NH Audubon

Empty Skies: The Decline of Aerial Insectivores in the Northeast
2023-10-11 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Join the NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter for their October in-person program: Empty Skies: The Decline of Aerial Insectivores in the
Northeast
Aerial insectivores are those birds that feed primarily on insects captured in flight and include nightjars, swifts and swallows. Many of these species, particularly swallows and the Chimney Swift, are experiencing significant population declines both in NH and across the Northeast and sometimes across their entire ranges. This program, presented by Pam Hunt, NH Audubon Avian Conservation Biologist, provides an overview of these species’ biology and population trends with a focus on swallows. What are the threats faced by swallows in the Northeast and what is and can be done to conserve them?
Pam Hunt has been interested in birds since the tender age of 12, when an uncle took her to Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge in NJ. She went on to earn a B.S. in biology from Cornell University, an M.A. in zoology from the University of Montana and, in 1995, a Ph.D. from Dartmouth College. Pam came to NH Audubon in 2000 after five years as adjunct faculty at Colby-Sawyer College in New London, NH. In her current position as Avian Conservation Biologist, she works closely with NH Fish and Game to coordinate and prioritize bird research and monitoring in the state and also authored NH’s “State of the Birds” report. Specific areas of interest include habitat use by early successional birds (particularly whip-poor-wills), conservation of aerial insectivores, and the effects of events outside the breeding season on long-distance migrants. Pam also coordinated the “NH Dragonfly Survey,” a five-year project that mapped distributions of these insects throughout the state and remains active in the dragonfly field.
In person meetings are held at the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH. Wheelchair accessible. For more information on chapter programs, please contact: Dan Hubbard. Cancellations will be posted on the Seacoast Chapter website. To attend remotely, please register in advance for the Zoom program at the chapter website. Zoom programs begin at 7:30 pm, but feel free to sign on early after 7:15 pm to socialize. You can register right up through the start time. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the program.

Something Wild Stories
2023-11-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Join the NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter for their November in-person program: “Something Wild” Stories
New Hampshire Public Radio’s (NHPR) “Something Wild” has been exploring the intricacies of nature in NH for 25 years! Chris Martin and Dave Anderson have teamed up as the show’s co-hosts for the past 15 years. Together, in short radio essays, these two have taken listeners to ‘see’ some of the state’s most interesting birds, explored many unique Granite State habitats and asked lots of local nature experts how they were first bitten by the nature bug. Join us for a peek behind the recording studio curtain. It’s sure to be an evening filled with several true stories and lots of tall tales!
Chris Martin is a Senior Biologist with NH Audubon. He has coordinated various raptor monitoring and management projects for Audubon for over 33 years, working with volunteers and with state and federal partners to aid the recovery of Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Northern Harriers and Ospreys. He has also been Audubon’s voice on NHPR’s Something Wild since 2009. Chris started out wanting to be a forester, but was always distracted by birds and eventually they became the focus of his professional career.
Dave Anderson is Senior Director of Education for the Society for the Protection of NH Forests. He joined the Forest Society in 1990. He is responsible for design, development and delivery of conservation education programs. He is a well-known naturalist, guiding field trips on Forest Society properties and teaching about forest ecology, wildlife habitats and land conservation. Anderson is a co-author of the “Forest Journal” column in the statewide NH Sunday News. He has co-hosted NHPR’s Something Wild since 2008. He knows his birds well, but knows his trees even better!
In person meetings are held at the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH. Wheelchair accessible. For more information on chapter programs, please contact: Dan Hubbard. Cancellations will be posted on the Seacoast Chapter website. To attend remotely, please register in advance for the Zoom program at the chapter website. Zoom programs begin at 7:30 pm, but feel free to sign on early after 7:15 pm to socialize. You can register right up through the start time. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the program.

Wildlife of the White Mountains
2023-12-13 19:00 - 20:30
Join the NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter for their remote December program: Wildlife of the White Mountains
Wildlife viewing is a favorite activity of White Mountain residents and visitors. This illustrated program, by David Govatski, US Forest Service retiree, features the natural history of many of our iconic species that we might see along the trail including black bear, moose, snowshoe hare, bobcat, Canada lynx and American marten. We will also learn about interesting and unusual insects, reptiles, amphibians, and birds that make the White Mountains their home. We will discuss trends in wildlife populations such as range expansion and contraction.
David Govatski retired from the US Forest Service after a 33-year career as a Forester and Silviculturist. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Silviculture from the US Forest Service. He has a keen interest in forest and wildlife conservation and he co-authored “Forests for the People: The Story of the Eastern National Forests.” His articles and photographs have appeared in several magazines and he is a frequent guest speaker and trip leader.
This program will be held via Zoom. For more information on chapter programs, please contact: Dan Hubbard. Cancellations will be posted on the Seacoast Chapter website. Please register in advance for the program at the chapter website. Zoom programs begin promptly at 7:00 pm. You can register right up through the start time. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the program.

