For over 75 years the National Audubon Society has offered residential birding programs for adults, teens and families at the historic Audubon Camp in Maine on Hog Island.   Pete Dunne, Scott Weidensaul, Steve Kress, Lang Elliott, Don Kroodsma, Bill Thompson III and many more expert ornithologists, naturalists, educators and authors will be in residence during the 2012 sessions.  Most programs sell out months in advance, so it is worth registering early.  Nearly 100 scholarships are offered each year by local Audubon Chapters and birding clubs.

Website: http://hogisland.audubon.org

2012 Programs:
Maine Seabird Biology & Conservation - June 3-8 & Sept 9-14
Joy of Birding - June 10-15 & June 24-29
Field Ornithology - June 17—22
Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens - June 17—22 & June 24—29
Sharing Nature: An Educator's Week- July 19—24
Family Camp - August 19—24
Audubon Chapter Leadership Program - August 26—31
Living on the Wind: Fall Migration and Monhegan Island - September 16—21

All 2012 programs are run by the Seabird Restoration Program (Project Puffin) of the National Audubon Society. Summer sessions include a trip to nearby Eastern Egg Rock, where Dr. Steve Kress and his team of biologists have successfully restored an island colony of Atlantic Puffins, and Roseate, Arctic and Common Terns. In addition, you will enjoy trips to fresh and saltwater marshes, blueberry barrens, coastal beaches, islands, and spruce-fir forests. Participants live in restored wooden buildings on 330-acre Hog Island and are treated to fabulous meals by chef extraordinaire Janii Laberge. 

The Audubon Camp in Maine is considered by many to be the birthplace of the environmental education movement in the United States.  Those who attend join a legacy of naturalists inspired by Hog Island including Roger Tory Peterson, the camp’s first birding instructor in 1936, naturalist Rachel Carson, and Mabel Loomis Todd, editor of Emily Dickinson’s poetry transcribed on Hog Island.

Recent post by Hog Island instructor, blogger and NPR commentator Julie Zickefoose:
http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/2011/01/hog-island-hard-sell.html

For more information or to enroll, visit http://hogisland.audubon.org. You may also contact Erica Marx, Program Coordinator, at hogisland@audubon.org or call (607) 257-7308 x 14.  There is a $25 earlybird discount for registrations received by January 15th (all programs except Maine Seabird Biology & Conservation).