Continuing a botanical inventory of Little Spruce Island off the coast of Downeast Maine, Glen explains why each island supports a unique plant community shaped by its history and environment. He reflects on the importance of documenting these remote floras today to provide the baseline data needed to understand ecological change in the future.
by Glen Mittelhauser
Glen begins a multi-day botanical inventory of Little Spruce Island off the coast of Downeast Maine. He describes the logistics of reaching remote islands, the slow pace of searching for plants, and why botanists rely on scientific names to accurately document the diversity they find.
In this episode, Glen joins herpetologist Steve Ressel beside a pond at dusk to listen to the breeding chorus of Maine’s frogs and learn how to distinguish the calls of Spring Peepers, Bullfrogs, Green Frogs, and Pickerel Frogs. Steve concludes by reflecting on the path that led him to a career studying amphibians and the importance of understanding the wildlife that surrounds us.
In this episode, Glen continues his conversation with herpetologist Steve Ressel, exploring the remarkable adaptations that allow Spring Peepers to produce their powerful calls night after night. The discussion also examines how female frogs distinguish among dozens of calling males and why some males are far more successful at attracting mates than others.
Continuing a conversation with herpetologist Steve Ressel, this episode explores the breeding ecology of Maine’s frogs, from the brief, explosive breeding season of Wood Frogs to the territorial calls of Bullfrogs. Steve also describes surprising research showing that female Gray Treefrogs can assess the quality of potential mates simply by listening to their calls.
Glen begins a conversation with herpetologist Steve Ressel, who reflects on a career studying frogs from the tropics to Maine. Along the way, they explore the unique mix of amphibians found on Mount Desert Island, the mysteries behind the absence of some familiar species, and the beauty of Maine’s Gray Treefrog.
Concluding a conversation with Linda Welch, this episode examines the dramatic decline of Common Eider populations along the Maine coast and the many interacting factors that may be contributing to their collapse. The discussion also explores how advances in tracking technology are transforming seabird research, allowing biologists to follow species movements across vast oceanic distances.
Reflecting on her path into wildlife biology, Linda Welch describes how a love of animals eventually led her to a career working on Maine’s coastal islands. The conversation then turns to the growing challenges facing seabird colonies, including the spread of invasive plants and increasing predation from mink and otter, which have contributed to the decline or abandonment of some nesting islands along the Downeast coast.
Continuing a conversation with Linda Welch, this episode takes listeners inside the day-to-day work of monitoring seabirds along the Maine coast, from tracking diet and chick growth to documenting survival and productivity across multiple islands. Drawing on observations from sites like Petit Manan Island, Linda describes the seasonal timing of breeding and how food availability shapes the success of species.
Glen speaks with seabird biologist Linda Welch about her long-term work at Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, tracing her career from early research on contaminants in Bald Eagle populations to nearly three decades studying breeding seabirds along the Maine coast. Linda talks about the remarkable recovery of eagles, the life-history strategies of long-lived seabirds like Atlantic Puffins and Arctic Terns, and the growing challenges these species face as the warming Gulf of Maine alters food availability and reproductive success.
In this episode, Glen concludes his conversation with Rich MacDonald of the Natural History Center during a winter walk in Acadia National Park, reflecting on forest structure, succession, and the complexity of ecological systems. The discussion broadens to observations of ravens and Bald Eagles.
by Glen Mittelhauser
In this episode, Glen continues his conversation with Rich MacDonald of the Natural History Center during a winter walk in Acadia National Park, exploring the ethical tensions when observing wildlife in distress. From rescuing stranded amphibian eggs to aiding an injured Peregrine Falcon, Rich reflects on the balance between natural processes and human intervention.
Glen continues his conversation with Rich MacDonald of the Natural History Center during a winter walk in Acadia National Park, exploring how birds quickly take advantage of temporary habitats created by disturbance. Drawing on examples from Maine and beyond, Rich describes how sudden changes, such as flooded forests and exposed mudflats, can attract unexpected concentrations of waterfowl and shorebirds, raising questions about how birds detect and respond to these short-lived opportunities in a constantly changing landscape.
In this episode, Glen continues a discussion with Rich MacDonald of the Natural History Center during a winter walk in Acadia National Park, reflecting on the value of long-term observation in understanding ecological change. Drawing on decades of field experience, from bird banding studies to a 2002 kayak expedition around the Gulf of Maine, Rich discusses how shifting baselines, climate change, and evolving research questions shape our understanding of coastal ecosystems, from changing bird populations to the increasing presence of species like sea turtles
Glen joins Rich MacDonald of the Natural History Center for a winter walk along the Hemlock Trail in Acadia National Park, where a familiar path reveals change from week to week and season to season. As they move through the snow-covered woods, they reflect on shifting bird communities, the subtle but telling signs of seasonal transitions and the nesting behavior of Maine owls.