Caught in the SNOWstorm: 10 Years of Snowy Owl Research
2024-01-10 19:00 - 20:30
Join the NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter for their remote January program: Caught in the SNOWstorm: 10 Years of Snowy Owl Research
The winter of 2013-2014 saw the largest invasion of Snowy Owls into the eastern United States in perhaps a century and marked an unprecedented opportunity to learn more about these mysterious Arctic hunters. Author and researcher Scott Weidensaul will share the story of Project SNOWstorm – how a huge collaborative effort focused on Snowy Owls came together in a few frantic weeks, funded with the help of people from around the world, and continues to make discoveries and unexpected insights into the life and ecology of this great white raptor.
Scott Weidensaul is the author of more than two dozen books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist “Living on the Wind” and his latest, the New York Times bestseller “A World on the Wing”. Weidensaul is a contributing editor for Audubon and writes for a variety of other publications, including Bird Watchers Digest and the Cornell Lab’s Living Bird. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society and an active field researcher, studying Northern Saw-whet Owl migration for more than 25 years, as well as winter hummingbirds in the East, bird migration in Alaska, and the winter movements of Snowy Owls through Project SNOWstorm, which he co-founded.
This program will be held via Zoom. For more information on chapter programs, please contact: Dan Hubbard. Cancellations will be posted on the Seacoast Chapter website. Please register in advance for the program at the chapter website. Zoom programs begin promptly at 7:00 pm. You can register right up through the start time. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the program.

Ospreys of the Lakes Region: NH Audubon Lakes Region Chapter Program
2024-01-18 19:00 - 20:30 | The Loon Center, 183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH, 03254, United States
Join the Lakes Region Chapter of NH Audubon for this presentation by Iain MacLeod. Iain will provide a detailed overview of his 25+ years of monitoring nesting Ospreys in the NH Lakes Region. Since the first post-DDT nest was located in the region in 1997, the population has grown and Iain has dedicated countless hours to finding new nests and following their annual outcomes. Now many pairs are choosing man-made structures – like cell towers and also now have to compete with the growing Bald Eagle Population.
LPC is hosting this event for the Lakes Region Chapter of NH Audubon at The Loon Center (183 Lees Mill Road in Moultonborough, NH) at 7 PM.
Photo by Iain MacLeod, adult female osprey guarding her nest in the Lakes Region.

There's Something About Owls
2024-02-14 19:00 - 20:30
Join the NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter for their remote February program: There’s Something About Owls.
Owls are much loved in the bird world and seeing any owl is indeed a thrill. The secretive lives of owls are part of their mystique and can make them very difficult to find in the wild. “There’s Something About Owls”, presented by Gina Nichol, founder of Sunrise Birding LLC, goes beyond the incredible adaptations of owls and reveals strategies to increase your chances of seeing owls in your backyard, local patch, and beyond. Preparation for your search, ethical field practices, skills, and tactics for success are discussed and illustrated with anecdotes and experiences from the field. Suggestions for what you can do to help owls are also included.
In 2005, Gina Beebe Nichol founded Sunrise Birding LLC, a company offering personalized, authentic, affordable birding and wildlife tours around the world. A naturalist and birder for more than thirty years, Gina first became fascinated with the natural world in rural upstate New York where she spent most of her childhood exploring the outdoors.
She received her B.S. in Environmental Education from Cornell University and her M.A. in Educational Technology from Fairfield University. She began her career as a Naturalist at the Rye Nature Center in Rye, NY. Gina’s interest in human/wildlife interactions then took her to Volunteers for Wildlife in Cold Spring Harbor, NY. There she coordinated the operation of a 24-hour Wildlife Crisis Hotline and developed programs dealing with wildlife rehabilitation.
In 1987, she became Program Director for the National Audubon Society in Greenwich, CT. In that capacity, she led numerous environmental workshops and local field trips. Also while there, Gina also led ecotours for Audubon Nature Odysseys. Destinations included Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, the Pacific Northwest and Baja CA. Upon leaving Audubon, Gina taught biology, chemistry, physical and environmental science, and computer courses for several years at Greenwich Academy in Greenwich, CT.
Gina’s avid interest in wildlife biology led her to the Yellowstone Institute in Wyoming where she studied animal behavior as well as methods for tracking animal movements. She also worked on a research project on the Isle of Skye in Scotland where she investigated habitat requirements of Eurasian otters. In addition, she participated in an Earthwatch study of mountain lions in the Jim Sage Mountains in Idaho.
Her varied interests and love of the natural world have taken her to all seven continents. She has led wildlife tours to Central and South America, Alaska, Antarctica, China, Kenya and countless countries in between.
This program will be held via Zoom. For more information on chapter programs, please contact: Dan Hubbard. Cancellations will be posted on the Seacoast Chapter website. Please register in advance for the program at the chapter website. Zoom programs begin promptly at 7:00 pm. You can register right up through the start time. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the program.

