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SPRING 2008 BIRDING CHALLENGE 2008 Thanks to you and the Kennebunk Savings Bank we dispersed over $8500 to York County conservation and education programs as a result of the 2007 Birding Challenge. This year, because of the number of requests received, the Kennebunk Savings Bank has declined participation in the 2008 event. We are on our own! Will you help? The Birding Challenge is scheduled for 6:00pm, Friday, May 16th until 6:00pm, Saturday, May17th. Countdown will be at Laudholm Farm. We will meet at 6:00pm in the kitchen area on the second floor of the Visitor Center. Come enjoy the pizza provided by Alfredo's Italian Pizzeria in Wells. For more information, please contact Pat Moynahan at 284-5487.
Stratton Island ~ photo by Julie Suchecki STRATTON ISLAND "Stratton Island benefited greatly from your gift of $2500, which paid for half of the cost of one of our summer interns. There we saw the tern numbers thriving on excellent food supplies with very little predation . . . I am thrilled that the board of York County Audubon has given us your vote of confidence. I think there is no better investment. After all, Stratton Island is the most diverse waterbird colony in Maine and is completely dependent on careful management . . . Project Puffin shows what can be done with a good idea, persistence and the help of our friends. Thanks for your continued confidence." From Egg Rock Update, Newsletter of the Seabird Restoration "This year, 113 pairs of Least Terns nested on Stratton Island and nearly all raised a chick! The Common Tern colony increased to 752 pairs, and fledged nearly 1,000 chicks. Roseate Terns were well-represented with 80 pairs --- a total second only to Eastern Egg Rock. Similar to last year, nesting waterbirds numbered: 121 pairs of Glossy Ibis, 123 pairs of Snowy Egrets, 25 pairs of Black-crowned Night-Herons and 2 pairs of Little Blue Herons."
We are lucky. Maine's natural environment is one of our state's greatest assets, and for more than forty years, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) has invested its talented staff and limited resources to protect species habitat and provide all of us with the opportunity to experience our natural world at the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. With operation budgets cut to almost nothing and acquisition budgets all but eliminated, the Refuge today succeeds through maintaining strong partnerships with landowners, community leaders, and conservation organizations. The refuge works entirely with willing sellers and holds approximately 5,300 acres in fee ownership or conservation easements. In the past seven years, the refuge has protected an additional 415 acres of bird and wildlife habitat, and every acre was made possible by the ongoing display of strong local support and the unyielding support for the conservation of our state's natural treasures by Senator Collins, Senator Snowe, and Congressman Allen. A new conservation opportunity for the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is the possible protection of the 110-acre Timber Point property in Biddeford. Timber Point is one of the last remaining large coastal parcels under single ownership left in southern Maine. The property hosts outstanding nesting bird and migratory bird habitat. Timber Point remains largely in its natural state --- calling to be protected and experienced in the spirit of Rachel Carson. The Trust for Public Land, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, and the Friends of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge are combining skills and resources to try to protect this important property. They are committing resources without hesitation and with the objective of enabling all to enjoy the wonders of Timber Point. Success can be assured with support from everyone who shares in the belief of protecting our natural heritage.
Barred Owl ~ photo by Marie Jordan THE CENTER FOR WILDLIFE Since 1986, The Center for Wildlife's mission has been to rehabilitate sick and injured wild animals, with the goal of returning them to the wild, and to promote respect for wildlife and the environment. The Center for Wildlife admits over 1,500 animals annually, and is the only facility of its size within a 100 mile radius that is dedicated to taking in and treating a diverse variety of wild (non-game) animal species that are not handled by most veterinarians or wardens or any other public or private agencies. The Center's philosophy is that in cases where animals have been injured by cars or domestic pets, or whose habitat has been damaged, destroyed or depleted by human caused development, we, humans have the responsibility to step in and help them out, to give them a second chance. Every year, hundreds of calls come to the Center from Maine, New Hampshire and into Massachusetts from people who have been unable to find assistance with an injured animal they have found. Often, the CFW is the first organization the caller has gotten through to that is willing to accept the injured animal or offer advice. The CFW is a 501©(3) organization receiving no Federal or State funding. The Center has never charged for its services though we do request donations for patients brought to the Center. On average, it costs $70 per animal admitted for rehabilitation. Grant requests, educational programs and a number of fundraising activities allow us to meet our annual budget needs. Educating the general public about native wildlife, the habitats required for a healthy balance and the role humans play in this fragile ecosystem is something the CFW has offered since its inception. Our outreach programs reach over 3,000 children and adults annually and we focus on the important roles all animals have in the natural world. From endangered species to the often un-lovable bats, the Center brings these amazing animals up close and personal for the public to learn and appreciate their importance in a challenging and forever changing environment. We are so thankful to the York County Audubon chapter for supporting our programs at the St. Louis Child Development Center and Sanford Head Start. This support allows the Center to reach more children from all walks of life and to nuture and embrace the fascination children have for animals and the natural world. Partnering with other like-minded organizations like York County Audubon allows for a stronger message to be put forth to the general public about the challenges wild animals face as our lives continue to interact with theirs.
