NH Audubon

Jeffrey's Ledge Pelagic Birding Trip
2024-05-27 08:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Rye Harbor, 1870 Ocean Blvd (Rte 1A), Rye, NH, 03870, United States
Join NH Audubon aboard MV Granite State as we explore Jeffreys Ledge, 20 miles off the New Hampshire coast. This is an all-day expedition (between 8-10 hours at sea), departing from Rye Harbor, to look for pelagic (ocean-going) seabirds on Jeffreys Ledge, although we’ll also keep an eye out for whales and other marine life. Jeffreys Ledge is an undersea ridge running northeast from near Rockport, Massachusetts to near Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Its steep sides produce upwellings of nutrient-rich waters that produce a lot of food for seabirds and marine life.
What we will see:
From the upper deck, a person with good binoculars can scan a circle of ocean a couple of miles across, with a good chance of seeing groups of birds quite some distance away. On past fall trips, we have seen four different species of Shearwater (Great, Sooty, Cory’s, and Manx), Northern Gannets, Red-necked Phalaropes in fall plumage, Wilson’s Storm-petrel, jaegers, an array of near-shore species, and random migrants. We’ve also seen several different species of whales and dolphins, including Fin, Minke, Right, and Humpback Whales, Harbor Porpoises, Atlantic White-Sided Dolphins, and once a rare Sperm Whale on the outer edge of Jeffreys Ledge.
Presenter:
Renowned birders and NH Audubon volunteers Steve and Jane Mirick will be our group leaders, with Captain Pete Reynolds driving the boat. NH Audubon volunteer and avid birder Jon Woolf will coordinate logistics.
For mobility, sensory, behavioral, or other accessibility accommodations, please contact Slater Roosa.
Cost:
$80 for NH Audubon members
$100 for non-members (Join or renew your membership today! Not sure of your membership status? Email our member services department or call (603) 224-9909 x310.)
Registration Required.
NH Audubon’s ticket system utilizes PayPal to process payments. Users are not required to use PayPal to check out; a guest option is provided. PayPal is a trusted way to pay online.
Please note we have set a maximum of 50 people, to allow for comfortable spacing and an enjoyable bird-watching experience. These trips sell out quickly, and we do not run a waiting list.
This trip is weather-dependent. Final decisions on whether we can comfortably set sail will be made the day before. There are no rain dates. First priority for registration will be granted to participants from the previous tour’s weather cancellation, if applicable.
Confirmation letters, including the webinar Zoom link and information about what to bring and what to wear, will be sent to all participants after we sell out (typically in early September).
Photo: Corys Shearwater, Steve Mirick

Nature Art Program at Paradise Point
2024-05-27 10:00 - 13:00 | Paradise Point Nature Center, 290 Northshore Road, Hebron, 03241, United States
Come create a fun piece of nature art in or around the Paradise Point Nature Center. Creativity is encouraged as we use arts and crafts to explore themes and concepts in nature. Suitable for all ages but geared towards 3–7-year-olds. Pre-registration is not required for this program.

Guided Paddle at Paradise Point
2024-05-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Paradise Point Nature Center, 290 Northshore Road, Hebron, 03241, United States
Choose from a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard as we travel along the route of the Newfound Lake Water Trail. With a Naturalist, we will visit as many stops as time allows while learning more about the geology and ecology of Newfound Lake. Children encouraged with adult supervision.
RSVP below – payment for boat rentals will be collected at the center before the paddle.

Earth Day Exhibition 2024 - A Nature Inspired Show
2024-05-28 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-05-29 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-05-30 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-05-31 11:00 - 17:00 | Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn, NH, United States
Each year, NH Audubon holds a day-long, family-friendly Earth Day celebration at the Massabesic Center. As a part of the 2024 celebration, the Center is partnering with the League of NH Craftsmen to feature original work from League artists in a special two month exhibition which includes photography, prints, and fiber art.
An example from the exhibit – Birches by Ron Bowman.
This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy nature-themed artwork produced by some of New Hampshire’s finest craftsmen, displayed in the peaceful setting of this beautiful wildlife sanctuary. The exhibition will be open during regular Center hours from April 5-May 31. A reception hosted by the League, and open to the public, will be held on April 21 from 2-4pm.
About the League of NH Craftsmen: For over 90 years, the League has enriched New Hampshire communities through its mission to advance, cultivate and champion fine craft. The League offers a wide-range of educational programs for adults and children, and outstanding hand-made craft is available for purchase at seven affiliated Fine Craft Galleries throughout the state.

