Boston Flora

Tag: Athol Bird & Nature Club

  • Saturday, July 8, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Trees and Other Plants of the South Athol Conservation Area

    On Saturday, July 8, from 10 – 1, join Nancy Goodman, Naturalist and Plant Conservation Volunteer with New England Wild Flower Society for this botanical exploration of the South Athol Conservation Area. Trees surround us and support us in so many important ways. Though they’re rooted in one place, they are complex, fascinating, and beautiful living things. Plants are also fascinating to look at and identify. We will be looking at a mix of plants and trees to learn what we can. We will also be paying attention to what changes we see when we go from one habitat to another, and how subtle this can be. Plants and trees can tell you a lot about the habitats you might be in. Meet 10 :00 am at the Conservation area. This program will be repeated on Saturday, September 16. Sponsored by the Athol Bird & Nature Club.

    To find the South Athol Conservation area entrance: travel south on South Athol Road from Athol center and the entrance will be on the right 1.1 miles south of the route 2 overpass, between the intersections of Riceville Road and Conant Road. (GPS – 3800 South Athol Road) A Conservation Area sign at the driveway will point you down the dirt roadway to a small parking area on the right before the gate (private residence).

  • Wednesday, November 9, 6:00 pm – Birding in the Land of Midnight Sun

    Iceland abounds in natural splendor: waterfalls and glaciers, panoramic views and otherworldly landscapes. It is a land of Northern Lights and midnight sun. And it is the realm of one of the world’s most charming and iconic birds: the Atlantic Puffin. But Iceland is home too much more. During the summer months, Iceland’s round the-clock sunlight draws in a panoply of birds: razorbills and guillemots, phalaropes and godwits, plovers and terns, all accompany the puffins in nesting frenzy. Come along with wildlife photographer and Mass Audubon instructor Shawn Carey on Wednesday, November 9 as he shares images and stories from his journey across Iceland, from the island of Flatey, to the bird cliffs of Latabarg, to the Reykjavik peninsula.  We’ll visit fjords, mountains, grasslands, and lava fields. And we’ll come face-to-face with Atlantic Puffins. So join The Athol Bird & Nature Club as we explore the wildlife and wonder of Iceland and discover why it’s a place no birder should miss. As usual, we will hold our annual dinner meeting at 6 p.m. in Liberty Hall at the Athol Town Hall (584 Main St.), with the program at 7 p.m.

    Reservations are required for the dinner and must be received by Tuesday, November 3. To reserve, call Cindy Hartwell at 978-544-5783, or email cindyhartwell56@gmail.com.
    She will call or email you back with a confirmation of your reservation. No reservations are necessary for the program. The event will also feature our always popular
    tin can auctions; participants are encouraged to bring an item to donate.  Image from www.birdingtrail.is.

  • Wednesday, September 14, 7:00 pm – Jaguars & Wildcat Conflicts in Panama

    Wildcat conflicts are more common throughout Panama as nature park boundaries and natural areas are encroached upon more and more by the rural poor. Conservacion Panama Inc has proposed a program to assist rural poor and subsistence farmers manage their livestock better so as to prevent wildcat conflicts and unnecessary “takes” or kills of these animals. This program targets communities that have current conflicts with wildcats and injects a heavy dose of livestock management practices and prevention techniques proven throughout Latin America to prevent these conflicts. Come to the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main Street in Athol on Wednesday, September 14 at 7 pm to learn about how effective the beta program has proven and how they would like to fund a program expansion. There will be artwork and Panamanian hands-crafts for purchase to help fundraising efforts. You can learn more about this program at: http://www.conservacionpanamaca.org/wildcat-conflict.html

  • Wednesday, May 11, 7:00 pm – American Turtle Observatory

    Together, the United States and Mexico support one-third of the freshwater turtle species on Earth. Over 137 terminal taxa—species, subspecies, and evolution-significant lineages—occur in diverse habitats across the continent.

    Most species of North American turtles are of conservation concern, threatened by a range of factors including forest and wetland fragmentation, pathogens, and collection of adult turtles for pet markets. In order for viable, functional populations to persist, it is necessary to incorporate the best available science into cooperative conservation planning.

    American Turtle Observatory is a network of scientists, researchers, agencies, communities, and landowners responding to conservation opportunities in focal landscapes and developing conservation strategies for widespread species of concern and restricted-range species. On Wednesday, May 11 at 7 pm, Mike Jones and Liz Willey will discuss their work on turtles. The program will be held at the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main Street in Athol.

    Dr. Willey serves on the faculty in the Environmental Studies Department at Antioch University New England in Keene, New Hampshire. Dr. Jones is a biologist in the Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and is the lead author and co-editor (with Liz Willey) of Eastern Alpine Guide: Natural History and Conservation of Mountain Tundra East of the Rockies, and lead author of Status and Conservation of the Wood Turtle in the Northeastern United States.  Image by Mike Jones.

    Free and open to the public.  For directions visit www.atholbirdclub.org.

    Courting pair in MA Mike Jones

  • Wednesday, November 18, 7:00 pm – Moose: Life History, Ecology, and Current Research

    Join the Athol Bird & Nature Club on Wednesday, November 18 at 7 pm at the Northfield Mountain Recreation Center, 99 Millers Falls Road in Northfield, for a fascinating evening exploring moose in Massachusetts. Dr. Stephen DeStefano, one of the foremost experts on moose in the Northeast, will share highlights from current research focusing on habitat use, distribution and movements. Steve will discuss how he and his graduate students tag area moose and use high tech equipment to monitor their movements throughout central and western Massachusetts. The current population estimate is over 1,000 moose in Massachusetts! This is a great opportunity to learn more about the largest mammal of our Massachusetts’ forests and how it uses the landscape. This free program is co-sponsored by Northfield Mountain and the Athol Bird and Nature Club. Stephen DeStefano is Leader of the Massachusetts Cooperative Research Unit and a research professor at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He directs a program of research, education and service focused on fish and wildlife ecology, as well as human-wildlife interactions and the impact of human activities on wildlife populations. His work has numerous implications for wildlife management and conservation biology. For ages 12 and older. FREE, and no pre-registration required. Image below is a GPS collared moose in the Quabbin Reservoir area, courtesy of www.amherst.edu.

