Author Archives: Bill

Our Smallest Raptor: the Northern Saw-whet Owl – with Zoe Korpi – Tuesday, March 22nd

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With a size comparable to a soda can, the Northern Saw-whet owl is the smallest raptor in eastern North America. Due to the secretive nature of this species, it wasn’t until the 1960’s that its migratory behavior was widely accepted. Much of what we know about this species today is thanks to extensive banding efforts. Project Owlnet is one such effort striving to better understand this illusive migrant through a growing network of banding stations using standardized methodologies across North America. While our knowledge of this species has grown, many mysteries remain. Zoe Korpi delves into the research unraveling the … Continue reading →

2022 Hog Island Scholarships Announced!

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YCA and MYBC are pleased to be offering scholarships for week long summer programs on famed Hog Island. Three scholarships are being offered: one for Educator’s Week (July 17-22), one for Coastal Maine Bird Studies (June 19th – 24th) and one for Mountains to Sea Birding for Teens (June 26th-July 1st). Full details are available on the Scholarships page of our website. All applications are due by March 15th.

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Winter Wildlife Tracking with Dan Gardoqui – Saturday, Feb 5th and Feb 19th

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Please note:  The Feb 5th date for this workshop has been fully booked, so we have added a second date on February 19th. Can you tell the tracks of an otter from a fisher? Ever trailed a porcupine to its den? Join certified tracker and Maine Guide Dan Gardoqui of Lead with Nature for a winter wildlife tracking adventure. Dan has been sharing his skills and passion for wildlife and wild places for over 25 years. Open to all curious adults (& interested teens 14+). We’ll spend half a day seeking out, interpreting and following the tracks, trails and signs … Continue reading →

Tree Walk in Kennebunk’s Hope Cemetery with Eileen Willard, January 29th

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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 “TREE WALK WAITING LIST” AS THE SUBJECT. Please include the best phone # we can use to reach you. NOTE: The date for this walk was originally the 22nd, but it has been changed to the 29th Would you like to know more about our local trees, and improve your tree identification skills?  York County Audubon is pleased to sponsor a tree walk at Kennebunk’s Hope Cemetery led by Eileen Willard, an Instructor in Dendrology at the … Continue reading →

Snowy Owl: A Visual Natural History – with Paul Bannick – Tuesday, February 15th

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“If your average picture is worth a thousand words, a Paul Bannick wildlife photograph is worth 20,000. Having worked with wildlife photographers for articles in Audubon, Smithsonian, Sierra, National Wildlife and other magazines for 45 years, I have yet to encounter one who better captures the magic and beauty of the natural world.”  Ted Williams, former Editor of Audubon Magazine On Tuesday, February 15th at 7 p.m., York County Audubon is honored to again host award winning author and photographer Paul Bannick. Please join Paul for an intimate visual exploration of the life history of the Snowy Owl, based upon … Continue reading →

Birding & Owling Parker River National Wildlife Refuge – Saturday, February 5th

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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 “PARKER RIVER WAITING LIST” AS THE SUBJECT. Please include the best phone # we can use to reach you. Registration:  This trip will be limited to 5 cars for ease of movement while on the preserve. Attendance will be on a first come, first serve basis. To register, please click on this event under Calendar/What’s Coming Up on the right-hand side of this page, then scroll down and fill in the form. When registering below, please select … Continue reading →

Birding Backpacks

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York County Audubon is very pleased to announce that it has donated two birding backpacks to the Kennebunk Free Library. They are available for borrowing by KFL cardholders, as well as by cardholders of the Wells, Kennebunkport and Arundel libraries. Please read the KFL press release below for additional information.

