Author Archives: Bill

The 2021 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, with her graciously donating the calendars to YCA to support our educational programs. We’ve always presented them at our fall program meetings, but this year that’s not possible, of course, 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 … Continue reading →

The Narwhal’s Tusk: the ten most remarkable marine mammal adaptations – with Zack Klyver – November 17th

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Have you ever wondered why a narwhal has a tusk? How sperm whales catch squid in the deep dark ocean? Which whale has the biggest tail, lives the longest, and holds the world migration record? Did you know that whale “waste” results in great plant plankton blooms in the ocean that produce the oxygen we breath, slow climate change and help create more productive fisheries? On Tuesday, November 17th, York County Audubon is delighted to host an online Zoom program featuring Maine marine mammal naturalist and conservationist Zack Klyver.  He will give a presentation based on a book he is … Continue reading →

Our 2020 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 →

Conserving Reptiles and Amphibians – A Maine Focus with Greg LeClair – Oct 20th

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Gregory LeClair is a wildlife biologist with a contagious passion for amphibians and reptiles that he has honed from early in his life. In our October Zoom program, he will share his enthusiasm, concerns, and insight into diverse topics including amphibian extinction, the exotic pet trade, habitat destruction, the impact of human attitudes on wildlife conservation, and more. He’ll offer backyard landscaping recommendations, and offer other ways we can become involved in protecting these threatened species. Adults will love this fascinating program. It would also be appropriate for middle school or high school students who are curious about working with wildlife. … Continue reading →

Seabird sentinels in the Gulf of Maine: What they can tell us about the state of our oceans – with Dr. Don Lyons – Sept 15th

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By the middle of the 20th century, the populations of many species of seabirds in the Gulf of Maine had been decimated.  Puffins had last nested on Eastern Egg Rock in 1885 and terns in 1936.  In 1973, National Audubon started a program to reintroduce and establish the Maine breeding grounds for these species, led by seabird visionary Steve Kress.  In 2019, forty-five years later, Steve retired and turned over the program to new leadership. The program has proved exceptionally successful. The population of Atlantic Puffins has grown to more than 1,000 nesting pairs on five coastal Maine islands, and … Continue reading →

23 Reasons To Go Outside: Snapshots from a Daily Practice of Nature Observation – with Josh Fecteau – an online program, Tuesday, August 18th at 7 p.m.

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Interested in discovering some of the birds, plants and nature that are often hiding in plain sight all around us? Local naturalist Josh Fecteau will share some of the wild treasures he’s found near his home in Kennebunkport, and encourage all of us to go outside to make rewarding discoveries of our own. On Tuesday, August 18th, at 7 p.m., York County Audubon will be presenting this program online. The program is available free of charge, but advance registration is required. Please use the link in red below. Josh grew up along the southern Maine coast. In his early 20’s, … Continue reading →

Online via Zoom: Improving Your Bird Photography – with Laurie Pocher – Tuesday, July 21st

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Bird photography has never been more popular, and we’d like to offer some help to improve your results and your enjoyment as well!  On Tuesday, July 21st, at 7 p.m., we’ll be presenting our second online Zoom program, this time on Improving Your Bird Photography.  To register for this event, please click on the link in the paragraph in bold font at the bottom of this post. If you’ve ever tried to photograph birds, you know it’s often not easy. Your subjects are small, fast, and shy… they move around a lot, they’re most active early and late in the … Continue reading →

A Video of our June 2020 program: An Artist’s View of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge – with Michael Boardman

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On June 16th, Michael Boardman presented a wonderful program on his experiences in Alaska. He had been selected by the US Fish & Wildlife Service to be the Artist-in-Residence at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. While we don’t have a video of that program to share, here’s a link to the program he presented for the Alaska Wilderness League in May, which was virtually the same as the one he presented for York County Audubon. Enjoy! Note: there are a couple of introductions related to the Alaska Wilderness League at the beginning of the video. Michael’s program starts at the … Continue reading →

Online via Zoom: An Artist’s View of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge – with Michael Boardman – Tuesday, June 16th

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For the past several months, we have had to cancel our programs and workshops to help ensure everyone’s health and safety.  Now, we are very pleased to present our first Zoom Online program on June 16th at 7 p.m. To register for this event, please click on the link in the paragraph in bold font at the bottom of this post. Michael Boardman is a wildlife artist and member of the Maine Master Naturalist program.  In spring of 2019, he was selected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be the Artist-In-Residence at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He … 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:  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, Laurie Pocher

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An Artist’s View of Glacier Bay National Park – with Michael Boardman – Tuesday, May 19th

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Due to concerns about the coronavirus, we have cancelled this May 19th program. However, an online program has been scheduled for June 16th; please go to the post for that event to register for it. Thanks for your understanding, and take care. In 2015, local wildlife artist Michael Boardman spent 2 weeks as the artist in residence in Glacier Bay Alaska. He spent time studying the wildlife and unique geology of the park with scientists and wildlife biologists.  On Tues, May 19th he will give a presentation on the park, its wildlife and the experience of creating art in such … Continue reading →

Reptiles with Ed LeClair – Tuesday, April 21st – CANCELLED

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Due to concerns about the coronavirus, we have cancelled our April 21st program. Thanks for your understanding, and take care. Every spring, as temperatures warm and rain arrives, amphibians begin their eons-old tradition of migrating from upland habitats to wetlands to breed. These migration events, when timed correctly with the weather, can have thousands of amphibians within a mile of a pool hopping and crawling in synchrony towards their goal. However, their journey is increasingly impeded by a new barrier – roads. Amphibian populations have anecdotally been in decline because of vehicle impacts, and until recently were left relatively unnoticed. … Continue reading →

Sanford Sewer Ponds closed

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FYI, the Sanford Lagoons/Sanford Sewer District has closed its facilities to visitors for the time being. The Lagoons are a wonderful spot for birding, and we have greatly appreciated their efforts to accommodate visitors for many years! We support their efforts and look forward to returning when it is safe to do so.

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Botswana Safari: A Wildlife Lover’s Dream Come True – with Suzanne Kahn – Tuesday, March 24th – CANCELLED

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Due to concerns about the coronavirus, we have cancelled our March 24th program. Thanks for your understanding, and take care. Explore the wonders of elephants, leopards, giraffes, and more on a photographic journey through northern Botswana. In March of 2019, Education Director Suzanne Kahn traveled to Botswana for an eight-day safari. She visited three different regions: the Okavango Delta, the Savute Channel, and Hunda Island. Come explore this remote and wildlife-rich area of Africa with Suzanne as she shares her photos and stories from this once in a lifetime adventure. Suzanne is the Education Director at the Wells Reserve at … Continue reading →