Author Archives: Bill

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 →

The Outlook in Augusta: a Legislative Update with Eliza Donoghue on Tuesday, November 13th

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What will be happening in the Maine Legislature after the November election?  How will environmental concerns fare in Augusta next year with a new governor and new legislature?  What’s the outlook for advancing solar and other alternative energy sources in Maine, and for protecting Maine’s forests, waterways and wildlife? Eliza Donoghue is Maine Audubon’s Senior Policy and Advocacy Specialist, and spends much of her time advocating for these concerns in Augusta.  She joined Maine Audubon in July, 2017, bringing with her extensive experience and familiarity with the Maine State House, the Land Use Planning Commission, the Land for Maine’s Future program, … Continue reading →

Diving and Birding in the Heart of the Coral Triangle with Monica and Bill Grabin on Tuesday, October 16th

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There is an area in the southwest Pacific known as the Coral Triangle.  It encompasses parts of six different island nations, and it has the greatest marine biodiversity of any area on earth.  And at the heart of the Coral Triangle, on the eastern edge of Indonesia, lies an area of West Papua known as Raja Ampat, meaning Four Kings.  Over 1,300 species of fish and 500 species of coral have been documented in this one area, and in 2017, Monica and Bill Grabin had the good fortune to explore it for themselves. On their fifth trip to Indonesia for … Continue reading →

Our 20th 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 26th.  Order pick up will be at the Wells Reserve November 8th and … Continue reading →

Following Darwin’s Footsteps: Wildlife Watching and Birding the Galapagos – with Sue Keefer and Steve Norris – Tuesday, Sept 18th

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After a career running children’s summer camps, then living aboard a sailboat, and working for Vermont State Parks, Sue Keefer and Steve Norris have spent seven summers helping out at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge where you may have encountered them trying to keep invasive plants at bay, mowing, painting, or leading bird, butterfly, tide-pool, history, and photography programs. In the winter of 2017-18, Sue and Steve acted on a long-standing bucket list item. Their love of Ecuador compelled them to visit to the Galapagos Islands – the “Showcase of Evolution”. Their original plan for a “non-bird-centric” trip soon fell … Continue reading →

Land of the Prikichi: Birds of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao by Dr. Jeffrey Wells – Tuesday, June 26th

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**** PLEASE NOTE: The date for this program has been changed from June 19th to June 26th **** The sunny islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao lie just off the coast of Venezuela with a rich history steeped in both Caribbean and Dutch culture. They are well known as popular winter getaways for scuba divers and beach-loving families from the U.S., yet fewer people know of the fascinating mix of birds that can be enjoyed here at any time of year. North American birders will be intrigued by South American tropical landbirds like the vibrant green Prikichi (Brown-throated Parakeet), the bright orange “oriole on steroids” Troupial, or the … 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 26th, 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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Learning Bird Language – a Workshop with Dan Gardoqui on Saturday, June 23rd

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Slow down and listen to the birds…and they will tell you nature’s secrets. Local tracker, naturalist, and birder Dan Gardoqui of White Pine Programs will give us a peek into the world of Deep Bird Language including tips on how to “re-awaken” this hardwired skill set of awareness. This program will blend field observation and interpretation with some indoor lectures & lessons about the fundamentals and nuances of learning bird language. Participants should dress to be outdoors for a few hours at a time (be prepared for biting insects); bring something to sit on (if you don’t want to sit … Continue reading →

A Video of our March 2018 program: Of Mallards and Men: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 – with Dr Kurk Dorsey

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A video of our great March program entitled Of Mallards and Men: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, presented by UNH’s Dr Kurt Dorsey, is now available and can be watched by clicking on the link below. Our special thanks to the Wells Reserve for recording and editing the program, and making this video available (and for everything else they do!).

