Land of the Prikichi: Birds of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao by Dr. Jeffrey Wells – Tuesday, June 26th

**** PLEASE NOTE: The date for this program has been changed from June 19th to June 26th ****

The sunny islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao lie just off the coast of Venezuela with a rich history steeped in both Caribbean and Dutch culture. They are well known as popular winter getaways for scuba divers and beach-loving families from the U.S., yet fewer people know of the fascinating mix of birds that can be enjoyed here at any time of year. North American birders will be intrigued by South American tropical landbirds like the vibrant green Prikichi (Brown-throated Parakeet), the bright orange “oriole on steroids” Troupial, or the shimmering jewel-like Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (photo by Michiel Oversteegen). Honking flocks of pink American Flamingos on vast salt flats are a memory not forgotten.

In migration and winter, the islands are populated with North American waterfowl, shorebirds, swallows, warblers, and other familiar birds.  Therein is a connection.  “Our birds” spend part of their life in faraway places like the Caribbean.  What happens there has equal importance to what happens here.

Jeff Wells is an author of several bird books and he is also the Senior Scientist for the Boreal Songbird Initiative and International Boreal Conservation Campaign which are non-profit organizations working internationally for the conservation of North America’s Boreal forest.

Come hear about the wonderful birding and eclectic ecology of the ABC islands and why they make an ideal, easy-to-get-to location to combine birding with other family vacation pursuits.  The program will be at 7 p.m. in the Mather Auditorium at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm.  Come early for refreshments and social time. This program is free and open to the public.

 

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Annual Election of Officers and Directors

The Nominating Committee has presented a slate of Officers and Directors to the YCA Board, and that slate has been approved by the Directors.  At the Annual Meeting on June 26th, the following slate of Officers shall be voted upon by the Membership:  Bill Grabin, President, Joyce Toth, Vice President, Kathy Donahue, Treasurer, and Monica Grabin, Secretary, as well as the following slate of Directors: Mary Bateman, David Doubleday, Doug Hitchcox, Ken Janes, Marion Sprague, Seth Davis, Eileen Willard, Marian Zimmerman

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Learning Bird Language – a Workshop with Dan Gardoqui on Saturday, June 23rd

Slow down and listen to the birds…and they will tell you nature’s secrets. Local tracker, naturalist, and birder Dan Gardoqui of White Pine Programs will give us a peek into the world of Deep Bird Language including tips on how to “re-awaken” this hardwired skill set of awareness. This program will blend field observation and interpretation with some indoor lectures & lessons about the fundamentals and nuances of learning bird language. Participants should dress to be outdoors for a few hours at a time (be prepared for biting insects); bring something to sit on (if you don’t want to sit on the ground); and bring a field notebook, pencil, and binoculars. For adults & interested teens.

York County Audubon hosted Dan’s wonderful Learning Bird Language workshop last summer.  This one is being hosted by the Wells Reserve.  For more information, go to www.wellsreserve.org and search for Dan Gardoqui, or find it on their calendar.

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 & mentoring for over 25 years. Dan has a M.S. in Natural Resources, is a Certified Wildlife Tracker, Registered Maine Guide & 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 & management, Dan loves spending time trail running, hunting, playing music & being a dad to his boys.

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Video of Dr Kurk Dorsey on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act

A video of our great March program entitled Of Mallards and Men: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, presented by UNH’s Dr Kurt Dorsey, is now available and can be watched by clicking on the link below.

Our special thanks to the Wells Reserve for recording and editing the program, and making this video available (and for everything else they do!).

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Restoring the Great Fish Migrations of Atlantic Rivers with John Waldman – Thursday, May 24th

Professor John Waldman is coming to the Wells Reserve Thursday evening, May 24th, at 7 p.m.. His program: “Restoring the Great Fish Migrations of Atlantic Rivers.” Highly recommended!

Atlantic rivers once “ran silver” with great runs of migrating salmon, shad, alewives and sturgeon, but only a small fraction of these runs flourish today. John Waldman is an aquatic conservation biologist with a singular passion for diadromous fish – fish that spend a part of their lifecycle in fresh water and another part in salt water. He will draw on this most recent book, Running Silver: Restoring Atlantic Rivers and Their Great Fish Migrations to discuss why the runs have been reduced, what we stand to lose, and the actions that are needed to ensure their recovery, including new concepts for replacing hydropower dams with alternative energy sources.

Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt described Running Silver as “a fascinating history of the migratory salmon, shad, herring and other runs that once swarmed the rivers and estuaries of the Atlantic coast. Most important, this book explains what we can do to restore these fisheries to their former abundance. A great read and important blueprint for action.”

The program will start at 7 p.m. in the Mather Auditorium at the Wells Reserve. Doors open at 6:30. Please join us for drinks, conversation and a book signing following the program. This event is free and open to the public. Donations and RSVP’s appreciated.

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Birding Around the World – with Becky Marvil – Tuesday, May 15th

Birding Around the World with one of Maine’s most experienced and enthusiastic birders, Becky Marvil.  In the summer of 2015, Becky, her husband Josh (the pilot), and two other couples spent 30 days traveling around the world in a private plane. Their route took them from the US to Newfoundland, the Azores, Turkey, Oman, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Taiwan, Russia, and Alaska.

In addition to sightseeing and learning about different cultures, Becky’s background in biology and ornithology caused her to focus on the birds, photographing and videotaping many species, and learning about their regional family variations AND similarities from one stop to the next.  From the volcanic islands of the Azores to the 106-degree heat of Oman to the chilly, drizzly coast of Alaska, she will show her beautiful photos and reveal stories of bird species from around the globe!

Becky Marvil lives with her family in Yarmouth, Maine. She has a background in Biology, Ornithology, and Computer Science and runs her own computer programming/webpage design business. She has been the Executive Director of the Acadia Birding Festival for 8 years, combining her knowledge of webpage design, organizational skills, and love of birding. She is also the Secretary for the Maine Bird Records Committee, a eBird Hotspot monitor for Maine, and just recently became a regional coordinator for the Maine Breeding and Wintering Bird Atlas. During her free time, she helps with local bird surveys, chases after rarities, and loves to travel and enjoy birds in new locations.

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 and social time.

                 

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The Harlequin – Spring 2018

Please click on the link below to view the Spring 2018 issue of our Harlequin newsletter (with photos in full color!)

Harlequin Spring 2018

Great  Egret in breeding plumage

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Web Feet and Slimy Skin – Maine’s Frogs with Kris Hoffman – Tuesday, April 17th

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.

 

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Of Mallards and Men: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 with Kurk Dorsey – Tuesday, March 27th

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

 

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Wanted: Shorebird Coordinator

Position Announcement: Shorebird Coordinator for Goose Rocks Beach

Piping Plover and chickThe 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.

Qualifications

  • Be familiar with the area and knowledgeable about shorebirds (basic knowledge OK if willing to learn)
  • Be able to walk the 2 miles of Goose Rocks Beach
  • Enjoy talking with people and be able to educate the public about Piping Plovers and other resident birds
  • Be able to work some weekend and occasional odd (morning, evening hours)
  • Have attention to detail and able to record and share data
  • Be able to recruit and supervise volunteers
  • Living within 20 minutes of Goose Rocks Beach preferred

To Apply

Send resume with cover letter to Annica McQuirk

Download Shorebird Coordinator position description

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