Woodpeckers: A Unique and Fascinating Family
2024-03-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Join the NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter for their in person March program: Woodpeckers: A Unique and Fascinating Family.
Come and hear Dana and Bob Fox tell the fascinating story about the woodpecker family of birds. With 233 species in the world, they are found almost worldwide where trees are abundant. They can’t sing like some other birds, but they certainly can make a lot of noise. They don’t migrate, but survive on a variety of foods. They are the super craftsmen of the bird world using their bill like a chisel. Their four toes hold them vertically firm on a tree while they carve out their spacious homes and find food. We will go a bit deeper to see how this family evolved, their special biology and how they live in difficult locations. Of course, we have come up with some interesting stories about many of the most interesting species that might surprise you.
Dana and Bob Fox both began birding in their youth. They have birded the US (list 750 species) and the world (6500 species) visiting 6 continents and over 40 countries. They have given numerous talks in New England about the birds of countries they have visited and on crows, loons and most recently hummingbirds.
Dana joined the South Shore Bird Club (SSBC) in 1951 when she was 12 years old. She has spent most summers in Tuftonboro, NH where she became fascinated by loons. The Loon Preservation Committee (LPC) presented her with their Spirit of the Loon Award. She is a past Secretary of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, Past President of the Merrimack Valley Bird Club and frequent speaker. She has written articles on birding and crows in the American Birding Association’s Birding magazine and one on the Lawrence Crow Roost in Bird Observer. Dana coordinates the Tin Mountain Conservation Group’s Loon Monitoring Project for LPC and helps to train the LPC summer biologists on interacting with volunteers.
Bob, as a student at Harvard and living in Quincy, MA, was an early leader of the SSBC. With Allan Keith, a former member of the SSBC, he co-authored, Birds of New Hampshire, a 477 page book describing the status and distribution of birds known from NH (2013). He has published in Auk and Wilson Bulletin, written species accounts for the first MA Breeding Bird Atlas as well as articles in publications of both NH and Mass Audubon Societies. His MA species list is 451. In the past, Bob collected specimens for five museums including the Museum of Comparative Zoology. In addition, he helped found Manomet Bird Observatory, and is past President of South Shore Bird Club. He received the Goodhue-Elkins Award (2014) from NH Audubon for “contributions to the ornithology of NH.”
The Seacoast Chapter meets monthly on the second Wednesday except the months of July and August unless there is a special program. Refreshments are served at 7pm and the meetings begin at 7:30pm unless otherwise noted (entrance doors locked at 7:45pm). The public is welcome free of charge. In person meetings are held at the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH. Wheelchair accessible. For more information on chapter programs, please contact: Dan Hubbard, (603) 332-4093 or danielhubbard@peoplepc.com. Cancellations will be posted on The Seacoast Chapter website.

Exploring the Wonders of a Pollinator Garden through its Insects
2024-04-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Join the NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter for their in person April program: Exploring the Wonders of a Pollinator Garden through its Insects.
Sometimes, you don’t have to leave your backyard to explore the wonders of the natural world. Join Paul Lacourse on his quest to understand the ecology of his pollinator garden through its insects. He will introduce you to the diversity of the plants and insects that inhabit a pollinator garden and the role they play in it. It’s a beautiful and sometimes creepy look at an often overlooked world within an arm’s reach.
Paul Lacourse taught Life Science, including a Study of NH Birds course, at Winnicunnet High School for 30 years. He is a former President/Vice President and field trip leader of the Seacoast Chapter of NH Audubon. Over the last 8 years, he has immersed himself in creating and studying a very productive pollinator garden that incorporates many native plants.
The Seacoast Chapter meets monthly on the second Wednesday except the months of July and August unless there is a special program. Refreshments are served at 7pm and the meetings begin at 7:30pm unless otherwise noted (entrance doors locked at 7:45pm). The public is welcome free of charge. In person meetings are held at the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH. Wheelchair accessible. For more information on chapter programs, please contact: Dan Hubbard, (603) 332-4093 or danielhubbard@peoplepc.com. Cancellations will be posted on The Seacoast Chapter website.

Entomology for the Masses: Introducing the Insects with Lakes Region Chapter of NH Audubon
2024-04-18 19:00 - 20:00 | The Loon Center, 183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH, 03254, United States
This talk is a celebration of everything with six legs. Insects are by far the most abundant and diverse group of organisms on earth, with by some estimates well over a million species – or slightly over half of ALL species known to live on our planet. And yet what do we REALLY know about these critters? Some of the things insects do are stranger than fiction, but rest assured that they are doing it all the time right under our noses. For example, did you know that male dragonflies can scoop sperm from a previous male out of females’ reproductive organs? Or that some wasps lay eggs inside living caterpillars, and the wasp larvae eat the caterpillar alive from the inside out? And then there are the more familiar stories involving metamorphosis, pollination, and mimicry. So join us to learn some of the basics of insect biology, including an overview of the major groups

