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WINTER 2022/23INSIDENEW FACESWINTER EVENTS FIVE THINGS A NATURALIST SHOULD DO IN WINTEROshore Wind & Wildlife IN THE GULF OF MAINE
NEWS & NOTESConservationHelp Your Local LoonsDo you know of a nesting loon pair on your lake that just isn’t hatching chicks or abandons their nest year after year? Have you seen lake users get-ting close to loons and scaring them off their nest, or eggs floating in the water after boats have sped by? If so, you may be eligible to join a team of volunteers that are being trained to help protect loons and enhance nesting success, including by using articial nest platforms. To learn more, give us a call at (207) 781-2330 or email us at loonrestoration@maineaudubon.org and join the Maine Loon Restoration Project! Lead Tackle Trade-InsMaine’s Lead Law bans the use of lead sinkers and jig heads less than 2.5 inches in length or weighing less than 1 ounce. These small lead items are sometimes ingested by loons and then cause rapid and often fatal lead poisoning. Despite updates to the lead law in 2017, loons continue to die from lead tackle. That’s why Maine Audubon partnered with Kittery Trading Post to collect lead tackle during Septemberfest this fall. Anglers handed in their old lead tackle in exchange for a $10 voucher for lead free alternatives. During this event, 46 anglers traded in 20.5 pounds of lead tackle. Several other retailers also oer vouchers in exchange for lead tackle, and Maine Audubon would like to partner with more retailers and organizations to host tackle buyback programs and exchanges. We will target ice shing derbies this winter to spread awareness about shing lead free. For more information visit fishleadfree.org/me or contact Laura Williams at lwilliams@maineaudubon.org.There are many steps in the creation of a Stream Smart crossing, and this fall Maine Audubon is working with partners to release new videos covering two of the most important ones: water control, and streambed and streambank building. Our many training videos are used by municipalities, contractors, and foresters across Maine as they plan and build better road crossings.Water control is important to protect water quality during construction, to keep equipment and the project running eciently, and to protect sh and wildlife. We cover timing requirements (most in-stream work is required to be conducted between July 15 and September 30), sh removal (usually done through electroshing!), how to plan for the unexpected (have enough pumps, hoses, and fuel on hand), and how to handle both clean and dirty water during construction.Properly constructed streambeds and streambanks are important for three main reasons: 1) they help protect the structure from scour, 2) they create a natural shape for the stream so there’s a water channel even at low ows, and 3) they provide natural passageways for both aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. By controlling water during construction and by building naturally functioning streambeds and streambanks, our Stream Smart crossings enhance habitat for sh and wildlife, allow movement of sh and other aquatic life up and downstream, protect roads and public safety, and let the stream act like a stream.More: maineaudubon.org/streamsmartStream Smart Screen TimeThese projects are funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the Bouchard Barge 120 Buzzards Bay Oil Spill Trustees, and are done in partnership with Maine Lakes, Lakes Environmental Association, and the Penobscot Nation.Credit: Earl Johnson/Maine Audubon2MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • WINTER 2022/23
EducationTaking Students to the RiverA chorus of happy shouts could be heard all along the paths at Shaw Park in Gorham for several days in October, as students observed birds and bugs, examined sh, and listened to the roar of the waterfall over Gambo Dam on the Presumpscot River. Maine Audubon worked with Portland Public Schools to host a visit for every third grader in the district (approximately 500 students). Students observed wildlife and habitat at three stations of water–still, owing, and cascading. After experiencing this site and the impacts of dams, these same students will rear endangered Atlantic Salmon in their classrooms this spring as part of a yearlong unit that blends Wabanaki Studies and STEM.This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.Delivering Watershed Education Up in the Penobscot watershed, it was a busy fall wrapping up a two-year grant from the North American Association for Environmental Education. As a culmination of the “River in My Backyard” program, students at three Bangor elementary schools received watershed education equipment and supplies. These kits include interactive watershed models, supplies for rearing salmon and butteries, and equipment for engaging students in eldwork. Restoring River Banks Maine Audubon sta joined teams from U.S. Fish & Wildlife, Atlantic Salmon Federation, Project SHARE, two ecology classes from UMaine Orono, and others along the Narraguagus River near Cherryfield in a project to restore Maine native vegetation to new river structures designed to restore natural ows and river dynamics. Third-graders look at fish from the Presumpscot River.3WINTER 2022/23 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT
