Upcoming Events
Fernald Winter Bird Fest - Wellness Benefits of Birding
A virtual program - Details TBA
Join award-winning author and nature-based wellness specialist and professional birding guide, Holly Merker, as she shares why being in nature and specifically birdwatching is good for our physical and mental wellbeing in this engaging program.
The Mindful Birding Project - Webinar
This event will be held as a webinar for Audubon of the Rockies and is a grant-funded project of the Ft Collins Audubon along with collaborators Dr. Barbara Patterson, Dr. Holly Thomas, and Holly Merker
The Mindful Birding Project Webinar
This event will be held as a webinar for National Audubon and is a grant-funded project of the Ft Collins Audubon along with collaborators Dr. Barbara Patterson, Dr. Holly Thomas, and Holly Merker
The Wellness Benefits of Feeding Wild Birds
Wild Birds Unlimited Columbus, Ohio
Research shows that connecting with nature actively reduces stress, depression, and anxiety, while helping build a stronger heart and immune system. Wild birds offer the perfect gateway into deeper experiences with nature, magnifying these benefits. By setting aside time to notice birds outside our windows and doors we are doing something good for them, and ourselves.
Through observation, we can learn not only about birds, but gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to birds, how to maximize the wellness benefits of bird feeding and bringing birds closer and learn about the latest research surrounding the impact of birds on human wellbeing.
The Wellness Benefits of Ornitherapy &Bird Feeding
Research shows that connecting with nature actively reduces stress, depression, and anxiety, while helping build a stronger heart and immune system. Wild birds offer the perfect gateway into deeper experiences with nature, magnifying these benefits. By setting aside time to notice birds outside our windows and doors we are doing something good for them, and ourselves.
Through observation, we can learn not only about birds, but gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to birds, how to maximize the wellness benefits of bird feeding and bringing birds closer and learn about the latest research surrounding the impact of birds on human wellbeing.
Panama : The Canal Zone and Chiriqui Highlands
This 10-night trip showcases the best of Central Panama and the Western Highlands. We’ll spend the first four days in the “Canal Zone”, just an hour outside of Panama City, where lush tropical rainforests offer rich, dazzling birdlife, flamboyant butterflies, sloths, and several species of monkeys. On Day five we take an in-country flight to the province of Chiriquí. Here, retreating into the cloud forest there is a vastly avifuana. We nestle into the magnificent montane landscape for the 5 days of exploration, including an optional excursion up to Volcán Barú, Panama’s highest peak.
Evening Forest Bathing
The lush and thoughtfully stewarded landscapes and garden at Rushton Farm provide the perfect backdrop for reaping the wellness benefits that nature provides us.
With origins inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku, Forest Bathing or Forest Therapy, harnesses the health and restorative benefits the natural world holds for us. This experience will be a bit different than a traditional outdoor guided walk, not focusing on sharing naturalist knowledge or identification, but instead allowing the forest and birds to intentionally guide us into slowing our pace by a skilled leader who is a Certified Forest Therapy Guide.
With a framework of guided “invitations” centering around biodiversity and the forest, we will deepen our connections to nature by engaging the senses, noticing, and awakening our experience of reciprocity with the natural world. A tea ceremony will be included to culminate the experience as we celebrate the summer landscapes and the forest. Forest Bathing can be calming, contemplative, mindful, revealing, soothing, awe inspiring, and more. Any skill-level of experience in nature is welcomed. This is a great way to celebrate spring and boost your wellbeing.
Learning the Language of Birds
For Mt Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware
In person immersive, both outdoors and indoors for a well-rounded experience. We’ll put learned skills from the workshop into practice outdoors as part of this experience.
Learn how, why, and when birds sing, and come away with foundational skills for understanding and learning the language of the birds right outside your own doors.
Dress for the weather, bring your binoculars (some will be provided), and wear practical shoes for walking over uneven paths. Pace will be slow and accommodate most mobility levels.
Ornitherapy & Mindful Birding
Hockessin, Delaware, USA
Surround yourself with the beautiful landscapes of the nationally recognized Mt Cuba Center, and settle into absorbing the wellness benefits that Ornitherapy, a practice of Mindful Birding, has to provide us all.
