North Yarmouth, Maine based artist and Maine Master Naturalist Michael Boardman uses field sketching as a way to inform and connect with his wildlife subjects. He’s been fortunate to be accepted for numerous artist residencies in Maine and Alaska, including Acadia, Glacier Bay and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where he explores the connection between conservation science and art.
Becca Cusick
Becca Cusick is a naturalist and the term biological technician for Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, where she assists refuge staff with the execution of various inventory, monitoring, and habitat management projects across the complex. Becca started her interest in birding through participation in the Rhode Island Nature Conservancy’s annual BioBlitz as a teenager, which contributed to the completion of her degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine. Since then, Becca has professionally and recreationally assisted with various facets of bird monitoring, from Christmas Bird Counts across New England to wild turkey trapping in Nebraska. This is her first year officially guiding for the festival, but she is looking forward to meeting, teaching, and learning from fellow birders visiting the Downeast Region this spring.
Bob Duchesne
Bob Duchesne became interested in birds in the first grade. Interest grew to passion, and today Bob is a chapter board member and frequent field trip leader for Maine Audubon. He spearheaded creation of the Maine Birding Trail, which launched in 2009, and is the author of Maine Birding Trail: The Official Guide to More than 260 Accessible Sites. Currently, Bob writes weekly birding columns in the Bangor Daily News and produces YouTube videos about birding in Maine and beyond.
Doug Hitchcox
Doug Hitchcox, a Maine native, grew up in Hollis and graduated from the University of Maine in 2011. Throughout college Doug worked at Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center, and he was hired as Maine Audubon’s staff naturalist in the summer of 2013. He was also the Outreach Coordinator for the 2018-2022 Maine Bird Atlas. In his free time, Doug volunteers as one of Maine’s eBird reviewers, and he’s the moderator of Maine’s birding listserv and rare bird GroupMe. He also serves as a York County Audubon board member and is a voting member of the Maine Bird Records Committee.