Maine: Mountains to the Sea
June 4 to June 8, 2021
**Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this trip has been rescheduled to June 4 to June 8, 2021.**
**Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this trip has been rescheduled to June 4 to June 8, 2021.**
This trip is now full. Please register to place your name on the waiting list, and we will let you know if a space opens.
Georgia Audubon Host: Michelle Hamner, Director of Development
Local Guide: Seth Benz, Bird Ecology Program Director, Schoodic Institute
Group Size: Maximum 9 participants
Member Price: $1,930*
Non-member Price: $1,980* (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: $160
*Based on double occupancy
Maine is unique. It is as large as the rest of New England combined and is the most forested state in the U.S. Over 10 million acres are too sparsely populated to have local governments. “Downeast,” in and around Acadia National Park, the coast of Maine is wild and dotted with fishing villages. A spruce/fir maritime forest dominates the ocean’s edge and just inland, the world’s largest lowbush blueberry fields create unique habitat.
The scenery on this adventure is equal to the variety of birds to be found. With local support from guides with the Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, we’ll begin our tour in Bangor and move immediately to the Maine Highlands in and around Baxter State Park, where we'll chase some of Maine's toughest birds, including American Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers. Spruce Grouse and Boreal Chickadees also haunt this locale, and we should witness Fox and Lincoln's Sparrows singing on their territories. We'll also have a great chance to snap up some of the tougher warblers, such as Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Tennessee and Mourning, and northern forest flycatchers such as Alder, Least, Yellow-bellied and Olive-sided.
And let’s not forget the puffins! Following our Highlands adventures, we’ll make our way “downeast” to the Maine coast. We will spend a full day (or more, if needed) looking for iconic seabirds that breed in the Gulf of Maine each summer. A boat trip will take us into the Gulf of Maine to circle Petit Manan Island, home to one of Maine’s breeding colonies of Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills. With luck, we may also encounter other pelagic species such as Northern Gannet, Great and Sooty Shearwaters, and Wilson’s Storm-petrels.
Local Guide: Seth Benz, Bird Ecology Program Director, Schoodic Institute
Group Size: Maximum 9 participants
Member Price: $1,930*
Non-member Price: $1,980* (includes a one-year Georgia Audubon membership)
Single Supplement: $160
*Based on double occupancy
Maine is unique. It is as large as the rest of New England combined and is the most forested state in the U.S. Over 10 million acres are too sparsely populated to have local governments. “Downeast,” in and around Acadia National Park, the coast of Maine is wild and dotted with fishing villages. A spruce/fir maritime forest dominates the ocean’s edge and just inland, the world’s largest lowbush blueberry fields create unique habitat.
The scenery on this adventure is equal to the variety of birds to be found. With local support from guides with the Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, we’ll begin our tour in Bangor and move immediately to the Maine Highlands in and around Baxter State Park, where we'll chase some of Maine's toughest birds, including American Three-toed and Black-backed Woodpeckers. Spruce Grouse and Boreal Chickadees also haunt this locale, and we should witness Fox and Lincoln's Sparrows singing on their territories. We'll also have a great chance to snap up some of the tougher warblers, such as Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Tennessee and Mourning, and northern forest flycatchers such as Alder, Least, Yellow-bellied and Olive-sided.
And let’s not forget the puffins! Following our Highlands adventures, we’ll make our way “downeast” to the Maine coast. We will spend a full day (or more, if needed) looking for iconic seabirds that breed in the Gulf of Maine each summer. A boat trip will take us into the Gulf of Maine to circle Petit Manan Island, home to one of Maine’s breeding colonies of Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills. With luck, we may also encounter other pelagic species such as Northern Gannet, Great and Sooty Shearwaters, and Wilson’s Storm-petrels.
Contact Michelle Hamner via email, or at 678-973-2437 with any questions.