Author and mindful birding leader, Holly Merker, will provide the background on how and why taking time to observe the birds around us supports our mental and physical wellbeing. Part of the program will be indoors, then we’ll head outside for an experience with birds where Holly will teach us how to harness the powers of Ornitherapy with the birds right in our own backyards.
Space is limited to ensure a small group experience. Register here
The Mindful Birding Project
An in-person workshop and day-long immersive in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In collaboration and partnership with Barbara Patterson of Ft Collins Audubon, and other organizations.
Forest Bathing with Birds - Earth Day Celebration
For the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club
Trip Leader: Holly Merker
Free to all members and non-members
Celebrate Earth Day by deepening your connection with the forest, and birds around you. With origins inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku, or Forest Bathing, harnesses the health and restorative benefits the natural world holds for us. Birds intertwine with all habitats, and through a framework of guided “invitations” centering around them, we can deepen our connections to nature by engaging the senses, noticing, and awakening our experience of reciprocity with the natural world.
This experience will be a bit different than a traditional outdoor guided walk, not focusing on sharing naturalist knowledge or identification, but instead allowing the forest and birds to intentionally guide us into to slowing our pace. A tea celebration among the group will be included in the experience as we celebrate earth day, birds, and the natural world around us.
Led by Holly Merker, certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide and certified Forest Therapy Practitioner, Wellness Counselor, Mindful Birding specialist, and professional birding guide. Holly is a DVOC Fellow and Life Member who is excited to share this new approach to wellness with the club.
Limited to 12 people; contact leader to reserve your spot at ornitherapy@gmail.com
Specific details on what to bring, preparing for weather, what to expect will be shared via email from Holly upon sign up.
Pacing: This program has been developed for most all mobility levels. In tradition with Forest Bathing principals, this will be a slow-paced experience on unpaved trails, some with elevation, and will include gathering time where we’ll sit and sometimes stand, for short periods of time.
More details will be provided upon sign-up.
Spring Migration Celebration
With Holly Merker and Alex Harper
Spring Migration Celebration at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
A two-day event featuring workshops, field trips, and more as we celebrate birds in springtime in one of the most majestic and serene locations in the United States
Details and signups to be announced soon!
Mindful Birding for Penn Memory Center
A special program for the Penn Memory Center designed for patients and caregivers
Spring Birds of Acadia with Puffin Cruise
Schoodic Institute’s Seth Benz is joined by Holly Merker, an author of Ornitherapy, to lead this leisurely all-inclusive tour designed to enhance your enjoyment of all birds, especially those that frequent or pass through Acadia National Park and its immediate surroundings.
We’ll move at a leisurely pace while learning about bird song and sight identification, bird habitats and behavior, and we’ll pay extra attention to enhancing your field birding skills and enjoyment of nature. The entire tour will be based out of Schoodic Institute, a research and learning center, ideally situated just a stone’s throw from Schoodic Point, a migration checkpoint that tallies tens of thousands of passing birds annually. Lodging is in cozy cabins where you will be awakened by birdsong – Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, and Magnolia Warbler. Blue-headed vireos and Northern Parula warblers often serenade you as you walk to Schooner Commons, the Institute’s dining hall. Maine has a way of spoiling birders – and this spring tour is designed to do just that.
Spring Migration & Monhegan Island
Mark Garland Session Director with Holly Merker and Tom Reed
Join us for a special spring experience in Mid-coast Maine. Birding highlights will be nesting species on territory and late spring migrants heading to breeding grounds.
The week includes an overnight trip by boat to Monhegan Island, a world-renowned migratory hotspot, beautiful island village, and vibrant artists’ colony. We’ll walk several short trails on the island, enjoying the spectacular scenery while searching for songbirds. Another highlight of the week is an excursion to Eastern Egg Rock, famous for its nesting Atlantic Puffins and three species of terns. Walks on Hog Island and at nearby mainland sites take us to a variety of habitats and, hopefully, a great assortment of birds, which will be in their most brilliant breeding plumage. We’ll visit spruce forests, meadows, rocky coastlines, and perhaps other habitats. Back at camp and on our walks, we’ll discuss details of migration, conservation challenges facing birds, and the fast-growing practice of mindful birding.
