Meet at 7 am at the store at the intersection of Routes 113 and 160 in East Brownfield. Lisa Thurston will lead us in exploring this unique habitat till noon.
Information and Updates
Marie Jordan 207-799-1408Field Trip: Intervale Marshes
Join long-time Maine birder Bill Hancock in exploring the beautiful Intervale Marshes of New Gloucester in search of some of the reclusive species characteristic of southern Maine’s freshwater wetlands, such as Virginia Rail, Sora, American Bittern, and Marsh Wren. You’ll see a lot of other birds as well in this wonderful habitat designated as a state Important Bird Area. Wear waterproof boots, as the morning dew in these lowlands can be heavy. We’ll meet at 7 am in New Gloucester and spend the morning there and possibly some other nearby spots.
Meeting Place and Additional Details
Bill Grabin 207-985-3342 grabin@roadrunner.comMercury in Ecosystems of the Northeast: Songbirds as Sentinels of Contamination
Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve at Laudholm
Presented by Evan Adams, Migratory Bird Program Director at the Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) in Gorham
We are aware that mercury is a pollutant. But what do we know about its effects on wildlife? The BRI has recently summarized a decade’s worth of research on mercury contamination in songbirds and bats in the Northeast in a report called Hidden Risk. Evan will discuss how mercury gets into the environment and what the results mean for birds of conservation concern in the Northeast.
You’re invited: All members are welcome at the YCAS board meeting, which will be held at 5pm before the program.
Epic Journeys: Tracking the Migrations of Shorebirds in the Western Hemisphere
Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve at Laudholm
All are welcome to the YCAS board meeting, to be held at 5pm before the monthly program.
A film by Shawn Carey and Jim Grady of Migration Productions.
Each year millions of shorebirds make an amazing round-trip journey between the Northern and Southern hemisphere. Migration Productions’ newest video, “Epic Journeys,” looks at three shorebird species—Red Knot, Piping Plover and Semipalmated Sandpiper—and the challenges these species face during each of their monumental annual treks. Interviews and footage were shot on Plymouth Beach MA, the Bay of Fundy in Canada, and Cape May NJ. Migration Productions asks burning questions: What is being done to help protect these shorebirds and their habitat? How can the public help with their conservation? Co-sponsored by the Wells Reserve, this promises to be an outstanding program.
The Joy of Birding… Why Birds Do What They Do
Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve at Laudholm
We all remember when some aspect of bird behavior caught our attention. Naturalist, educator and registered Maine Guide Mike Shannon will illustrate ways that knowledge of basic bird behavior enhances our understanding of birds and aids us in identification. Mike is retired from Unity College where he taught ornithology. A former director of the Audubon Ecology Camp in Maine (Hog Island), he has also served as master naturalist for the Massachusetts Audubon Society. Mike has a long history of sharing his passion and enthusiasm for things natural and we know you will enjoy his presentation.
All are welcome at the YCAS board meeting, to be held at 5:30pm before the monthly program.
eBird Workshop in Cape Porpoise
Join Doug Hitchcox at the Church on the Cape, Cape Porpoise, to find out about eBird. Submit your sightings. Contribute to science.
Please call Dave Doubleday if you plan to attend. 967-4486
Field Trip to Highland Farm Preserve, York
The Highland Farm Preserve recently opened to the public after being conserved by York Land Trust. Bird the shrublands, forest edge, fields, and marsh habitats with Lyman Page.
Meet at the Highland Farm parking area on Route 91 in York.
Hosted by York Land Trust. Reservations are requested. For more information, visit the York Land Trust website.
Bird Walk at Hamilton House, South Berwick
Join York County Audubon for a bird walk on the grounds of Hamilton House and adjacent Vaughan Woods State Park. Watch for local nesting species and search for late migrants with leader Scott Richardson, a lifelong birder and resident of Berwick. Coffee and donuts in the Hamilton Garden Cottage to follow. Beginners are welcome. Space is limited, reservation required. Call Historic New England at 207-384-2454.
Winter Wildlife Day
York County Audubon teams up with the Center for Wildlife and the Wells Reserve at Laudholm to celebrate wildlife and their habitats!
Join us for lots of family fun with live animal presentations (10am and 12pm), tracking walks (11am and 1pm), and a wildlife project to take home.
Explore the trails and treasures of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm. Bring skis, sleds, and snowshoes if you have them!
Visit the Wells Reserve at Laudholm website for directions.
