This program was presented on September 19, 2023 in-person at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm and via Zoom. To watch it, please click on the image below to watch it on this page, or you can click on “Watch on Youtube” at the bottom of that image. (We also recommend clicking on the little white square in the bottom right corner of that viewing screen to convert the image to “full screen”). For a description of the program, you can scroll down to the original post for the program.
Intro to Foraging – with Dan Gardoqui – Saturday afternoon, September 23rd
Are you curious about wild foods and foraging during this season of abundance? Does uncertainty and concern stop you from sampling healthy, wild foods? Join us at the Wells Reserve with forager and expert naturalist Dan Gardoqui of Lead with Nature. We’ll stroll the fields, forests and shorelines, all the while connecting with the wild plants, trees, fungi and more with all of our senses. Participants should be prepared to walk a few miles, dress for the weather, and bring along a water bottle. Please note that foraging is NOT permitted at the Wells Reserve outside of this program. We encourage you to find legal places to forage near your home.
Dan Gardoqui has been studying naturalist skills, wildlife tracking, bird language, and mentoring for over 30 years. Dan has a M.S. in Natural Resources, is a Certified Wildlife Tracker, Registered Maine Guide, and served as Science Faculty at Granite State College. Dan co-founded and led the nature connection nonprofit, White Pine Programs for 20 years. He currently runs Lead with Nature, where he helps leaders find success and meaning through nature-based consulting services & adventures.
York County Audubon is co-hosting this program with and at The Wells Reserve. It will run from 1 pm to 4 pm. Advance registration is required, and the cost is $25 for members (of either YCA/Maine Audubon or the Wells Reserve), or $30 for non-members. To register, please email suzanne@wellsnerr.org or call Suzanne at (207) 646-1555 x116. Please note: Program fee does not include site admission fee.
The Birds of Guatemala – with Doug Hitchcox – at the Wells Reserve and via Zoom – on Tuesday, September 19th
Guatemala is a wonderful birding destination with many avian specialties, beautiful scenery, a colorful culture (including the proud Mayan, perhaps the richest indigenous culture remaining in the New World), and some of the best coffee in the world.
In March of this year, Doug Hitchcox was a leader of a spectacular trip to view the birds of Guatemala. The areas that they visited were varied, from the cool pine-oak forests near Antigua and Tecpan (think Pink-headed Warbler) to humid tropical lowland forests in the Petén (the Caribbean slope).
The tour started in the Petén with a visit to the Classic Mayan site of Tikal and Las Guacamayas which added a large number of birds (not possible on the Pacific Highlands side), including the opportunity to see Orange-breasted Falcon, as well as several Yucatan endemics that include Ocellated Turkey, Yucatan Poorwill, Yucatan Flycatcher, and the striking Gray-throated Chat. Tikal is easily one of the best birding sites in all of Central America, but it will also amaze you for the immensity of the surrounding forest and the grandeur of the temples and complexes.
On Tuesday, September 19th, at 7 p.m., York County Audubon is pleased to host YCA Board member Doug Hitchcox who will present this program. Doug is the Staff Naturalist for Maine Audubon. In his free time, Doug is one of Maine’s eBird reviewers, owner and moderator of the ‘Maine-birds’ listserv, and member of the Maine Bird Records Committee. He also served as the Outreach Coordinator for the Maine Bird Atlas, and writes a regular nature column for the Portland Press Herald.
This program will be presented in-person in the Mather Auditorium of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, and will also be viewable via Zoom. To view via Zoom, you’ll need to register in advance. To do so, please click on this link and enter your name and email address:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_A9sbOK_bRg2whvNVQkZk9w
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We hope you can join us in-person, or, if not, via Zoom!
How Can I? – with Enock Glidden – Tuesday, August 22nd
Join Enock Glidden as he shares stories of his life using the question “How can I?” to accomplish many adventures, including his 2016 ascent of El Capitan. He will also delve into his work with Maine Trail Finder and his mission to get more people of all abilities to enjoy the outdoors of Maine.
