By Barbara Goldberg, Reuters Bangor Daily News news story NEW YORK — The elusive snowy owl, rarely seen outside the Arctic, is turning up more frequently in the skies of North America than it does in the pages of a Harry Potter book, data from the National Audubon Society suggested on Wednesday. Sightings of the Read More
Protecting Wildlife
Monarch Butterfly Eyed for Possible US Endangered Species Protection
By Laura Zuckerman, Reuters Bangor Daily News news story Monarch butterflies may warrant U.S. Endangered Species Act protection because of farm-related habitat loss blamed for sharp declines in cross-country migrations of the orange-and-black insects, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Monday. Monarch populations are estimated to have fallen by as much as 90 percent Read More
Snowy Owl Photos from Around the State
The Snowy Owls are back again—have you seen one? If so, please send us your photo and the location/town where you saw the owl. We would love to share your photos in our Snowy Owl photo gallery. During the winter of 2013-14, Snowy Owls moved into Maine for the winter in higher numbers than we’ve seen Read More
Maine Birders Fan Out to Begin Annual Count
They hope for rare avian sightings as Audubon’s three-week continental canvass kicks off. By Michael Shepherd, Kennebec Journal Kennebec Journal news story FARMINGDALE — Sunday’s bird count started off like they often do for Glenn Hodgkins. A chickadee and a nuthatch, common in Maine, were the first birds he spotted along Northern Avenue. “Those are Read More
Conservationists Release 140,000 Maine Salmon
The release will help restore the fish’s run to the East Machias River. The Associated Press Portland Press Herald news story EAST MACHIAS — A Maine conservation organization says its effort to release more than 140,000 juvenile Atlantic salmon will help restore the fish’s run to the East Machias River. The Downeast Salmon Federation released the Read More
Bowdoin Biologist Investigates Tadpole Die-off
Nat Wheelwright says 200,000 died in less than a day last year. ‘It was like a nuclear bomb went off.’ by Chelsea Diana, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story More than 200,000 wood frog tadpoles died within 21 hours last year at a pond in Nat Wheelwright’s backyard in Brunswick, in what may be Read More
Birding the Proposed National Park Lands
by Allison and Jeff Wells For birders like us, there’s no better way to explore new places than by watching and listening for the birds found there. Add to it another dozen bird enthusiasts and make the setting the breathtaking lands east of Baxter State Park proposed as a National Park and National Recreation Area, Read More
Humans Changed Behavior, and Alewives are Rebounding in Kennebec, Penobscot, St. Croix
By Lisa Pohlmann, Special to the BDN Bangor Daily News op-ed For the last few weeks sea-run fish known as alewives have been heading up Maine’s rivers to lay their eggs. Their journey is a breathtaking force of nature to behold, as they fight strong currents, heading upstream in droves. While probably hundreds of millions Read More
Maine Climate Warming Up Quickly, Analysis Shows
It’s tied with Vermont for the fastest rise in annual average temperature for all the states in the past 30 years, affecting wildlife, farmers and fishermen. By Kevin Miller, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The climate has warmed in Maine and Vermont more than in every other state in the past 30 years, Read More
