It’s been a very soggy spring along Maine’s coastline. Not the type to let wet weather dampen their spirits, intrepid biologists have returned to seabird islands to listen to what birds tell us about their changing environments, and enthusiastic educators are sharing these stories and inspiring new audiences to act on behalf of birds and people. 

Springtime on a Seabird Island

Throughout the month of May, seabird scientists deployed to field stations on seven seabird islands stewarded by the Seabird Institute. Clearing marine debris, laying vegetation mats, and patrolling for predators are critical to ensure a successful season. The proof was in the pudding on Stratton Island when the research team discovered an uninvited guest upon their arrival. A mink had made its home near the island’s Roseate Tern colony. Since the removal of the mink, the island reported an influx of birds in the area, including over 120 individual Roseate Terns!

After erecting personal tents and reassembling kitchen and office structures, bird blinds, and study plots, the teams were settled into their seaside abodes, and the fun work began. Love is in the air and terns have been feeling flirty. Courtship feeding studies revealed smelt and sandlance were the forage fish of choice on Outer Green Stratton Islands. During a SEal Island Razorbill census, the team inspected 140 burrows and found that 97 were active, including one that was newly discovered!

Eighty-nine Seasons and Counting!

Hog Island is officially open for its 89th season! We are so grateful to have such a dedicated team of Friends of Hog Island (FOHI) volunteers to help the Hog Island Audubon Camp open again this year. Despite the wet weather, volunteers brought smiles and enthusiasm to the week’s projects. Throughout the week, volunteers built new housing for the island's new water heater, installed a new shelf in the Bridge, prepared gardens and planter boxes for the season, hung window screens, painted tables, and so much more. We are always grateful for the dedication, skillset, and camaraderie that the FOHI volunteers bring during our FOHI workweeks.

This year’s opening camp sessions included Spring Migration & Monhegan and Photography of Maine Birds and Landscapes. These lucky campers enjoyed the first stretch of warm, sunny days this season. Many hours were spent admiring birds on Hog Island, Monhegan Island, and our favorite spots on the mainland, like Hidden Valley Nature Center and Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder. Campers who visited Monhegan were treated to an excellent diversity of warblers - most prominently, a LOT of yellow warblers - due to favorable winds and migration conditions the previous night. Photography campers explored Harbor Island in Muscongus Bay and had an exciting view of a harbor seal with a large striped bass in its mouth!

Lights, Camera, Action!

Our explore.org puffin cameras, located on Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge, went live early in May. The five cameras feature the behaviors and stories of Atlantic Puffins, guillemots, and other seabirds. Our puffins and guillemots have done well thus far. Burrow 59, visible in our burrow camera, is the longtime home of Willie and Millie. They are one of many couples whose eggs we egg-spect to hatch in June. To learn more about this season’s anticipations and the life of a seabird researcher, visit this explore event, live from Seal earlier this week.

It was a dramatic start to the season for our osprey cameras, located at the Todd Wildlife Sancutary in Bremen, Maine. We sadly lost our female osprey, Dory, during a Great Horned Owl attack on May 11th. We continue to miss a beloved bird and her eggs, but witnessing natural circumstances on these live cameras helps us learn more about the experiences of these birds. Since Dory’s passing, our male osprey, Skiff, has been active at the nest, and new female suitors have made several appearances. A conversation with the Seabird Institute and explore.org this month sought to answer audience questions about the nest.

And The Award Goes To....

In 2024, Atlantic Puffins were center stage during a series of news segments on local NBC affiliate, NEWS CENTER Maine. Reporter David Guildford reached out to share that one story, featuring a visit to Eastern Egg Rock, just won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award. The story is in the running for a national Murrow Award and has also been nominated for an EMMY.  We’re used to rolling out vegetation mats for seabirds, but maybe this year we can roll out the red carpet!

You can make a difference!

Our work protecting seabirds, inspiring the next generation of conservationists, and sharing a love of birds with thousands each year is only possible thanks to the generosity of people like you. Please consider making a gift or adopting a puffin to ensure this work continues for decades to come.