An avid and accomplished outdoorsman, Enock Glidden can be found adventuring every season of the year throughout his home state of Maine. As a person born with a disability, Enock is a passionate advocate for making trails more accessible for all. He hikes extensively, assessing and writing about his experiences through the award-winning Maine Trail Finder website. His blogs and experiences have been shared widely in local, state, and national media outlets, and Maine Magazine named him one of their Mainers of the Year in 2022. Out on trails, Enock works directly with trail managers to assess both physical and communication barriers that can be minimized or eliminated to make those experiences more accessible and welcoming for everyone.
This in-person program is being co-hosted by the Wells Reserve and York County Audubon, and will be held in the Wells Reserve’s Mather Auditorium, beginning at 7 p.m. It will be in-person only without Zoom streaming. A suggested donation of $5 would be greatly appreciated to help offset the costs of this special program. We hope to see you there!
Wildlife Track and Sign by the Sea – with Dan Gardoqui – Sunday, July 23rd
The sands of Laudholm Beach reveal the stories of a diverse array of birds, mammals and invertebrates. Join Certified Wildlife Tracker and Maine Guide Dan Gardoqui for an enlightening morning of decoding stories in the sand. Participants will need to walk about 3 miles and spend time on uneven surfaces. Please bring your own water and snacks.
About the Presenter
Dan Gardoqui has been studying naturalist skills, wildlife tracking, bird language, and mentoring for nearly 30 years. Dan has a M.S. in Natural Resources, is a Certified Wildlife Tracker, Registered Maine Guide, and served as Science Faculty at Granite State College. Through wildlife tracking, Dan has contributed to wildlife studies and served as science editor for the bird language book What the Robin Knows. Dan co-founded and led the nature connection nonprofit, White Pine Programs for 20 years. He currently runs Lead with Nature, where he helps leaders find success and meaning through nature-based consulting services & adventures.
YCA is co-hosting this program with partner the Wells Reserve. It will run from 7:30 am to 10:30 am. Advance registration is required, and the cost is $25 for members (of either YCA/Maine Audubon or the Wells Reserve), or $30 for non-members. To register, please email suzanne@wellsnerr.org or call Suzanne at (207) 646-1555 x116.
Please note: Program fee does not include site admission fee.
Birds of Prey: Our Talon-ted Friends – with the Center for Wildlife and their Wildlife Ambassadors – Tuesday, June 20th – at the Wells Reserve, in-person only
What is the difference between a hawk and a falcon? Do we have vultures in Maine? What is our smallest owl? What is our largest hawk? Where do they live? Using our amazing live non-releasable bird ambassadors, posters, and hands-on materials, we will discuss the kinds of birds of prey found in Maine, their habitats, habits, place in the food chain, and why we need to protect them. This program will connect the audience with these beautiful ambassadors of their species as well as provide their natural and personal histories and empower audience members to help to steward the environment we all share.
Nestled at the base of Mount Agamenticus in Cape Neddick for 33 years, CFW has treated over 50,000 injured and orphaned wild animals and presented programming to thousands of community members annually. CFW’s vision is to instill a sense of understanding, responsibility, and compassion for our natural world leading to a society connected to nature and empowered to take action, and we do this through conservation medicine, environmental education, community empowerment, and advocacy. FMI: www.thecenterforwildlife.org
We are proud to host CFW for this program, as we have long supported their work. The program will be presented in-person in the Mather Auditorium of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, and will be preceded by a short YCA annual meeting starting at 7 pm. It will be in-person only without Zoom streaming. We hope you can join us!
Annual Election of Officers and Directors
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, Laurie Pocher, Vice President, Kathy Donahue, Treasurer, and Monica Grabin, Secretary, as well as the following slate of Directors: Britney Fox, Dan Gardoqui, David Doubleday, Doug Hitchcox, Heather Rutledge, Joyce Toth, Marian Zimmerman, Marion Sprague, Mary Bateman, Rebekah Lowell, Seth Davis. This slate will be presented and proposed to our members for their approval at our June 20th annual meeting, which will precede our June 20th program.
