Wings, Waves & Woods Festival

May 17 -19

2024

All Birders Welcome!

Island Heritage Trust’s Annual Wings, Waves, & Woods Festival is a volunteer-run, non-profit event that makes birding accessible to all. The Festival offers a mix of activities surrounding birding, boating, nature, history, and creativity. The popular boat trip to Seal Island offers sightings of Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, Northern Gannets, and others. Up to two dozen species of warblers can be seen on the various guided walks on Island Heritage Trust’s preserves, as well as shorebirds nesting and breeding along our extensive shoreline. Attend just one activity, or enjoy an entire weekend experiencing the vibrant lands and working waterfront of Deer Isle – Stonington Maine.

View the Festival Schedule & Register Below.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

This Schedule is being updated with new details weekly! Thank you for your patience.

DOWNLOAD THE FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Free Webinar Registration: Uber Driver for the Birds with Ellen Campbell

THURSDAY, MAY 16, 4-5PM et

Join Blue Hill Heritage Trust and Island Heritage Trust for our next Friends From the Field Webinar: Uber Driver for the Birds! Our guest is Ellen Campbell who is a board member of the Penobscot Valley Chapter of Maine Audubon and the Holden Land Trust, and a Holden Town Councilor. Ellen will discuss her volunteer work with the Avian Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility in Freedom Maine. Part of this work requires picking up birds in distress that have been rescued, and occasionally capturing injured work and transporting them to Avian Haven so they can hopefully be released back into the wild.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

OTHER ISLAND COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

FRIDAY, MAY 17

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Rabbit Hill Tulip Show 148 Barbour Farm Road, Stonington

Hop on Over to Rabbit Hill! Rabbit Hill, an Emily Muir designed cottage, boasts expansive views of Rabbit Island and Crockett Cove. Nestled in the treetops with the 200 acre nature preserve behind the granite boulders, the land is abundant with birds, native pollinators, fox, deer and wild rabbits. Owners Cheryl Wixson and Phillip McFarland have created a self-sustainable homestead and rabbit farm planted with over 800 tulips.

The Tulip Show, a glorious showcase of nature, happens every spring. Birders of all ages are invited to hike to shore, explore the adjacent Crockett Cove Woods Preserve, bring a picnic, and be surprised!

FRIDAY, MAY 17 – SUNDAY, MAY 19

10am and 2pm start times Osprey Echo Sea Kayaking

Register at www.OspreysEcho.com

Osprey’s Echo Sea Kayaking is hosting a unique opportunity to appreciate the birds and other wildlife in the Stonington archipelago. Seeing the wildlife from the quiet and relaxing bow of a kayak can be a dreamlike opportunity to see bald eagles, osprey, guillemot, cormorant, and a number of other interesting natives, including local nesting habitats. In a kayak you can always get a unique and beautiful view! The odds of seeing one of our curious seals are also good, especially during their spring pup season. Osprey’s Echo will be providing the services of an experienced kayak guide who has a deep knowledge of the area and history of our beautiful island.

10 am and 2 pm start times
$50 a person
Tour will be a mellow paddle of the Webb Cove or the near area, highlights will be some of the known bird nest’s in our area as well as other wildlife.
Some expected birds to be seen: Osprey’s, Bald Eagles, Guillemots, Seagull’s, Cormorants, and many more
It is also Seal pup season, so there is a decent chance of seeing seals(from an appropriate distance)
Tour size can be up to 10-12
Wetsuits are included

SATURDAY, MAY 18

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Evergreen Garden Club Plant Sale

Old Deer Isle Elementary School

The plants for this annual sale are grown by Evergreen Garden Club members. Plants include perennials, veggie seedlings, flower seedlings, fruit trees, and herbs. The funds raised will help support Mariners Memorial Park for another year’s worth of mowing, insurance, road repair, and maintenance. A raffle will also be held. Old Deer Isle Elementary School is across from the Congregational Church, Route 15, Deer Isle. Rain site is Deer Isle Town Hall.