Cultivating Environmental LiteracyMaine Audubon worked this fall with Maine Environmental Education Association, the Maine Department of Education, and others to revise Maine’s Environmental Literacy Plan, a guidance document we helped create and get adopted in 2010. This revision is critical for aligning Maine’s plan with the fed-eral No Child Left Inside Act of 2021, especially in order for Maine students and communities to benet from federal support for climate education, outdoor learning, and workforce development. The goals and strategies laid out in the revised plan, when imple-mented, will greatly advance environmental literacy resulting in increased health and wellness for Maine’s people, lands, and waters.More: maineaudubon.org/educationNEWS & NOTES“By painting the sanctuaries during this Brush with Nature event, as artists we are looking closely, asking questions, capturing light, season, and habitat. We are giving nature our attention, we are showing our love for these wild spaces.” Artist Rebekah Lowell, speaking at our September Brush with Nature auction, captured the essence of this plein air painting festival, in which 26 Maine painters created original works of art at Maine Audubon sanctuaries. The art was then auctioned o to benet Maine Audubon’s programs, and we extend thanks to all the artists, volunteers, sta, trustees, and supporters who visited the sanctuaries, bid on the art, and who believe in our mission to connect people with wildlife. SanctuariesArt with a Mission UNDER COORDINATION BYENVIR MAINELITERACY PLANNMENTALPREPARED BY THE MAINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION in collaboration with Maine Environmental Education Association, Maine Audubon, and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & WildlifeREVISED OCTOBER 2022Rebekah Lowell paints at Gilsland Farm Audubon Center for Brush with Nature.Planting a Community Space Maine Audubon sta and teens from our inaugural Sprout Lewiston summer stewardship program worked with leaders at Trinity Church & Jubilee Center Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen in Lewiston to replant the meditation gardens and outdoor events space with Maine native plants. “This is a special place that really makes a dierence in people’s lives,” says Andrew Tufts, Program Manager for Bringing Nature Home. “People always stop to enjoy this green space.”4MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • WINTER 2022/23
MORE THAN A CENTURY of burning fossil fuels has altered the chemical composition of our atmosphere, changing the climate we are accustomed to and throwing the natural world out of balance. Mainers are seeing these changes rsthand, as evidenced by a scientically-measured +3 degree (F) warming trend in the state since 1895, a growing season which has lengthened by about 16 days since 1950, and a Gulf of Maine that is warming faster than 99% of the world’s oceans.As Maine and the nation look for alternatives to fossil fuels, all renewable energy sources are being explored. The potential for oshore wind energy development in the Gulf of Maine, especially using oating technology, is far greater than any other renewable energy source, with the potential to produce an estimated 156 gigawatts of energy per year—more than 70 times the amount of electricity used by the entire state of Maine.The opportunity to produce such a large amount of clean, renewable energy locally cannot be ignored, but we must also understand the potential impacts of this new development to wildlife and marine habitats in the region. The Biden Administration has prioritized oshore wind development to help meet the nation’s renewable energy goals, meaning we need to work now in order to ensure that impacts are avoided or mitigated to the greatest extent possible. While nearly all other oshore wind turbines on earth are hammered—”xed”—into the seabed, the depth of the Gulf of Maine requires turbines to be oated into the water and connected to the seabed by long anchor lines. The physics of oating oshore wind theoretically allows turbines to be much larger than terrestrial or xed-bottom oshore turbines, potentially up to 500 feet tall. The developing technology, combined with gaps in knowledge of how wildlife use the Gulf, pose questions about environmental impacts both above and below water.Maine Audubon is working with state, regional, and federal partners to understand the latest science on the potential eects of oating oshore wind on wildlife in the Gulf of Maine, and to apply this information to proposed developments. Here’s what we know, and don’t know, so far.For references cited in this article, please visit: maineaudubon.org/OSWIN THE GULF OF MAINEWind &Wildlife OshoreWHAT WE KNOW (AND DON’T KNOW) 5WINTER 2022/23 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT
THE SCIENCE SO FAR: Though there is much variation by species and in dierent weather conditions, overall mean ight altitudes for migrating birds is typically well above projected height of the turbine blades (Dokter 2021). Research also shows that most migrants tend to concentrate inland and along the coast rather than over the Gulf. Migratory bats are also known to migrate across the Gulf, most often in fall and in calm conditions (Peterson 2016). Factors such as lighting, wind turbine characteristics, turbine spacing, and proximity to high-use areas may aect the likelihood of attraction or avoidance of turbines (SEER, Summer 2022).THE SCIENCE SO FAR: Studies have shown that electromagnetic eld eects from undersea cables have little or no impact on sh (Kimley et al. 2017; Dunlop et al. 2016), or on American Lobster (Hutchison et al. 2018). A seven-year study of the xed-bottom Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island found either no impact from turbines or a positive eect on sh schooling around turbine structures (Wilbur et al. 2022). In 2021, the state of Maine enacted a ban on oshore wind development in state waters—three nautical miles oshore—where approximately 75 percent of lobster shing occurs. Oshore wind areas may act as de facto marine protected areas, creating refuges for some marine species, increasing local species abundances and/or acting as an attractant, and generating spillover eects to increase populations in adjacent areas (Wilhelmsson and Langhamer, 2014). WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: The exact migratory paths or heights of all the species moving over the Gulf, or what atmospheric conditions may bring them down closer to turbines. Above WaterBelow WaterMillions of migratory birds—warblers, vireos, tanagers, ducks, shorebirds, raptors, and more—along with three bat species, pass over and around the Gulf of Maine every year between breeding grounds in the north and wintering grounds farther south. Maine is famous for its fisheries, which are the backbone of our coastal economy and also an important food source for wildlife. WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: How sh populations in deeper water may be impacted by the presence of turbines; and how sh will interact with deepwater cable anchors yet to be designed.MIGRATORYBIRDS & BATSFISH &LOBSTER6MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • WINTER 2022/23
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: Exactly where in the Gulf marine mammals are in all seasons, and how they use the habitat; the eects of underwater noise on each species of cetacean and seals, and how the impact may vary between construction and operation phases; how new vessel trac patterns may impact marine mammals; and what eect, if any, electromagnetic elds associated with oating oshore wind arrays have on marine mammals The Gulf of Maine is a haven for seabirds in all seasons. Thousands of individuals nest on near-shore islands in the Gulf during the summer, and hunt for fish and other foods throughout the Gulf. Dozens of seabird species move through the Gulf of Maine area during migration seasons as well.Several species of whales, porpoise, seal, and other marine mammals live in the Gulf of Maine, including the critically endangered Northern Right Whale.SEABIRDSTHE SCIENCE SO FAR: Fixed-bottom wind farms in Europe’s North Sea help us understand a variety of eects; seabirds may be displaced by the arrays and move into new areas, or change their movements to avoid turbines; they may collide with turbines or blades; or they may be attracted to new sources of food or roosting opportunities at turbines (Vanerman et al. 2015). Birds of dierent species and ages react dierently. In Europe, studies indicate that loons and gannets showed varying levels of displacement; many species, including shearwaters, alcids, and terns, showed inconsistent displacement; and cormorants and gulls showed attraction (Dierschke et al. 2016). In the Gulf of Maine, studies indicate that most breeding seabird species typically forage within 30 miles of their colonies, but spread throughout the Gulf in other seasons (Welch 2022). Research suggests cormorants and alcids may be sensitive to underwater construction noise (Hansen 2020, Johansen 2016). WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: How every species in the Gulf will react to turbines; exactly where seabirds are when they’re away from their breeding islands, especially during migration; and to what extent the lessons from Europe are transferable to the Gulf of Maine.THE SCIENCE SO FAR: Marine mammals can detect and respond to electromagnetic elds, but there is no evidence of negative impact (Copping et al. 2016). Marine mammals are sensitive to underwater noise, and some species have displayed altered behavior during the construction of xed-bottom turbines (Brandt et al. 2011). However, underwater construction noise associated with oating turbines is expected to be signicantly less than xed-bottom turbines (Amaral et al. 2020). Whales are not threatened by underwater cables securing oating turbines, as the cables are too large and taut to cause entanglement, but there is a potential risk for secondary entanglements (SEER, Winter 2022). Secondary entanglements are where marine debris, such as lost shing gear, becomes caught on the cables and marine mammals or other species become entangled in the debris.WHALES & OTHERMARINE MAMMALS7WINTER 2022/23 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT
What We Must Do24Illustration for representational purposes only; not to scale.
