WINTER HARBOR — Birding expert and guide, environmentalist, and author Bob Duchesne will speak at Hammond Hall 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 17 on the topic “Why Maine Is Weird”, in a birding sense. The event is sponsored by the Winter Harbor Public Library.
Duchesne will detail why Maine is different from every other state, with its geological history, its long coastline, its forests —to name a few— that makes it a great place to birdwatch and explains why it has the birds it does.
Duchesne became interested in birds in the first grade. That interest grew into a passion. After a 31-year career in radio, Duchesne retired and went on to serve six terms in the Maine House of Representatives, chairing the Environment and Natural Resources Committee and later the Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Committee. In 2009, he started his own guiding business, the Maine Birding Trail and published the book “Maine Birding Trail: The Official Guide to More than 260 Accessible Sites”.
Today, Duchesne is a chapter board member and frequent field trip leader for Maine Audubon. He writes a weekly birding column for the Bangor Daily News and produces YouTube videos about birding in Maine and beyond. A frequent visitor to the Schoodic Peninsula, you might catch him watching for seabirds at Acadia National Park/Schoodic in the winter months. For information on his birding guides or videos, visit his website at https://mainebirdingtrail.com/.
Winter Harbor Public Library is located at 18 Chapel Lane. Hammond Hall is at 427 Main St. Parking is available along Main Street or at the library, which is within walking distance of the hall.