The 2023 Birding Challenge is coming on May 20th!
For complete details, please click on this link: https://www.yorkcountyaudubon.org/events/ycas-2023-birding-challenge-to-support-the-maines-young-birders-club
Revision of YCA Bylaws
Over the last six months, YCA’s Board of Directors took on the task of reviewing our current Bylaws which had been drafted in 2004 (with a minor amendment in 2013) . Many changes were required to enable them to accurately reflect our current operations and our thoughts for the organization’s future. On April 18th, the Board unanimously approved the new version.
Our June 20th annual meeting will precede our program that evening. At that time, we’ll be seeking our members approval of these revised Bylaws. You can use the links below to review both the 2004 Bylaws and the proposed 2023 Bylaws.
Beach Plum Farm Eco-fest in Ogunquit on Saturday, May 20th
Please join York County Audubon and many other great organizations at the Beach Plum Farm Eco-fest from 10 – 2 on Saturday, May 20th. Beach Plum Farm is a wonderful spot right on Route 1 in Ogunquit. It’s the last remaining salt water farm in Ogunquit, home to community gardens, and the office of Great Works Regional Land Trust, who acquired and permanently protected it. FMI: https://gwrlt.org/beach-plum-farm-preserve/
Our 2023 Birding Challenge — to Support the Maine Young Birders Club
York County Audubon needs your support! YCA was founded in 1968, and for the past 55 years, has promoted a wide variety of conservation activities and initiatives to benefit thousands of people. A few years back, we realized that there was an unmet need: a program that specifically focused on young birders. So, in 2016, we launched the Maine Young Birders Club (MYBC).
Since then, many young birders aged 11 to 18 have actively participated and gained a greater understanding of the natural world, while connecting with and being inspired by like-minded young people. While MYBC members do pay a small annual fee to participate, we’re looking to raise funds to support the club’s efforts and expand our membership to reach under-served communities.
Starting in 2001 and continuing for fifteen years, YCA hosted an annual Birding Challenge, and it was our most prominent fundraiser. Now, after a few years’ hiatus, our Birding Challenge is back! This year, our goal is to establish solid funding for the MYBC, something the young participants and the dedicated club coordinators really deserve.
The Birding Challenge is a twenty-four hour event in which teams of participants attempt to identify as many bird species as possible, asking friends, family and businesses to sponsor them at whatever level they wish. Every donation will help, large or small!
For the first time this year, we’ll be making use of an online portal dedicated to the Challenge, where you can pledge a donation, either a fixed amount or on a ‘per-species’ basis. You can access our fundraiser page and make a pledge or donation at https://tinyurl.com/yca-bc-2023. There’s also information there describing how you can participate if you’d like. Just scroll down that page and click on “About” and “FAQ’s.”
We would be very grateful for your support in any way. Thank you so much!
As a Chapter of Maine Audubon, a recognized 501(c)(3) organization, all contributions to York County Audubon are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.
Saving Birds With Maine’s Commercial Forest: the 30-Year Bird Project – with Anna Siegel – Tuesday, May 16th – at the Wells Reserve and via Zoom
In 2019, an alarming article from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology reported that three billion North American birds have been lost since 1970 (about 30%). Maine’s nearly 10-million-acres of commercial forest form the heart of National Audubon’s largest Important Bird Area of Global Significance in the contiguous U.S. What role does this enormous area play in national-scale land bird conservation? This fertile breeding ground still supports a wide range of bird species of conservation concern.
In 2021 and 2022, the “30-Year Bird Project” replicated a groundbreaking 1990s study to understand how bird populations have changed as a result of changes in forest practices. The project has involved three generations of scientists. Anna Siegel, the Outreach Lead of the project, will describe what the team has learned and how forest practices might change to further support bird conservation while also sustaining rural, forest-based communities.
