Sanford Sewage Treatment Facility Field Trip
Meet Andrew Aldrich at the plant office. FMI call Scott Richardson at 698-4461.
Continue reading →Harlequin
Harlequin is a pseudonym for content not attributed to a specific author. It echoes the name of the YCAS newsletter, The Harlequin. Watch for Harlequin Ducks along the rocky portions of the York County coast in winter. ¶ The avatar is by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, who sketched and painted the species during the Harriman Alaska Expedition. ¶ "When we got before the glacier, I saw my first pair of harlequins... the glass showed them plainly to be a ♂ + ♀ histrionicus." — L.A. Fuertes, June 7, 1899
Scarborough Marsh Field Trip
Join Doug Hitchcox at the trailhead south of the Audubon nature center. FMI call Al Hodson at 324-4528.
Continue reading →Video: Birding in York County
Birding with Marie Jordan at West Buxton Library 2011 from srctv on Vimeo.
Continue reading →Before Audubon: The Life and Work of Alexander Wilson
Member meeting, Wells Reserve at Laudholm We laud John James Audubon for his remarkable work painting and describing all American bird species known in his era, but he was not the first person to undertake such a project. In this program Paul Wells of West Kennebunk will present an overview of the life of Alexander Wilson, whose own efforts to compile a comprehensive survey of American birds immediately preceded Audubon’s, and have been forever overshadowed by them. Wells will illustrate his talk with examples of Wilson’s art, as well as brief musical excerpts of tunes that Wilson — who is known … Continue reading →
Birds of Monhegan Island
Member meeting, Wells Reserve at Laudholm Located 12 miles off Mid-coast Maine, Monhegan Island has become a top destination for birders because of it beauty, amazing avian diversity and magnetism for rare birds. Join local birder Doug Hitchcox as he talks about how to bird the island and shares pictures tied to amazing stories from his experiences on the island.
Continue reading →Oystercatchers!
As the coordinator for the American Oystercatcher Recovery Project, Shiloh Schulte is responsible for working with diverse partner organizations to identify and foster reserach and management programs that will aid the recovery of beach nesting species. His program will illustrate this exciting work.
Continue reading →Audubon Camp at Hog Island
The Friends of Hog Island are working to keep the much beloved Hog Island Camp thriving and to prevent the island from being sold to a commercial group. Anyone who has been to Hog Island knows it is a very special place that has changed lives including mine. Hog Island is many things to the people who have attended sessions there. When asked, some mention specific adventures such as the study of tide pools, the fantastic world renowned staff, the birds, etc. Others say “My life has been so much richer since I attended” or “The experience of Hog Island … Continue reading →
On the Board: Paul Wells
Paul Wells is a musician, writer, and photographer who retired to West Kennebunk in 2010 after serving for 25 years as the founding director of the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University, in Murfreesboro. He grew up on a farm in Cummington, Massachusetts, and credits his late father, Francis, for instilling in him a lifelong interest in birds and the natural world in general. While in Tennessee he was active in the John W. Sellars chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society. In addition to being an active birder Wells has a strong interest in the history of … Continue reading →
Songbird Superhighway
Adapted from an article by Jessica Bloch. Rebecca Holberton was the presenter at our 2011 Annual Meeting. It was 8:10 on a mild, clear October 2009 morning on Metinic Island in Penobscot Bay, and a group of University of Maine researchers was already several hours into a shift collecting, banding and analyzing songbirds migrating off the Maine coast. During the fall and spring migration seasons University of Maine graduate student and bird bander Adrienne Leppold lives on Metinic Island off the Maine coast, conducting research there as part of the Northeast Regional Migration Monitoring Network. Through her research, supported by … Continue reading →
Brownfield Bog: June 4, 2011
Brownfield Bog is located near the Maine/New Hampshire border in Brownfield, Maine. It is an ideal location for multiple state listers, lovers of pristine Maine woods, and searchers for specific target species. Without question it is one of the top birding spots of interior New England. Maintained by the State of Maine as the Brownfield Bog Wildlife Management Area, it is comprised of 5,700 acres of shallow wetlands that are bisected by the Saco River and interspersed with forested tracts. Spring migration and the early breeding season are ideal times to visit this site. York County Audubon sponsors a field … Continue reading →
Green Point: April 18, 2011
Four YCAS members joined Mike Fahay on April 18 for an enjoyable jaunt through the Green Point Farm Wildlife Management Area. The field trip started dramatically when a large flock of Rusty Blackbirds zipped over us. In a stiff breeze, we wandered the area, finding some early warblers, getting excellent views of Bald Eagles, and spotting six species of ducks at various points on Merrymeeting Bay. We had a respectable total of 35 species, along with good conversation and fascinating wildlife information from Mike. His extensive knowledge of flora and fauna was truly impressive. This spot is well worth multiple … Continue reading →
Rotary Park: May 12, 2011
Thursday, May 12, proved to be like so many other days this May — cloudy and chilly, with a biting northeast wind. Nine intrepid birders braved the conditions, in hope of viewing recently arrived migrants. It seems the northerly windflow may have hindered migratory progress; we saw only six species of warblers. Over a period of three hours, we were finally able to tease out a total of 37 species, including some new arrivals, such as Eastern Kingbird, Warbling Vireo, and Baltimore Oriole. Near the “beach,” we were treated with a pair of Eastern Bluebirds, which appear to be nesting nearby. … Continue reading →
For the Sake of the Birds
Ah yes! It seems the summer really has decided to come to Maine this year after all! And after our very snowy winter and soggy, gray spring we are ready. We are ready for time to relax and enjoy a vacation. But, wait! Our feathered friends are hard at work, settling in after their arduous trip back north, busy setting up home, preparing for and tending their new broods. It is no small task that is fraught with difficulties and peril. So what can we do to support their efforts and encourage success? Sometimes it is just the little things … Continue reading →
Birding Challenge 2011: It’s Up to You!