MIGRATORY BIRDS AND BATS ✔Continue to improve our understanding of trans-Gulf bird and bat migration and the factors that contribute to the risk of collision, including with the use of state-of-the-art collision detection technology. ✔Incorporate new information and technologies related to harm reduction into existing and future wind arrays. ✔Mitigate collision risk as much as possible by reducing lighting and other measures. ✔Compensate for impacts to migratory birds and bats that cannot be reasonably avoided or adequately minimized.SEABIRDS ✔Get better spatial data for where, when, and how seabirds use the Gulf. A federally-funded aerial survey set to begin in the winter of 2022-23 will help fill these knowledge gaps. ✔Ensure turbines are sited to the extent possible away from breeding, feeding, and migratory areas used by Gulf seabirds. ✔Research, develop, and eventually require state-of-the-art mitigation to reduce collision threat. ✔Compensate for impacts to seabirds that cannot be reasonably avoided or adequately minimized.WHALES AND OTHER MARINE MAMMALS ✔Continue to study how marine mammals use the Gulf of Maine. ✔Limit the acoustic impacts of oshore wind to the extent possible, and avoid construction during breeding and calving seasons. ✔Continue to study the potential impacts of electromagnetic fields on Gulf marine mammals. ✔Identify methods for underwater cables to be regularly cleaned of debris to prevent secondary entanglement. ✔Consider other mitigation measures, including vessel speed restrictions. ✔Compensate for impacts to marine mammals that cannot be reasonably avoided or adequately minimized.FISH AND LOBSTER ✔Require monitoring of the impacts of turbine anchors and cables on deepwater fish populations. ✔Work with the fishing industry to understand and mitigate its concerns. ✔Compensate for impacts to fisheries that cannot be reasonably avoided or adequately minimized.1123349WINTER 2022/23 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT
Maine Audubon is committed to advocating for wildlife as Maine and the U.S. pursue a clean energy future. We are active on a number of fronts and involved in key processes that will determine where and how floating oshore wind may occur in the Gulf, including: Maine has a unique opportunity to lead in developing well-sited and operated floating oshore wind with the least impact to wildlife and the environment. This opportunity will only be realized with robust advocacy. For an online interactive version of this article and for full references cited above, please visit maineaudubon.org/OSWENGAGING IN BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT (BOEM) DECISION MAKINGBOEM is the federal agency that facilitates oshore wind development on the Outer Continental Shelf, including granting leases to wind developers. Locating lease areas in places that avoid areas that are critical to wildlife is the leading mitigation strategy. Maine Audubon has worked for years to encourage BOEM to continue study of wildlife impacts in the Gulf. Most recently we worked with state and national partners to advise BOEM on locations to avoid in the Gulf of Maine, as well as other strategies to minimize impacts to wildlife.UTILIZING STATE POLICY LEVERS The State of Maine can play a key role in guiding oshore wind development in the Gulf, if the right policies are in place and resources are brought to bear. Maine Audubon is advocating for the use of power purchase agreements, for example, to guide best development practices, as well as establishing compensation mechanisms to account for unavoidable impacts. Maine also needs to continue to commit state resources—both money and people-power—to best understand the impact of oshore wind on wildlifeSUPPORTING THE PROPOSED GULF OF MAINE FLOATING OFFSHORE WIND RESEARCH ARRAY The State of Maine is pursuing the development of an up to 12 turbine research array in federal waters o Maine’s coast. Information from this array will allow the state, the fishing industry, wildlife advocates, and other stakeholders to better understand the potential impacts of floating oshore wind in the Gulf of Maine. This information will be used to responsibly site and operate future commercial oshore wind projects in the Gulf.Oshore Wind & WildlifeADVOCATING FOR10MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • WINTER 2022/23