Our Birding Challenge funds sponsored a Center for Wildlife program given by Kristen Lamb in February. Kristen gave two presentations to groups of children at the St. Louis Child Development Center in Biddeford. She brought a variety of creatures much to the delight of the children.
Birders ar Dyer's Point ~ photos by Marie Jordan BIRDERS: WHO ARE THEY? Who are birders? If you stopped to ask that question of a person standing on the rocks at the water's edge on a cold blustery day, you would get as many answers as there are species of birds. Birders come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and walks of life, just like the birds they seek out. For example, let me tell you a little about the flock of four pictured here at Dyer's Point in Cape Elizabeth. You see them searching for the beautiful King Eider that was often seen in the surf off the point this winter.
First of all, their ages represent four decades - the 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's. All have been interested in birds and nature most of their lives, but have been birding seriously for only the last 15 years. They have been seen birding together around Maine and as far away as Point Pelee and Cape May. They are all active in York County Audubon, having served in various positions on the board. When not birding, these birders fly their separate ways. One can be spotted at the Portland Museum of Art leading school children on a tour. Another will be found enjoying an opera in New York City. A third is observed singing with the Portland Community Chorus. And the fourth is hiding in the SPCTV studio working on a DVD of a recent birding trip. This is a sampling of the many other interests of birders. It would be interesting to learn more about what birders do when they are not pursuing their favorite pastime.
Which "cycle" is that bird? That question was asked many times on Sunday morning, February 3rd by Derek Lovitch of the Wild Bird Center in Yarmouth, as he helped nine attentive birders learn the plumages of each cycle of the three common gulls found in our area. Derek noted that learning the cycles that each gull goes through to reach its adult plumage (and how many cycles that entails) is the foundation for learning gull identification. Not used were the once common terms such as first winter, first summer, second winter, first year, etc. "Cycle" is now the choice terminology, because there are no clear molts that result in distinctly different plumages (as with our warblers, for example) over the course of a given year. Instead, molt occurs progressively making distinctions such as "winter" or "breeding" difficult to compartmentalize. Plus, the term "year" when talking about a gull's age can mean more than one thing. Even though he started out by showing us Peterson's reference guide, "Gulls of the Americas," we were there to study the gulls in the field. The book was noted as a good reference to be referred to later. With the aid of two loaves of cheap bread and his bread tossing skills, Derek was able to lure many gulls to land a few feet in front of us for close observation. Besides the "cycle" word, other terms such as g.i.z.z. (pronounced "jizz," the corrupted acronym for "general impression of size and shape" --- also known as "gestalt"), fierce, cute, mantle, coverts, advanced and retarded (not the birders --- the birds' cycles), etc. were called out in reference to the gulls we were studying. We were asked not to call the gulls Herring, Ring-billed, and Greater Blackbacked at first --- we were to just identify the cycle of the bird in question. We could say such things as "first cycle," "retarded second cycle" or "advanced third cycle" (determined by the amount and location of the newer feathers), "mostly pale bill," "large bill," "yellow eye," etc.!!! We just couldn't give a species name, yet! We were getting pretty good at recognizing first cycle and adult birds by the end of the morning but the "tweeners" were still cause for lots of discussion and differences of opinion. Thanks to Derek, we all now have a greater appreciation and knowledge of the variation in gull plumages. At Union Wharf, we added a "first cycle" Iceland Gull for our fourth gull species of the day. We also tallied fifteen non-gull species - not bad for a day when we were supposed to be looking only at gulls!
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