March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Audubon unit to take part in competitive birdwatching

ROCKLAND — Few people think of birdwatching as a competitive activity, much less as a way of raising money. From May 17 to May 23, the Mid-Coast Audubon Society will take part in the world’s largest competitive birdwatching event, the 1991 Audubon Bird-athon. The event is organized by the National Audubon Society.

Members will use their birdwatching skills to help reach a goal of $2 million for Audubon’s local and national environmental research, education and action programs.

Mid-Coast Audubon Society will use half of the local proceeds to finance at least three youth scholarships to the National Audubon Ecology Camp on Hog Island at Medomak. The other half is designated to support the new Maine office of National Audubon. In both cases, local efforts will support the long-term preservation of the Mid-Coast area.

Bird-athons are being held throughout the United States from April 1 to May 25. The local dates were set to coincide with the peak of migration in the Mid-Coast area. participants have obtained pledges from sponsors who agree to contribute a certain amount of money for each species seen in a 24-hour period. Pledges range from 10 to 25 cents to more than $1 per species.

National Audubon will distribute prizes to individuals and chapters based on the most species seen and the greatest amount of money raised. Prizes such as binoculars, scopes, and outdoor equipment have been donated by companies including Zeiss, Leica, Pentax, Minolta, Bushnell, Swift Instruments, Patagonia and Columbia Sportswear.

In 1990, Mid-Coast Audubon Society placed second in its category in the northeast region.

Persons or groups interested in participating in the Mid-Coast Audubon Bird-athon as birders or sponsors should contact Lucie Bauer at 354-8545.


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