ANDREW TUFTS Program Manager, Bringing Nature HomeAndrew grew up in Topsham and was a junior counselor at Maine Audubon’s Mast Landing summer camp. After completing a degree in Landscape Architecture from SUNY Environmental Science & Forestry School, he started a full-time gardening business, where one of his favorite projects was creating a heritage apple orchard from scratch. He has worked in the City of Portland planning department and most recently worked as a landscape designer for Sebago Technics. As program manager of “Bringing Nature Home”, he has found an ideal intersection of working with people, plants, and birds. LAURA WILLIAMS Wildlife Biologist and Conservation AssistantLaura Williams received her B.S. in Wildlife Conservation from Unity College in Maine. Her extensive wildlife fieldwork experience includes living in Alaska where she worked on a chainsaw crew and then as a crew lead where she studied bats, songbirds, and shorebirds in remote areas. Since moving back to Maine, Laura has worked on MDIFW’s Deer Crew capturing, collaring, and releasing deer. More recently she was the coordinator for Maine’s Hunters for the Hungry Program, helping hunters share their harvest with local food pantries. KELLY ZAHN Development Database AssistantKelly has a long history of working in development, including time at Sea Education Association (Woods Hole, MA) and Make-A-Wish of Greater Boston, and professes to love donor database software. She and her family moved to Freeport in 2018 to be closer to nature. New FacesMELISSA GALLAGHER Community Engagement Coordinator/Educator at Fields Pond Audubon CenterMelissa has been an educator for ten years and is a nature enthusiast who enjoys hiking and outdoor exploration. She hopes to integrate her work and pastimes by creating outdoor learning experiences for her community. A national board certified teacher in science, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and secondary education certification from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and her Master of Education degree from Capella University. FRANCESCA GUNDRUM Policy AdvocateFrancesca “Ches” Gundrum grew up on a lake in upstate New York where her family owns a small lumber company. Passionate about wildlife conservation, Ches has worked as a biologist for the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit in South Africa and Allied Whale at the College of the Atlantic, and was a member of Maine Audubon’s 2020 Coastal Birds Crew. Most recently, she worked with Maine Conservation Voters as Communications Manager. Ches holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College and received her M.S. in Human Dimensions of Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine. JENNIFER ROWLAND Accounting SpecialistAfter moving to New Hampshire for college, Jen fell in love with the mountains, lakes, and coasts of northern New England, and is delighted to now call Maine home. With a background in agriculture and ecology, Jen worked at Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment and Wild Seed Project before joining Maine Audubon in August 2022. She’s excited to put her detail-oriented and systems-thinking natures to work. 11WINTER 2022/23 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT
“Bringing Nature Home” Design WorkshopSaturday, Feb. 11, 9 am–3 pmLearn the fundamentals of ecological garden design & draft a masterplan for your space. Winter CarnivalSaturday, Feb. 18, 10 am–2 pmOur annual celebration of winter weather and wildlife, featuring tracking activities, snow science and art, snowshoeing, and more! This event made possible by L.L.Bean.Gilsland Farm Audubon CenterFALMOUTH/GREATER PORTLANDBeginners Bird WalksDec. 4, 17; Jan. 8, 21; Feb. 5, 25; 10 am–12 pmFor those who are new to birding.Winter Seed Sowing Saturday, Dec. 10, Jan. 7, 9 am - 12 pmAn in-person hands-on “Bringing Nature Home” workshop.Winter Plant WalksSundays, Dec. 18 , Jan. 22, Feb. 26; 10 am–12 pmA one-mile walk for all skill levels.Owling NightsThursdays, Jan. 5, Feb. 9; 7–9 pmJoin us for a moonlit walk to look and listen for owls in the woods of Gilsland Farm. Read & RambleFridays, Jan. 6, Feb. 3, Mar. 3; 10–10:30 am or 11–11:30 amAn outdoor storytime and self-guided walk for children ages 2-5 and their grown-ups. Family Fun at Gilsland FarmWednesdays, Jan. 11–Feb. 15; 9:30–10:30 am OR 10:45–11:45 amYoung children and their grown-ups are invited to explore nature together.BI-MONTHLYMONTHLYWinter EventsFull event listings, prices, and registration: maineaudubon.org/eventsWinter Wildlife MingleThursday, Feb. 16, 6:30 pmAn interactive and informative evening up close with live wildlife ambassadors and the experts at the Center for Wildlife who rehabilitate and care for them. Indoor and outdoor components; 21+ only (beer, wine, and snacks provided)FEB16FEB11FEB18MONTHLYMONTHLYMONTHLYWEEKLY12MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • WINTER 2022/23