  • Wednesday, November 11, 6:00 pm – Shorebird Mysteries

    Join Brad Winn, Director of Shorebird Habitat Management at Manomet, for an inside look at shorebird research unraveling the mystery of hemispheric travel. Brad feels very fortunate to have been able to participate in Manomet’s studies of shorebirds on their Arctic and Subarctic nesting grounds, and has been involved with 12 research expeditions to both eastern and western arctic regions. The most recent was a shorebird nesting survey of the Yukon River Delta, in Southwestern Alaska in May of this year. The Yukon Delta is about the size of Maine, and understanding shorebird use of this remote landscape is a monumental undertaking.

    This Athol Bird & Nature Club annual dinner meeting begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11 in Liberty Hall at the Athol Town Hall (584 Main St.), with the program at 7 p.m. Reservations are required for the dinner (members $10, non-members $12); please respond to Cindy Hartwell at 978-544-5783 or cindyhartwell56@gmail.com by Sunday, November 3. No reservations are necessary for the program. The event will also feature our always popular tin can auctions; participants are encouraged to bring an item to donate. Image from the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

  • Wednesday, October 14, 7:00 pm – Deer, Forests, and People: Understanding and Managing Socioecological Systems

    Wildlife comebacks in the last half century are to be celebrated. But, there have been unintended negative consequences. Deer populations, in particular, have risen to unprecedented levels in many areas, causing all kinds of problems. This Athol Bird & Nature Club presentation on Wednesday, October 14, beginning at 7 pm at the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main Street, Athol, will explore the deer overabundance issue and its many challenges. We no longer manage wildlife, but rather, “socioecological systems.” Tom Rawinski Botanist US Forest Service Durham Field Office will speak. Free.

  • Wednesday, September 9, 7:00 pm – Crowdsourcing the Causes and Consequences of Bumblebee Decline

    The Athol Bird and Nature Club will hold its September meeting on Wednesday, September 9 beginning at 7:30 pm at the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main Street in Athol. Dr. Rob Gegear will speak on Crowdsourcing the Causes and Consequences of Bumblebee Decline. Rob will discuss bumblebee ecology and behavior. Will also learn to recognize bumblebees their lifecycle, and information on some citizen science research opportunities. Robert J. Gegear, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor, Department of Biology and Biotechnology, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Free and open to the public.

  • Friday, June 19, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Natural History with Eric Eaton

    On Friday, June 19, from 10 – 1, join Eric Eaton (author of the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects) and Dave Small for a fun excursion in a local meadow. We will concentrate on the Alan E. Rich Environmental Park and the Millers River Wildlife Management Area, walkable and wadeable from the Miller’s River Environmental Center. Meet at the Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main Street in Athol. Participants should bring lunch, insect net, camera and a sense of adventure; be prepared for wet feet. Children welcome. Severe weather cancels. Free. Info: Dave Small, 978-413-1772 or Dave@dhsmall.net.

  • Saturdays, May 31, June 7, June 21, and July 12 – 2014 Dragonfly Institute: Introduction to Odonates of Central Massachusetts

    After more than a decade since the last Dragonfly institute was held, the Athol Bird & Nature Club is pleased to announce the 2014 Dragonfly Institute will be held at the Millers River Environmental Center (100 Main Street in Athol) beginning May 31st 2014. The class, coordinated by Athol Bird and Nature Club president Dave Small in cooperation with the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, will feature some of New England’s premier naturalists who will share their knowledge and enthusiasm for odonates. (Note: due to the late spring we will not begin the classes until May 31st)

    Curriculum for the class will focus on the basics of dragonfly identification, but will also include discussions of dragonflies as indicators of environmental health, documentation of rare and unusual species, and dragonfly life history and behavior. The goal of the course is to provide the participant with the basic skills of odonate identification providing a solid base for the continued study and enjoyment of these amazing creatures.

    Class lectures will be held at the Millers River Environmental Center 100 Main Street in Athol. Directions may be found on the web at http://www.atholbirdclub.org. Lectures will be on Saturday from 9:00 to 10:00 AM and will include visual presentations, viewing of prepared specimens and discussion.

    Field trips will meet at the Center following the lecture. Each trip will focus on a limited number of habitats within or near the Millers River Watershed. Participants should be prepared to wade in streams, ponds or other wet habitats. Hip boots or waders may be needed for early trips in cold river water and sandals may be useful in the warmer season. Precautions should be made to protect the participant from biting insects and other vertebrate and invertebrate organisms.

    Fee $5.00 for non ABNC Members – Free to ABNC Members

    Lecture and Field trip Dates will be Saturdays:

    May 31st, Early flying Odonates and NHESP Dave Small and Lynn Harper 9:00 AM

    June 7th , Dragonflies for Families Rachel Roberts 10:30 am – Noon

    River odonates (Field trip only) Dave Small 1:00 PM

    June 21st, Josh Rose 9:00 AM

    July 12th. Photographing Odonates Frank Gorga 9:00 AM (see his beautiful image below.)