Backyard forests panel, 4:10 p.m. Tuesday in the McCormick Lecture Hall at College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor. Discussion by COA faculty members and local experts. Contact John Visvader at jvisvader@coa.edu or 288-5015.

Ted Ames talk, 4:10 p.m. Thursday in the McCormick Lecture Hall at College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor. Ames, a researcher, fisherman and MacArthur fellow, will discuss cod and alewives. Contact Chris Petersen at chrisp@coa.edu or 288-5015.

Additional Photos

Learn about the owls that live in the Maine woods and experience the thrill of seeing an owl on Friday at 7 p.m. at Viles Arboretum in Augusta. Courtesy photo

Wildflower walk at L.C. Bates Museum at Good Will-Hinckley, Saturday, 10 a.m. Learn to identify local wildflowers and what is blossoming and budding in spring. Everyone attending this walk will create a small flower press to bring home. FMI: Call 238-4250 or email lcbates@gwh.org.

Women’s Fly Fishing Day, Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., on the banks of the Sebasticook River in Winslow. Bring your own fly rod or use one from the Kennebec Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s loan closet. Sandwiches, chips and beverages will be provided by the chapter, and there is no charge for lessons, equipment or lunch. Reservations are requested, and directions will be provided when you sign up. Call or email event coordinator Greg Ponte at 724-2861 or gponte@roadrunner.com.

Bird celebration at Viles Arboretum in Augusta. On Friday at 7 p.m., learn about the owls that live in our Maine woods and experience the thrill of seeing an owl. On Saturday, a full day of events is scheduled, including a bird walk and activities for kids. FMI: Go to www.vilesarboretum.org or call 626-7989.

York County Audubon Warbler Walk with Linda Eastman, 7 a.m. Thursday, Rotary Park, Biddeford. Meet at the baseball field parking lot. From Route 1, take Main Street west for 1 mile. The park is on the right. Contact Julie Suchecki at 510-1323 or go to www.yorkcountyaudubon.org.

ATV safety course, sponspored by the Skowhegan Sportsman’s Club, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. To register, contact Russ Corson at 474-5361.

Chainsaw training classes, hosted by David Jenney and Mike Maines. The first will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday at Jenney’s woodlot in Vassalboro. The rain date is May 21. This class is a basic introduction to using your chainsaw, which will be similar to the Level 1 Game of Logging training. The second class is at 9 a.m. June 4, also at Jenney’s woodlot. The rain date is June 11. This class will focus on reduced downtime maintenance and filing. Both classes cost $75, with a minimum of seven people required for the class to take place. Advance registration and payment required. Contact Jenney at dgjenney@gmail.com or 923-3483.

Looking ahead

Bird day at L.C. Bates Museum at Good Will-Hinckley, May 15, 1-3 p.m. There will be a guided outdoor bird walk and hands-on activities. Families are invited to drop in to discover sounds and calls of birds, touch feathers, look at bird skulls and feet and construct a paper bird to bring home. FMI: Call 238-4250 or email lcbates@gwh.org.

L.L.Bean Bike Weekend, Friday to May 15, Freeport campus. Bike clinics, group rides, a time trial bike race and more. FMI: Go to www.llbean.com/freeport or call (800) 559-0747, ext. 37222.

Wings, Waves & Woods, a weekend festival of birding and art, May 20-22 in Deer Isle. Events include birding walks, presentations by Maine Birding Trail founder Bob Duchesne, boat and kayak excursions to view eagles, sea birds and puffins, as well as artist studio demonstrations and a chowder supper. For details, visit www.islandheritage trust.org, www.deerislemaine.com or call 348-2455.

Fly casting demonstration and training session, May 21, 10 a.m.-12 noon. Join Georges River Land Trust and Trout Unlimited for a fly-fishing demonstration. Learn how to fly cast or improve your skills at the Canal Path in Searsmont. Bring boots and fly rod if you have them. Suitable for adults and children 10 and older who are accompanied by an adult. The event is open to the public and free to members of GRLT; or $10 for others. Limited to 15 people. Call GRLT office at 594-5166 by May 19 to register.

