This week, Cobscook Institute and partners hosted more than 300 area middle-school students to learn about bird biology and habitat as part of its Downeast Spring Birding Festival. The students, who came from schools ranging from Sipayik/Pleasant Point to Machias, participated in workshops led by instructors Cathy Lookabaugh, who helped them build skills in bird observation by sight and by sound; Louise Barteau, who facilitated an exploration of the role plants play in bird ecology; and Bill Kolodnicki and Ann Simmons, who shared how the distinctive differences in bird anatomy reflect adaptations to specific habitats and behavior. Students were also given tours of the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, where they were able to observe bird nesting grounds and habitat.

Memorial Day Weekend marks the 20th annual Downeast Spring Birding Festival, a celebration of the tremendous diversity of bird species (over 300!) that call the Cobscook Bay region home over the course of the year, and a recognition of the interconnections between animal, plant, and human that make ecological preservation a pressing need in our region and beyond.

This year, Cobscook Institute will welcome over 100 visitors from across the country to engage in guided birding walks, take cruises to observe puffin nesting grounds, and attend talks by experts in the fields of ornithology and conservation, while taking in the natural beauty of our region and enjoying the local food and amenities from Eastport to Lubec.

The Downeast Spring Birding Festival would not be possible without the partnership of many organizations, all of which work on wildlife and environmental conservation year-round in our region. Learn more about the Birding Festival and our partner organizations here.