Author Archives: Bill

Bird Seed Sale and Barn Social – Saturday, November 9th, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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Warm up this Saturday as the Wells Reserve at Laudholm will provides cider and donuts to ward off the chill. Feeding birds in winter is a fun way to see chickadees, woodpeckers, blue jays, cardinals and other birds up close. If you’re getting ready to welcome feathered friends to your yard, stop by for good advice, fresh seed, and select feeders. A representative from Blue Seal’s Rochester store will answer bird-feeding questions, members of York County Audubon will offer bird-watching tips. Seed pickup is also available on Friday from 1 – 4 p.m. To view an order form, click this … Continue reading →

The State of Maine’s Loons – with “The Birdist” Nick Lund – Tuesday, November 19th

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The Common Loon is an iconic denizen and for many epitomizes a Maine summer. But how well do you actually know the Common Loon?  Do they migrate?  What do they eat? How long do they live?  How many Common Loons are there? Why are loons important? This program will start with an in-depth look at the physiology and habits of the Common Loon, including how its body is built to be an effective underwater hunter, and the timing of its arrival on Maine breeding lakes. We will also take a look at the threats faced by loons. Nick Lund is … Continue reading →

Bird Sketching Workshop with Michael Boardman – Wednesday, October 30th

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Sketching birds is a great way to increase your appreciation of birds and your abilities to identify them.  This fun and low pressure workshop will allow you to explore sketching birds using mounted specimens. Michael Boardman is a wildlife artist and master naturalist who will introduce you to or help you develop further your ability to sketch birds and nature. Open to both beginners and those with more experience, we will work to loosen up your artist hand to eye coordination through fun exercises, talk about and practice some sketching techniques for making visual notes when watching birds in the … Continue reading →

Rare Birds in Maine – A Workshop with Doug Hitchcox – Saturday, Nov 2nd

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Rare birds capture our imagination. They draw crowds, appear on headlines, and offer a unique opportunity to see something foreign to your area. Join Maine Audubon’s Staff Naturalist, Doug Hitchcox, for a workshop to learn how and why some birds appear out of their normal range, tools you can use to predict their occurrence, and tips on what to do if you find something unusual. During this, we will begin our day with a bird walk to check for any unusual sightings during “rarity season”, gather inside for a slideshow, then follow up with a second walk nearby. Advance registration … Continue reading →

Oaxaca Mexico: Rare Birds and Ancient Cultures – with Doug Hitchcox and Ken Janes – Tuesday, October 22nd

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In March 2019, Maine Audubon, in association with Field Guides Birding Tours, made a trip to south-western Mexico in search of rare species that are unique to the Sierra Madre mountains area. Based in the beautiful colonial city of Oaxaca, known for great birds, authentic food, and amazing human history, the group explored many habitats including the semi-arid deserts near Teotitltán and the pine forests of La Cumbre at altitudes of up to almost 10000 feet.  Doug and Ken will report on the successful search for rare endemic species like Dwarf Jay, Gray-barred Wren, Mountain Trogon and Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo in … Continue reading →

Our 21st Annual 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 25th.  Order pick up will be at the Wells Reserve on Friday, November … Continue reading →

Photographing the Night Sky: Capturing the Stars, Milky Way, and Northern Lights with Mike Taylor – Tuesday, Sept 17th

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Photographing the Night Sky: Capturing the Stars, Milky Way, and Northern Lights with artist, astro-photographer, philosopher, musician, movie buff, and self-proclaimed connoisseur of beverages made from malted barley Mike Taylor. Mike Taylor been interested in observing and photographing the features of the night sky since he was a child.  He says it is an awe-inspiring experience that too few people ever get to enjoy. Nature at night is so radically different from the day! Moonlight, unusual noises, or unfamiliar sights can awaken your inner child. We marvel at the world again. Mike is a contributing member of the International Dark-Sky … Continue reading →

The State of Maine’s Wildlife – with Judy Camuso, Commissioner of Maine IF&W – Tuesday, June 18th

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Judy Camuso’s career began at Maine Audubon and she has been engaging people with wildlife ever since. Knowing that people will conserve and protect the things they love, her mission became to share her passion for nature. An important opportunity led her to become Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s first female regional biologist and later to become the Director of the Department and most recently Commissioner.  This amazing woman is a licensed bird bander and an avid birder, as well as a hunter, who canoes, hikes and bikes. Camuso is a leader in protecting Maine’s inland fish, and … Continue reading →