Anna Siegel is climate justice activist, young birder, and high school student. She is the Advocacy Director of Maine Youth Action, a Core member of Maine Youth for Climate Justice, and serves on her town’s Climate Action Task Force. She is also a member of the Maine Young Birders Club and is an avid hiker.
This program will be presented in-person in the Mather Auditorium of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, and will also be viewable via Zoom. To view via Zoom, you’ll need to register in advance.
To do so, please click on this link and enter your name and email address:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DU-HSEE4TZ6BCYKA0NUnrw#/registration
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We hope you can join us in-person, or, if not, via Zoom!
A Video of our April 2023 program: Native Plants: Good for What Ails Your Garden – with Shawn Jalbert
This program was presented on April 18, 2023 in-person at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm and via Zoom. To watch it, please click on the image below to watch it on this page, or you can click on “Watch on Youtube” at the bottom of that image. (We also recommend clicking on the little white square in the bottom right corner of that viewing screen to convert the image to “full screen”). For a description of the program, you can scroll down to the original post for the program.
The Harlequin – Spring 2023
Please click on the link below to view the Spring 2023 issue of our Harlequin newsletter:
https://www.yorkcountyaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Harlequin-Spring-2023.pdf
Native Plants: Good for What Ails Your Garden – with Shawn Jalbert – Tuesday, April 18th – at the Wells Reserve and via Zoom
It’s almost spring and we’ve all got a hankering to get back outside to do some landscaping and gardening. Instead of grabbing the same old plants off the garden center shelves, consider going the native route.
Native trees, shrubs, and perennials are the glue that holds our ecosystems together and are directly tied to the health of our environment. All of our backyards could use some extra natives planted in them, but sometimes you don’t have to recreate the wheel; recognizing and preserving the natives we already have growing around us is important too.
We will learn how the food web revolves around native plants; the more we have in our yards the richer the biodiversity of our neighborhoods, from the birds to the bees. These actions have tangible results we can see, smell, hear, and even taste. Join us for an empowering evening on how native plants are the best medicine for what ails our landscapes.
Shawn Jalbert is the owner and operator of Native Haunts, based in Alfred, Maine. He has made it his mission to make native plants, and the knowledge of their critical importance, available to the general public. “Native Haunts” is an “old-timey” term to describe native plants in their natural habitats. For the last 20 years, he’s made it his mission to sustainably propagate and sell native plant materials, but more importantly, to share the vast knowledge he has accumulated through his personal experience and his intense studies as a lecturer and consultant. FMI: https://nativehaunts.com/
This program will be presented in-person at 7 p.m. in the Mather Auditorium of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, and will also be viewable via Zoom. To view via Zoom, you’ll need to register in advance.
To do so, please click on this link and enter your name and email address:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vALL9WzQRi6z_RvircuAig
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We hope you can join us in-person, or, if not, via Zoom!
Enjoy a quick word from Holly Merker, our March 21st Presenter!
If the video doesn’t run on this page, please click on the “Youtube” in the lower right corner of the video box.
Winter Seabirds in Maine – a workshop with Ed Jenkins – Saturday, March 11th
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
Seabirds are, by their very nature, enigmatic and difficult to observe closely. They are superbly adapted for life out at sea, specialized in a myriad of ways to fill every niche in an environment that may seem harsh and desolate to us.
Even in Maine where seabirds are present in large numbers, getting close enough to begin to understand their fascinating lives can be tough, especially as they face growing conservation challenges. This program will start with an overview of seabird ecology, from how they find food at sea, to their incredible migration strategies, before focusing on the species that can be found in Maine in the winter, from razorbills and murres to gulls and sea ducks. We will then conduct a ‘sea-watch’ from the coastal cliffs, learning to identify passing birds, including, hopefully, some passing rarities.
This workshop will be held on Saturday morning, March 11, 2023, from 8:00 am till (about) 11 am. at the Cliff House in Cape Neddick (whose support for this event is greatly appreciated). It will include both an indoor presentation and discussion, and an outdoor search for seabirds.
