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FRENCHMAN BAY CONSERVANCY

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Spring Bird Migration Time
Spring still seems a long way off here in Maine, but it's March which means spring is really just around the corner and the spring bird migration is beginning.  I know many of you are avid birders already. However, I suspect some of you are in the same boat as I and would like to be a better birder.  The good news for all of us who aspire to be better birders is there are ample opportunities to learn more birds at your own pace.  Birding doesn't require a lot of fancy equipment and birds are wherever you are...whether you're observing from the kitchen window while you sip your morning coffee, or outside on a walk in your neighborhood, or a hike in the woods.  The best advice I have received for getting into birding it just to start. Look out the window. Go outside. You already know more birds than you think.  Then, start observing new birds of which you do not know the names or songs. Check out a bird identification book and find out which birds are common in your area.  This National Audubon Society article outlines a step-by-step process for how to begin birding.

The eBird website is a great resource for finding information about the distribution and abundance of birds in your area.  According to their website, eBird is a "real-time, online checklist program launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, that provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales".  You can use eBird to quickly identify "hotspots" near you to see what birds people are reporting in your area right now and then go to these locations and spot those birds for yourself.  I recently went to the eBird website and quickly found that a number of FBC's preserves show up as hotspots on the eBird map:
 
FBC Preserve Number of bird species recorded
Branch Lake Public Forest              7
Corea Heath             65
Frances B Wood               5
Indian Point             48
Kilkenny Cove             12
Old Pond Railway Trail             58
Schoodic Bog             42
Tidal Falls             70

If you're in the area, Frenchman Bay Conservancy preserves are great places to enjoy a hike and work on your birding skills. FBC will be hosting at least one bird walk this spring (on May 13, see below for details), which is a great opportunity to get out and interact with others interested in learning.  Hope to see you there.

Happy Birding!
Eileen Hall
Community Outreach Coordinator
eBird data from Tidal Falls Preserve in Hancock, ME

UPCOMING EVENTS

 

Card Brook Clean Up

Date: Saturday, May 6, 9:30 am, Hannaford parking lot, Ellsworth
The City of Ellsworth and Frenchman Bay Conservancy are partnering to host a clean-up event for Card Brook.  Join us in celebration of Earth Day!  Clean-up activities will include walking the banks of Card Brook and picking up trash.  All participants will be entered into a raffle for gift cards to local businesses! Breakfast treats and snacks will be provided.
 

Spring Hike Series

Frenchman Bay Conservancy and Downeast Senior College are hosting a Spring Hike Series at FBC preserves. Mark your calendars now! All hikes will begin at 9:30 am.
Date: Saturday, May 13, 2017, Old Pond Railway Trail in Hancock
         Fred Yost will be leading a bird hike!
Date: Saturday, May 20, 2017, Simon Trail in Lamoine
Date: Saturday, May 27, 2017, Indian Point Preserve in Ellsworth
Date: Saturday, June 3, 2017, Branch Lake Public Forest in Ellsworth
 

Indian Point Preserve Clean Up

Date: Saturday May 20, 2017, 9:00 am
Volunteers Needed!
What to Bring: Participants should wear sturdy shoes and work clothes.  Please bring work gloves, drinking water, sunscreen, hat/sunglasses, and bug spray.  Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own equipment such as brush trimmers, hand saws, loppers, pruning shears, etc. We will have some equipment available for volunteers to use. 
 

Branch Lake Public Forest Clean Up

Date: June 10, 2017
The City of Ellsworth and Frenchman Bay Conservancy are teaming up to host a trail clean-up day at Branch Lake Public Forest in celebration of National Trails Day! Breakfast treats will be available for all participants and a raffle of gift cards to local businesses will be held immediately following the clean-up!
Tidal Falls

Celebrating 30 Years of FBC


As you may have heard, 2017 is Frenchman Bay Conservancy's 30th anniversary year!  We thought it'd be fun to celebrate with a look back through the photo album.  Please send us your favorite historic photos of FBC  - whether that's a conserved place, a past event, people of FBC over the years, or old photos of Tidal Falls. We will feature the photos all year in this monthly newsletter.  You can send photos via email to eileen@frenchmanbay.org or by mail to PO Box 150, Hancock, ME 04640.
 

Coming Soon: New & Improved Website!


If you have visited FBC's website recently, you may or may not have encountered trouble accessing it.  If you have experienced any difficulties, we sincerely apologize. We are working as quickly as possible on a website upgrade and update, which should be launched by the end of March! In the meantime, if there is information you're looking for on our website that you can't access or if you have any questions, please email eileen@frenchmanbay.org or call the office at 207.422.2328.
Cost of National Park Lifetime Senior Passes to Increase

Currently, A Lifetime Senior Pass to all National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands is available for U.S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over for $10.  This fee is set to increase to $80 sometime in 2017. If you qualify and don't have a lifetime pass yet, you may want to obtain one ASAP.  
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Frenchman Bay Conservancy
71 Tidal Falls Road
PO Box 150 
Hancock, ME 04640
207.422.2328
info@frenchmanbay.org
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Frenchman Bay Conservancy · P.O. Box 150 · Hancock, ME 04640 · USA

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