Down East Maine Puffins and Seabirds

This five-day excursion starts at the Bangor Maine Airport at 10 AM, July 3, 2024. From there we will travel to Rockland, Maine for an early afternoon briefing about the Atlantic Puffins recovery at the Audubon Society's Project Puffin. We will also learn about the protection and management of all the breeding seabirds on remote Maine islands via an interactive zoom discussion with seabird researchers at the Maine Coastal Islands National WIldlife Refuge (MCINWR) Visitor Center. Accommodations for all five nights are provided on the Schoodic Peninsula (the lightly visited eastern part of Acadia National Park). We are fortunate to be able to provide private room accommodations in 2 and 4 bedroom apartments at the Schoodic Institute. Each apartment is equipped with a full kitchen and we will stop for grocery shopping on the way to Schoodic Institute that evening.

The trip includes a guided kayaking tour of Frenchman’s Bay on the 4th of July (weather-permitting, fireworks from Bar Harbor and other coastal communities should be visible in the evening from where we're staying). A MCINWR representative will guide a nature walk and beach clean-up activities on Petit Manan Point that is adjacent to a Puffin nesting colony. You'll also have some time to make your own plans to take a group tour of Acadia National Park, dine/shop in Bar Harbor, or rent bikes/hike on the Schoodic Peninsula. Information on these DIY options will be sent when you register online. On Sunday, July 7, we will go on a two-hour Puffin Cruise out of Bar Harbor to benefit MCINWR through their Friends group. There will be staff on board who can communicate with island researchers to answer your questions. 

Members always pay less, and you can pay by check, or use your PayPal account.