Wildlife & Nature

We’re building out the full wildlife guide now. In the meantime, here’s a preview of what we’re covering — each of these will have a dedicated section with timing, logistics, and where to go.

• Puffins

  Atlantic puffins nest on several offshore islands each summer. Boat tours depart from Jonesport and Bar Harbor from late May through August. We're writing this one up properly.

• Bald Eagles

  Cobscook Bay and the shores around Eastport and Lubec have some of the highest concentrations of nesting bald eagles on the East Coast. Year-round residents.

• Harbor Seals

  Harbor seals haul out on ledges throughout the archipelago around Stonington and Deer Isle. Visible from kayak and from shore at low tide.

• Shorebird Migration

  Late July through September, Cobscook Bay hosts significant shorebird migration — semipalmated sandpipers, dunlin, and black-bellied plovers in numbers that surprised even experienced birders.

• Moose

  The barrens and bog land of Washington County — particularly along Route 9 between Bangor and Calais — is prime moose habitat. Dawn and dusk are the windows.

• Whale Watching

  Finback, minke, and humpback whales are present in the Gulf of Maine through the summer months. Trips depart from Bar Harbor; three to four hours each way.