat restoration+ Explore SEED SCIENCE & PLANT PART ART+ Plus FACEPAINTING, MUSIC, and much more! Years ofMaine Audubon at Gilsland FarmThis fall also marks 50 years of Maine Audubon at Gilsland Farm! We’ll celebrate this milestone with a special sneak peek at our plan to expand day camps, a chance for visitors to share their dreams for the next 50 years, and of course, cake! This event made possible by L.L.BeanFor more information visit maineaudubon.org/eventsMaine Audubon Members: FREENonmember: $9, Children 2 & under are free