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Partnering With Beavers to Heal the Planet – with Ben Goldfarb – Tuesday, November 16th

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The consequences of losing beavers were profound: streams eroded, wetlands dried up, and species from salmon to swans and other birds lost vital habitat. Today, a growing coalition of “Beaver Believers”—including scientists, ranchers, and passionate citizens—recognizes that ecosystems with beavers are far healthier, for humans and non-humans than those without them. Ben Goldfarb is an award-winning environmental journalist and an excellent speaker. His recent book Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter reveals that our modern idea of what a healthy landscape looks like and how it functions is wrong, distorted by the fur trade that once trapped … Continue reading →

The 2022 Maine Birds Desk Calendar is now available!

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For many years, our former Board member, Marie Jordan, an avid birder and photographer, has produced a calendar and offered it for sale, graciously donating the calendars to YCA to support our educational programs. We’ve always presented them at our fall program meetings, but again this year, that’s not possible, so we’re making them available by mail.  It’s a desk calendar in a 4” by 6” plastic case that opens into a stand to display each month.  Each page features a great photo she took this year of a Maine bird.  The cost is $10 plus mailing costs.  They’re wonderful … Continue reading →

Our 2021 Bird Seed Sale is Coming!

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Keep your feathered friends happy this winter by treating them to tasty and fresh, premium quality bird food and help support two of your favorite environmental organizations at the same time. Profits from our annual sale support the educational programs of both York County Audubon and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve. A wide variety of types of seed and suet is available, with great pricing, especially if you order early. Early bird pricing is available if you place your order by 4 p.m. on Friday, October 30th.  The instructions for ordering are on the order form which you can … Continue reading →

Peregrine Falcon Restoration in Acadia National Park – with Patrick Kark – Tuesday, September 21st

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The Peregrine Falcon is thought to be the fastest animal on earth. Want to learn more?  On Tuesday, September 21st, York County Audubon will present a Zoom program entitled:  Peregrine Falcon Restoration in Acadia National Park with Park Ranger Patrick Kark. The Peregrine Falcon was one of the first species to be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, and the species’ recovery is one of the Act’s greatest success stories. Acadia National Park has a storied history in the Peregrine Project.  Join Ranger Patrick Kark as he discusses this success story and tells of the interesting places Acadia’s falcons … Continue reading →

Birds of SE Asia: a focus on Cambodian Natural History – with Howie Nielsen – Tuesday, June 15th

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Ever wondered what birds might be found in Cambodia?  On Tuesday, June 15th, York County Audubon will present a Zoom program entitled: Birds of SE Asia: a focus on Cambodian Natural History with Howie Nielsen. Doctor Howie Nielsen is a world class birder who lives in Lincoln County, Maine. Getting hooked on birds when he was in graduate school, Howie’s birding adventures have allowed him to be involved in studying flora and fauna while traveling in multiple countries. He’s now a retired dentist who has volunteered his services in six different countries. For 10 years Howie was in and out … Continue reading →

Ravens, Wolves and People – with John Marzluff – Tuesday, May 18th

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On May 18th, Wildlife professor John Marzluff will bring us an exciting program on recent work in Yellowstone National Park which looked at interactions between ravens, wolves, and people.  Ravens are known to scavenge food from wolves and people but the relationship has not been well studied. In 2019 Matthias Loretto and presenter John Marzluff began tagging ravens in Yellowstone with radio transmitters that are similar to the transmitter in your mobile device.  After tagging and following many ravens they were able to relate raven’s movements to the activities of people and wolves. From this the scientists gained a better … Continue reading →

Decades of Change in Maine’s Birds – with Doug Hitchcox – Tuesday, April 20th

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If you’ve lived in Maine for a while, you’ve probably noticed that bird populations have changed and continue to do so.  Just a few decades ago, birds such as the Northern Cardinal, the Tufted Titmouse, the Red-Bellied Woodpecker and the Carolina Wren were uncommon sightings here, if seen at all.  Birds such as the Eastern Bluebird were much fewer in number.  In 1949, Robert Palmer’s then definitive Maine Birds described the “Eastern” Cardinal as “a very rare visitant,” with most sightings being “escaped captives.” As for the Tufted Titmouse, he noted there was one specimen in the University of Maine … Continue reading →