Handgun safety class, 6-9 p.m. May 25 at the Gardiner Sportsmen’s Club. This class meets the requirements for a safety class to qualify for a concealed firearms permit. The cost is $60. Call 441-7870 to register.

Hunter safety course, Winslow Fire Department. This is a 12-hour course. Classes are held 6-9 p.m. May 31 and June 2, and 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on June 4. Call Don Perrine at 660-6382 to register and for details.

The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust offers explorations to learn about a watershed from its source to the sea. Field trips will investigate Nequasset Brook in Woolwich, from its clear waters that filter through forest soil to the reservoir that supplies Bath’s drinking water, to a historic fish ladder and out to Hanson Bay and the sea. Next trip is 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. May 21. Registration is required. Call 442-8400 or email aheyburn@kennebecestuary.org.

Family fishing festival, June 4, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., sponsored by Upper Andro Anglers Alliance in co-operation with Trout Unlimited. The festival will be held at Angevine Park on the North Road in Bethel. Free casting workshops and fly-tying instruction will be available. FMI: Call 824-3694 or email fish@upperandro.com.

Ongoing

Bird walks, Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust will sponsor a series of four Friday morning Warbler and Wildflower walks around Orland and Bucksport, starting Friday from 7:30-9 a.m. Meet GPMCT Executive Director Cheri Domina for the first walk at Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery in East Orland. Bring binoculars and bug spray for this easy stroll. On May 15 at 7:30 a.m., Domina will lead a walk on Bump Hill in East Orland. Bring sturdy shoes, binocs, bug spray and a camera. Call 469-2008 or email info@greatpondtrust.org for more information on these or future walks.

Night at the L.C. Bates Musuem at Good Will-Hinckley. Owl Prowl, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Explore the owls of the museum, dissect an owl pellet, examine owl skulls and listen to the haunting sound of owls of our forests. All About Bats, May 25, 6:30 p.m. Examine a bat skull, try on bat “ears,” make a bat mask out of paper and discover the many bat specimens in the museum’s collections. FMI: Call 238-4250 or email lcbates@gwh.org.

Maine Guide training programs: June 6-8 at the Bingham North Country Rivers Headquarters; June 7-10 at the Penobscot County Conservation Clubhouse in Brewer; June 9-12 at the Windham/Gorham Rod and Gun Club; July 7-10 at the Penobscot County Conservation Association Clubhouse; July 28-31 at the Phippsburg Sportsman’s Club. The course prepares students for taking the state’s licensing exam for recreational, hunting and fishing guides. The cost is $475, and a $200 deposit is required upon registration. FMI or to register, contact Carroll Ware at Fins and Furs Adventures at 474-5430.

The Kennebec Land Trust Outing Club offers events for active adults age 21 and older. The club is a great way to explore the outdoors, get to know Kennebec Land Trust properties and socialize. Excursions are free to trust members or $5 for non-members. For a schedule, go to www.tklt.org, and call 377-2848 to register for outings.

Weekly Bird Walk, 7 a.m. Thursdays at Gilsland Farm, off Route 1, Falmouth, $5 for Maine Audubon members, $8 for nonmembers. Bring binoculars and a field guide and meet in the visitor center parking lot. For more information, call 781-2330, ext. 209.

Spring Hawk Watch, Bradbury Mountain State Park, Pownal. Freeport Wild Bird Supply teams up with Nikon Sport Optics to collect data while providing an educational experience for visitors. Andy Northrup, official counter, will be at the Bradbury summit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily until May 15. The hawk watch is free, but there is a park entry fee. Go to www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com to learn more.

Guided trail walks with local Kennebec Messalonskee Trails volunteers at various locations in the Waterville area, offered several days a week throughout the summer and fall. Free; all welcome. For walk locations and times, visit www.kmtrails.org.

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