Best Places for Wildlife Viewing in Maine? (Bangor, Ellsworth: camp, live in)

[Fiddlehead]

Hi all:

If I were to take a 6 year old boy with me on a short hike, boat ride, canoe trip, drive, where would be some great places to see Maine wildlife? Not picky, coast to woods to mountains to lakes to rivers to marshes all sound good to us, and we like everything from mink and muskrat up to moose and whales. The boy particularly likes seeing foxes and raptors. Birds too, all kinds. I like bobcats, but I am kind of doubting I will ever see one except by accident.

[FNolan]

Good question, I'd like to know too. I don't know personally but heard anywhere around Moose Head lake is good.

[Kracer]

Might try a trip to Sunkhaze meadows up rt 2 north of Bangor. Great website as well.
Bangor forest with a wooden boardwalk.

Schooner point just outside Bar Harbor and before you get into Acadia has a perrigrine falcon nesting.

I-95 north and south around, before and after mile marker 152 has active osprey nests. Have seen lolloing coyotes sitting on the rock outcroppings checking out the traffic. Neat fox with a rabbit in its mouth trotting alongside I-95 near Sidney. Keep your eyes perked.

Birdsacre off rt 3 leaving Ellsworth heading to Bar Harbor.

One of the best moose crossings on lower I-95 is in Bangor near the Kenduskeag.

Random eagles seen all along the Penobscot. Watched one in the Greenbush area cruise by.

Oftern come across bold fox in some of the Acadia drive areas as they get accustomed to scraps being tossed their way by park visitors. Bad idea to do this. Foxes down here on Long beach island got so bold as to stop cars by walking out in front of them to beg for food.

Moose point state park on the coast near Belfast. Eagles patrol the skies.

Otherwise critters are where you find them..... all over!!

Check out the book "Quiet Waters of Maine", a paddlers guide to many small lakes and ponds. speaks of commonly seen critters and plants in each location.

Lot of beaver just about anywhere. Had been a crew on the northern end of Graham Lake that just love to snaek up on you through the misty quiet morning and slam their tail against the water's surface. Hang on to your heart.

Rachael Carson Preserse has scattered parcels and would make good viewing.

Check out the Maine state fish and wildlfe site for directions to many state game lands.

Query moose on this site and find many suggestions for areas to see a moose.

[tcrackly]

If you can fine trails, watersheds away from the madding crowds, Moosehead, the Rangely area. The wildlife is all over the state,just more skittish in populated areas. I saw a lot of wildlife when I stayed at Baxter State Park.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

East of Lincoln the deer have had a very easy winter. They are out in the fields eating dry brown grass along with the turkeys. You can see up to 50 deer in a field. The Milo to Sebec area is also good to see deer when the fields are bare and there is still snow in the woods.

Snowing hard here at the moment.

[Newdaawn]

I guess it depends what you are looking for. If you specificaly want to see moose, Greenville area and over around Rangeley Lake. We have never been to Rangeley without seeing several. If you live in Southern Maine you might consider the Rachael Carson Refuge.

[ADSLubec]

If it is raptors and birds you want then Lubec may be the ticket. So many eagles that is is almost ho-hum to see them. Plenty of hawks and of course shorebirds galore. Bonus is the marine mammals you can see right from shore. Whales, porpoise and especially seals are easy to spot. You can see deer,fox and moose if you are lucky.

Alan

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by ADSLubec

If it is raptors and birds you want then Lubec may be the ticket. So many eagles that is is almost ho-hum to see them. Plenty of hawks and of course shorebirds galore. Bonus is the marine mammals you can see right from shore. Whales, porpoise and especially seals are easy to spot. You can see deer,fox and moose if you are lucky.

Alan

I love seeing eagles, although our national bird has some unsavory habits. I usually see Bald Eagles, have only seen Goldens a few times (even more majestic, if possible). Usually, we see Bald Eagles in snags by the edge of lakes, and when an Osprey catches a trout, the Eagle will bully it into dropping it. The other day, I was heading up interstate 5 in Oregon saw a Bald Eagle flying south, right over the median strip. I suppose the grand bird was scouting for road kill...! Hey, whatever works....

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by ADSLubec

If it is raptors and birds you want then Lubec may be the ticket. So many eagles that is is almost ho-hum to see them. Plenty of hawks and of course shorebirds galore. Bonus is the marine mammals you can see right from shore. Whales, porpoise and especially seals are easy to spot. You can see deer,fox and moose if you are lucky.

Alan

We see eagles all the time at the camp in Charlotte. They perch in a tree near the camp. Got to see an owl pick a squirrel out of a tree on the lawn last summer.

[mainebrokerman]

i like the rangeley area for seeing a moose- we stayed a week on loon pond a few yrs back and saw more moose than i have ever seen before.

deer, you are apt to see crossing the street, just about anywhere out in the country.