METALSUM – Art Inspired by Nature and Imagined Through Found Objects
2024-05-28 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-05-29 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-05-30 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-05-31 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-06-04 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-06-05 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-06-06 11:00 - 17:00, 2024-06-07 11:00 - 17:00 | McLane Center, 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
“METALSUM”, art for the home and garden. Found and repurposed objects welded into abstract, representational and whimsical art with an emphasis on portraying the natural world.
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Jane Kolias creates decorative rustic metal art from found, abandoned and discarded objects. She finds things in nooks and crannies of antique and thrift stores, salvage yards, friend’s back yards, roadway ditches, abandoned fields, forays into the woods and sometimes her own kitchen drawers.
Inspiration for these designs comes from observing nature, the creativity of fellow artists, and the found objects themselves. Each finished piece has its own unique configuration and blend of components which become garden and landscape pieces, wall hangings, and tabletop items.
Jane starts each project with a design in mind. As she considers which bits of scrap metal to use, the process becomes fluid and dynamic, creating a synergistic partnership between herself and the various components. This often results in the finished piece only somewhat resembling her original design.
If she knows the name or purpose of a component, she will label it, but for many pieces the component’s utility is unknown to her. She occasionally adds paint to a finished piece but her preference is to leave each work unpainted for a more organic look. For outside art, she applies several layers of clear protective coating to help abate rust formation.
Artist’s bio: Jane Kolias, a native New Hampshirite now residing in Vermont, has an extensive and lifelong association with the arts. As a young adult, she was active in the performing arts including community theatre and competitive ballroom dance. As a textile artist she has designed quilts and costumes, has worked with metals in jewelry design and fabrication, and has created landscape art such as stonewall and rock garden arrangements. Her most recent endeavor, “METALSUM”, involves welding found objects into abstract, representational and whimsical art with an emphasis on portraying the natural world.

Artist's Reception for METALSUM – Art Inspired by Nature and Imagined Through Found Objects
2024-05-29 16:00 - 18:00 | McLane Center, 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
Celebrate “METALSUM”, art for the home and garden, today with an artist’s reception at the McLane Center.
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Jane Kolias creates decorative rustic metal art from found, abandoned and discarded objects. She finds things in nooks and crannies of antique and thrift stores, salvage yards, friend’s back yards, roadway ditches, abandoned fields, forays into the woods and sometimes her own kitchen drawers.
Inspiration for these designs comes from observing nature, the creativity of fellow artists, and the found objects themselves. Each finished piece has its own unique configuration and blend of components which become garden and landscape pieces, wall hangings, and tabletop items.
Jane starts each project with a design in mind. As she considers which bits of scrap metal to use, the process becomes fluid and dynamic, creating a synergistic partnership between herself and the various components. This often results in the finished piece only somewhat resembling her original design.
If she knows the name or purpose of a component, she will label it, but for many pieces the component’s utility is unknown to her. She occasionally adds paint to a finished piece but her preference is to leave each work unpainted for a more organic look. For outside art, she applies several layers of clear protective coating to help abate rust formation.
Artist’s bio: Jane Kolias, a native New Hampshirite now residing in Vermont, has an extensive and lifelong association with the arts. As a young adult, she was active in the performing arts including community theatre and competitive ballroom dance. As a textile artist she has designed quilts and costumes, has worked with metals in jewelry design and fabrication, and has created landscape art such as stonewall and rock garden arrangements. Her most recent endeavor, “METALSUM”, involves welding found objects into abstract, representational and whimsical art with an emphasis on portraying the natural world.

Spring Wild Medicinal Plant Walk with Herbalist & Author Maria Noël Groves
2024-05-30 17:30 - 19:00 | Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn, NH, United States
Learn how to identify common medicinal plants in early spring, with a particular focus on tree, weed, and root medicinal and edible perennials. We will discuss identification resources and tips as well as wildcrafting ethics, as well as medicinal benefits, harvesting tips, and cautions for some common wild plants. Potential plants we may see and discuss include celandine, burdock, horsetail, dandelion, white pine, as well as the “at risk” plant goldthread and its medicinal analog, the invasive barberry. We’ll likely meet (and not touch!) poison ivy. We’ll also discuss reasons why you might not want to wildcraft or forage “trendy” plants and fungi like ramps, ghost pipe, or chaga, as well as special considerations for invasive medicinal species like autumn olive, multiflora rose, Japanese knotweed, and barberry. Rain or shine – please come prepared to walk outdoors, for the weather, bugs, and ticks. Cameras and notebooks recommended.
Maria will be selling and signing her books after the talk – Body into Balance, Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies, and the NEWLY RELEASED Herbal Remedies for Sleep.
Maria Noël Groves, RH (AHG), clinical herbalist, runs Wintergreen Botanicals, nestled in the pine forests of New Hampshire. Her business is devoted to education and empowerment via classes, health consultations, and writing with the foundational belief that good health grows in nature. She is the author of the award-winning, best-selling Body into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self Care, Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies, and the new Herbal Remedies for Sleep. Learn more about Maria and herbs.