Conserving "Our Birds" South of the Border with Scott Hecker
2024-05-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Join the NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter for their in person May program: Conserving “Our Birds” South of the Border with Scott Hecker.
“3 billion birds gone” headlined a report in 2019. What more do we know, what can we do? As a “Director of Bird Conservation” since the 1980s, it is my job to know and to do. As my colleague Fitz once said, it is not Rocket Science, it’s more complicated, but it’s not too late and every bird and every acre matters. You will hear about species you love and people on the front lines of bird conservaation in Latin America and beyond who also love “their birds”. New tracking tecnologies and community engagement are making great strides. I hope you will come to hear how simple it is to make a difference.
Bio: Back around 1990, I spoke for the Seacoast Chapter about conserving tropical habitat in Belize for “our birds”. I completed my MS degree in Belize in 1987, then established the Coastal Waterbird Program at Mass Audubon that same year to conserve threatened and endangered Piping Plovers and Roseate Terns. In 2003, I expanded those efforts as Director of Coastal Bird Conservation for the National Audubon Society. In 2008, I co-founded Conservian to focus more work on Piping Plovers in the Bahamas. Since 2016, I have worked for the International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC} and ICF US supporting bird conservationists on the front lines in 36 countries.
The Seacoast Chapter meets monthly on the second Wednesday except the months of July and August unless there is a special program. Refreshments are served at 7pm and the meetings begin at 7:30pm unless otherwise noted (entrance doors locked at 7:45pm). The public is welcome free of charge. In person meetings are held at the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH. Wheelchair accessible. For more information on chapter programs, please contact: Dan Hubbard, (603) 332-4093 or danielhubbard@peoplepc.com. Cancellations will be posted on The Seacoast Chapter website.

Identification and Role of Native and Non-native Shrubs as Habitat for Birds - June 12
2024-06-12 17:30 - 20:00 | Pickering Ponds Trails, 175 Pickering Rd, Rochester, 03867, United States
Join the NH Audubon Seacoast Chapter for their in person, outdoors June programs: Identification and Role of Native and Non-native Shrubs as Habitat for Birds on June 12 and June 14.
Wednesday, June 12 5:30-8:00pm and Friday, June 14 7:30-10:00am at Pickering Ponds trails, Rochester. Each program will be limited to 15 participants with no repeat registrants. This event will be held entirely outdoors and will be held as long as it is not raining. Participants should bring their binoculars and clothing appropriate for the weather conditions at the time of the event.
This program, by Matt Tarr of UNH Cooperative Extension, will teach you how to identify the most common native and non-native shrubs that comprise many bird habitats in NH. We will identify each shrub species, discuss how each species functions as bird habitat, and which shrubs you want to encourage on your land to benefit birds. We will also be looking and listening for birds (of course!) and sharing our tips for how to identify the birds we encounter during the trip.
Matt Tarr is Extension Professor, State Wildlife Habitat Specialist for the University of NH Cooperative Extension. Much of Matt’s research and work is focused on determining how non-native shrubs function as habitat for songbirds and on how birds respond to land-use and habitat management practices at different landscape scales. Matt is an avid birder who enjoys photographing and recording birds.
Each program will be limited to 15 participants with no repeat registrants. This event will be held entirely outdoors and will be held as long as it is not raining. Participants should bring their binoculars and clothing appropriate for the weather conditions at the time of the event (see Pickering Ponds beginner bird walk for directions). As the event nears, visit the Seacoast Chapter site for more information and to sign-up.

Identification and Role of Native and Non-native Shrubs as Habitat for Birds - June 14
2024-06-14 07:30 - 10:00 | Pickering Ponds Trails, 175 Pickering Rd, Rochester, 03867, United States

The Shaping of New Hampshire’s Landscapes by Past Glaciations
2024-09-11 19:30 - 21:00 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
This program by Dr. Joe Licciardi, Professor of Earth Sciences at UNH, will explore the glacial history of New Hampshire and how these processes helped create and sculpt the modern landforms and landscapes we see today. Geologically speaking, the glacial features that dominate much of the state are quite young and developed about 15,000 years ago during the Pleistocene Epoch. The presentation will highlight the distinctive land forms in the New Hampshire Seacoast that owe their origin to past glacial activity and sea-level changes.
Bio: Dr. Joe Licciardi is a Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of New Hampshire. He received his B.A.s in Geology and Geography from State University of New York at Geneseo, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Geology from Oregon State University. Since starting his position at UNH in 2002, he has taught classes and conducted research in glacial geology, historical geology, paleoclimatology, and volcanology. His research group has worked in a range of study sites including Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Alaska, Iceland, and Peru. Several student-led projects have recently focused on the glacial history of the New Hampshire Seacoast region.
All of the in-person programs start at 7:30pm, with 7pm refreshments. For more information see the chapter website.