Register here: https://hogisland.audubon.org/programs/spring-monhegan
Mindful Birding at Dusk
Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
Watching birds is not only fun, but good for you! Learn why getting your daily dose of Ornitherapy is just what the doctor ordered….
Ornitherapy leads to a more mindful approach to the observation of birds, benefitting our mind, body, and soul.
We’re pushed and pulled in many directions, no matter our age. If we allow birds and nature to slow us down, we are practicing a form of self care. Research shows that exposure to nature actively reduces stress, depression, and anxiety, while helping build a stronger heart and immune system.
Birds are gateways into deeper experiences with nature, magnifying these benefits. Through observation, we can learn not only about birds, but gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation.
The Joy of Birding
Session Director: Holly Merker
This session aims to provide a better understanding of birds while expanding upon your skills in identifying by sight and by ear. Surround yourself in the splendors and nurturing land and seascapes of coastal Maine, while living on a quiet island surrounded by birds.
With a multi-talented staff to help guide you, the emphasis will focus on building upon your birding skills and enhancing your joy, while showing you some of the iconic coastal Maine bird life. Think puffins, terns, guillemots, warblers, Bobolinks, and more!
We’ll provide engaging workshops, field trips, and programs each day, offering you a front-row -view to dynamic seabird colonies, lush summer landscapes on the mainland, and the rich and historic forests and trails that exist on Hog Island itself.
A focus will be on techniques such as: birding by ear, optimizing your optics, using apps for birding, field identification techniques, and more. You will take-away new birding skills and expand on those you already have – useful for wherever life takes you.
Join us in experiencing the transformative magic of Hog Island Camp. Absorb nature’s rich boost of relaxation, a renewed sense of wonder and discovery, while learning with new friends. It will be a joy that will last a lifetime.
Please note that this session runs concurrently with Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens. You will overlap with the teen campers during meals and evening programs, which makes for a wonderful opportunity for sharing the joy of birding across different ages!
Ornitherapy Workshop
Join us for an interactive outdoor experience in Old Saybrook.
Through observation, we can learn not only about birds, but gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to birds, how to maximize the wellness benefits of bird feeding and bringing birds closer and learn about the latest research surrounding the impact of birds on human wellbeing.
Mindful Birding Retreat : Panama
Whitehawk Birding with Holly Merker
Led by Marta Curti, Jenn Sinisac, and Holly Merker
This 7-day mindful birding retreat is set in the lush highlands of western Panama.
On this retreat, we will be joined by Holly Merker, co author of Ornitherapy: For your Mind, Body and Soul and Founder of the Mindful Birding Network.
At times we will gather for workshops about mindful birding, and plenty of time will also be available for optional mindful activities, including yoga, meditation, Forest Therapy, nature sketching, and free time to enjoy in nature.
To learn more, click this link: Panama Mindful Birding Retreat
Forest Bathing at Rushton Farm
Newtown Square, PA
The lush and thoughtfully stewarded landscapes and garden at Rushton Farm provide the perfect backdrop for reaping the wellness benefits that nature provides us.
With origins inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku, Forest Bathing or Forest Therapy, harnesses the health and restorative benefits the natural world holds for us. This experience will be a bit different than a traditional outdoor guided walk, not focusing on sharing naturalist knowledge or identification, but instead allowing the forest and birds to intentionally guide us into slowing our pace by a skilled leader who is a Certified Forest Therapy Guide.
With a framework of guided “invitations” centering around biodiversity and the forest, we will deepen our connections to nature by engaging the senses, noticing, and awakening our experience of reciprocity with the natural world. A tea ceremony will be included to culminate the experience as we celebrate the summer landscapes and the forest. Forest Bathing can be calming, contemplative, mindful, revealing, soothing, awe inspiring, and more. Any skill-level of experience in nature is welcomed. This is a great way to celebrate late summer and boost your wellbeing.
