Best Nests: Kennebec River Valley

► Maple Hill Farm - Hallowell.
Powered by wind and sun, this extraordinary inn was Maine's first certified Environmental Leader. The fields are left to grow through summer, providing habitat for a host of Bobolinks, Savannah Sparrows, and American Woodcocks. Walking trails behind the inn skirt the homes of Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and a multitude of warblers and thrushes. The Prairie Warblers at the top of the field are among the northernmost in Maine. Certified: Environmental Leader.

► Fairfield Inn and Suites - Augusta.
A right turn leads quickly to the Augusta Civic Center nearby, which is a big plus for anyone attending an event there. But by turning left, birders quickly find themselves in the Belgrade Lakes area. This combination of quiet lakes and mountains is an oasis of great birding. Black Terns and Virginia Rails nest on Messalonskee Lake within 15 minutes of the inn. The hardwood forests of the Kennebec Highlands are just a few minutes beyond. The easy trails that ascend these hills are alive with summer songbirds. The profusion of warblers, grosbeaks, and tanagers is impressive even in a state that boasts of such abundance. Certified: Environmental Leader .

► Attean Lake Lodge - Jackman.
Jackman is the last stop before Canada, nestled at the far northern end of the Kennebec and Moose River Valley corridor. It is a land of lakes, streams, working forest, and moose. If it were possible to gather the entire wilderness experience into one place, it would have a name: Attean Lake Lodge. The lodge and cabins rest on an island accessible only by boat. The pristine lake is renowned for paddling and fishing. The surrounding forest is home to the boreal birds that characterize northern Maine. Over the years, guests have urged that the cabins remain rustic, relying on kerosene heaters and gas lights. The lodge is thoroughly modern, with a dining room that satisfies an appetite built up from a great day of birding.