Birding Colombia's Valle del Cauca
2024-10-09 19:30 - 21:00 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Colombia is known for having the greatest bird diversity in the world (1,908 species) and the Cauca Valley has recorded 1,000 of those species in an area that constitutes only 2% of the land area of the country. Join Katie Towler and Jim Sparrell as they present stories and photos from their trip in August of 2023 with Colombia Birdwatch, a local company that has a strong commitment to building the young birding/guiding community in the region. In a 12-day trip, they encountered hundreds of birds, mammals, plants, and insects and met many local families who invited them into their homes to share their birds and home-cooked meals.
Bio: Jim Sparrell and Katie Towler are recreational birders who have lived in the seacoast area for 33 years. They have served as the winter season editors for New Hampshire Bird Records for NH Audubon. Jim has worked as a psychologist for over 40 years and Katie is a writer who has published 3 novels and a memoir. In addition to Colombia, they have birded internationally in Costa Rica, Vietnam, and Europe.
All of the in-person programs start at 7:30pm, with 7pm refreshments. For more information see the chapter website.

Racing the Tides: Saltmarsh Sparrow Research and Monitoring in NH
2024-11-13 19:30 - 21:00 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Nicknamed the “Canary in the Coastline”, Saltmarsh Sparrows shine a light on the threat that accelerated rates of sea-level rise pose to salt marshes across New England. This small secretive bird nests exclusively in salt marshes but, as marshes degrade, Saltmarsh Sparrows are at risk of global extinction, with estimates as early as 2035. Come hear Grace McCulloch, Community Science Project Leader at NH Audubon, share her experiences working with Saltmarsh Sparrows and her research which is currently being used to inform local salt marsh restoration. Learn about these amazing birds, the challenges they face, and what it is like to live in the salt marsh.
Bio: As a master’s student at the University of New Hampshire and a Graduate Research Fellow at Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Grace McCulloch has a wealth of experience and stories to share from working in NH salt marshes. Focusing on understanding Saltmarsh Sparrow occupancy and nesting, she has been busy zigzagging across the Seacoast monitoring nests, conducting point counts, and banding. In her new position with NH Audubon as their Community Science Project Leader, she brings to the role a background in wildlife ecology and a passion for connecting people to their local wildlife. She has worked in various positions doing avian research in northern Vermont and New Hampshire, leading public programs at Acadia National Park, and even as a camp counselor at the Seacoast Science Center. In her free time, Grace enjoys photographing wildlife, hiking, and (of course) birding.
All of the in-person programs start at 7:30pm, with 7pm refreshments. For more information see the chapter website.

Hornbills: A Unique Old-World Family of Birds
2024-11-21 19:00 - 20:00 | The Loon Center, 183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH, 03254, United States
Join the Lakes Region Audubon chapter for a presentation about Hornbills.
“Dana and Bob are excited to present this talk about the family of birds called Hornbills. Hornbills are an Old-World family of birds which first evolved in Africa over 60 million years ago and then one species radiated to Asia. Today half of the 64 species in the world live in Africa including two land loving species and half in Asia where new species have evolved as far east as the Solomon Islands.
As their name suggests, they have massive bills which are integrally attached to their skulls, and some have an additional special horny crown like protrusion called a casque above their bills. In 1758 Linnaeus bestowed the name Buceros on the family, Latin for “having ox’s horns.”
Another unique feature about most members of this family involves their nesting behavior. Females of almost all species make unique nests in tree cavities using their bills to wall themselves in with a plaster made of mud, droppings, chewed wood and bark and other detritus. They leave only a slit narrow enough to deter predators but sufficiently wide for the male to present food from the outside.
The tree hornbills have become very important distributors of tropical fruit seeds.
Come hear Dana and Bob’s tales of seeing these marvelous birds and see stunning pictures taken by Tim Layman, the intrepid, talented photographer.”

Range-wide Migratory Connectivity of the American Redstart
2024-12-11 19:30 - 21:00 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Global change threatens life on our planet. Migratory birds are particularly at risk, suffering multiple threats of global change during different stages of their full annual cycle. Moreover, stages of the full annual cycle are inextricably linked, where events during the nonbreeding period can influence events during the breeding period and vice versa. If we hope to elucidate how global change affects migratory birds, we must understand where populations go throughout the year, i.e., their migratory connectivity, or the degree to which populations remain together throughout their annual cycle. Understanding patterns of migratory connectivity are critical for tackling ecological questions about migratory birds, as the degree to which populations remain together throughout their seasonal movements determines their exposure to threats like habitat loss and disease, among others. To bridge this knowledge gap, Henry Stevens, PhD student at Georgetown University, used a full annual cycle perspective in his study of American Redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla), a migratory songbird in decline. This well-studied warbler occupies a range of habitats and has been a focal study system for understanding the ecology of migratory birds over the past 30+ years. This makes redstarts an ideal study species for uncovering how global change drives changes in migratory bird distributions. Here Henry, (a) discovers undescribed patterns of migratory connectivity for redstarts by collecting tracking data from across their range, and (b) combines them with other forms of data on migratory connectivity to develop the first integrated, range-wide migratory connectivity map.
Bio: Henry graduated from Tufts University in 2019 with a joint BS in Biology and Environmental Science. He grew up in Exeter, NH, where he discovered his passion for ornithology. He LOVES birds and his desire to understand their ecology is what gets him out of bed in the morning. Henry’s research interests lie at the intersection of conservation ornithology and tropical ecology, and his past research has focused on the breeding biology and dispersal of Gray Vireos in New Mexico, the use of remote audio recorders for surveying cryptic species in the Amazon, improving the conservation site network for migratory shorebirds in the Americas, and uncovering the life histories of Andean Cock-of-the-rocks and other understudied species in the cloud forest of Ecuador. At Georgetown, Henry has studied the full annual cycle of Neotropical migratory wood-warblers, and used integrated population models to pinpoint factors driving their declines. With over 3.2 billion individual birds lost in North America since 1970, understanding and addressing the threats faced by these species is paramount for mitigating further declines.
All of the in-person programs start at 7:30pm, with 7pm refreshments. For more information see the chapter website.

