The Athol Bird & Nature Club plans an interesting winter evening presentation on February 10 at 7 as we join Elizabeth Bradley of the Emily Dickinson Museum for a look at Birding in 19th Century Massachusetts: Emily Dickinson & Birds. She will follow up with poems that feature observations of native birds. Register HERE. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
As a long-time birding enthusiast, Becky Laboy is passionate about creating bird-friendly landscapes. Her passion for birds dovetails nicely with Becky’s other passion, native plants. Native plants are the key to attracting birds. Native plants provide the food, shelter, and nesting places essential to the survival of birds.
In this January 27 Ecological Landscape Alliance online presentation, Becky will discuss different plant species native to the “northeast” that are appropriate for back (and front!) yards, and will point out the many ways these species provide essential services to birds.
In an ecologically holistic approach, Becky will also discuss landscape features and practices that support birds, such as leaf litter, brush piles, dead trees, nest boxes, and water features. She will share lots of photos of colorful migratory warblers and other backyard favorites such as chickadees, woodpeckers, and robins eating berries, pulling worms from the soil, and raising their families. In this presentation there will be an emphasize on the importance of planting natives as a sustainable approach to gardening.
Becky Laboy is the full-time Education Outreach Specialist with Ocean County Soil Conservation District. She is also an adjunct professor at Kean University, she instructs the Barnegat Bay Volunteer Master Naturalist course through Ocean County College, and she leads birding tours with Ocean County Parks and Recreation. In total, Becky has over 20 years of experience as a formal classroom teacher and informal environmental educator. She serves as co-leader for the Jersey Shore Chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey. She co-authored The Kid’s Guide to Exploring Nature, published by Brooklyn Botanic Garden. When not teaching about soil conservation, botanizing, or leading people on outdoor adventures, Becky can usually be found behind a pair of binoculars as an avid and devoted birder. She enjoys landscaping her own yard to attract and support birds, and strives to inspire others to make small but positive changes in home landscaping practices that benefit both wildlife and humans.
Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-expanding-biodiversity-attracting-birds-to-your-yard/
With over 10,000 bird species in the world, there are some extreme examples that stretch our understanding of what it means to be a bird. This entertaining and educational Zoom program with Steve Hale on Thursday, November 19 at 7 pm features exciting and fantastic examples of birds and bird biology. Birds discussed include the Hoatzin, Kakapo, Oilbird, Standard Wing Nightjar, and more.
Registration Required. The program is sponsored by the Noethfield Public Library. Email dmemlib@gmail.com to register.
Learn simple bookbinding techniques to create a zig zag book with signatures. Fill your newly created book with vintage imagery of birds, eggs, and nests. This Tower Hill Botanic Garden September 25 program will be held beginning at 10:30 am under our open sided outdoor canopy tent. Group size will not exceed current state restrictions. Tower Hill members $46, nonmembers $60. All materials will be included. Register at www.towerhillbg.org
Suzanne Hauerstein is a professional teaching artist and the Coordinator of Volunteer & Intern Services at Tower Hill. She has over 25 years of experience designing and facilitating art-based programs for informal learning environments. Suzanne is committed to creating programs that are accessible, positive, and enjoyable learning experiences for students of all ages and abilities.
Join Joan Walsh, Mass Audubon Gerard A. Bertrand Chair of Field Ornithology, on September 23 from 7 – 8, online, for a discussion of offshore wind development and birds.
By 2030 offshore wind turbines could power much of the residential eastern US, as well as a substantial part of our transportation. What will this great experiment mean to birds and bats? What can we do now to be sure we are protecting wildlife as we develop this game-changing industry? Working with our Advocacy team, Joan Walsh has been leading Mass Audubon’s efforts with other nonprofit partners in the US to protect birds while supporting a decarbonized electricity future. Join us as we share what we know, and what we need to know, to be the leaders in responsible development of this greener future.
Instructions on how to join and the link to this virtual session will be sent within 24 hours before the event. Registration is required. Register now. For your own security, DO NOT send credit card information via email.