Annual Election of Officers and Directors

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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 18th, 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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The Black Ghost: Understanding the Maine Black Bear – with Deborah Perkins – Tuesday, May 21st

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Wildlife ecologist Deborah Perkins brings us an engaging, informative, and visually dramatic show for all ages!  Deborah’s experience as a bear biologist included studying black bears and grizzly bears across North America.  In Maine, she worked with the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife’s black bear program.  Have you ever climbed into a bear’s den?  Well, Deb has! In fact, Deb has worked on various other bird and mammal studies throughout North America including shorebirds in the Canadian Arctic, Canada Lynx in northern Maine, and seals and seabirds in Maine. In this program Deb will bring her Black Bear adventures … Continue reading →

Fighting Against the Rising Tides: A Biologist Looks at the Impact of Climate Change on Birds That Live in the Saltmarsh – with Logan Maxwell – Tuesday, April 16th

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Biologist Logan Maxwell recently completed her master’s work at UNH.  Her research focused on ways climate change affects birds along our coast. Our saltmarshes provide breeding habitat for a community of uniquely adapted birds that are threatened by the ongoing changes in vegetation, loss of habitat, and increased tidal flooding due to rising sea levels. Logan’s aim was to figure out how saltmarsh birds might adapt to this changing environment.  Birds that live in our saltmarshes are seriously impacted by lunar high tides. These tides are the leading cause of nest failure.  Saltmarsh nesting birds are extremely vulnerable to even slight … Continue reading →

Bringing Nature Home with Eric Topper on Tuesday, March 19th

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Bringing Nature Home is Maine Audubon’s new community engagement and habitat stewardship initiative based on the bestselling book of that title by Doug Tallamy.  Join Maine Audubon’s Director of Education, Eric Topper, to explore the plants, practices and perks involved in restoring native food webs in our gardens, yards and communities. Like many places, the landscape of coastal Maine has changed dramatically.  Today, gardens, yards, neighborhoods and towns are playing increasingly critical roles in supporting native food webs for birds, pollinators and other wildlife.  Our individual efforts to support wildlife can be both intimately rewarding and broadly beneficial. With an … Continue reading →

The Maine Young Birders Club (MYBC) Announces Hog Island Scholarships for Teens

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MYBC, in conjunction with York County Audubon and Friends of Hog Island, is sponsoring two scholarships for Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens.  This intensive 6-day, 5-night program on Hog Island allows enthusiastic young birders to work with some of the country’s best-known birders and ornithologists on field identification, bird ecology and conservation. This program includes the unique opportunity to see Audubon’s seabird restoration work in action, and visit Eastern Egg Rock during the puffin breeding season (weather and sea conditions permitting). The program runs from June 16th to 21st. The scholarships will pay 80% of the recipient’s cost for program … Continue reading →

YCAS announces the June Ficker Hog Island Scholarship for Educators for 2019

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     Hog Island on midcoast Maine YCAS will again be awarding a scholarship for the Educator’s Week program, July 14-19, 2019 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. YCAS announces 2019 Hog Island Scholarship flyer

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Gull ID Workshop with Derek Lovitch – Jan 26-27, 2019

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York County Audubon is very pleased to present again its popular Gull ID workshop, led by the very knowledgeable birder Derek Lovitch.  It’s a two-part workshop, indoors in Wells on Saturday afternoon, Jan 26th, and outdoors in greater Portland on Sunday morning, Jan 27th.  It will get you started on unraveling the mysteries of gull identification. There is a registration fee of $20 for YCA (or Maine Audubon) members and $25 for non-members. Space is limited and advance registration is required.  To register, please click on this Event under What’s Coming Up on the right hand side of this webpage, and … Continue reading →

The Christmas Bird Counts Are Coming (2018)

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     Beginning on Christmas Day in 1900, the   Audubon Society has been sponsoring Christmas Bird Counts (CBC’s) to help monitor the health and status of bird populations throughout North America.  In that first year, there were 25 count circles with a total of 27 birders.  Now, there are over 2300 count circles each year with over 70,000 birders participating, with the locations stretching from Alaska to South America. Each year, York County Audubon sponsors two counts.  The Southern York County circle extends from Kittery to Ogunquit, while the Biddeford/Kennebunkport count circle reaches from Kennebunk to Saco.  Each count territory … Continue reading →