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Acadia Birding Festival 2011

Editor — Wed, 04 May 2011 06:35:03 +0000

The Acadia Birding Festival offers birding enthusiasts the opportunity to explore Mount Desert Island and observe its many feathered inhabitants. The program includes walks and activities, as well as lectures by experts such as Kevin Karlson Pete Dunne. The whale watch catamaran allows visitors to enjoy watching Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, Arctic and Roseate Terns, before heading offshore to do some whale and pelagic bird spotting. Events are suitable for all levels of experience, from newcomers to this fascinating hobby through to advanced naturalists.

Dates: 2-5 June 2011
Venue: Mount Desert Island, Bar Harbor
State: Maine
Country: United States of America

Avian Haven Saves Lives

Editor — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:07:15 +0000

Avian Haven, situated in Freedom, Maine, is a wild bird rehabilitation center has cared for more than twenty thousand birds during the twenty years since it was founded by Diane Winn and Marc Payne. These compassionate bird-lovers care for injured or orphaned birds of all species, which are generally brought to them by members of the public, veterinarians, Maine wildlife biologists, game wardens and animal control officers, as well as other rehabilitation centers.

This non-profit organization, which is funded by private donations and is supported by dedicated volunteers, provides medical treatment with the goal of releasing rehabilitated birds into the wild. The indoor infirmary includes a kitchen fully equipped to prepare food required by all species of birds, as well as incubators, hospital and recovery cages, veterinary equipment, two flight cages and a full range of naturopathic, allopathic and homeopathic medicines.

With humans increasingly encroaching on their habitats, it is quite common for wild birds to get injured. Birds collide with windows, get hit by cars, get trapped in buildings, get tangled up in fencing or are caught by cats. An injured bird needs fast and expert attention. The top priority is to keep the bird warm and it is best placed in a box with air-holes, together with a piece of cloth or an old towel, in a quiet place until it can be seen to by a veterinarian or taken to a rehabilitation center, such Avian Haven. The same can be said for fledglings that have fallen from their nests, once it has been established that there are no parents nearby.

Once a patient at Avian Haven is well on the road to recovery, the final pre-release step in the rehabilitation process is flight-conditioning. Twelve outdoor flight cages are designed to accommodate patients of all sizes, from Hummingbirds through to Bald Eagles, taking into account their specific needs. For example the Large Raptor Compound features a group of large cages, each with access to a roomy flyway to facilitate unlimited linear flight. The Small Raptor Compound has been designed with three territories that are connected by a flight corridor and an elevated tunnel. Other enclosures include the Casa Corvus and the Eagle Recovery Habitat.

It is a distressing reality that humans often impact negatively on bird-life, and it is certainly a comforting thought for all bird-lovers and birding enthusiasts that rehabilitation centers, such as Avian Haven, are actively involved in caring for the needs of birds in distress.

Fun for All at the Acadia Birding Festival

Editor — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:52:26 +0000

With the 10th annual Acadia Birding Festival set to take place this June, bird lovers across the country are getting ready to enjoy this noteworthy event. This is a time when families can share in enjoying the wonders of nature as they participate in walks and learn more about these fascinating creatures at lectures.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of this great birding festival. This is the first birding festival to have ever been held in Maine and time has clearly proven it to be a massive success. The 10th Acadia Birding Festival will focus on the birds of the gulf of Maine, and much will be said about the impact that the building of watersheds has on these delightful creatures. You will also have the opportunity to explore the Mount Desert Island and learn more about its many feathered occupants through the numerous events and that will be taking place as part of the festival. Early morning walks will give you the chance to meet puffins, while the active breeding site of Peregrine Falcons at the Acadia National Park will enable you to get up close and personal with this magnificent bird.

Visitors can also set out to see on the ‘Friendship V’ catamaran, from which they can observe Atlantic Puffins, Roseate Terns, Arctic Terns and Razorbills off the coast of Petit Manan Island. The tour will be followed by a whale-watching adventure up to 30 miles offshore. The marine estuaries in the bay can be explored by kayak and canoe with the assistance of a registered guide. You can choose between the catamaran ride or the kayak trip on registration.

With the combination of bird-watching walks, canoeing, catamaran tours, lectures and good, all-round fun, the Acadia Birding Festival is definitely worth attending. In fact, there is no other birding event in Maine where you can enjoy such a wide variety of bird-watching activities. There is also no better way to learn more about birds – especially about sea birds. So make sure that you are able to take part in this year’s great birding festival. The 10th Acadia Birding Festival will take place from 12 to 15 June 2008.