Mindful Birding: Rekindling Our Connections to Nature
A multi-day experience - Hog Island Audubon Camp, Bremen, Maine USA
led by Holly Merker, Rebekah Lowell, Sabina Molander, and more
Limited Space: Registration opens December 3, 2024
There’s no better place to spend time decompressing and rejuvenating than Hog Island, and we are thrilled to offer this brand-new program for 2025. Centering on the restorative qualities of birds and nature, we’ll optimize the wellness benefits modern research and ancient wisdom affirms that nature provides us.
Globally recognized for its health enhancing effects, nature-based wellness programming is making a widespread splash in wellness trends. With a team of skilled and certified instructors, this session will incorporate techniques in mindful birding, nature journaling, yoga, and forest bathing (Shinrin Yoku), all within the peaceful and picturesque surroundings of Muscongus Bay.
Daily excursions on land and water will deepen our connections to birds and nature, fostering experiences of awe as we immerse in the sensations of lush forests and sandy coastlines. You’ll take away techniques that can bolster your own wellness routine and which you can share with others.
Whether you're an educator, caregiver, health professional, nature enthusiast, or just someone in need of a break from routine life, we welcome you in this rejuvenating session that will bring you relaxation, connections, and a great way to launch into autumn invigorated with renewed energy and wellbeing.
Please note, this program is shorter than a typical camp week, running from Sunday August 24 – Thursday August 25.
Mindful Birding Retreat: Belize
Mindful Birding Retreat in Belize
Whitehawk Birding with Holly Merker
Our Belize: Mindful Birding Retreat is a 6-day experience and will be slightly different from a typical birding tour. We will take our time to truly enjoy the beauty and wonder of the birds we see and will spend some time observing their behavior and learning more about them.
On this retreat, we will be joined by Holly Merker, an author of Ornitherapy: For your Mind, Body, and Soul and Founder of the Mindful Birding Network, who will open our eyes to the practice of ornitherapy through gentle ornitherapy sessions and forest bathing.
The Wellness Benefits of Feeding Wild Birds
Research shows that connecting with nature actively reduces stress, depression, and anxiety, while helping build a stronger heart and immune system. Wild birds offer the perfect gateway into deeper experiences with nature, magnifying these benefits. By setting aside time to notice birds outside our windows and doors we are doing something good for them, and ourselves.
Through observation, we can learn not only about birds, but gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to birds, how to maximize the wellness benefits of bird feeding and bringing birds closer and learn about the latest research surrounding the impact of birds on human wellbeing.
The Birding Prescription: How Mindful Birding is good for us and the birds
Hockessin, Delaware with Holly Merker and Dr. Joe Francis
Hosted by the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS)
Join DOS Member Holly Merker and current DOS President Joe Francis for a conversation about birding’s impact on health and well-being. In relating personal experiences as well as the latest insights from the scientific literature, they will touch on ways to refocus attention, reduce eco-anxiety and climate grief, and build connection to nature and each other through mindful birding practices. Come prepared to learn new skills to recapture joy and awe in the outdoors.
More info here: https://www.dosbirds.org/event/birding-rx/
Ornitherapy: The Power of Birdwatching
A series of presentations by Holly Merker, on behalf of the Friends of Bosque del Apache NWR in San Antonio, New Mexico
Free public and private events throughout the Land of Enchantment, including events in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Albuquerque
Private Event for La Vida Llena
A private event - Ornitherapy: The Power of Birdwatching
Nourshing Ourselves while Nourishing Birds
A joint presentation with the Friends of Bosque del Apache NWR for the Wild Birds Unlimited of Albuquerque East, NM
demonstrating how and why wild bird feeding nourishes us as much as it nourishes the birds.
Followed by book signing
Ornitherapy: The Power of Birdwatching
For the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) and Los Alamos Senior Center
A joint event with the Friends of Bosque del Apache NWR and Holly Merker sharing the many benefits to personal wellbeing that immersing in nature and experiences with birds can offer us.
