Bird Walk

Description

PCSWCD’s Annual Bird Walk with Maine Audubon Society & Forest Society of Maine!

Register and join us for a morning bird walk on Saturday May 20th as we explore springtime birds at the Williamsburg Forest, formerly known as the Demonstration Forest, in Williamsburg! The Piscataquis County Soil & Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) will be co hosting with Forest Society of Maine (FSM) Conservation Specialist Kristin Peet, experienced birder Shane Barker and Maine Audubon Society’s birder Nick Lund. Together, they will be leading a bird walk along the trails of the Williamsburg Forest starting at 8:00AM.

Nick Lund is a Falmouth native and is Maine Audubon's Advocacy and Outreach Manager. He writes online as The Birdist, and has contributed to publications including Audubon Magazine, the Washington Post, NatGeo, Downeast, and more. He is the author of several books, including the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of Maine, and The Ultimate Biography of Earth. Nick will be talking to us about Forestry for Maine Birds and how the Williamsburg Forest has been recognized by the Maine Audubon Birding Guide in the Northern Maine - The Maine Woods. You can find out more information here- https://maineaudubon.org/birding/maine-birding-guide/#north. PCSWCD will be displaying their Forestry for Maine Birds Migratory mural for the first time at this event, an interpretive sign that was purchased with the help from a Maine Community Foundation grant.

Kristin Peet joined the Forest Society of Maine in 2018 as the Forestland Conservation Specialist to assist in developing new conservation projects. She graduated from the University of Maine with a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and a master’s degree in Forestry. Prior to her work with FSM, she managed wildlife populations and habitat, conducted research projects, and wrote grants for the Penobscot Nation’s Department of Natural Resources. Kristin has 17 years of experience networking and collaborating with multiple agencies to complete a variety of projects. Kristin is excited to join PCSWCD again for another year of birding!

Shane Barker was led into birding as a hobby and has been birding for the last five years. Shane uses any opportunity he can - whether it's driving around the state looking for rare birds that show up out of the blue or 18-hour state-wide trips on National Big Day. Shane has found birding to be a great way to get outside, see all sorts of places that you would otherwise never get to, and meet genuinely interesting people. Shane was a hit with the crowd last year when we explored the Nickerson Tree Farm. We look forward to welcoming him back along with Kristin and Nick!

Our hope is to view year-round birds in Maine and some returning springtime birds on the Williamsburg property - 180 acres of diverse forest! Bring your binoculars and cameras, wear your mud boots or other sturdy water-proof footwear, and join us as we hike out on the woodlot trails while we experience the joys of birds and their habitat at the Williamsburg Forest. It is also suggested to explore mobile applications to be installed for the day of the event, such as “Ebird” and “Merlin” which are both birding apps that are useful for this type of workshop.

This free and annual bird walk is a great way for folks to enjoy local, outdoor educational and recreational trails while learning first-hand from these experienced bird watchers. Registration is required and we are limited to 25 people for this event. Registration can fill up fast and be made online at www.piscataquisswcd.org or by emailing info@piscataquisswcd.org for more information.