Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens
Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens is designed for youth aged 14-17 who want to be a part of a community of passionate, caring, and curious young people with an interest in birding. If you are a young birder who wants to further develop your skills, adventure to birding hot spots in coastal Maine, learn about coastal ecology and conservation, make new friends, and have fun doing it then this session is for you!
Throughout the week you will immerse yourself in the bounties of summertime on the Maine coast through activities like boat trips, field trips to mainland birding spots, tide pooling, spruce forest hikes, nature journaling and more! You will experience the diversity of birds that summer in coastal Maine and gain a deep understanding of their habitat, food sources, ecology, and conservation. This session has the VERY special privilege of landing on Eastern Egg Rock to experience a day in the life of a seabird researcher (weather and seas permitting).
Please be aware that CMBS is not your average bird camp! Our focus is not about getting the highest number of species on our list, but on appreciating birds, observing the natural world around us, learning about bird conservation, and building a supportive community where we can all grow as birders and as individuals. The Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens programs run concurrently with the adult sessions Joy of Birding and Field Ornithology and share many instructors. This is a wonderful opportunity for teens to learn from many different highly skilled instructors throughout the week.
Note: To limit screen time and promote a community where we are present with ourselves and others, teens will turn in their cell phones to instructors each night before bed.
Pricing: $1,725
Maine residents are eligible for a $150 in-state discount for this session! After you register, contact hogisland@audubon.org to confirm your residency and the discount will be applied to your account.
The base registration fee includes meals, housing, instruction, and all field trips. Campers will be assigned a shared room with a roommate of the same gender identity.
Transportation: If you are driving your teen to camp, drop off and pick up will be at the Hog Island dock located at 12 Audubon Rd in Bremen Maine. Please plan to drop your child off between 1-3 PM on Sunday and pick them up at 8 am on Friday.
For an additional $100 we can transport teen campers who are flying in for camp to and from the Portland International Jetport. Please be aware that 14-year-olds are required to use the unaccompanied minor services by most airlines. For the shuttle service, please book flights that arrive in Portland between 11:30am-1pm on Sunday and depart no earlier than 11am on Friday. Pickup will occur in the baggage claim at the Portland International Jetport between 12pm-1pm on Sunday, and drop off will be at 9:30am on Friday.
There are several different scholarship opportunities available to help participants attend Hog Island sessions! Please see our scholarships page for more information about Hog Island Scholarships. You should also check with your local Audubon chapter or bird club for additional opportunities.
Requirements: This session is open to teens (age 14-17) of all skill levels, but this program does require a genuine interest in learning about birds and emotional maturity.
Landing on Eastern Egg Rock requires a degree of physical mobility and the ability to focus in an overstimulating environment . There is no dock and participants must be able to navigate boulders, slippery rockweed, and narrow, uneven trails.
Instructors:
- Session 1: Mik Oyler, TBA
- Session 2: Emma Rhodes, Joshua Potter
Mik Oyler has nearly 20 years of experience leading innovative programs for teens, including wilderness therapy, therapeutic summer camp, therapeutic boarding school, and currently Aerie Healthcare, a mental health day treatment program for adolescents in Concord, NH that he co-founded.
Mik has been an avid birder for over 20 years since his uncle helped him identify his first Scarlet Tanager. Since then, birding has been a way of life and form of personal meditation. Mik has participated in multiple birding competitions, always electing a human powered approach, and is an ongoing Mountain Birdwatch volunteer, currently for the Huntington Ravine route at the base of Mount Washington. Mik and his family live in North Conway, NH where they enjoy all forms of adventuring in the White Mountains together.
Ornithologist and South Alabama native, Emma Rhodes is a Master Bird Bander that has worked with and studied a variety of avian taxa, from hummingbirds to birds of prey. She has worked alongside various avian conservation organizations in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and the Bahamas monitoring coastal birds in addition to working with both state and National Audubon chapters. Since 2019, Emma has been an instructor at Hog Island where she is passionate about educating and inspiring the next generation. She received her BS in Biology at the University of South Alabama and currently is at Auburn University where her PhD work is focused on studying the physiological underpinnings of bird migration. Emma is also the co-founder of Banding Coalition of the Americas (BCA), a non-profit organization focused on using bird banding and advanced tracking techniques for both research and outreach applications.
Joshua Potter is a naturalist and associate director for operations at Shaver's Creek Environmental Center at Penn State, from where he also holds a BA in Integrative Arts. He has been an enthusiastic co-leader for Hog Island CMBS camps since the summer of 2012 and has the tern-poop-stained apparel to prove it. Previously Joshua worked as a naturalist and outreach coordinator for Tin Mountain Conservation Center in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where he spent his summers leading teens on backpacking and canoeing adventures in search of the wild denizens of boreal-wrapped peaks and cool North Woods waters. Now you are more likely to find him plying the time-worn slopes of the Appalachians with his wife Sarah, son Ellory, daughter Lucy, and Aussie Molly.
NOTE: Audubon reserves the right to alter itineraries, instructors and particular arrangements, or to substitute similar itineraries or arrangements, at no penalty. If Audubon cancels a session, it will issue full refunds of all deposits or payments to the paid participants.
Testimonials:
“Everyone was so kind, passionate, and knowledgeable, making everyone feel included” - 2025 Camper
“Hog Island has been so fun! It was amazing to meet other birders because I’ve never met other teen birders before. I would love to come back next year if I can!” - 2025 Camper
“Once in a lifetime experience, best week ever!” - 2025 Camper
“[The staff] are incredible, so knowledgeable and supportive.” - 2025 Camper
“I just want to say that the experience of being able to be immersed in a culture where the natural world, with the focus on birds, is the primary focal point of celebration and connection, is something I will cherish forever and try to build outside of this camp.” - 2025 Camper
“I feel like I gained so much from this camp! Including friendships, knowledge and so much new stuff to look into and research!” - 2025 Camper
“This camp experience was INCREDIBLE. All of the birds AND people were wonderful. I go to do so many unique things I’ve never done before.” - 2025 Camper
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