Please click on the link below to view the Spring 2018 issue of our Harlequin newsletter (with photos in full color!)
Great Egret in breeding plumage
Web Feet and Slimy Skin will be presented by Dr. Kris Hoffmann from the University of Maine, Kris spoke to us in September about turtles. Her return promises a fascinating, informative, and funny program – this time on Maine’s fabulous frogs.
Anatomy meets ecology in this hour-long presentation. Join us as we learn why frogs are slimy, how metamorphosis affects more than their legs, where they go in the winter, how they use their eyes to help swallow, what you can do to help their populations, and more. She will describe the biology of these water-loving animals, introduce us to all the frogs in Maine, and discuss their conservation in a presentation sure to entertain!
The program will be at 7 p.m. in the Mather Auditorium at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm. This interesting, educational program is free and open to the public. Come early for refreshments.
Of Mallards and Men: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 by author, birder and UNH History Professor Dr. Kurk Dorsey. This event will help us celebrate the 100th anniversary of passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which is the basis for much of the protection afforded wild birds in the US and other nations, but is currently being weakened. In December, the Interior Department issued a ruling that businesses which accidentally kill non-game migratory birds during their operations are not in violation of the MBTA.
A popular speaker for Seacoast Audubon, Kurk’s expertise in environmental history blended with his underlying sense of humor will educate and entertain as he reveals the surprising story of how the federal government found itself in the business of protecting migratory wildlife. Such colorful characters as President Woodrow Wilson; hunter, taxidermist, zoologist William Hornaday; and naturalist Mabel Osgood Wright played important roles in the drama. This promises to be an excellent program. Come early for refreshments and social time.
Please note: This program is on the fourth Tuesday of March, a week later than our usual schedule.
The program will be at 7 p.m. in the Mather Auditorium at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm. Please join us. York County Audubon programs are free and open to all
The shorebird coordinator will recruit and manage local volunteers who monitor birds on the beach and educate visitors. The coordinator will work with the Town, Maine Audubon, Maine Dept Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and federal agencies to help ensure the success of beach-nesting birds on Goose Rocks Beach. An ideal candidate would be a local person, who can help motivate and create a larger community of shorebird lovers. Dates of employment will be approximately April to September.
Send resume with cover letter to Annica McQuirk
Please click on the link below to view the Winter 2018 issue of our Harlequin newsletter (with photos in full color!)
Read the feature interview with new Maine Big Year record holder Josh Fecteau, describing some of his adventures and the birds he found, including this Painted Bunting in Palermo, Maine on May 18th.
Hog Island on midcoast Maine
YCAS will again be awarding a scholarship for the Educator’s Week program, July 15-20, 2018 on famed Hog Island. Check the Scholarship Programs link under the Community Involvement pull down heading above for more information. The application deadline is March 15th.
The winter landscape is a fabulous time to connect with the lives of our local wildlife. Mammals, birds (even winter insects) leave behind tracks, trails and signs of their presence. Spend the morning with certified wildlife tracker Dan Gardoqui of White Pine Programs, learning to interpret the abundant clues of our wild neighbors.
The workshop will run from 9 till noon on Saturday, January 20th (with Sunday as a fallback date if Saturday’s weather is too poor). It will be held at the Wells Reserve at 342 Laudholm Farm Road in Wells
Participants should be dressed to be outdoors for the entire 3 hours – regardless of temperature. Dress in layers. Bring snacks and a drink. Program runs regardless of snow cover. For adults & interested teens. Group size is limited to 12 people, and advance registration is required. Please register by clicking on the link under “What’s Coming Up” on the right side of this page, then scrolling down to find the registration form.The price is $20/ person ($25/person for non-members), payable by cash or check at the workshop.
Note: this workshop will also be presented on Sunday, February 25th, sponsored by the Wells Reserve. FMI: https://www.wellsreserve.org/event/2-25-18-winter-wildlife-tracking-with-dan-gardoqui
Dan Gardoqui is a co-founder and Executive Director of White Pine Programs, a nature connection nonprofit based in York, Maine. He has been studying naturalist skills, wildlife tracking, bird language, and mentoring for over 25 years. Dan has a M.S. in Natural Resources, is a Certified Wildlife Tracker, Registered Maine Guide, and served as Science Faculty at Granite State College for over a decade. Through wildlife tracking, Dan has contributed to wildlife studies and served as science editor for the bird language book What the Robin Knows. While not navigating the landscape of nonprofit leadership and management, Dan loves spending time trail running, hunting, playing music, and being a dad to his boys.
THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN FULLY BOOKED. IF YOU’D LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITING LIST, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO ycas@yorkcountyaudubon.org WITH “WORKSHOP WAITING LIST” AS THE SUBJECT
This two-part workshop, on Saturday afternoon, Feb 3rd and Sunday morning, Feb 4th, will get you started on unraveling the mysteries of gull identification. Actually, most gulls are not very difficult to tell apart, though adult and juveniles of most species look very different. We’re going to give ourselves confidence with identifying the easier plumage’s of our common species, and then tackle the more challenging intermediate plumage’s and the less-common species.
Ring-billed Gull in flight. Photo by Marie Jordan
Part I of the Workshop on Saturday February 3rd will be indoors at the Mather Auditorium of the Wells Reserve at 342 Laudholm Farm Road in Wells will be divided into two sections (you need not be present for both):
1:00 pm-2:30 pm – Beginning Gull Identification. Using Powerpoint and book resources, we’ll start with the basics of gull identification, such as feather topography and aging. We’ll then focus on our most common species: Ring-billed, Herring, Great Black-backed, Laughing, and Bonaparte’s Gulls.
3:00 pm-4:30 pm – Advanced Gull Identification. Now comfortable with the basics, we’ll move on to the uncommon species: Lesser Black-backed, Iceland, Glaucous, and Black-legged Kittiwake. Next up will be the rarities: Little, Black-headed, and yes, even “Thayer’s.” We’ll touch upon “Megas” such as Mew, Slaty-backed, and Sabine’s, and we’ll discuss hybrids. Finally, we’ll apply what we have learned to tackle and understand some identification quandaries, such as the famous “Westbrook Gull” before we finish up with some photo quizzes to test our new-found knowledge.
Part II: Sunday, February 4th (8:00am – 12:00pm):
We’ll meet in Portland (Back Cove parking lot on Preble Street Ext, opposite the Hannaford’s) to carpool around the area to apply what we have learned. We’ll spend some time with our most common species: Herring, Ring-billed, and Great Black-backed, and then seek out Iceland and Glaucous, and perhaps we’ll find something even better!
We hope that you will join Derek for this workshop to foster appreciation for this fascinating group of birds. Derek (with his wife Jeannette) owns and operates Wild Bird Supply in Freeport. He’s the author of “How to Be a Better Birder” and is well respected as one of the premiere birders in Maine and beyond.
York County Audubon is sponsoring this Workshop. We are asking for a $10.00 fee to participate, payable by cash or check at the Saturday session. Space is limited, and advance registration (via this website) is required.
Please register by clicking on the link under “What’s Coming Up” on the right side of this page, then scrolling down to find the registration form. Weather dates or Workshop updates will be posted on the York County Audubon website and Derek’s Web Page (freeportwildbirdsupply.com/birdingtoursinMaine.asp).
Join artist, musician, and photographer Deborah Gordon as she reveals secrets and hidden natural wonders of Newfoundland and Labrador. Learn about the less frequented outposts, national and provincial parks, World Heritage Sites, and the infectious humor and uplifting spirit that comprises the culture and people of Canada’s most eastern province.
Newfoundland and Labrador are surprisingly accessible, and you will learn the options and necessary preparations for travel and accommodations, seasonal activities, literature and history resources as Deborah is excited to share her expertise on this region. Her captivating, in-depth slide show of the wildlife, landscape, architecture, and mystery of this dauntingly exquisite, un-pretentious place will interest all.
Deborah Gordon spends her summers on the Great Northern Peninsula, where she immerses herself in the color, light, and space that is quintessentially Newfoundland. Deborah loves capturing on camera all that leaves her breathless.
The program will be at 7 p.m. in the Mather Auditorium at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm. Please join us. York County Audubon programs are free and open to all
FMI: http://www.deborahgordondesign.com/
A video of our September program on turtles, presented by Kris Hoffman, is now available and can be watched by clicking on the link below.
Our special thanks to Saco River Community Television for recording and editing the program, and making this video available.