Zoom Program: A Birding Cruise around Cape Horn
2025-01-08 19:30 - 21:00
Join Becky Suomala on a boat trip from Santiago, Chile around Cape Horn to Buenos Aires, Argentina. In addition to seabirding for albatross and the other pelagic species in southern waters, there were landbird stops in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. One of the highlights was a visit to a penguin colony on the Falkland Islands. See some of the great seabirds, landbirds, and even mammals such as guanacos, as well as the beauty of Cape Horn, the Magellanic Strait, and the Beagle Channel.
Bio: Becky Suomala is an avid birder who birds extensively in New Hampshire and takes birding trips to far flung places. She retired from NH Audubon in 2024 after over 36 years as a biologist. She led research on Common Nighthawks in NH and participated in numerous field projects including Common Tern restoration at the Isles of Shoals. She is a songbird bander at the Appledore Island Migration Station in spring and fall and tends her garden in the summer.
For more information see the chapter website and visit their page to register.

"The Connecticut: New England's Greatest River" Program with the Lakes Region Audubon Chapter
2025-01-09 19:00 - 20:30 | The Loon Center, 183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH, 03254, United States
The largest river in New England rises in a small beaver pond near the Canadian border and flows over 400 miles through four states, falling 2,670 feet to the sea through America’s only watershed-based national fish and wildlife refuge. Adair Mulligan leads an armchair tour of this great river in New Hampshire and Vermont, exploring its history and natural beauty through the seasons and among the communities that have sprung up along its banks. Next, the discussion will shift to how the river has influenced the lives of those who live there, and how they, in turn, have affected the river. Much more than a travelogue, this presentation explores the many issues involved in managing the health of this major river, and how citizens from all walks of life have created a vision for its future. (NH Humanities Program.)

Zoom Program: Radar Ornithology: Tracking Migration Under the Cover of Darkness
2025-02-12 19:00 - 20:00
Earth’s lower atmosphere is a critical ecological habitat. Trillions of organisms live, forage, and migrate through this medium, yet rarely is this space considered a primary habitat for ecological or conservation prioritization. For this reason, it is among the least studied habitats, though it serves as a global conduit for the transfer of biomass, weather, and inorganic materials. Airspaces are increasingly polluted and populated with structures. Fundamental research is necessary to address core questions of population and community ecology. Presenter Dr. Kyle Horton’s seminar will overview advances from the Colorado State University Aeroecology Lab, highlighting insights into bird stopover mapping, migration timing, and r quantification of the aerial niche.
Bio: Kyle Horton, Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator at the Aeroecology Lab, has a B.S. in Biology from Canisius College, an M.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Delaware, and a PhD. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Oklahoma. In his free time, he likes birding, photography, listening to podcasts, watching Marvel and Star Wars series, and relaxing with family.

Where the Beagle has Landed: American Tourists in Darwin's Shadow
2025-03-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
In the summer of 2023, Kurk Dorsey and his family joined a tour of the Galapagos islands. In this illustrated lecture, we will see some of the highlights of that trip, learn some of the evolutionary history associated with the islands, and hear about how he lost a wedding ring and found a rare bird, almost at the same time.
Bio: Kurk Dorsey aspires to lead North America in submissions rejected by eBird moderators, a skill that he has taken to several other countries. When he is not confused by species that really should not be that tricky, he serves as the president of the New Hampshire Rare Birds Committee and the chair of the History Department at the University of New Hampshire, where he teaches environmental history among other things.

Walking in the Woods with Robert Frost: Lakes Region Chapter
2025-03-20 19:00 - 20:30 | The Loon Center, 183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH, 03254, United States
Walking in the Woods with Robert Frost: Seeing nature through the words of America’s most-loved poet
Robert Frost’s poetry makes spoken words sparkle and sing. It also gives us an intimate look at nature in New Hampshire. In celebration of both Robert Frost and the natural world around us, author and poet Jeffrey Zygmont recites a selection of Frost’s nature poems, emphasizes their beauty, explains their significance, and describes how they deepen our understanding and appreciation of New Hampshire’s natural environment. The selection includes some of Robert Frost’s best-known poems, and others that equally express admiration for nature. Recited from memory, each poem is accompanied by commentary about the experiences and emotions it conveys, plus background on Frost that gives us insight into the poem’s origin and meaning. The program includes a summary of Frost’s life. This lively discussion and recital of some of Robert Frost’s best poems is a celebration of both New England nature and Robert Frost’s unique gift for capturing it in verse.
Cover image from Wikipedia.