Research scientist Amanda Savoie describes how new surveys are revealing more Arctic seaweed diversity than previously assumed, even in regions once thought to lack suitable substrate. She reflects on the cultural importance of kelp in northern communities, the ecological role of seaweeds as primary producers and habitat-formers, and why documenting coastal biodiversity is critical as warming oceans reshape kelp forests in places like the Gulf of Maine.
Glen speaks with Amanda Savoie, a research scientist at the Canadian Museum of Nature, about her work documenting seaweed biodiversity in northern Norway and the Canadian Arctic. They discuss how extreme light regimes, limited historical surveys, and rapid climate change shape Arctic macroalgal communities, including unusual species such as kelps that grow beneath winter ice using energy stored during the summer’s continuous daylight.
In this episode, Logan explores the winter irruption of Bohemian Waxwings into Maine, where flocks descend from boreal breeding grounds in search of lingering fruits such as crabapples and mountain ash. He describes their gregarious behavior, fruit-based courtship rituals, and surprising presence in towns and cities, reminding us that even in winter’s apparent scarcity, the landscape still holds abundance.
Logan explores the hidden world of Eastern Meadow Voles living within the subnivean zone beneath Maine’s winter snowpack. He describes their tunnel networks, grass-lined nests, and winter survival strategies, placing these small mammals within the broader ecology of predators, seed dispersal, and seasonal population cycles.
Recorded while sailing east along the Maine coast in the summer of 2025, this episode reflects on the striking absence of visible plastic at sea and the far more pervasive presence of microplastics throughout the water column. Glen explains how these long-lived fragments move through marine food webs, from plankton and shellfish to birds and seals, and why reducing single-use plastics remains one of the most direct ways individuals can make a difference.
Recorded while sailing east along the Maine coast in the summer of 2025, this episode reflects on sightings of Lion’s Mane jellyfish and how their presence varies with water temperature and coastal geography. Glen describes their immense size potential, surprising life cycle, and their place in Maine’s cold-water food web, contrasting them with the more familiar moon jellyfish of Penobscot Bay.
Saturday, March 7th, 2026
Friday, March 6th, 2026 at 7:00pm with Glen Mittelhauser
Recorded while sailing east along the Maine coast in the summer of 2025, this episode explores how cold ocean currents shape the ecology of Downeast Maine. Glen explains how the Labrador Current, Bay of Fundy tidal mixing, and underwater topography deliver cold water to eastern Maine, supporting Arctic plant communities on coastal and offshore islands and highlighting why baseline ecological data are essential as the Gulf of Maine warms.
Learn how to identify plant species in the mustard family in Maine.
In this episode, Logan introduces listeners to the robber flies—voracious predatory insects with names like “marauder,” “bandit,” and “thief”—and describes their surprising diversity in Maine, from garden-perching hammertails to the formidable marauders of the pine barrens. He also highlights their ecological value, noting how these agile hunters help keep insect populations in balance despite their fearsome reputation.
In this episode, Tracy and Coco Faber explain why Petit Manan Point, despite its sparse vegetation, is an effective place to band migrating Northern Saw-whet Owls. They discuss how coastal landscapes funnel migrants, why most Saw-whets they capture are females, and how cone-mast cycles drive dramatic swings in owl numbers from year to year.
This episode features sisters Tracy and Coco Faber, who spend their nights banding migrating Northern Saw-whet Owls at Petit Manan Point. They describe how mist nets and audio lures help capture these tiny, nocturnal migrants and how recent banding efforts have revealed the species to be far more abundant than once believed.
This episode features a discussion with Coco and Tracey Faber, Alison Ballard, and Peyton Caylor, seabird researchers who worked on Maine’s offshore colonies this summer. Together they reflect on the role of these islands beyond nesting seabirds, describing their importance as stopovers for migrating shorebirds and staging areas for gulls. They share observations of sandpipers, plovers, Ruddy Turnstones, and other migrants, and note how islands like Eastern Egg Rock can host large flocks during peak migration.
