Puffins, Loons, and Blueberry Barrens
Registration Open
To register, fill out the form below or contact Michelle Pinkham at 207-288-1356
Schoodic Institute’s Seth Benz offers a special tour designed to enhance your enjoyment of Downeast Maine’s iconic bird species.
Featured field excursions include a private boat cruise to see Atlantic Puffin, a visit to the east coast’s largest blueberry barrens where Upland Sandpiper, Vesper Sparrow, and Northern Harrier nest, and a visit to the Somes-Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary with chances of seeing a Common Loon chick or two. Travel and birding is at a leisurely pace. Learn sight identification, bird habitats and behavior, and how to enhance your field birding skills. Schoodic Institute is ideally situated just a stone’s throw from Schoodic Point, a scenic headland on the ocean’s edge. Lodging is in cozy cabins tucked into a quiet cul-de-sac amidst spruce and fir trees within easy walking distance of Schooner Commons, the institute’s dining hall.
Registration is required. The program cost is $1,425 per participant. Space is limited so register quickly!
Day 1: Check-in is at 3 p.m. The program begins on the Schoodic Institute campus at 4:30 p.m. with introductions and orientation. A light fare and beverage reception will precede dinner. Dinner is from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Afterward, an evening presentation on puffin restoration will prepare us for tomorrow’s special boat trip to an active seabird colony.
Day 2: An optional morning bird walk is offered before breakfast! Breakfast is at 7:00 a.m. in Schooner Commons. We’ll then pack for a day afield, travel 40 minutes to the boat launch in Steuben for a 2-hour cruise to Petit Manan Island. This is our best chance to see Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Murre, and several tern species as we idle at the island, one of just 5 islands in Maine inhabited by Atlantic Puffin. Seals and other wildlife are also possible. After a field lunch, we’ll visit nearby blueberry barrens to look for an assortment of birds, including Upland Sandpiper, Vesper Sparrow, and American Kestrel. Of course, there will be other birds to see along the way. We’ll return to the Institute in the late afternoon for an hour or so of free time before dinner at 6:00 p.m. Before retiring for the night, we’ll revisit the sightings of the day, and have the option to look for Common Nighthawks just a few steps from the dining hall.
Day 3: Optional bird walk before breakfast. Today features a visit to a wildlife sanctuary with the possibility of seeing a recently hatched loon chick or two. Nesting Ospreys are also usually present. We’ll also visit the summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park. Dinner this last night features your choice of lobster or a delicious alternative. Afterward, we’ll sum up the day and complete a checklist review.
Day 4: Offers a final optional before-breakfast bird walk. After breakfast, we’ll take a short campus stroll along the Sundew Trail. Checkout is at 10:00 a.m.
Cost of $1,425.00 is based upon double occupancy. Lodging upgrade options possible while available. Please call Michelle Pinkham at 207-288-1356 to check availability and pricing.
Price includes lodging and meals, van travel, boat fare, and guiding fees. Not included in price: airfare, trip insurance, alcohol beverages not offered by the Institute, gas stop snacks, and gratuities. An Acadia National Park pass may be necessary if you will be traveling in the park in your own vehicle while not on this tour. These will be available to purchase at check-in or while on campus (for an approximate fee of $35).
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
- You can drive directly to Schoodic Institute
- Get picked up in Bangor, Maine at either the airport (at 2 p.m.), or
- Pick up at Odlin Road Park & Ride (at 2 p.m.) near the airport (this is a safe, patrolled parking lot).
- We’ll return you to Bangor by Noon on Day 4. If you are making a plane reservation, please plan your departure after 2 p.m.