Photo credit: Atlantic Puffins by Andrew Lunt/Audubon Photography Awards
Photo credit: Atlantic Puffins by Andrew Lunt/Audubon Photography Awards
Day 1: Friday, June 4
Day 1 begins in Bangor as the group convenes for the 5-day, 4-night tour. Our local guides will pick us up at 8:00 AM from the Holiday Inn Bangor, and we'll then head directly for one of the best boreal birding spots deep in the Maine forest. We'll hope to pick up hard-to-find boreal species like Spruce Grouse, Boreal Chickadee, American Three-toed Woodpecker, and Black-backed Woodpecker, just to name a few. We'll spend our first tour night at the Big Moose Inn, straddling two quiet lakes. After dinner, we'll wrap up our day with a little moose watching from the hotel grounds.
Day 2: Saturday, June 5
Day Two begins early. We'll rise with the sun and head up the west side of Baxter State Park, enjoying the abundance of warblers, thrushes, flycatchers, and finches that breed in the northern Maine forest. This will also be a chance to target any rare woodpeckers or grouse that we might have missed on the first day.
Day 3: Sunday, June 6
Day Three begins early again, as we head up the east side of Baxter State Park to Roaring Brook. Here, we'll enjoy close-ups of moose, chase down Philadelphia Vireos, and search out a few other elusive species. After lunch, we'll finish up with the mountains, then bird our way to the sea at Acadia National Park, where we'll spend our next two nights enjoying the accommodations and meals at the Schoodic Education and Research Center (SERC).
Day 4: Monday, June 7
Day Four features a puffin and seabird tour as we circle Petit Manan Island, one of Maine's breeding colonies of Atlantic Puffins and Razorbills. With luck, we may encounter some of the pelagic species that come into the Gulf of Maine in summer, such as Northern Gannet, Great and Sooty Shearwaters, and Wilson's Storm-petrels.
Day 5: Tuesday, June 8
Day Five is leader's choice, giving us the opportunity to make up for any bad weather that may occur. The day and the tour end at 4:00 PM in Bangor.
additional details
Price Includes:
Price does not include:
Participants may wish to book lodging in Bangor for the nights of June 3 and/or June 8, depending on flight availability into/out of Bangor. These optional nights are not included in the tour price, but Georgia Audubon will reserve a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Bangor and share group booking information with all registered participants well in advance of the tour date. Participants will be responsible for all additional lodging expenses not covered in the tour price.
Tour Start & Ending Time:
The tour will begin with pick-up by our local guide via our tour shuttle van on June 4 at 8:00 AM at the Holiday Inn Bangor. The tour will end in Bangor by 4:00 PM on June 8. Please note these times when arranging your travel into and out of Maine.
Tour Lodging:
Rooms at the Big Moose Inn feature private bedrooms with shared baths. Upgrades to a room with private bath are available for a limited time with the single supplement. Ask for current availability. Fortunately, due to the schedule of the tour and the time spent in the field, shared baths are seldom a concern for most people. Accommodations at the Schoodic Institute are in shared, multi-bedroom cottages, with kitchen and ample living space. Most cabins feature two bedrooms with a shared bath. Participants who select the single supplement will receive a private en suite room at both the Big Moose Inn and Schoodic Institute. Couples who wish to have a private en suite will need to select the single supplement (bedrooms at the Big Moose Inn feature a single queen-sized bed). Contact us for more information or any questions.
Payment Plan:
Participants may pay in full by choosing the Georgia Audubon Member or Non-Member price. For those who wish to pay in two installments, we will accept a $650 down-payment at the time of registration ($700 for non-members). Payment in full will be due by March 1, 2021. The single supplement will also be billed at this time if that option was selected.
Cancellation Policy:
If notice of cancellation by the participant is received by March 1, 2021, a refund of all payments (less a $50 cancellation fee) made will be given. If notice of cancellation is received between March 2 and April 20, 2021, a 50% refund of the tour fee will be given. Thereafter, all deposits and payments are non-refundable unless the space(s) can be filled. In the event of tour cancellation due to weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other unforeseen emergency situation, a 100% refund will be given, less any expenses incurred by the tour operator.
Travel Insurance:
We recommend purchasing travel insurance in case you must make an unforeseen trip cancellation past our refund period. Check with your own insurance carrier or consider a travel insurance specialist.