This episode begins with an interview with Peyton Caylor about her work on Matinicus Rock, comparing seabird research there with her season on the Farallon Islands. The conversation expands to include Coco and Tracey Faber from Seal Island and Matinicus Rock, and Alison Ballard from Eastern Egg Rock, as they discuss seabird dynamics across colonies, unusual visitors like the Tufted Puffin, and the parallels and contrasts between Atlantic and Pacific seabird systems.
Learn how to identify plant species in the mint family in Maine.
Alison Ballard, who spent the summer supervising Eastern Egg Rock for Project Puffin, reflects on the differences between working on Matinicus Rock and Egg Rock, the unique mix of seabirds found at this nearshore colony, and the challenges of monitoring puffin productivity in such rocky terrain. She also shares insights into the colony’s growth, from new burrows to the dense nesting of puffins in limited space.
This episode is part 4 of an interview with Coco and Tracey Faber, who have spent the past decade working in Maine’s offshore seabird colonies. They reflect on broader patterns observed across years of fieldwork, including tern foraging strategies during food shortages, the recurring mid-July drop in forage fish, and the stark differences in survival between early- and late-hatched puffin chicks.
This episode is part 3 of an interview with Coco and Tracey Faber, who have spent the past decade working in Maine’s offshore seabird colonies. They discuss the challenges facing Arctic and Common Terns, from poor body condition on return from migration to storms, food shortages, and gull predation. Despite these pressures, they describe moments of resilience when chicks recovered rapidly once conditions improved.
This episode is part 2 of an interview with Coco and Tracey Faber, who have spent the past decade working in Maine’s offshore seabird colonies. They discuss the struggles and resilience of seabirds facing storms and changing conditions, share the story of a record-aged puffin still breeding at 36 years old, and reflect on long-term changes in island vegetation and tern colony numbers.
This episode is part 1 of an interview with Coco and Tracey Faber who have spent the past decade working in Maine’s offshore seabird colonies. Coco shares her experiences on Seal Island, the state’s largest puffin colony, while Tracey describes her work on nearby Matinicus Rock. Together they reflect on a season of challenges and surprises in the Gulf of Maine, from poor prey availability and storm impacts on terns and Razorbills to unexpectedly strong productivity among puffins.
by Glen Mittelhauser
In this episode, Glen rows and sails along Mount Desert Island’s south shore, recalling his early days learning plants and birds and the beginnings of his field ecology career. He describes the quiet rhythm of rowing and decades of ecological surveys along the Maine coast.
by Glen Mittelhauser
Leaving Marshall Island after a rainy night at anchor, Glen sails east toward Mason Ledge, a long-time seabird colony. Along the way, he notes loons now commonly seen on saltwater in summer, lines of Black Guillemots, and flocks of southbound Semipalmated Sandpipers.
Anchored in Boxam Cove on Marshall Island, Glen reflects on a rainy night lit by the glow of bioluminescent plankton. Morning brings fog, eagles, schools of fish, and the striking contrast of dark spruce forests against patches of blue sky as Glen shares the beauty and solitude of Maine’s wild offshore islands.
As Glen sails past Roberts and Brimstone Islands south of Vinalhaven, he reflects on decades of baseline research in collaboration with Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge—mapping vegetation, inventorying plants, and surveying birds to track long-term ecological change. Along the way, he shares the challenges of island fieldwork, a close puffin sighting far from a breeding colony, and the occasional mishap with lobster buoys.
Drifting in Penobscot Bay, Glen shares the sounds of a ringing bell buoy, a close encounter with harbor porpoises, and surprising concentrations of moon jellyfish. When the sea breeze arrives, he sails south of Vinalhaven, reveling in a fast and lively run along the Maine coast.
This episode takes listeners to a bustling gull and cormorant colony on Garden Island near the Mussel Ridge Channel, where the air is filled with noise, movement, and the pungent scent of seabird guano. Glen describes colony counts using aerial imagery and the ingenious ways cormorants keep cool on hot days, blending science with the sensory details of a summer visit.
In this episode, Glen shares observations about terns, cormorants, Black Guillemots, and eider as he sails Maine’s midcoast, from seabird-rich Muscongus Bay to the narrow Muscle Ridge Channel.
Glen talks with Megan about the changes that she has seen in the ecology of the Gulf of Maine area.
Glen talks with Megan about her work studying whales and their ecology.
Glen talks with Megan about her work as a natural history guide and researcher and becoming a teacher.
Glen talks with Megan about her interdisciplinary and immersive natural history education at College of the Atlantic.
