We are thrilled to be able to offer this trip for MYBC thanks to a generous donation from Acadia Birding Festival! Monhegan is a truly special place for birding during migration. A day of birding in May can feature as many as 20 species of warblers in their bright spring plumage, and other species such as Scarlet Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole, Merlin and more! While the destination is the island, birding on the ferry ride from New Harbor can bring views of Gannets, Laughing Gulls, terns and Black Guillemots. We may even see harbor porpoises or Minke Whales!
Monhegan is a small, rocky island in Muscungous Bay about 10 miles offshore. This situates it as an important stopover point for migrating birds looking for a place to rest after a long night’s flight. We will spend the morning and early afternoon exploring, hitting hot spots such as the Ice Pond, the Community Garden, the Marsh, and others as time allows.
While on the island, we will be participating in the York County Audubon Birding Challenge to help support future MYBC programming. More details on this will be forthcoming. Stay tuned!
LOGISTICS: Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes—we will be covering a lot of ground. The weather on the island can be cooler than the mainland, especially on the boat ride, so please bring appropriate layers.
Also bring the following: filled water bottle, lunch, binoculars, and a backpack in which you'll keep your stuff. If you do not have binoculars, MYBC can provide you with a pair.
MEET UP and PICK UP: Meet us at 8:30am at the Hardy Boat dock (129 State Route 32, New Harbor, Maine 04554). The boat departs at 9:00am sharp! Pick up will be at the same location around 4:30pm.
PARKING: In May the fee is $10 per day per vehicle, payable by cash or credit cards only (no personal checks). You will pay the parking fee at the ticketing booth on the dock. Parking is about a 5-minute walk along the rural road from the dock, in a large grassy field. You cannot park at Shaw’s Wharf; you will be towed. For parents dropping off young birders, you can do so at Shaw’s Wharf as long as you do not plan to leave your vehicle. (https://hardyboat.com/parking/)
COST: With a huge thank you to Acadia Birding Festival, MYBC has funding to cover tickets for up to 6 young birders. To request one of these tickets, please note this in your registration email. Otherwise, you can purchase tickets here: https://hardyboat.com/cruises/monhegan-island-ferry-service/. We will be taking the 9:00am ferry on May 20th and returning on the 3:15pm ferry that afternoon.
We welcome parents to join us. You will need to purchase your own tickets using the link above . You can either choose to bird with MYBC or explore the island on your own and meet back up with us at the afternoon ferry.
CANCELLATION: While cancellation is rare, in the event that weather or sea conditions make the trip impossible, we will reach out to anyone who is signed up to attend. We will do so as soon as we are notified of any scheduling changes.
Registration details to follow by email. If you want to join us, but are not yet a member of MYBC, contact info@maineyoungbirders.org for details on how to sign up.