For more information contact Conservation Science 208 S. Great Rd Lincoln, MA 01773 birdconservation@massaudubon.org
How many times have you looked in wonder at a bird’s nest and marveled at its construction? Drawing a bird’s nest will invite you to look even closer and discover what nest materials the bird chose to create their unique design and shape. In this three session Berkshire Botanical class with botanical illustrator Carol Ann Morley, you will learn how to ‘map out’ the nest construction to keep track of where you are. Through close observation you will discover the pattern of the weave as you identify horse hair, grass, twigs and other plant materials. Have fun bringing to life one of nature’s wonders, in your choice of mixed media with colored pencils, pen and ink, and gold paint on toned papers. Instructor will supply the bird nests to draw. Some drawing experience suggested. Class will take place at Berkshire Botanical Garden March 18 – 20 from 10 – 4, and is $340 for BBG members, $375 for nonmembers. Registration and supply list may be found at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/bird-nests-rendering-their-unique-beauty
In 1993, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center created International Migratory Bird Day. This educational campaign focused on the Western Hemisphere and celebrates its 25th year in 2018. Since 2007, IMBD has been coordinated by Environment for the Americas (EFTA), a non-profit organization that strives to connect people to bird conservation.
In 2018, EFTA joins the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) to create a single, global bird conservation education campaign, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD). Continuing our tradition with IMBD, WMBD celebrates and brings attention to one of the most important and spectacular events in the Americas – bird migration.
EFTA will continue to coordinate events, programs, and activities in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean at protected areas, refuges, parks, museums, schools, zoos, and more. As many as 700 events and programs are hosted annually to introduce the public to migratory birds and ways to conserve them.
This year commemorates the 25th anniversary of International Migratory Bird Dat, the first Hemisphere-wide celebration of migratory birds. In December, 2017, Environment for the Americas (EFTA) formalized an innovative partnership with the Convention on Migratory Species and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds.
This new alliance will further migratory bird conservation around the globe by creating a worldwide campaign organized around the planet’s major migratory bird corridors, the African-Eurasian, the East Asian-Australasian, and the Americas.
By promoting the same event name, annual conservation theme, and messaging, we combine our voices into a global chorus to boost the urgent need for their conservation. EFTA will continue to focus its efforts on the flyways in the Americas to highlight the need to conserve migratory birds and protect their habitats, which range from Canada to Argentina to the Caribbean.
For a complete listing of events, visit http://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/events-map
The world of birds is full of diverse behaviors and appearances. Some birds blend in with their environment, while others do everything they can to stand out. How and why do birds achieve these visual feats, and what can it tell us about their natural history and evolution? Harvard University biologist Dakota McCoy will use feather and bird specimens from the University’s collections to explore how and why this diversity of forms and behaviors arose. Artist Erica Beade will show participants techniques to capture the nuance of avian color and form in their drawings. The workshop takes place March 9 from 9:30 – 12:30 at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street in Cambridge.
Fees: $45 members/$55 nonmembers. Advance registration is required. Register at https://hmnh.harvard.edu/event/plumage-and-personality-art-and-science-workshop
Learn how to build safe homes for native birds with Brendan Keegan at the Arnold Arboretum on Sunday, February 24 from 2 – 4. This class covers best practices for general bird house design using the Arboretum’s own nest boxes (for tree swallows, eastern bluebirds, black capped chickadees, and screech owls) as examples. You will learn tips for deterring predators and non-native competitors, as well as how to safely monitor young nestlings. Finally, you will build and take home your own “Chickadee Tube,” a design suitable for many Boston yards. Fee $28 Arboretum member, $35 nonmember. Register at http://my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.
The Wildlife on Tap lecture series at Cape Cod Beer (1336 Phinneys Land in Hyannis) is a special event each winter where attendees can learn about wildlife over some fine beverages. Each presenter in this series is an expert in their field. Come have a beer and learn something new about the Cape’s majestic creatures from charismatic individuals who have made it their life’s mission to protect them!
On Wednesday, January 23 from 6 – 8, hear Wayne R. Peterson, Director of the Massachusetts Important Bird Area Program at Mass Audubon, speak on Changes in New England Bird Population. Since the arrival of the Pilgrims in the 1600’s, bird populations in New England have undergone many changes due to alteration of the New England landscape, persecution of birds for feathers and food, pesticide contamination, competition with introduced species, natural biological competition among avian species and range expansion and contraction likely resulting from global climate change. This presentation will discuss and describe these various phenomena within a New England context. $10 for Mass Audubon members, $13 for nonmembers (advance purchase), $15 at the door. To register online visit https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/long-pasture/news-events/wildlife-on-tap