Glen talks with Megan about how her childhood in Rhode Island nurtured her love of natural history and the importance of teaching natural history to everyone.
Glen walks a trail on Mount Desert Island with naturalist Rich MacDonald and they discuss Wood Ducks.
Glen walks a trail on Mount Desert Island with naturalist Rich MacDonald and they discuss woodpeckers.
Glen walks a trail on Mount Desert Island with naturalist Rich MacDonald and we talk about how he got started as a naturalist.
Glen walks a trail on Mount Desert Island with naturalist Rich MacDonald exploring the region’s diverse habitats and
discussing the area's unique ecology.
Glen and Logan speak with John on Isle au Haut about the changes in the island's biota he has observed over the past few decades. This is the second part of their conversation.
Glen and Logan speak with John on Isle au Haut about the changes in the island's biota he has observed over the past few decades. This is the first part of their conversation.
This episode is a continuation of an interview with both Jill Weber and Karen Zimmermann who talk about their experience with learning and teaching natural history.
This episode is an interview with Karen Zimmermann who talks about her journey learning field biology in Maine.
7 February 2025
This episode is an interview with Jill Weber, a dedicated botanist from Maine whose work focuses on preserving the unique plant ecosystems of Maine.
This episode is an interview with Finn O'Connor about their journey into the world of field botany and how it all began.
by Jordan Chalfant
This episode is part 2 of an interview with Tracey Faber, Liv Ridley, and Coco Faber who are field biologists working out on offshore seabird colonies in Maine.
This episode is part 1 of an interview with Tracey Faber, Liv Ridley, and Coco Faber who are field biologists working out on offshore seabird colonies in Maine.
This episode is part 2 of an interview with Amanda Savoie and Jordan Chalfant who are field biologists working to build a field guide to the seaweeds of Maine.
This episode is part 1 of an interview with Amanda Savoie and Jordan Chalfant who are field biologists working to build a field guide to the seaweeds of Maine.
An interview with Juliana Ramirez, who works with Maine owls.
17 September 2024 We’re excited about attending the upcoming Common Ground Country Fair from September 20-22! If you are going to be there, come and say hello to us in the Environmental Concerns tent. We’ll be offering a special Fair…
In the 1990s, research indicated that Jericho Bay was the single largest wintering location for Harlequin Ducks in Eastern North America, but the latest research suggests this is no longer the case.
This book is the result of decades of published and unpublished plant inventories of Maine islands made by numerous botanists, my 25 years of plant inventories along
the Maine coast, and assessment of thousands of plant collections preserved in various herbaria.
The sedge family is frequently considered by professional and amateur botanists alike to be one of the most challenging groups of plants to study. This unflattering reputation is due in large part to the vast number of sedge species not only in Maine but also throughout the United States and Canada.
This guide is an identification manual for all grass and rush species currently found in the state of Maine.
Maine’s Baxter State Park is one of the most ecologically diverse and beautiful protected sites in the Northeastern United States. The Plants of Baxter State Park presents scientific descriptions of 857 plant species.
Saw-whet Owl GPS Tag Fundraiser was a Success! We exceeded our spring fundraising goal! Thanks to your generous support, the GPS tags will be deployed this year. Stay tuned! We will share live updates of the owls’ locations on the…
The Maine Bird Atlas is a project of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife in partnership with Maine Natural History Observatory, Maine Audubon, and Biodiversity Research Institute. The data collection phase of the project was from 2018-2022 with the…
The Observatory has conducted plant inventories on over 75 islands along the coast of Maine and counting. This project aims to improve understanding of plant abundance and distribution on Maine’s coastal islands and set down baseline data. The maps and…
by Glen Mittelhauser & Jill Weber
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Jordan Chalfant
by Jordan Chalfant
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Jordan Chalfant
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
by Glen Mittelhauser
Building on the data collected by Dr. Craig Green of College of the Atlantic, The Plants of Acadia National Park was published in 2010 - the first field guide of its kind for the area.
This map is the culmination of decades of Maine island vascular plant data from published lists, unpublished lists, herbarium vouchers, and the fieldwork done by Observatory staff over the last 30 years.
Although numerous marine species depend on seaweeds for food and shelter, seaweeds in Maine are chronically understudied. Very little is known about which seaweed species are in Maine, if any of them are endangered, and the distribution of invasive species. …
The Observatory has worked on Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge (MCINWR) islands for a number of years detecting invasive plant species. Glen sprays a 45% vinegar and citrus oil solution on invasive Wild Radish on Halifax Island. Although the…