Youth Program at Paradise Point
2024-05-31 10:00 - 12:00 | Paradise Point Nature Center, 290 Northshore Road, Hebron, 03241, United States
Explore one of our sanctuaries with a naturalist through fun and engaging activities! Parents and guardians are encouraged to stay for programs but are not required to participate. Intended for ages 10-17.

Nature Day Camp Open House
2024-05-31 17:00 - 19:00 | Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn, NH, United States
Join Camp Administrator, Claire Adams on May 31 from 5-7 pm at the Massabesic Audubon Center for our final 2024 Nature Day Camp Open House! During this free event, Claire will be hosting a “morning circle” activity, complete with a name game and camp song, to give you and your campers a taste of what our camps have to offer. Throughout the event, she will also be available to answer questions and provide hand-outs about the camp philosophy, camp session themes, and policies. Several NH Audubon educators and staff from Media Power Youth will be on hand to answer questions and facilitate activities, including a chance to meet some of our Ambassador Animals. This is a great opportunity for first-time campers or for folks looking to expand into the next level of the camp. Bring the kids. RSVP below to let us know you are coming.
We will be serving dinner, snacks, and beverages between 5:45-6:45pm. Come for dinner and stay for the crafts and games!
Registration is open for all 2024 camp sessions on our website. Reserve your spot today!
Please contact Claire Adams, Camp Administrator, with any questions at (603) 224-9909 ext. 404 or cadams@nhaudubon.org.

Black Birders Week 2024 Black Heritage Trail: Touring & Birding
2024-06-01 09:00 - 10:30 | Black Heritage Trail of NH, 222 Court St., Portsmouth, NH, 03801, United States
In honor of Black Birders Week, NH Audubon and the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire are partnering for a guided tour in Portsmouth. Learn about the rich and often forgotten African-American history of New Hampshire while keeping an eye out for birds and other local wildlife! Please arrive 15 minutes prior to start of the trail tour. Free parking is available at the Parrott Ave. Parking Lot and along streets nearby. All ages are welcome. Space is limited and registration is required.

All proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire.

ID Hikes with the Newfound Center
2024-06-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Paradise Point Nature Center, 290 Northshore Road, Hebron, 03241, United States
Open new realms each week as our Lead Naturalist helps participants of all ages focus their senses on different fascinating elements of their surroundings such as: birds, trees, ferns, wildflowers, and more. Limited pairs of binoculars are available for use. Participants are encouraged to bring their own binoculars and/or field guides for further exploration.

Pickering Ponds Nest Walk
2024-06-02 07:00 - 12:00 | NH
Join us as we look for nests and other evidence of breeding birds on the trails around the ponds and along the Cocheco River. Meet at the Pickering Ponds parking area at 7:00 AM. The entrance is about a mile south of the Rochester Wastewater Treatment Plant on Pickering Road (opposite mailbox #452). Contact: Dan Hubbard or 603-978-0218.
This field trip will be limited to 20 participants. As the event nears, visit the Seacoast Chapter site for more information and to sign-up.

Native Plant Sale & Spring Craft Fair
2024-06-02 10:00 - 15:00 | McLane Center, 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
Join us for the McLane Center’s Native Plant Sale. Bagley Pond Perennials will be here with a wide selection of native plants and shrubs for purchase. Bagley Pond is a native perennial farm that follows organic practices. Their goal is to provide home gardeners with pollinator safe, native plants and shrubs to support our native pollinators and wildlife.

Bagley Pond also sells garden kits that include plants adapted to specific planting conditions. Featured this year is a NH Pollinator Certification Kit: Bagley Pond garden kits.
NH Audubon Staff and Pollinator Garden Volunteers will be available to answer your questions about gardening, pollinators, native wildlife, and native plants.
Tour our McLane Center Pollinator gardens while you are browsing for plants!

The Spring Craft Fair features a variety of quality, handmade crafts by local artisans.

There will be a raffle featuring items from vendors.
The Nature Store will be open, and NH Audubon Members will receive 20% off Nature Store purchases during the fair. Gift memberships are also available.

Support local, New Hampshire crafts this spring and help us protect NH’s natural environment for wildlife and for people.

