Meeting to be held at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm Come early to socialize Come earlier to sit in on the board meeting The great blue heron is often touted as one of the most widespread and adaptable birds in North America.  Here in Maine they are certainly widespread, but recent data has suggested a decline in their breeding population especially along the coast.  Concerns over a population decline prompted the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to conduct a comprehensive survey of breeding colonies in 2009, and to begin a statewide adopt-a-colony program called the Heron Observation Network.  … Continue reading →

Meeting to be held at Kennebunkport Conservation Trust Birds Do the Darndest Things One of the great pleasures of birding is observing the intimate snippets of birds’ lives.  Usually the birds we see are either perched, flying, or feeding.  But every so often, we glimpse less obvious behaviors, which hold us spellbound—a meadowlark fleeing a falcon, an oriole constructing a complex nest, or a jay surreptitiously stashing away seeds. Observing bird behavior carefully often leads us to ponder some puzzling questions: Why do Yellow Warblers naively devote themselves to feeding cowbird fledglings twice their size?  How do Black-capped Chickadees remember … Continue reading →

May 10-11, 2013 marks our 13th annual Birding Challenge fund-raiser. We began very humbly in 2001 by raising a grand total of $262 and peaked in 2007 with a total of $5,038 in donations from individuals and businesses. Throughout many generous donors have supported us with contributions. Also the Birding Challenge has benefited from the dedication of YCAS members who have reached out to invite the community for its support. Our purpose in raising funds is to reinvest them in environmental education, conservation, and research projects in York County. The National Audubon’s Seabird Restoration Project on Stratton Island has been … Continue reading →

The field trip to Thornhurst Farm has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience.   Targets: Geese and more Thornhurst Farm on Route 115 in North Yarmouth is just over the Yarmouth line and known as an annual stopover for hundreds of migrating geese.  Here’s a story on it from the Press Herald:  http://www.pressherald.com/archive/rare-geese-draw-crowds-to-maine_2009-11-03.html