Dear Loyal Supporters,
We’re thrilled to share that FOHI Work Week was a huge success thanks to the 25 smiling volunteers in the photo above by Jean Hall. Hog Island was once again filled with the sounds of hammering, sawing, scraping, gardening, washing, directing, and cooperating–certainly with interludes of laughing, and maybe a little grunting too. With the unexpected sunny skies and peaceful warm breezes, our volunteers gave their all to make the island shine in plenty of time for the campers’ arrival.
🐦 Camp Season Has Begun!
This week marked the launch of Spring Migration and Photography of Maine Birds and Landscapes!
We have 7 outstanding volunteers keeping everything running smoothly—from timely meals to clean cabins—under more warm sunshine and blue skies.
🙋 We Still Need a Few More Volunteers!
Want to spend more time on the island this summer? We’re still looking for volunteers for the following weeks:
June 22–27 – Wild Wonders Rental
July 13–18 – Family Camp I
July 20–25 – Family Camp II
August 17–22 – Arts & Nature & Teen Camp
September 14–19 – Let’s Go Birding Together
If you’ve already signed up and want to help more, just email Adam at 📧 volunteer@fohi.org.
If you haven’t signed up as a 2025 volunteer, please fill out this form and Adam will be in touch.
A huge shout-out to our amazing Volunteer Coordinator, Adam, who keeps our team of 90+ volunteers organized all summer long. We are so grateful for his dedication!
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Follow Our New Facebook Page
Our original Facebook page was accidentally disabled, but we’ve created a new one.
Please take a moment to follow us again here » and help us rebuild our community presence!
Congratulations, JB Smith!
We are so proud of JB Smith, our loyal Desperado volunteer and former board member, father of two Puffineers, and all-around amazing guy for being selected for the:
2025 NMHS Distinguished Service Award!
His decades of mentoring students and crew on educational vessels are truly inspirational. He will be recognized at the National Maritime Historical Society (NMHS) awards dinner on October 23rd, 2025, at the New York Yacht Club.
☀️ Until Next Time…
We’ll be in touch again mid-summer with another update. Feel free to reach out anytime with your questions, ideas, and relevant news.
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Until then, may your days be filled with sunshine, joyful experiences, and good deeds.
With gratitude,
Deana Cavan
Executive Director,
Friends of Hog Island (FOHI)
🌊 Exciting News from the Seabird Institute
We’re happy to share that our resilient seabirds weathered last week’s Nor’easter with determination. Many puffins had already begun nesting, while most terns were still holding off—perhaps wisely. Now that the skies have cleared and warmer, drier weather has returned, the terns have joined in, laying eggs and beginning their annual nesting efforts. It’s always a joy to witness these remarkable birds as they follow their timeless seasonal rhythms.
Last summer, a weekly feature on the explore.org Puffin Burrow Cam blossomed into an inspiring series of stories. In addition to regular cam updates, the station adopted a puffin, interviewed Don (June), the Seal Island research team (July), and Steve (August). The series culminated with a memorable visit to Eastern Egg Rock.
We’re thrilled to announce that this story—produced in collaboration with News Center Maine—was recently honored with a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Writing, one of journalism’s most prestigious accolades. Even more exciting, the story has also been nominated for an Emmy!
As the birds settle into the nesting season, our outreach efforts are also taking flight.
🕔 Join us today at 5 PM ET for a live Q&A from Seal Island!
Hosted by Outreach and Communications Assistant Quinn Burkhart and Seal Island Supervisor Coco Faber, this livestream will explore what it’s like to live on a seabird island and how the nesting season is shaping up.
🔗 Tune in at explore.org or watch on the explore.org YouTube channel for the latest updates.
FOHI Merch for Sale!
New direct ship FOHI merchandise is now available! For each order you place, Bonfire sends FOHI a donation of approximately 25% the cost of the product. Thank you for not only giving back through your purchase, but also for spreading the word about FOHI by sporting your merchandise around town.
