Mid-Coast Audubon owns and manages four refuges open to the public for quiet recreation on the trails. These refuges are natural areas and we allow nature to take its course except for the trail system. Birders are encouraged to use the refuges and the trail system in all seasons.
Davis Bog Preserve is a 98-acre white cedar wetland in the Town of Morrill. Access is by a 10-foot wide right of way over lands of Rudy Hamm on the Higgins Hill Road, about one mile from Route 3, east of the state’s Ruffingham Meadow Preserve. The trail is 0.7-mile down the hill and through the part of the preserve above water level. The Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition has created an aerial photo and detailed directions. Follow these links for eBird Hotspot data and iNaturalist observations.
The 30-acre Guy Van Duyn Preserve is on Route 220, 1.6 miles south of Waldoboro. Park on the west berm and look for the trailhead near the northern boundary along a rock wall. The main 0.4-mile trail descends from ME-220 to the shores of the Medomak River. The trail bisects diverse habitats and vegetation, from upland oak, spruce forest, field, riparian hardwoods. The trail ends at the edge of a tidal salt marsh on the Medomak River, and there is a tiny place to stand amidst the brush to look out over the water. Waterfowl, shorebirds, and more than 80 species of songbirds may be seen, depending upon the season. Follow these links for eBird Hotspot data and iNaturalist observations.
The Nelson Nature Preserve is 95 acres on Route 97, about 1 mile north of Friendship Village. Watch for the sign and parking lot on the west side of the road. There are several trails through diverse habitats, from upland mixed forest to unique red maple swamp fronting the Goose River. Proximity to the coast makes this an excellent spring birding location for warblers and year-round for dense forest-dwellers such as thrushes and woodpeckers. The western half of the property is marshy and best hiked only in winter. Follow these links for eBird Hotspot data and iNaturalist observations.
The 3-acre Weskeag River Wildlife Preserve is a narrow strip of land 0.1 mile from Route 73, on Waterman’s Beach Road just past Snowdeal Road. The 0.2-mile trail through spruce, balsam fir and red maple forest leads to 300 feet of frontage on the Weskeag River. Birding the dense forest can reveal migrating songbirds in spring and fall. Shoreline viewing can include seabirds and wading birds. Follow these links for eBird Hotspot data and iNaturalist observations.
Visitor Guidelines – Enjoy & Protect the Preserves
- Please follow Leave No Trace principles by packing out all trash and being respectful to the property. No overnight camping or fires are allowed.
- Foraging can be damaging to the ecosystem. Please observe but leave all plants where they are.
- Hunting, trapping, and the discharge of firearms are prohibited on Mid-Coast Audubon properties.
- Trails are intended for human foot traffic only. We ask that you refrain from taking motorized vehicles and bicycles on the trails, mobility aids excluded.
- Drones are disruptive to wildlife, so we ask that you leave them at home.
- Dogs are wonderful, but they can also be highly disruptive to nesting birds and introduce harmful bacteria to the environment. In order to make our properties a true refuge for wildlife, we do not allow dogs, other than registered service animals, on Mid-Coast Audubon Preserves.
iNaturalist Project
In an effort to characterize the biodiversity present at the Preserves, Mid-Coast Audubon created an iNaturalist Project to compile observations. We would love your help: consider uploading observations of plants, fungi, insects, and any other form of life to iNaturalist. Observations from within our preserves’ boundaries will automatically become part of the Project, but we encourage all visitors to join the Project and see what’s been reported at our Preserves!
Project Link: Mid-Coast Audubon Preserves iNaturalist Project
New to iNaturalist? Here’s how to get started!