A Passion Project: Thirty-five Years of Migration Research at the Shoals Marine Lab
2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Since 1990, Sara Morris has been the lead bander at the Appledore Island Migration Station, which operates during both fall and spring migration. The station is focused on studying songbird migration and stopover ecology, the short breaks during migration when birds rest, refuel, and wait for favorable weather to continue migratory flights. The team that contributes to this research has added additional studies to help increase our understanding of migration in the annual cycle of birds as well as other aspects of bird biology and birds’ roles in community ecology.
Bio: Sara Morris is currently the Executive Director of the Shoals Marine Lab, an educational field station on Appledore Island, Maine, jointly operated by the University of New Hampshire and Cornell University. Her connection to Appledore and the Shoals Marine Lab dates back to 1990, when she began her studies of bird migration as a graduate student at Cornell University. She received her PhD. in 1996 and joined the faculty at Canisius College that year. At Canisius, she taught a variety of courses including ornithology, vertebrate zoology, field ecology, evolution and ecology, and anatomy and physiology of plants and animals. After more than 27 years at Canisius, including the last nine in academic administration, she retired from Canisius in 2024, received the honor of emeritus status, and immediately accepted the passion project of leading the Shoals Marine Lab. Sara also has enjoyed teaching ornithology at the National Audubon Society’s Camp in Maine each summer since 1990. Sara has served as the President of the Wilson Ornithological Society, was elected as a Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union, and currently serves as President of the American Ornithological Society.

Where the Beagle Has Landed with the Lakes Region Chapter
2025-04-17 19:00 - 20:00 | The Loon Center, 183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH, 03254, United States
Where the Beagle Has Landed: American Tourists in Darwin’s Shadow
In the summer of 2023, Kurk Dorsey and his family joined a tour of the Galapagos islands. In this illustrated lecture, we will see some of the highlights of that trip, learn some of the evolutionary history associated with the islands, and hear about how he lost a wedding ring and found a rare bird, almost at the same time.
Bio: Kurk Dorsey aspires to lead North America in submissions rejected by eBird moderators, a skill that he has taken to several other countries. When he is not confused by species that really should not be that tricky, he serves as the president of the New Hampshire Rare Birds Committee and the chair of the History Department at the University of New Hampshire, where he teaches environmental history among other things.

Hornbills: A Unique Old-World Family of Birds
2025-05-14 19:00 - 20:00 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Dana and Bob Fox are excited to present this talk about the family of birds called Hornbills. Hornbills are an Old-World family of birds which first evolved in Africa over 60 million years ago and then one species radiated to Asia. Today half of the 64 species in the world live in Africa including two land-loving species and half in Asia where new species have evolved as far east as the Solomon Islands. As their name suggests, they have massive bills which are integrally attached to their skulls, and some have an additional special horny crown-like protrusion called a casque above their bills. In 1758, Linnaeus bestowed the name Buceros on the family, Latin for “having ox’s horns.” Another unique feature of most members of this family involves their nesting behavior. Females of almost all species make unique nests in tree cavities using their bills to wall themselves in with a plaster made of mud, droppings, chewed wood and bark and other detritus. They leave only a slit narrow enough to deter predators but sufficiently wide for the male to present food from the outside. The tree hornbills have become very important distributors of tropical fruit seeds. Come hear Dana and Bob’s tales of seeing these marvelous birds and see stunning pictures taken by Tim Layman, the intrepid, talented photographer.
Bio: Dana and Bob Fox both began birding in their youth. They have birded the US (list 750 species) and the world (6500 species) visiting 6 continents and over 40 countries. They have given numerous talks in New England about the birds of countries they have visited and on crows, loons and most recently hummingbirds.
Dana joined the South Shore Bird Club (SSBC) in 1951 when she was 12 years old. She has spent most summers in Tuftonboro, NH where she became fascinated by loons. The Loon Preservation Committee (LPC) presented her with their Spirit of the Loon Award. She is a past Secretary of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, Past President of the Merrimack Valley Bird Club and frequent speaker. She has written articles on birding and crows in the American Birding Association’s Birding magazine and one on the Lawrence Crow Roost in Bird Observer. Dana coordinates the Tin Mountain Conservation Group’s Loon Monitoring Project for LPC and helps to train the LPC summer biologists on interacting with volunteers.
Bob, as a student at Harvard and living in Quincy, MA, was an early leader of the SSBC. With Allan Keith, a former member of the SSBC, he co-authored, Birds of New Hampshire, a 477 page book describing the status and distribution of birds known from NH (2013). He has published in Auk and Wilson Bulletin, written species accounts for the first MA Breeding Bird Atlas as well as articles in publications of both NH and Mass Audubon Societies. His MA species list is 451. In the past, Bob collected specimens for five museums including the Museum of Comparative Zoology. In addition, he helped found Manomet Bird Observatory, and is past President of South Shore Bird Club. He received the Goodhue-Elkins Award (2014) from NH Audubon for “contributions to the ornithology of NH.”

