The Harlequin – Spring 2022
Please click on the link below to view the Spring 2022 issue of our Harlequin newsletter: https://www.yorkcountyaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Harlequin-Spring-2022.pdf
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Hummingbirds – Recent Research and Spectacular Species We Have Met – a Zoom program with Dana and Bob Fox – Tuesday, April 19th
Lifelong birders Dana and Bob Fox, who have traveled extensively on 6 continents and visited more than 40 countries, will present this program which focuses on a magnificent group of birds: the hummingbirds. A male Ruby-throated Hummingbird at the Fox’s NH cabin – photo by Steve Whitebread Studies have given us insights into the wonders of hummingbirds. This talk will provide information including: what is a hummingbird, how they did they evolve, how do their nectar gathering and pollination activities compare with bees and butterflies, what do they eat besides nectar, what are their feeding techniques, what is torpor, how … Continue reading →
A Video of our March 2022 program: The Northern Saw-whet Owl – with Zoe Korpi
This program was presented on March 22, 2022. Please click on the link below to watch the program. You can also scroll down to the original post on this program for a full description. Note that the recording starts a couple of minutes into the program.
Continue reading →Become a Native Plant Volunteer! March 16th deadline.
As you probably know, our native plants are threatened by various trends including human encroachment, the spread of non-native species, and climate change. The Native Plant Trust, located at Garden In the Woods in Framingham, Massachusetts, has an opportunity for volunteers all over New England, including here in Maine, to document and preserve our native vegetation. Attached is a flyer describing the program run by the Native Plant Trust, and a brief description of what volunteering entails. If you have a passion for plants, you might want to consider applying for this program. The deadline is March 16, and you … Continue reading →
Our Smallest Raptor: the Northern Saw-whet Owl – with Zoe Korpi – Tuesday, March 22nd
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!
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.
Continue reading →Winter Wildlife Tracking with Dan Gardoqui – Saturday, Feb 5th and Feb 19th
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
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
“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
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
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.
Continue reading →The Harlequin – Autumn 2021
Please click on the link below to view the Autumn 2021 issue of our Harlequin newsletter: https://www.yorkcountyaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Harlequin-Autumn-2021.pdf
Continue reading →A Video of our November 2021 program: Partnering With Beavers to Heal the Planet – with Ben Goldfarb
This program was presented on November 16, 2021. Please click on the link below to watch the program. You can also scroll down to the original post on this program for a full description.
Continue reading →Partnering With Beavers to Heal the Planet – with Ben Goldfarb – Tuesday, November 16th
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!
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!
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 →
A Video of our September 2021 program: Peregrine Falcon Restoration in Acadia National Park – with Patrick Kark
This program was presented on September 21, 2021. Please click on the link below to watch the program. You can also scroll down to the original post on this program for a full description.
Continue reading →Peregrine Falcon Restoration in Acadia National Park – with Patrick Kark – Tuesday, September 21st
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 →
A Video of our June 2021 program: Birds of SE Asia: a focus on Cambodian Natural History – with Howie Nielsen
This program was presented on June 15, 2021. Please scroll down to the original post on this program for a full description.
Continue reading →Birds of SE Asia: a focus on Cambodian Natural History – with Howie Nielsen – Tuesday, June 15th
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 →