MoreVacation Camp at Gilsland Farm & Fields PondTuesday-Friday, February 21-24Details and themes coming soon! Check maineaudubon.org/camps for updates. Online Events Visit maineaudubon.org/events for online programs from Birding Basics to butterfly research, a Native Plants Short Course, Groundhog Day trivia, and more! Fields Pond Audubon CenterHOLDEN/GREATER BANGORDouble Discount Days at Fields PondFridays, Dec. 9 & 16, 10 am–6 pmShop for the holidays and support Maine Audubon. Maine Audubon members get a 20% double discount!Winter Seed Sowing Saturday, Dec. 17, 9 am–12 pmAn in-person hands-on “Bringing Nature Home” workshopExploring Seasonal Landscapes at Fields PondTuesday, Jan. 10, 9:30–11:30 amJoin Valerie Wallace, local artist and art teacher, to paint a landscape inspired by the gorgeous Fields Pond scenery! All materials will be provided. For ages 12+Read & RambleFridays, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, Mar. 10; 11–11:30 amAn outdoor storytime and self-guided walk for children ages 2-5 and their grown-ups. Winter Ecology HikesSaturdays, Jan. 21, Feb. 25; 10 am–12 pmOutdoor learning about winter ecology. Moonlight Snowshoe Walk at Fields PondFriday, Feb. 3, 7 pmA peaceful winter’s night hike! Winter Fun Day at Fields PondSaturday, Feb. 11, 10 am–2 pmIndoor and outdoor activities for the whole family. “Bringing Nature Home” Design WorkshopSaturday, Feb. 18, 9 am - 3 pmLearn the fundamentals of ecological garden design & draft a masterplan for your space. DEC17JAN10MONTHLYMONTHLYFEB3FEB11Welcome Winter Celebration at Fields PondFriday, Dec. 16, 4 pmStarting with a read-aloud of Eve Bunting’s classic story The Night Tree, we’ll then create wildlife-friendly ornaments to decorate our own night tree to share with Maine’s winter wildlife. DEC16ONGOINGFEB21-24DEC9&16FEB18FEB21YORK COUNTY AUDUBON | yorkcountyaudubon.orgAll About Loons with Jim Paruk Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7 pm, onlineChapter Events13WINTER 2022/23 • MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT
There are more than 30 Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) in Maine, taking place between December 14 and January 5, and they are a wonderful way to make a meaningful contribution to a long running project. CBCs also have a great history and sense of community around them, making them an excellent opportunity to learn about local birds and meet people who care about them too. Find one in your area: maineaudubon.org/birding/christmas-bird-countOkay, shameless plug here: join me in Guatemala this March! While it is cold and snowy in Maine, you could join me and bird guide Jesse Fagan (co-author of Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Northern Central America) for ten days of birding and sightseeing in northern Central America. We’ll visit Tikal National Park, home of the ancient Mayan ruins, and look for the many birds that are regional specialties, including Yucatan endemics. Then we’re o to the Pacic slope and all the birds it has to oer, as well as cultural stops like a tour of Antigua, and some of the best coee in the world. More: maineaudubon.org/birding A fresh snow always reminds me of the nal Calvin and Hobbes comic, and especially Hobbes’ quote “It’s like having a big white sheet of paper to draw on.” While we wake to a new “magical world,” many nocturnal mammals have already been drawing on it—with their feet. Get out there early and look for signs that Naturalist HQDOUG HITCHCOX, STAFF NATURALISTFive Things a Naturalist Should Do in Wintera fox has been trotting along with each step hitting the last, or where a mole emerged at the surface before burrowing back into its subnivean (occurring under the snow) home. You may even get lucky and spot where an owl plunged its feet into the snow, reaching for a rodent or other prey item, leaving wisps of wing tips in the snow.Gulls, or “seagulls,” are a challenging group of birds to learn, but they shouldn’t be. They are everywhere (along the coast), there are only a few species (only three commonly-seen ones in Maine: Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed), and they are easy to see (bring popcorn if you want them closer; in moderation). They become challenging because you need to learn dierent ages, or “cycles”, but despite the new terminology, it is easier than you probably think. I challenge you, even from the warmth of your car, to visit a parking lot with loang gulls, and try identifying them this winter.I guarantee it won’t be as easy to nd an owl as it is to nd a gull, but going owling in the winter is a load of fun, even if you don’t hear or see one. Great Horned Owls are looking for mates by December so you’ll hear their low “Who’s awake, me too” songs in the evening. And Northern Saw-whet Owls will often respond to an imitation of their calls, a loud single whistle repeated as “toot-toot-toot…” like a truck backing up. Do some homework to nd the habitats they like (allaboutbirds.org is great) and see if you can nd or hear one!1. CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS3. WINTER TRACKING4. STUDY GULLS5. GO OWLING2. TRAVEL14MAINE AUBUDON HABITAT • WINTER 2022/23