Identifying Trees and Shrubs and Their Ecological Role as Habitat for Birds
2025-06-10 08:30 - 11:30
This program will be from 8:30-11:30 am at Burley Farm in Epping. The program will be limited to 15 participants. This event will be held entirely outdoors and will be held as long as it is not raining. Participants should bring their binoculars and clothing appropriate for the weather conditions at the time of the event.
This program, by Matt Tarr of UNH Cooperative Extension, will teach you how to identify the most common native and non-native shrubs that comprise many bird habitats in NH. We will identify each shrub species, discuss how each species functions as bird habitat, and which shrubs you want to encourage on your land to benefit birds. We will also be looking and listening for birds (of course!) and sharing our tips for how to identify the birds we encounter during the trip.
Bio: Matt Tarr is an Extension Professor and State Wildlife Habitat Specialist for the University of NH Cooperative Extension. Much of Matt’s research and work is focused on determining how non-native shrubs function as habitat for songbirds and on how birds respond to land-use and habitat management practices at different landscape scales. Matt is an avid birder who enjoys photographing and recording birds.

Bhutan: The Birds of the Last Himalayan Kingdom with the Seacoast Chapter
2025-09-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Program: Bhutan: The Birds of the Last Himalayan Kingdom
With over 730 bird species in a country only 50% larger than New Hampshire, Bhutan boasts an incredible diversity of life in habitats that vary from subtropical forests to Himalayan peaks. This talk will follow James Smith’s journey through Bhutan with a dumbstruck look on his face and usually only a vague sense of the birds he was seeing. From show-stopping species such as Hornbills, Monals and Tragopans, to 20 warblers that all look identical, we’ll explore the highs and lows of this magical country and the birds that call it home.
Bio: James Smith is an enthusiastic amateur birder whose newfound claims to fame include being the easternmost tourist in Bhutan (at the time) and the first Westerner to ever beat a bird guide in the game of Carrom. Back home, he is a staunchly NH-first birder, who is happiest in beautiful places with birds he can almost identify.

Otter Daze with the Lakes Region Chapter
2025-09-17 19:00 - 20:30 | The Loon Center, 183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH, 03254, United States
Join Joe Callanan as he presents the incredible story behind a single day photographing a mother River Otter and her 3 young for over 4 hours!
River Otters are a beautiful and wild part of our local habitats, but they are seldom seen. Usually, an Otter sighting tends to be over in the blink of an eye as these playful and successful predators are perpetually in motion and can vanish at will.
Otters are not territorial; their lives are spent traveling along a large circuit, going from pond to stream to lake. Always relying on fish as the main dish, they also eat a wide variety of other creatures along the way, from frogs to turtles to rodents.
So imagine the surprise and wonder in store when Joe discovered a River Otter family and was able to study and photograph their antics for four hours straight!
River Otters are part of a wonderful web of aquatic life.
Come get an inside look at the fascinating lives these creatures lead, and see many of the other wild animals they encounter.

Butterflies Without Borders: Tracking Monarch Migration with the Seacoast Chapter
2025-10-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Seacoast Science Center, Odiorne State Park, Route 1A, Rye, NH, United States
Program: Butterflies Without Borders: Tracking Monarch Migration
The Monarch is a formerly abundant butterfly species that has experienced dramatic and widespread declines since the early 1990s. Conservation efforts are underway across the US to understand and take action to stop this decline. In this presentation, we will examine the natural history of Monarchs, explore some of the cutting-edge technologies and methods used to track Monarch movements and discuss the tracking data NH Audubon biologists have gathered from migrating Monarchs.
Bio: Lindsay Herlihy is a biologist and naturalist-educator with NH Audubon. She has been tagging Monarchs with NHA for three years and is taking the lead on the Monarch Motus tagging program in 2025.

Birding the Straits of Gibraltar with the Lakes Region Chapter
2025-10-16 19:00 - 20:30 | The Loon Center, 183 Lees Mill Road, Moultonborough, NH, 03254, United States
Huge flocks of White Storks and Black Kites whirl over this dramatic and historic part of Spain.
Surprisingly little visited, this spring migration bottleneck concentrates phenomenal numbers of birds from Short-toed Eagles to Alpine Swifts, and even the bizarre looking Eurasian Hoopoe and Northern Bald Ibis.
But wait, there’s more! Roman ruins, historic towns, bull fighting rings, orange groves, and lunch at 4:00 p.m. are all part of the experience. Add in the dramatic Strait of Gibraltar and there is lots to enjoy in this relatively remote part of Spain.
Cover image from Maritime Studies South Africa.