Nine teams numbering 20 birders took to the field on May 13th and 14th to raise funds in support of York County Audubon Conservation/Education efforts. We set records this year with numbers of folks in the field and total species seen: 170! Highlights of the day included a Barred Owl while snoozing by the Watsons, a mystery Blackbird that took lots of homework by Nancy Houlihan, and a several hundred bird flock of Brant geese lazing on the sea. The birders did their part — thanks to one and all. The pizza supplied by Alfredo’s of Wells was wonderful and unmatched — … Continue reading →
Wednesday morning birding group: June 15, 2011
Good turnout for the walk at the Franciscan Monastery, Kennebunk!
Continue reading →Icy but Beautiful
At the (then) thermal nadir of the season sixteen thermally challenged troopers (as it turned out), attracted as moths to light to the instructive birding of Eric Hynes, joined him January 15 after navigating to The Nubble through Arctic smoke and sea fog at subzero temperatures. We flapped arms and rolled up collars while checking out the usual marine suspects around the light for a while, before Eric began to institute his program for keeping us thawed. Such a benign beginning: we thought his plan stopped at wind-breaks and automobile heaters with quick stops at sheltered feeders just inside The … Continue reading →
Correspondence: Cory’s College Fund
Dear Ms. Zimmerman, I would like to thank you and the York County Audubon Society for the June Ficker Memorial College Fund. So far school has been going well for me, and in particular I have found a lot of interest for my terrestrial wildlife and wetland conservation classes. My professor, Dr. Perlut, is very interested in birds himself, and has been banding Savannah Sparrows in Vermont for the last nine years. I hope to work with him this summer conducting bird count surveys along the Saco River. I am also looking forward to taking a class on bird banding, … Continue reading →
AOU Changes & ABA Area Birds
The American Ornithologists’ Union published the 51st supplement to its check-list of North American Birds in July of 2010. Here is a brief summary of the changes of interest to ABA birders. The updated AOU checklist, now with 2070 species, can be found at www.aou.org/checklist/north. The following splits affected ABA area birds: Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra) was split into American and Eurasian Species. The American species retains the common name Black Scoter (M. americana) and the Eurasian Scoter becomes Common Scoter (M. nigra). The Eurasian species has not yet been reported in the ABA Area. Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus) was split … Continue reading →
Individual Landowners’ Role in the Bobolink Summertime Drama
Each summer aerial dramas help define the sights and sounds of New England’s agricultural landscape. Male bobolinks, jet black with a bright yellow nape and white tuxedo-like markings on their backs, soar into the air singing so wildly they almost seem confused and then land like butterflies on the tall grass. Female bobolinks, golden and bronze, sleek, with delicate stripes on top of their heads, like to test their mates and neighbors, making a whine-like call and rocketing into the sky to see which male can keep pace. Unfortunately, these dramas are acted out less and less each summer. According … Continue reading →
Birding Challenge 2011: Announcement
Did you know that the majority of the York County Audubon financial outreach is supported by our Birding Challenge Fund Raiser. We support great relationships with The Center for Wildlife, The Puffin Project, the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, and other York County conservation organizations. Because of these relationships we can offer exciting community based programs like our “Winter Wildlife Day,” our Piping Plover Educational Program, and we can enjoy a beautiful spot for our Annual Dinner. The 2011 Birding Challenge will happen on the 13th & 14th of May. We search for birds from 5:00pm on May 13th and complete our … Continue reading →