Location: Edmunds: Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, South Trail (Meet at Trescott-HQ to caravan to South Trail if desired)
Guides: Maurry Mills & Woody Gillies
Fee: No fee
Description: This evening event in the Edmunds Division of the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge is timed especially for observing the fascinating courtship flight of the American Woodcock. We will caravan in our own cars, meeting up either at the festival Headquarters in Trescott or at the South Trail entrance to the Refuge. We will be visiting areas managed specifically by the US Fish & Wildlife Service to provide habitat for this bird and a variety of other species that require young forests. Maurry will describe management of the forested habitats in the Refuge to benefit early successional species, along with Moosehorn’s history of American Woodcock research. These same areas also support more than fifty other bird species including Ruffed and Spruce Grouse, and are home to bear, coyote, deer, porcupine, beaver, and snowshoe hare.
We will stop at locations along the gravel roads where the woodcock will be doing their courtship flights. There may be a short hike to get closer to a woodcock display area. Bring a warm layer and a headlamp or flashlight, as it will be dark by the end of the trip.
GPS Coordinates: 44.845, -67.171
Directions: Meet at Trescott Headquarters and caravan to the South Trail entrance of the Edmunds Division of Moosehorn NWR, off Route 1, located .2 mi. south of the South Edmunds Road and the entrance to Cobscook Bay State Park, and 4 miles north of the intersection of Routes 1 and 189 (Whiting Corner).