Weather, Pace, & Packing Considerations:
This trip will not require strenuous hiking. Hikes will be slow and on level ground. There may be some spots that are muddy, uneven, and slippery. Adequate footwear is advised, but large boots are unnecessary. Mosquitoes and black flies will be present. Insect repellent is suggested. June tends to be warm, sunny, and dry, but conditions in the northern Maine woods are changeable. Dawn temperatures may start in the 40s and reach the 80s by afternoon. Boat tours can be cold and wet. Bring appropriate clothing. Bring an appetite.
- All meals (excluding alcoholic beverages) from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 5
- All ground transportation by 15-passenger van
- Puffin boat excursion
- Lodging accommodations for 4 nights beginning on the night of June 4
- Expert local guides
- All park entrance fees
Price does not include:
- Airfare
- Lodging on nights not specified above
- Tips (for the local guide(s), housekeeping, etc.)
- Alcoholic or specialty beverages
- Optional activities
- Snacks
- Laundry
- Travel insurance, recommended
- Medical costs
- Souvenirs
- Other incidentals participants may wish to purchase
Participants may wish to book lodging in Bangor for the nights of June 3 and/or June 8, depending on flight availability into/out of Bangor. These optional nights are not included in the tour price, but Georgia Audubon will reserve a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Bangor and share group booking information with all registered participants well in advance of the tour date. Participants will be responsible for all additional lodging expenses not covered in the tour price.
Tour Start & Ending Time:
The tour will begin with pick-up by our local guide via our tour shuttle van on June 4 at 8:00 AM at the Holiday Inn Bangor. The tour will end in Bangor by 4:00 PM on June 8. Please note these times when arranging your travel into and out of Maine.
Tour Lodging:
Rooms at the Big Moose Inn feature private bedrooms with shared baths. Upgrades to a room with private bath are available for a limited time with the single supplement. Ask for current availability. Fortunately, due to the schedule of the tour and the time spent in the field, shared baths are seldom a concern for most people. Accommodations at the Schoodic Institute are in shared, multi-bedroom cottages, with kitchen and ample living space. Most cabins feature two bedrooms with a shared bath. Participants who select the single supplement will receive a private en suite room at both the Big Moose Inn and Schoodic Institute. Couples who wish to have a private en suite will need to select the single supplement (bedrooms at the Big Moose Inn feature a single queen-sized bed). Contact us for more information or any questions.
Payment Plan:
Participants may pay in full by choosing the Georgia Audubon Member or Non-Member price. For those who wish to pay in two installments, we will accept a $650 down-payment at the time of registration ($700 for non-members). Payment in full will be due by March 1, 2021. The single supplement will also be billed at this time if that option was selected.
Cancellation Policy:
If notice of cancellation by the participant is received by March 1, 2021, a refund of all payments (less a $50 cancellation fee) made will be given. If notice of cancellation is received between March 2 and April 20, 2021, a 50% refund of the tour fee will be given. Thereafter, all deposits and payments are non-refundable unless the space(s) can be filled. In the event of tour cancellation due to weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other unforeseen emergency situation, a 100% refund will be given, less any expenses incurred by the tour operator.
Travel Insurance:
We recommend purchasing travel insurance in case you must make an unforeseen trip cancellation past our refund period. Check with your own insurance carrier or consider a travel insurance specialist.
Weather, Pace, & Packing Considerations:
This trip will not require strenuous hiking. Hikes will be slow and on level ground. There may be some spots that are muddy, uneven, and slippery. Adequate footwear is advised, but large boots are unnecessary. Mosquitoes and black flies will be present. Insect repellent is suggested. June tends to be warm, sunny, and dry, but conditions in the northern Maine woods are changeable. Dawn temperatures may start in the 40s and reach the 80s by afternoon. Boat tours can be cold and wet. Bring appropriate clothing. Bring an appetite.
Razorbill, Ann Pacheco/Audubon Photography Awards
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Spruce Grouse, Alan Collier/Audubon Photography Awards
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Canada Warbler, Dale Bonk/Audubon Photography Awards
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