Coastal Maine
From Acadia National Park, to rocky offshore islands, and deep forests.
Eagle Lake viewed from Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.
In an impressive aerial display, these gull parents chase an adult Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) out of the nesting colony. Roughly 800 gull nests exist on the southern end of Great Duck Island, 12 miles off the coast of Maine. Monitored closely by the College of the Atlantic’s Alice Eno Research Station, this island is vital habitat for many of the North Atlantic’s iconic species.
The 2015 super moon eclipse, clearly visible in the dark skies off of Acadia National Park . A “super moon” is when a full or new moon just about coincides with “perigee” (the point the moon is closest to the Earth during its orbit). This makes the moon seem much larger than usual, particularly around moon rise. In 2015, the super moon and a spectacular full lunar eclipse coincided, creating a phenomenal astronomical event to watch, and the first time it had happened since 1982.
The Milky Way cruises over Otter Cliffs in Acadia National Park. The dark night skies over Maine make for excellent star viewing, with winter being the best time of year to view the spectacle.
An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) gliding in front of a large wave. This adult is returning to its burrow after foraging. These auks nest in underground burrow, typically only raising one chick per year. Now one of the most populous birds in the North Atlantic, these "clown-faced" birds are commonly associated with the Maine coast.
A Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) hunting for its hungry young.
Great Duck Light at Alice Eno Research Station. 12 miles out to sea from Acadia National Park.
The Big Dipper sits framed over the Bubbles, viewed from Jordan Pond on a chilly evening in Acadia National Park.
A sleeping Barred Owl (Strix varia) resting in the early morning light near its nest.
Sunset over the pink granite cliffs off of Sand Beach in Acadia National Park. This granite is unique to the region, and is what drew the Hudson River Valley painters here originally. Being approximately 420 million years old, the beautiful rock is a sign of the island’s volcanic past.