Please click on the link below to view the Winter 2020 issue of our Harlequin newsletter (with photos in full color!) https://www.yorkcountyaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Harlequin-Winter-2020-1.pdf
Continue reading →Our scholarships for the Hog Island Educator’s Week program, and for the Hog Island Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens have been announced. Full details and the application forms can be found on our Scholarships page: https://www.yorkcountyaudubon.org/scholarships Applications are due by March 15th.
Continue reading →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 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 →
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 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 →
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 →
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 →
Please click on the link below to view the Autumn 2019 issue of our Harlequin newsletter (with photos in full color!)
Continue reading →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 →
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 →
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
Continue reading →Please click on the link below to view the Spring 2019 issue of our Harlequin newsletter (with photos in full color!)H
Continue reading →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 →
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 →
Thanks to Maine Audubon’s Eric Topper for a great program this week on Bringing Nature Home. He described the many ways in which native plants and animals benefit our environment. Here’s a great list of resources and links: 2018 Links List
Continue reading →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 →
Please click on the link below to view the Winter 2019 issue of our Harlequin newsletter (with photos in full color!) Harlequin Winter 2019
Continue reading →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 →
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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