Stratton Island: Maine’s Most Diverse Waterbird Colony
Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve at Laudholm
Did you know Maine’s most diverse waterbird colony sits right in Saco Bay, at Stratton Island? Do you know how YCAS supports this program? Paula Shannon, Seabird Sanctuary Manager for the National Audubon Society’s Seabird Restoration Program, will discuss the bird life of Stratton Island and how the National Audubon Society works to protect and enhance waterbird populations on the island. Learn about research currently taking place on Stratton Island, as well as plans for the future. Paula has spent numerous field seasons studying birds and living and working on islands, from Maine to Hawaii and Alaska, and is pleased to share information about this island jewel right in your own backyard.
Adventure to the Bottom of the World: The Birds and Wildlife of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica
Derek and Jeannette Lovitch of Freeport Wild Bird Supply spent 3 weeks in November 2010 on a boat touring the islands of the southern ocean and the Antarctic Peninsula. Join us for a multimedia presentation of their voyage which included the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Orkney Islands, and Antarctic Peninsula. Enjoy penguins, albatrosses, seals, icebergs, and so much more!
This program follows the YCAS Annual Meeting, which will be held at the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust headquarters at 53 Gravelly Brook Road. It’s a little tricky to find, but worth it. We hope you will join us.
Schedule
6:45 pm — Annual Business Meeting with election of Directors, open to all members and visitors
7:00 pm — Social Time with refreshments
7:30 pm — Program: Adventure to the Bottom of the World
Birding in York County
Red-bellied Woodpecker. Photo by Marie Jordan.
Marie Jordan is a popular presenter of bird programs. She is an enthusiastic York County Audubon board member who spends hours in the field with binoculars, telescope, and camera. Her photos are fantastic and she will share her extensive knowledge of birds. In her spare time Marie travels extensively. Just back from a trip to Cuba, she will tell us of birds she has seen all over the world but she will also help us learn more ways to enjoy local birds and birding.
We meet in Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve at Laudholm
Maine Seabird Islands
Stephanie Martin is the programs coordinator for the non-profit Friends of Maine Seabird Islands. Learn how volunteers work with the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge in its efforts to conserve, protect, and enhance a rich diversity of coastal habitats, seabirds, and other wildlife. Think puffins, terns, razorbills, guillemots, and other seabirds! Since the refuge lands are largely offshore islands that are closed to the public during nesting season, this is a great opportunity to find out what they’re like.
We meet in Mather Auditorium, Wells Reserve at Laudholm.
Birding Challenge 2011
Thanks, Daniel Gaucher, for producing this great video!
Ferry Beach to Saco
Chuck Homler leads a field trip along the Saco River. Meet at the railroad station parking lot on Saco Island at 8:30 a.m. to carpool. We will bird from Water St. to Camp Ellis until about 10:30 unless people want to continue later than that. Looking for Peregrine Falcon, Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, etc.
- Start and end times subject to change
- FMI: Joanne Stevens 883-6475
Winter Birding the York County Coast and perhaps beyond
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Meeting location: Nubble Light, York
- Start and end times subject to change.
- FMI: Dave Doubleday (207) 205-4041 (C)
Southern Coast
Field trip with Mike Windsor, naturalist at Maine Audubon.
Meet at Nubble Light in York at 8 am and be prepared to carpool to hotspots along the southern coast—the Nubble, Cliff House, Marginal Way—continuing to Fortunes Rocks and Biddeford Pool if time permits.
Contact Pat Sanborn.
Marie’s No-Melt Peanut Butter Suet
This is great food for the birds that can be put out all year.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Lard (shortening may work if you cannot get lard)
- 1 Cup Peanut Butter
Melt in pot large enough to stir in the following:
- 2 Cups of Oatmeal (regular – not instant)
- 2 Cups Cornmeal
- 1 Cup Flour
- 1/3 Cup Sugar
- Optional: Bird Seed
Pour into a pan (8×8 is good) and refrigerate to solidify.
Easier to remove if you line pan with wax paper then run hot water over bottom of pan to help it release.
Cut into fourths to place in a feeder – or a different shape to fit easily into your suet feeder.
Freeze extra till needed. I make a second batch before cleaning the pot!
CBC Biddeford-Kennebunkport
The 2011-2012 Biddeford-Kennebunkport CBC will be held December 31. If you are interested in joining us, please contact count compiler Marie Jordan at 207-799-1408.
CBC York County
The 2011-2012 York County CBC will be held December 19. If you are interested in joining us, please contact count compiler Pat Moynahan at 284-5487.