Ornitherapy: The Power of Birdwatching
Ornitherapy: The Power of Birdwatching - An interactive presentation. Author Holly Merker talks about when we allow birds and nature to slow us down, we are practicing “self care”. Research shows that connecting with wild birds and nature actively reduces stress, depression, and anxiety, while helping build a stronger heart and immune system.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to wild birds, how to maximize the wellness benefits of observation, and learn about the latest research surrounding the impact of nature on human health and why we need birds for overall wellbeing.
WBU Santa Fe - Nourishing Ourselves with Birds
A presentation in collaboration with the Friends of Bosque del Apache NWR for the Wild Birds Unlimited of Santa Fe, NM
demonstrating how and why wild bird feeding nourishes us as much as it nourishes the birds.
Mindful Birding at South Cape May Meadows
This year’s Birdability Week will take place from October 21-27. Celebrate all week long by attending an accessible and inclusive birding event.
Learn more and sign up here
The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey and New Jersey Audubon are co-hosting an inclusive birding outing and nature preserve tour as part of the celebration, on Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26 from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM. This event is open to people of all birding levels, from first-timers to pros. Together at a leisurely pace, we will explore one mile and a half miles of trail at the South Cape May Meadows Preserve. While birding, visitors will learn about the preserve’s history and habitat. At about halfway through the tour, we will gather at the observation platform on the Boardwalk Trail to practice mindful birding for about 20 minutes. This practice aims to deeply engage with and enjoy the birds and nature around you. Feel free to bring a journal for nature journaling!
An American Sign Language interpreter will be available on this tour. Water coolers will be available for attendees to refill their bottles. An accessible portable restroom is available at this preserve. Binoculars will be provided as requested. Accessibility information about the preserve can be found below; if you have further accessibility questions please contact Lily Mullock – lillian.mullock@tnc.org
Birdability Panel: The Mental Health Benefits of Birding
A Virtual Event
A Birdability Event featuring members of the Mindful Birding Network
Recent studies have illuminated the significant mental health benefits associated with birding. Our panelists will share their unique insights and experiences, discussing how birding can be a transformative practice for mental well-being.
Mindful Birding Workshop
Two Mindful Birding Workshops with Holly Merker will be held for the Seabrook Island community in Johns Island, South Carolina
First event: Sold Out
Ornitherapy: The Power of Birdwatching
Lecture and Discussion with Holly Merker for Seabrook Island, SC Birders & Guests
Research shows that connecting with birds and nature actively reduces stress, depression, and anxiety, while helping build a stronger heart and immune system. Wild birds offer the perfect gateway into deeper experiences with nature.
Through observation, we can learn not only about birds, but gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to wild birds, how to maximize the wellness benefits of birding, and learn about the latest research surrounding the impact of birds on human health and why we need birds for overall wellbeing.
Ornitherapy: The Power of Birdwatching
Lecture and Discussion with Holly Merker for Hilton Head Audubon & Guests
Research shows that connecting with birds and nature actively reduces stress, depression, and anxiety, while helping build a stronger heart and immune system. Wild birds offer the perfect gateway into deeper experiences with nature.
Through observation, we can learn not only about birds, but gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to wild birds, how to maximize the wellness benefits of birding, and learn about the latest research surrounding the impact of birds on human health and why we need birds for overall wellbeing.
Supporting Wellbeing through Bird Feeding
Join author Holly Merker as she shares why bringing wild birds into our yards and gardens is more than just a fun hobby, it’s also good for our personal wellbeing.
Join us for a fun presentation and discussion!
Supporting Wellbeing through Bird Feeding
Join author Holly Merker as she shares why bringing wild birds into our yards and gardens is more than just a fun hobby, it’s also good for our personal wellbeing.
Join us for a fun presentation and discussion!
Fall Migration and Monhegan II
National Audubon’s Hog Island Camp in Maine, Bremen, Maine
With Scott Weidensaul, Holly Merker, and Seth Benz
More info here: https://hogisland.audubon.org/programs/fall-migration-and-monhegan-island
https://hogisland.audubon.org/programs/fall-migration-and-monhegan-island
For adults: This special, small-group session is devoted to fall migration, and will include an overnight stay on the iconic Monhegan Island. The rest of the week will be spent traveling to the best migrant hotspots based on the weather, tides, and bird migration patterns.
