By Melissa Kim
When you think of visiting the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center, you might think of the canoe and kayak tours that take you out onto the water. But did you know there’s a walking trail too? Just across Pine Point Road from the Nature Center, there’s a Nature Trail that skirts the edge of the marsh.
Along this short path there are signs with rotating content, and here you can learn about the wildlife and habitat of the marsh. This summer, look for “Birds of the Marsh” which showcases paintings by Emerson Frost, an illustration major at Maine College of Art and Design. These paintings were created in part as a component of an internship with Maine Audubon.
More than 260 species of birds have been seen in Scarborough Marsh. The marsh is officially recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA). IBAs are part of a global effort to identify areas that are most critical for long-term bird conservation and must meet a set of criteria which are focused primarily on large concentrations of birds, species of conservation concern, and species diversity. Scarborough Marsh was Maine’s first recognized IBA due to its great ecological value. The marsh offers a quiet resting and feeding area for migrating birds and provides a nursery and shelter for animals. Marshes also buffer stormy seas, slow shoreline erosion, filter sediments and pollutants from water, and absorb excess nutrients before they reach the ocean.
This summer, walk the Nature Trail to learn about American Black Duck, Eastern Willet, Red-winged Blackbirds, Least Terns, Saltmarsh Sparrows, Glossy Ibis, and, of course, Great and Snowy Egrets. Learn to spot the difference between a Great and Snowy Egret, find out why climate change is creating serious threats to Saltmarsh Sparrows, and why cormorants spread their wings out to dry!
Marsh Events: Summer 2025
Canoe/Kayak Rentals | Daily 9 am–4 pm
Guided Canoe Tours (Starting June 25) | Daily 10–11:30 am
Full-Moon Canoe Tours | June 9, 10: 7:30–9 pm; July 8, 9, 10: 7:45–9:15 pm
Sunset Canoe Tours | July 20, 7:30–9 pm
Guided Kayak Tour | July 25, 2-3:30 pm
Early Morning Bird Walks | Wednesdays, 8 am
Marsh-Wide Bird Survey | July 12, 7:30-10:30 am
Family Nature Walk:
“Mummichugs and Marsh Muck” | Wednesdays, 10:30 am–12 pm – Explore the marsh through discovery-oriented activities that use all five senses.
Exploring Nature Through Art | July 24, 31, 10:30 am–12 pm (Ages 5–10 years)
Cat Tales Story Hour | July 22; 10:30 am–12 pm (Ages 3–5 years with an adult)
Tiny Tot Tour | July 17; 10:30–11:30 am (Ages 3–5 years with an adult)
Nature Pottery | July 15, 29; 10:30 am–12 pm (Ages 8–11 years)
Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center
92 Pine Point Road | 207-883-5100
Many programs are free and open to drop-ins. Others require registration and payment. For more information, visit MaineAudubon.org/Events.
