May 20, 2024 and/or June 6, 2024

NOTE: The June 6 Day Trip is SOLD OUT. Waitlist information found below.

Description: 

Egg Rock and Hog Island Birding

Eastern Egg Rock is home to the famous seabird restoration Project Puffin. Hog Island Audubon staff will take you on a boat trip to observe nesting seabirds including Atlantic Puffin, Roseate Tern, Arctic Tern, and Common Tern on Eastern Egg Rock. We will search the inshore waters for scoters (all three species) and nesting raptors. Back on Hog Island, we will enjoy an outdoor lunch prepared by our chef team, followed by a hike to the historical Bingham Cottages on Hog Island. Birding highlights will include Purple Finches, nesting warblers and a search for crossbills. Participants will also see our resident Osprey pair up-close in the nest. Please bring layers for the boat trip and wear sturdy hiking shoes for the uneven trails. Program starts and ends at the Hog Island Audubon Camp dock. Participants should arrive between 8:00 and 8:30am to check-in and park. A return to the mainland will occur after lunch, at approximately 1:30pm.

Instructors:

• Don Lyons, Director of Conservation Science, Audubon Seabird Institute
• Eric Snyder, Facilities and Operations Manager, Audubon Seabird Institute
• Amanda Leemann, Staff Naturalist, Audubon Seabird Institute

Pricing:

• $160 per trip

If the program is sold out, please add your name to the wait list. There are usually a few cancellations, and the first people on the wait list are almost always able to enroll. For any questions, please contact the Audubon Camp program manager at hogisland@audubon.org or (207) 360-7733. Also, some questions may have answers on our frequently asked questions page.

Registration:

​All participants must agree to the Camper Guidelines - please read before registering.

Due to limited capacity for these trips, please be advised that all registrations are added to our waitlist, and from there people will be accepted into programs on a first-come, first-served basis. 

• May 20, 2024 – CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

• June 6, 2024 – CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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.

Day Trips from previous years have included the following:

Monhegan Island Birding

Spend a day with Hog Island Audubon Camp instructors on stunning Monhegan Island. Departing from Hog Island, we will search for pelagic species as we head 12 miles off-shore. Upon our arrival on Monhegan, we will search for breeding birds and observe migrating species that are heading north. Boxed lunches will be provided at the time of departure and we will have a picnic in the middle of the day. Please bring your own beverages or plan to purchase them on the island. Backpacks are encouraged as you will need to carry your boxed lunch with you. We will be outdoors for the whole trip so bring layers for the boat and for unexpected weather events. Sturdy hiking shoes are encouraged as we will transverse uneven terrain on Monhegan. On our way back to Hog Island we will circle around Eastern Egg Rock and observe nesting seabirds. Program starts and ends at the Hog Island Audubon Camp dock. Participants should arrive between 7:00 and 7:30am to check-in and park. A return to the mainland will occur at approximately 3:30pm.

Mid-coast Maine Birding

Join Hog Island Audubon staff to explore the mainland birding hotspots near Hog Island. Participants can join us in our 15-passenger vans or they can caravan in their own personal vehicles. We will meet at the Hog Island mainland facilities for check-in and then drive to our two birding locations. First, we will head to a famous Hog Island birding spot in nearby Medomak. Here we will search for Virginia Rail, observe nesting Alder Flycatchers, and search for wetland species such as Wood Duck. Next, we will head to Great Salt Bay maintained by the Coastal Rivers Coservation Trust. where we will have a picnic lunch provided by Hog Island chefs. Afterwards, we will spend some time on the trails looking for species such as Bobolink, Eastern Bluebird, and many breeding warblers that call these trails home. Please bring your own water bottles for the trip. We will have a water cooler available to fill up your water bottles at lunch-time. Come prepared for all types of weather, wear sturdy shoes and have both bug spray and sunscreen in your day pack. Program starts at the Hog Island Audubon mainland buildings. Departure for the caravan begins at promptly 8:30am. Participants should arrive early to check-in. The program will end at approximately 1:30pm.

Hog Island Painting and Sketching Workshop

Hog Island's history is rich with artists and authors enjoying the island’s majestic views to inspire their craft. Join us for this day-long workshop with local artist and Hog Island instructor, Sherrie York, as we explore Hog Island and learn about sketching, watercolors and field journals. Bring your own supplies for this program. An outdoor lunch will be catered by our Hog Island chefs. A hike will be included in the day so please wear sturdy hiking shoes for the uneven trails. Program starts and ends at the Hog Island Audubon Camp dock. Participants should arrive between 9:00 and 9:30am to check-in and park. A return to the mainland will occur at approximately 2:00pm.