Tours
LOCAL TOURS
ToursAtlantic Puffin
MAINE: Mountains and Coast JUNE 1 - JUNE 7, 2025
This adventurous tour will explore the coast of Maine, travel to the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire, and wind through Vermont’s “Northern Kingdom” during a 7-day loop of the northern New England region!

Our trip begins with a half-day boat trip from Camden to Seal Island in the Gulf of Maine. This small island refuge is home to thousands of nesting seabirds including the largest US colonies of Atlantic Puffins and Great Cormorants. The island also hosts many breeding Razorbill, Black Guillemots, and the ever-vigilant Common and Arctic Terns! Throughout our route the landscapes are quaint and beautiful. Maine’s largely rugged coast is broken up by short stretches of sandy beaches, while picturesque lighthouses stand proudly on seaside cliffs. Venturing into the Northwoods we’ll pass through vast deciduous forests interspersed with dense patches of spruces and dark old-growth bogs. These incredible forests are part of the great songbird nurseries of eastern North America. We might even see a Moose or two!
DETAILS
ToursAcadia's Puffins. Peregrines, and Loons
ACADIA’S PUFFINS, PEREGINES, AND LOONS: JULY 15 - JULY 18, 2025
Schoodic Institute’s Seth Benz will lead this leisurely tour designed to enhance your enjoyment of all birds, especially those that nest in Acadia National Park or its immediate surroundings. We’ll move at a leisurely pace while learning about sight identification, bird habitats and behavior, and we’ll pay extra attention to enhancing your field birding skills and enjoyment of nature. The entire tour will be based out of Schoodic Institute, ideally situated just a stone’s throw from Schoodic Point, a migration checkpoint that tallies tens of thousands of passing birds annually. Lodging is in cozy cabins where you will be awakened by birdsong – Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, and Magnolia Warbler. Blue-headed vireos and Northern Parula warblers often serenade you as you walk to Schooner Commons, the Institute’s dining hall. Maine has a way of spoiling birders – and this mid-July tour is designed to do just that.

Registration is required. The program cost is $1,295 per participant. Space is limited so register quickly!
DETAILS
ToursMonhegan
MAINE IN FALL Seabirds AND Coastal Migrants - September 7 - 16, 2025

This exciting tour hits one of the most scenic states on the Atlantic Coast near the height of fall migration for many shorebird, songbird, and seabird species. We will seek a rich diversity of birds along the coast with emphasis on the regional specialties--from beak to claw (lobsters and fantastic seafood, anyone?).

As the Sanderling flies, there are just over 200 miles between the coast of New Brunswick and the coast of New Hampshire. However, the circuitous undulations of Maine's shoreline stretch out to more than 3500 miles! Rocky peninsulas, islands, rivers, and creeks draw a host of coastal migrants: sandpipers, plovers, dowitchers, yellowlegs, herons, and more. The rich waters of the Gulf of Maine attract many pelagic seabirds such as alcids, phalaropes, loons, shearwaters, storm-petrels, jaegers and skuas (if we are lucky). Migrant songbirds like warblers, vireos, thrushes, and sparrows pile up along the coast as well. Most notable among our coastal targets are Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, Common Murre, Black Guillemot, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Pomarine Jaeger, Black-legged Kittiwake, Great Cormorant, and the rare Great Skua. Boreal habitat all the way Downeast gives us access to pursue specialties such as Spruce Grouse and Black-backed Woodpecker.
DETAILS