Events & Programs
- August
- WATERBIRDS OF ESSEX WOODS
Despite its loud and busy location adjacent to Interstate I-95 in the heart of Bangor, Essex Woods is a surprisingly productive marsh. It is used by many bird species for breeding, foraging, and resting during the spring and fall migrations. In late summer, it’s not unusual to spot transient great egrets and shorebirds here, in addition to multiple duck species, pied-billed grebes, green herons, and great blue herons. Warblers and various other songbirds line the walking path that winds along the edge of the marsh. Bob Milardo will lead a leisurely walk around one of Bangor’s best-known birding areas, which nonetheless seems to offer new surprises on every visit. Meet Bob at the entrance to Essex Woods on Garden Way, off Drew Lane in Bangor. Please show consideration for neighborhood residents by parking in the adjacent business lot (largely unoccupied on weekends) at the corner of Stillwater and Drew Lane, and not on the shoulder of Garden Way.
- September
- FORESTRY FOR MAINE BIRDS
Maine Audubon is working collaboratively with forest landowners and managers, from small woodlot owners to large-scale commercial harvesting enterprises, so they can operate in ways that sustain or even improve breeding and foraging habitat for at-risk bird species and other wildlife. Bird-friendly forestry can still provide a good return on investment, and many landowners and managers have embraced the Forestry for Maine Birds (FFMB) program as a way to profitably harvest timber while retaining their land’s value as a bountiful wildlife resource. Maine’s working forests serve a dual purpose as highly productive “baby bird factories” and wildlife corridors, and FFMB gives landowners and managers the information they need to protect or enhance significant wildlife habitat as an integrated component in their forestry plans. Sally and Annica will present highlights from Maine Audubon’s step-by-step technical handbook for developing a bird-friendly forestry management plan. They will discuss the field workshops offered statewide by Maine Audubon and its partnering organizations to train professional and amateur foresters in FFMB management techniques, and share success stories from people who have adopted FFMB plans to manage their woodlands.