Family Program at Paradise Point - Meet the Locals!
2024-06-02 13:00 - 15:00 | Paradise Point Nature Center, 290 Northshore Road, Hebron, 03241, United States
Come join our Lead Naturalist on a journey to explore the native flora and fauna of the region. We’ll go on a guided hike along the shore of Newfound Lake and learn about its history and beautiful ecosystem. Afterwards, we’ll play some fun nature-themed games about our local wildlife! Intended for families with children ages 8 and up.

Guided Paddle at Paradise Point
2024-06-04 10:00 - 12:00 | Paradise Point Nature Center, 290 Northshore Road, Hebron, 03241, United States
Choose from a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard as we travel along the route of the Newfound Lake Water Trail with a Naturalist. We will visit as many stops as time allows while learning more about the geology and ecology of Newfound Lake. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
For details on boat rental prices, navigate to the Newfound Center page under the “Centers and Events” tab.
RSVP below – Payment for boat rentals will be collected at the center before the paddle.

Wildlife Photography Workshop
2024-06-05 17:00 - 18:30 | Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn, NH, United States
Join local nature photographer, Tracy Brunner, at the Massabesic Center for an evening photo hike along Massabesic Lake. The walk will start at the Center and continue on the trails to photograph the beautiful lakeshore landscapes and the local wildlife. During the workshop, Tracy will discuss tips for getting the most out of your wildlife photographs, will provide suggestions for camera settings and creative compositions, and answer your photography questions.
Recommended Equipment:

Camera with spare batteries
Comfortable walking shoes
Wide, standard, or zoom lenses (any will will work)
Tripod (optional)
Polarizer or neutral density filters (optional)

Photo by Tracy Brunner.

Ask a Master Gardener Days
2024-06-06 09:00 - 11:00 | Massabesic Center, 26 Audubon Way, Auburn, NH, United States
UNH Extension Master Gardeners will be waiting for you to visit the Massabesic Center on select mornings this growing season! Bring all of your pressing questions about plants, discover inspiration for adapting spaces at home, or just enjoy the blooms! These events are also the perfect time to learn about getting involved in volunteer gardening opportunities at the Massabesic Center.
The luscious gardens on site include pollinator and bird-friendly plants, a rain garden space, vegetable gardens, raised beds, and more. As an ongoing partnership between New Hampshire Audubon and University of New Hampshire Extension’s Master Gardener Program, Massabesic’s Demonstration Gardens provide a place for sharing best practices in eco-friendly home and community gardening, which enhance human health and well-being and wildlife habitat.
Dress for walking in short grass on flat but uneven terrain. Sunscreen and personal insect repellant are recommended. Building hours (and bathroom access) are 11am to 5pm, so plan accordingly. Visit the gift shop and meet our animal ambassadors after you spend your morning exploring the gardens. Consider packing a lunch to enjoy at one of the picnic tables surrounding the gardens. Children are welcomed and encouraged!
Gardeners will not be on site during inclement weather, but visitors are still welcomed.
This event is free to attend. No registration required.
Support our programs and join or renew your membership today! Not sure of your membership status? Email our member services department or call (603) 224-9909 x310.
For mobility, sensory, behavioral, or other accessibility accommodations, please contact Massabesic Center Director, Kimmie Whiteman.
Photo by Kimmie Whiteman, Massabesic’s gardens in bloom.

Youth Program at Paradise Point - Who Left That Track?
2024-06-07 10:00 - 12:00 | Paradise Point Nature Center, 290 Northshore Road, Hebron, 03241, United States
Explore our trail system with the Lead Naturalist and learn about animal tracking! Understand how to identify tracks based on shape and patterns, while getting some fun facts about animal behavior. Parents and guardians are encouraged to stay for programs but are not required to participate. Intended for ages 10-17.

Bird Call ID Hike at the Newfound Center
2024-06-08 10:00 - 12:00 | Paradise Point Nature Center, 290 Northshore Road, Hebron, 03241, United States
Go on an adventure with our Lead Naturalist to explore the world of birds. Learn to identify the local warblers, thrushes, sparrows, and many others by their songs and calls! You’ll also be provided with a pair of binoculars and some tricks to remember common bird calls. Intended for teens and adults, but children may join with parental supervision.

Family Program at Paradise Point
2024-06-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Paradise Point Nature Center, 290 Northshore Road, Hebron, 03241, United States
Explore and learn about local ecosystems and wildlife through weekly family-focused programs with the Lead Naturalist. Explore and play nature-themed games on topics such as: animal signs, reptiles and amphibians, decomposers, wetland critters, and more. Suitable for families with children ages 8 and up.
