This popular weekend outing is a wonderful opportunity to get out and experience the nature of the Maine woods in winter. On snowshoes or cross-country skis, we'll call owls; travel through deer-wintering areas; look for boreal chickadees and spruce grouse; and scout for fox, fisher, coyote, moose, and pine marten tracks. Lodging is at the cozy Claybrook Mountain Lodge, known for its scrumptious meals and splendid location in the Upper Carrabassett Valley near Flagstaff Lake and Bigelow Mountain. Price includes lodging, five full meals, and light supper upon arrival Friday.

Led by Ron Joseph, Greg Drummond

$250/member, $260/nonmember (no single accommodations)

Option to stay over Sunday night for an additional $85.

Limited to 12 participants.

Shake off the winter blues by searching for spring wildlife around Claybrook Mountain Lodge in the western Maine mountains. Turn over logs to look for salamanders, listen for peepers and wood frogs belting out their mating calls, marvel at the American woodcock courtship flight, and call in owls (saw-whet, barred, and possibly a migrating boreal). Bring your flashlights and rubber boots to traipse around at night in search of smelt runs in the brooks, and salamanders and frogs in the vernal pools. Collect predacious diving beetles, giant water-bugs, and other aquatic insects and observe them under a dissecting microscope. Ron Joseph's zest for discovering wildlife and Greg Drummond's enthusiasm at finding vernal pools will make you feel like a kid again. All that plus Pat Drummond's great cooking and the cozy accommodations at Claybrook Lodge!

Led by Ron Joseph, Greg Drummond

$235/member, $250/nonmember

Limited to 12 participants

May is the best month to hone your birding skills, and this weekend retreat in Maine 's western mountains is timed to coincide with peak songbird migration—and a minimum of foliage, allowing for great views. We'll bird the lodge's flowering apple trees and field edges before and after breakfast each day in search of many of the 22 warbler species and five thrushes that have been seen here in the past. Afterwards, we'll visit wetlands, grasslands, mixed mountain forests, and regenerating forestry cuts to see as many species as possible. Search old-growth softwood stands and secluded bogs for elusive boreal species, such as boreal chickadee, spruce grouse, gray jay, and yellow-bellied flycatcher. In the evenings, the group will review slides and recordings to enhance your birding skills. Designed for all levels of birders.

Led by Ron Joseph, Greg Drummond

Price includes meals and accommodations. $255/member, $275/nonmember (No single accommodations. You may stay Sunday night for an additional $95)

Limited to 12 participants

This trip will take place 2 nights after the full moon, unfortunately, but we should still have plenty of light to see all the night things we love. June will have a wonderful medley of night songs on the water, as well as the evening Snipe sounds and sightings. During the day we will look for wildlife in all the usual places; from mountain bogs and lakes, to brook side rambles, there will be amazing flora and fauna. Come join us for June’s beauty!

The price is $235 per person, includes lodging, meals from Friday night through lunch Sunday, canoes, paddles, life vests, and transport.

A summertime canoe or kayak trip on Flagstaff Lake can’t be beat! We’ll travel to Stratton and canoe east on Flagstaff to the old lake bed, stopping along the way to study interesting developments. Eagles, Loons, ducks, moose, deer, beaches, birds; there will be so much along with the scenery to fascinate. From the lake bed you’ll come “home” to the lodge for dinner and the night and back to the lake for the remainder of the paddle.

The price is $235 per person and includes all lodging and meals as well as the equipment.

We may have to carpool to Stratton for Saturday morning, depending on the numbers.

We’ll be paddling, birding, studying aquatic insects and more. There will be an Audubon listing a bit later on. Ron Joseph will join us to share his knowledge on the “birds and the bees”!

More later from Audubon…

A description to follow later…however it will involve some late summer fun!

This annual trip is always fun! We decide what and where to go when we all get together. We have assistant leader Don Parker to help if we split the group for different activities. The horse ladies are on their own!

Price is $240 per person then add Maine sales tax. Includes all meals and lodging.

Again! The fun! The terror! The moose! We can only hope for the best.

Audubon will have the trip description a bit later, along with the price.