This camp is devoted to the wonders of autumn migratory season. This intensive week of birding will take participants from tidal marshes and beaches to hawk watches, spruce forests, and the outer islands and waters of Muscongus Bay, depending on where the birding is hottest. The highlight will be an overnight trip to Monhegan Island, one of the best "migrant traps" in the Northeast -- a place justly famous for its birding and dramatic rocky coastline, which has inspired artists for more than a century. Learn about how and why birds migrate and the conservation challenges facing them.
Fall Migration and Monhegan, Maine
National Audubon’s Hog Island Camp in Maine, Bremen, Maine
With Scott Weidensaul, Holly Merker, and Seth Benz
More info here: https://hogisland.audubon.org/programs/fall-migration-and-monhegan-island
For adults: This special, small-group session is devoted to fall migration, and will include an overnight stay on the iconic Monhegan Island. The rest of the week will be spent traveling to the best migrant hotspots based on the weather, tides, and bird migration patterns.
This camp is devoted to the wonders of autumn migratory season. This intensive week of birding will take participants from tidal marshes and beaches to hawk watches, spruce forests, and the outer islands and waters of Muscongus Bay, depending on where the birding is hottest. The highlight will be an overnight trip to Monhegan Island, one of the best "migrant traps" in the Northeast -- a place justly famous for its birding and dramatic rocky coastline, which has inspired artists for more than a century. Learn about how and why birds migrate and the conservation challenges facing them.
Ornitherapy & The Power of Birdwatching for Wellness
Salem, Massachusetts - Peabody Essex Museum
Join Holly Merker, professional birding guide, mindful nature teacher, author and cancer survivor, to delve into the realm of birding as self care. Research shows that connecting with birds and nature has the potential to reduce stress, depression and anxiety, and can even strengthen cardiovascular health and the immune system. Observing wild birds offers the perfect gateway into deeper experiences with nature. Through observation, we can not only learn about birds, but also gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters environmental stewardship and bolsters conservation.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to wild birds, learn how to maximize the wellness benefits of birding and uncover the latest research surrounding the impact of birds on human health and why we need birds for overall well-being.
A book signing for Ornitherapy: For Your Mind, Body, and Soul will follow the program.
Forest Bathing with Birds at Rushton Farms
The lush and thoughtfully stewarded landscapes and garden at Rushton Farm provide the perfect backdrop for reaping the wellness benefits that nature provides us.
With origins inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku, Forest Bathing or Forest Therapy, harnesses the health and restorative benefits the natural world holds for us. This experience will be a bit different than a traditional outdoor guided walk, not focusing on sharing naturalist knowledge or identification, but instead allowing the forest and birds to intentionally guide us into slowing our pace by a skilled leader who is a Certified Forest Therapy Guide.
For more information, visit this link: Forest Bathing with Birds at Rushton Farm
Mindful Birding at the Hunterdon Art Museum
A collaborative event where art intersects Mindful Birding at the Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton NJ
Join artist Debra Ramsay and Mindful Birding Network founder Holly Merker for a guided experience in mindful observation, exploring the wonders of wild birds through art and the birds themselves.
This event will coincide with Debra’s exhibit “Flying Colors”
Ornitherapy: Why We Need Birds for Wellbeing
Join local author Holly Merker as she shares with us why birds and nature are necessary for optimal wellbeing, and how you can incorporate techniques and experiences with them into your self care practices.
Acadia's Iconic Birds, Whales, and Scenic Views
Led by professional guides and Mindful Birding Network members, Holly Merker and Seth Benz
Run through Hillstar Nature - Detailed Itinerary Here
Recharge your batteries and explore Acadia National Park, featuring an Atlantic Puffin tour and a separate whale watching trip in the nutrient-rich waters of the Gulf of Maine.