Advance registration is required. To register, please click on this event in the What’s Coming Up column on the right hand side at the top of this page, then scroll down to the registration form. The price is $25/person ($30/person for non-members), payable by cash or check at the workshop.
Ed Jenkins has been working with seabirds for the past decade, in Maine for National Audubon, but also elsewhere in the US and abroad, from New Zealand to Malta. Originally from the UK, he received his M.Sc. studying seabirds in Newfoundland in 2018, and now works as an avian biologist at the Biodiversity Research Institute in Portland.
A Video of our February 2023 program: All About Loons with Dr. James Paruk
This program was presented on February 21, 2023 via Zoom. To watch it, please click on the image below to watch it on this page, or you can click on “Watch on Youtube” at the bottom of that image. (We also recommend clicking on the little white square in the bottom right corner of that viewing screen to convert the image to “full screen”). For a description of the program, you can scroll down to the original post for the program.
“Ornitherapy: Watching birds is not only fun, it’s good for you!” via Zoom with Holly Merker on Tuesday, March 21st
Learn why getting your daily dose of Ornitherapy is just what the doctor ordered!
We’re pushed and pulled in many directions, no matter our age. If we allow birds and nature to slow us down, we are practicing “selfcare”. Research shows that exposure to nature actively reduces stress, depression, and anxiety, while helping build a stronger heart and immune system. Birds are gateways into deeper experiences with nature, magnifying these benefits. Through observation, we can learn not only about birds, but gain insight into our own lives while exploring our connection to the world around us. This fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation.
Within the program, we’ll delve into our connections to birds, how to practice Ornitherapy for optimal benefits, and learn about the latest research in the power of nature for overall well being.
Holly Merker is a professional birding guide, writer, and educator who has a background in art therapy, but today uses birds and nature towards the same goals delivering nature-based wellness programming to people of all ages.
Holly has been a professional environmental educator and birding instructor for the past two decades, working for: National Audubon, the American Birding Association, Hillstar Nature, and many other organizations. She is also a Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide (ANFT).
Holly is lead author of the award-winning book Ornitherapy: For Your Mind, Body, and Soul (Crossley Books, 2021) which guides readers into explorations that optimize the wellness benefits birding can provide us. In her free time, Holly spends every possible moment practicing Ornitherapy herself, which she credits in helping her defeat breast cancer, restoring her health mentally.
On Tuesday, March 21st at 7 p.m., York County Audubon is very pleased to present a Zoom program Ornitherapy – with Holly Merker.
This program will be presented via Zoom. There’s no charge, but you need to register in advance. To do so, please click on this link and enter your name and email address:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W3dKKZv4QPiqexfeglN_RQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We hope you can join us!
“All About Loons” with Dr. James Paruk via on Tuesday, Feb 21st
The eerie call, the distinctive black and white speckled plumage, the red eyes. We are so fortunate in Maine that loons grace our lakes and ponds, but how much do you really know about them?
Dr. James D. Paruk, professor of biology at Saint Joseph’s College, is considered one of the world’s experts on this species. Understanding the breeding and non-breeding ecology of the Common Loon has been one of his life-long a passion of his for decades. He has studied breeding loons in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Saskatchewan and Maine and non-breeding loons in California, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Maine. He spent 7 years monitoring the health of a population of loons off the Louisiana coast in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He is also the author of the acclaimed “Loon Lessons: Encounters with the Great Northern Diver.”
On Tuesday, February 21st at 7 p.m., York County Audubon is very pleased to present a Zoom program ”All About Loons” with Dr. James Paruk. He’ll present the most current detailed account of what we know about loons, from their plumage and migration routes to how old they live and how long a pair stays together.
This program will be presented via Zoom. There’s no charge, but you need to register in advance. To do so, please click on this link and enter your name and email address:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hfT7QJp8SiiyKCBl3Ic7Pg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We hope you can join us!