December7EVENING GROSBEAK populations are increasing thanks to Spruce Budworm. Look for these large yellow finches at your feeders this winter.14First day of the final year of the Winter Bird Atlas. Learn more at maine.gov/birdatlas.18PARTRIDGEBERRY (Mitchella repens) can hold its bright red fruit well into the winter.21HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE! It only gets brighter from here!30The first sighting of the STELLER’S SEA-EAGLE in Maine was on this date last year. Have you seen it?January1Set a nature-focused New Year’s Resolution! Pick a new park to visit, or try to see 100 species of birds this year. 6Coastal Maine has the largest wintering population of RED-NECKED GREBES in the U.S. Reid State Park is a great place to see them in large numbers.8WHITE-TAILED DEER bucks are shedding their antlers. 15Winter is a good time to cut BROWNTAIL MOTH nests from trees. More: maine.gov/dacf/knockoutbtm20SEA URCHINS are getting ready to spawn, which is why they are in season: so you can eat their gonads! February2RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were previously only a summer resident in Maine, but now overwinter in small numbers. 5Seeing any BEECH TREES with dead leaves? Botanists call this retaining of plant organs marcescence. Say that five times fast!10One of the most commonly encountered insects in Maine during the winter is the WESTERN CONIFER SEED BUG. They’ve spread east and increase their survival rates by sneaking indoors when it gets cold.15Warmer days means sap will begin flowing—get your spiles and buckets ready.17Thick-billed MURRES and DOVEKIES are the only Atlantic alcids (cousins to puns) that don’t nest in Maine. Now is the best time to look for them oshore.Photo: Arthur HainesPhoto: Fyn KyndPhoto: Ryan PoplinPhoto: John Mosseso, Jr./USGS-NBIIPhoto: Doug HitchcoxPhoto: Zachary HolderbyThe Naturalist’s Winter AlmanacEVENING GROSBEAK
20 Gilsland Farm RoadFalmouth, ME 04105 Maine Audubon Headquarters20 Gilsland Farm Road Falmouth, ME 04105(207) 781-2330maineaudubon.orgVolume 38, Issue 4The journal of Maine Audubon, ISSN 0739-2052, is published quarterly.habitat@maineaudubon.orgEast Point, Biddeford PoolScarborough Marsh, ScarboroughGilsland Farm, FalmouthMast Landing, FreeportHamilton, West BathJosephine Newman, GeorgetownFields Pond, HoldenBorestone, ElliotsvilleVisit Maine Audubon’s Centers and Sanctuaries which are free and open to the public from dawn to dusk.Magazine StaffMelissa Kim, EDITORNick Lund, ASSISTANT EDITORJenn Schmitt, EVENTS EDITOR PELLE Graphic Design, DESIGNStaff DirectorsAndy Beahm, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOREliza Donoghue, ADVOCACYErin Evans, FINANCEPeter Grebowski, PROPERTIESMelissa Kim, COMMUNICATIONSKate Lewis, DEVELOPMENTSally Stockwell, CONSERVATIONEric Topper, EDUCATIONOfficers, Board of TrusteesJohn R. Dolloff, CHAIR Michael Catania, VICE CHAIR Alyssa Hemingway, TREASURER Sean Trahan, SECRETARYA turbine at the five-turbine Block Island Wind Farm, o the coast of Rhode Island, the first oshore wind array in America COVER PHOTO BY NICK LUNDSanctuariesShop at our Nature Stores Looking for unique gifts for the holiday? We’ve got sustainable home goods products by local artists & craftspeople, Gilsland Farm honey, bird-friendly coee, and children’s books. Come explore the store! naturestore.maineaudubon.orgGive the gift of Maine AudubonA Maine Audubon membership is the perfect gift for friends, family, coworkers, or anyone who loves nature and wildlife.See website for 2022 gift-giving deadlines. maineaudubon.org/giftMake a year-end donationWe appreciate and use each and every gift we receive to help conserve Maine’s wildlife and habitat by engaging people in education, conservation, and action—from keeping plover chicks safe to sending a kid to camp, and so much more. maineaudubon.org/donateMAINE AUDUBON for the Holidays Celebrate the season with wildlife and habitat in mind!