Observe common loons, shearwaters and humpback whales, and learn about regional ecology at a comfortable pace. Enjoy an exclusive tour to the summit of Cadillac Mountain with an expert naturalist. Experience the thrill of discovery while being immersed in Acadia National Park’s history and outstanding beauty, her landscapes and seascapes. Allow yourself to unplug, unwind, and restore your mind, body, and spirit with this small group experience.
This experience offers you:
Five days in coastal Maine for puffins, whales & more.
Relaxed pace based at the gorgeous and off the beaten path Schoodic Institute
Special Access Visits to the scenic Acadia National Park
Guides who prioritize experiences with birds over ticking off species seen, and know the area better than anyone.
ABA Adventure at Acadia National Park
Specially created for young birders and their families to have an immersion in the natural world to unwind and shed stress, and ignite curiosity and wonder in one of the most scenic regions of North America - for both young and old. Holly Merker will help instruct and guide this unique experience.
The ABA is partnering with the National Parks to provide an amazing adventure for younger birders, ages 9-12, with an accompanying adult. This unique experience provides an all-inclusive birding vacation set in the pristine landscape of Schoodic peninsula in Acadia National Park with all the comforts of private lodging, delicious meals prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, expertly planned daily outings, a puffin and seal boat trip, and in-session transportation. Allowing you to fully enjoy your time in Maine’s Acadia National Park.
Learn more here: https://www.aba.org/aba-adventure-at-acadia-national-park-july-7-12-2024/
Mindful Birding Retreat in Panama
This 7-day mindful birding retreat is set in the lush highlands of western Panama and combines the professional talents of guides and Mindful Birding Network Members Marta Curti, Jenn Sinasac, and special guest Holly Merker.
Nourish yourself while nestled into the invigoratingly green landscapes in the mountains of western Panama’s Cloud Forest, while being treated to incredible food, stellar views, and dynamic birds, mammals, flowers, butterflies, etc. while decompressing from life’s stressors.
We will practice Mindful Birding, Forest Bathing with a certified guide, Yoga, Nature Journaling, Meditation, and plenty of exploration of the birds and incredible biodiversity this unique area holds.
Because this retreat was carefully designed to be a slow-paced and restorative experience, there will be built-in free time to enjoy the lodge’s many fruit and hummingbird feeders, and relax with your feet up as you enjoy the peace and comfort of the incredible Mount Totumas Resort.
The Joy of Birding - Hog Island Audubon Camp
National Audubon’s Hog Island Camp in mid-coast Maine
Session Direction and Instructor: Holly Merker
Have you been hoping to find a hands-on way to build upon your skills as a birder while experiencing the incredible spectacles of birdlife in coastal Maine? If so, then this session is for you!
This session aims to provide a better understanding birds while expanding upon your skills in identifying by sight and by ear. Surround yourself in the splendors and nurturing land and seascapes of coastal Maine, while living on a quiet island surrounded by birds.
Mindful Birding at Dusk
Led by Holly Merker in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
Hosted by the Willistown Conservation Trust at Rushton Farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Spring evenings offer soft light and beautiful soundscapes of birds and other nature. Come wind down your day with some Ornitherapy.
Through guided instruction, we'll practice simple mindfulness exercises to engage our sensory awareness while intentionally tuning into the birds surrounding us. Techniques and prompts called “Orntiherapy Explorations” accompany the gently guided walk and sit spots, which through observation enhances our identification skills, while promoting a deepening of our experiences with birds around us. This in turn amplifies the multitude of benefits birds provide to our overall wellness. Participants will be provided Ornitherapy Journals to increase observation and awareness and have a take-away from the experience to continue wherever they go.
Acadia Birding Festival Keynote Presentation: Ornitherapy: The Power of Birdwatching
The Acadia Birding Festival Presents Keynote Speaker Holly Merker
“Ornitherapy: The Power of Birdwatching”
Spring Birds of Acadia National Park
This tour is now SOLD OUT
Join author and professional guide Holly Merker and Schoodic Institute’s Bird Ecology Director Seth Benz, to explore the birds and habitats of Acadia National Park, as we base ourselves from the less-crowded and immently beautiful Schoodic Peninsula