DEA FALL ‘25 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
To register for field trips, email deaudubon@gmail.com.
No need to register for indoor programs.
Fall Foliage Paddle
Saturday, October 11, 9:00 AM
Narramissic River, Orland
Come and join Sue Shaw for a lovely fall paddle on her favorite river. The Narramissic is always beautiful, but dressed in its fall foliage it is fantastic! There may be some late-leaving birds...and maybe the eagle or great blue will put in an appearance. The birding list might be short, but your eyes will be happy!
Fall Migration
Tuesday, October 14, 8:30 AM
Scott’s Landing, Deer Isle
Scott's Landing is a hit-or-miss migrant trap. While diversity may be low this time of year, there should be lots of birds on the water and in the bush. In October, late warblers, sparrows, and blackbirds are common migrants. Hopefully, leader Zachary Holderby can help find some interesting birds like Orange-crowned Warbler, Dickcissel, White-crowned Sparrow, or Rusty Blackbird before they take off for the winter.
Sources of Golden-winged Warbler Decline
Thursday, October 16, 7:00 PM
Blue Hill Library
Join doctoral candidate Kurt Ongman as he discusses his research on Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warbler hybridization. His research reveals new insights into how hybridization and other factors such as habitat loss and competition contribute to the rapid decline of the Golden-winged Warbler, a species that has experienced one of the steepest declines among northeastern songbirds. NOTE: This program was originally scheduled for 3/25 but had to be postponed. Refreshments served.
Cashes Ledge: Maine’s First National Marine Sanctuary?
Wednesday, November 5, 7:00 PM
Moore Community Center, Ellsworth
Cashes Ledge is 32-mile-long series of underwater mountains in 700-800 feet of water in the Gulf of Maine. It boasts the deepest and densest kelp forest on the eastern seaboard, is an environment abounding in fish and other sea life, and has been referred to as “the Yellowstone of the North Atlantic.” Whale watch naturalist and marine conservationist, Zack Klyver, has led several all-day trips to the area through his company FLUKES. On recent tours, participants saw finback whales feeding, an exuberant pod of nearly 100 bottlenose dolphins, a large leatherback sea turtle, and a great diversity of oceanic seabirds on the ledge. In July 2024, Conservation Law Foundation filed paperwork to nominate Cashes as a National Marine Sanctuary.
Schoodic Birding
Sunday, November 16, 9:00 AM - NOON
Schoodic Point
Join James Longo and the Young Birders Club at Fraser Point for a trip along the Schoodic Loop Road. We’ll stop often to look for winter species like sea ducks, loons, grebes, Purple Sandpipers, alcids, and finches. It will be a nice addition to have the high-schoolers along!
Holiday Gathering and Special Program:
Stories from the Arctic
Tuesday, December 9, 6:30 PM
Bagaduce Music Performance Hall, 49 South St, Blue Hill
Let’s gather together for some goodies and good cheer! Bring something yummy for a cookie swap, non-alcoholic drinks will be provided or BYOB. After a bit of socializing and nibbling, artist Michael Boardman will share his adventures and sketches from multiple trips to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, starting with his artist residency on the coastal plain in 2019. Migratory birds connect us all to this endangered landscape, and that connection and what we can do to protect this area will be a primary focus.
Christmas Bird Counts
Participate in the 126th Christmas Bird Count and help contribute to the longest running survey in ornithology. From December 14 through January 5, organized groups choose ONE day to count birds seen or heard within a designated 15-mile circle. Join a team in the field (or go solo!) or keep a tally of the birds seen around your feeders if you live within the count circle. Results are compiled and sent to National Audubon where they are used to assess the health of bird populations and help guide conservation.
There are five counts in our area: Mount Desert Island, Blue Hill, Deer Isle, Hog Bay and Schoodic. We need your help to make sure they get covered thoroughly! Watch for an email in December with dates and more details on how to participate.
Dec. 20, MDI CBC – Micheal Good info@downeastnaturetours.com
Dec 14, Blue Hill CBC – Zachary Holderby z_hold@hotmail.com
Jan 3, Deer Isle CBC – Roger Block deerislecbc@gmail.com