Western Maine Audubon Society presents ‘Monitoring Maine’s Great Blue Herons’ on April 10

FARMINGTON – The great blue heron is often touted as one of the most widespread and adaptable birds in North America.  Here in Maine they are certainly widespread, but recent data has suggested a decline in their breeding population especially along the coast. 

Concerns over a population decline prompted the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to conduct a comprehensive survey of breeding colonies in 2009, and to begin a statewide adopt-a-colony program called the Heron Observation Network.  Join Danielle D’Auria, a wildlife biologist with MDIFW’s Bird Group, to learn more about Maine’s largest colonial wading bird as well its close relatives.

A program on the subject will be held on Wednesday, April 10 at the University of Maine at Farmington’s C23 room in Roberts at 7 p.m.
 
Danielle D’Auria is a wildlife biologist who works in the Bird Group of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.  Her education started with a Biology degree from SUNY at Geneseo, followed by a Masters in Wildlife Science from New Mexico State University. Her past work focused on threatened and endangered bird species. As an assistant refuge manager for USFWS in Olympia, WA, she focused on habitat restoration, conservation planning, invasive plant management, and a variety of wildlife and habitat monitoring. She now focuses on statewide populations of colonial wading birds, secretive marsh birds, black terns, and loons.
 
This program is free and open to the public.