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Restoring the Great Fish Migrations of Atlantic Rivers with John Waldman – Thursday, May 24th

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Professor John Waldman is coming to the Wells Reserve Thursday evening, May 24th, at 7 p.m.. His program: “Restoring the Great Fish Migrations of Atlantic Rivers.” Highly recommended! Atlantic rivers once “ran silver” with great runs of migrating salmon, shad, alewives and sturgeon, but only a small fraction of these runs flourish today. John Waldman is an aquatic conservation biologist with a singular passion for diadromous fish – fish that spend a part of their lifecycle in fresh water and another part in salt water. He will draw on this most recent book, Running Silver: Restoring Atlantic Rivers and Their … Continue reading →

Birding Around the World – with Becky Marvil – Tuesday, May 15th

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Birding Around the World with one of Maine’s most experienced and enthusiastic birders, Becky Marvil.  In the summer of 2015, Becky, her husband Josh (the pilot), and two other couples spent 30 days traveling around the world in a private plane. Their route took them from the US to Newfoundland, the Azores, Turkey, Oman, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Taiwan, Russia, and Alaska. In addition to sightseeing and learning about different cultures, Becky’s background in biology and ornithology caused her to focus on the birds, photographing and videotaping many species, and learning about their regional family variations AND similarities from one stop to … Continue reading →

Web Feet and Slimy Skin – Maine’s Frogs with Kris Hoffman – Tuesday, April 17th

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Web Feet and Slimy Skin will be presented by Dr. Kris Hoffmann from the University of Maine,   Kris spoke to us in September about turtles.  Her return promises a fascinating, informative, and funny program – this time on Maine’s fabulous frogs. Anatomy meets ecology in this hour-long presentation. Join us as we learn why frogs are slimy, how metamorphosis affects more than their legs, where they go in the winter, how they use their eyes to help swallow, what you can do to help their populations, and more. She will describe the biology of these water-loving animals, introduce us to … Continue reading →

Of Mallards and Men: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 with Kurk Dorsey – Tuesday, March 27th

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Of Mallards and Men: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 by author, birder and UNH History Professor Dr. Kurk Dorsey.  This event will help us celebrate the 100th anniversary of passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which is the basis for much of the protection afforded wild birds in the US and other nations, but is currently being weakened.  In December, the Interior Department issued a ruling that businesses which accidentally kill non-game migratory birds during their operations are not in violation of the MBTA. A popular speaker for Seacoast Audubon, Kurk’s expertise in environmental history blended with his … Continue reading →

The Harlequin – Winter 2018

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Please click on the link below to view the Winter 2018 issue of our Harlequin newsletter (with photos in full color!) Read the feature interview with new Maine Big Year record holder Josh Fecteau, describing some of his adventures and the birds he found, including this Painted Bunting in Palermo, Maine on May 18th. Harlequin Winter 2018   

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Winter Wildlife Tracking with Dan Gardoqui – Jan 20th, 2018

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The winter landscape is a fabulous time to connect with the lives of our local wildlife. Mammals, birds (even winter insects) leave behind tracks, trails and signs of their presence. Spend the morning with certified wildlife tracker Dan Gardoqui of White Pine Programs, learning to interpret the abundant clues of our wild neighbors. The workshop will run from 9 till noon on Saturday, January 20th (with Sunday as a fallback date if Saturday’s weather is too poor).  It will be held at the Wells Reserve at 342 Laudholm Farm Road in Wells Participants should be dressed to be outdoors for the … Continue reading →

Gull ID Workshop with Derek Lovitch – Feb 3rd-4th, 2018

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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 “WORKSHOP WAITING LIST” AS THE SUBJECT This two-part workshop, on Saturday afternoon, Feb 3rd and Sunday morning, Feb 4th, will get you started on unraveling the mysteries of gull identification. Actually, most gulls are not very difficult to tell apart, though adult and juveniles of most species look very different. We’re going to give ourselves confidence with identifying the easier plumage’s of our common species, and then tackle the more challenging intermediate plumage’s and the less-common species. Ring-billed Gull … Continue reading →