Archive - Meetings/Programs
Meetings are generally held the first Weds of the month, Sept - May.
This is a history of meetings and links to more information
on either the speaker or the topic.
Meeting April 7, 2010, 7:00 PM
Spring Tune-up – Which Witchity is Which??
Sponsored by the Mascoma Chapter of NH Audubon
Becky Cook will help us re-learn the bird sounds of Spring, covering the usual suspects, with special focus on those sound-alikes that make us wonder. Can you tell the difference between a Cape May and a Bay-breasted warbler? How about the well-known Chipper/Junco/Pine Warbler dilemma?? And don’t get me started on the Chestnut-sided/Magnolia/Redstart conundrum (they don’t call’em Mag-starts for nuttin!) When you hear the squeaky brakes of an Advance Transit bus, do you look for the Brown Creeper?? And why doesn’t the White-breasted Nuthatch ever get that car started????
Find out the answers, or at least help explore the questions, as we meet for our Spring Tune-Up.
Mar 2010
Spencer Hardy: Birding high and low in Perú
Spencer will recount trials and tribulations of his trip last summer to Perú, his first experience birding outside North America. The trip’s objective was to learn more about why White-winged Diuca finches use glaciers for nesting and roosting, a habit unique among all species. Results of these investigations at 5,000 meters above sea level will be presented, along with observations of other species (e.g., Diademed Sandpiper-Plover) seen in this environment – many at higher elevation than expected. Moving lower in elevation, the talk will also visit the Polylepis forests of Abra Malaga (where condors passed low overhead), Cusco, the tropical rainforest of the Tambopata National Reserve, a Harpy Eagle nest near Puerto Maldonado, culminating with a wild day of endemics in Santa Eulalia Canyon near Lima.
February 2010
Grass Track Safaris, with Dan Hopkins.Dan Hopkins loves Africa. In his own words,” From my first camping safari to Africa in 1983 to my most recent trip in June 2008 I have developed a fascination and love of traveling in Africa. I first traveled to Africa in 1983 with Charles Darwin’s great-grandson, Quentin Keynes… Africa has given me some of the best times of my life. The continent is fascinating, vast, and beautiful.
Grass Track Safaris provides small, personalized safaris and expeditions throughout southern Africa. Whether this is your first safari or you're a safari veteran, his goal is to provide an authentic African experience.
Dan has Masters degrees in zoology and bio-chemistry, and has been active in our Chapter, leading field trips and initiating the popular Warbler Wednesday series of May bird walks at Boston Lot. Please join us as Dan shows the birds and animals he’s encountered during these trips.
For a preview see grasstracksafaris.com
December 2009
Canada Warblers in Ecuador – Journey’s End
Wednesday, Dec 2, 2009, 7pm
In response to requests, Len has provided the following
links to places mentioned in his talk:
Mindo Loma Cloud Forest West slope a few hours drive from Quito . Family-run ecotourism business that is very user friendly.
Sanilodge Started and operated by native Kichwans in Amazonia . Short cheap flight from Quito to Coca and then motorized canoe to the lodge which is beautifully situated and has excellent bird guides AND a canopy tower!
Wildsumaco Jonas Nilsson is P-O-C. Phenomenal birding and very nice accommodations. Jonas knows every bird in the Andes by sight and sound. This is where we are doing the CAWA work.
September 2009
Look, Up in the Sky! Hawk ID
Wednesday, Sept 2, 2009, 7pm
To refresh our raptor identification skills in time for the fall migration we will present a slide show from the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) that combines photographs of flying raptors, silhouettes and in-flight identification tips.
Covering 19 species of hawks and vultures, including some of the rarer species, the presentation first focuses on how to identify the major raptor families so you can narrow down an identification. Using graphics and animation it then zeroes in on the field marks and flight patterns that will identify each species as they look in flight.
Weds, April 1, 2009, 7 p.m.
Project Nighthawk - presentation by Upper Valley volunteer
Lou-Anne Conroy
New Hampshire Audubon initiated Project Nighthawk in 2007 to investigate the potential for restoring nesting nighthawks by placing simple gravel “nest patches” on flat rooftops in Keene and Concord. If the absence of nesting sites is a factor in nighthawk declines, biologists hope the gravel patches will lure the birds back. If not, then other factors such as pesticide use, accidental poisoning on their wintering grounds in South America, migration hazards, road collisions, or predation, may be contributing to their decline. It could be several years before researchers know if the experimental gravel patches make a difference.
New Hampshire Audubon is leading the effort in Concord, placing patches and conducting a coordinated watch. Ashuelot Valley Environmental Observatory (AVEO) and Ken Klapper, a Master’s student in Conservation Biology at Antioch University New England, are spearheading the Keene effort. Lou-Anne Conroy of Lyme is spearheading the Upper Valley effort.
Weds., March 4, 2009
eBird: Basics and Beyond
presented by Kent McFarland, Vermont Center for Ecostudies
eBird, a real-time, online checklist program, has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds.
eBird's goal is to maximize the utility and accessibility of the vast numbers of bird observations made each year by recreational and professional bird watchers by sharing these observations with a global community of educators, land managers, ornithologists, and conservation biologists.
On a more personal level, eBird allows you to:Keep track of all your bird lists: life, year, state, county and more.
Kent will demonstrate these features and more, and answer your questions about eBird. Please note that this will be an interactive event – you’re welcome to bring a laptop computer and use eBird online ( thru the Howe’s WiFi access).
February 4, 2009
Movie night - Ted's choice.
January 7, 2009
No meeting
December 3, 2008
Dr. Len Reitsma: Canada Warblers, Present and Future
Canada warblers are Neotropical-Neoarctic migrants, spending winters in the forested eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains south of Columbia, and traveling over 4,000 miles each year to and from breeding grounds in the northeast. For six years, Plymouth State University biology professor Dr. Len Reitsma and his colleagues have braved the black flies and mosquitoes in Canaan, N.H., to band, track and study the diminishing Canada warbler, a small black, yellow and slate-colored bird that has been disappearing from the state due to loss of habitat. One of the more remarkable findings of this study is the fact that about half of the banded birds in the study return each season to the exact same location in New Hampshire.
Dr. Reitsma has worked on waterfowl toxicity in Alaska, nonbreeding ecology of migratory songbirds in Jamaica and Puerto Rico, as well as the breeding ecology of the Canada Warbler. He has been a birdwatcher since the age of 14, and a collaborator in a hawk–banding project in NH and New Jersey for over a dozen years.
November 5, 2008
The Mascoma Council Chapter invites you to join us to discuss the future Field Trips and Meetings for 2008-2009.
October 1, 2008
George Clark, Ornithologist
BOOKS FOR UPPER VALLEY BIRDING
Long winter evenings provide a great opportunity to curl up with a
good bird book. Our program on October 1 will include a variety of
bird books which might be helpful for Upper Valley birders: field
guides, regional guides, state books, and books specific for
particular kinds of birds. Examples of these books will be available
to examine. Our discussion will include uses for these books and pros
and cons of different kinds of book presentations, such as paintings
versus photos as used in field guides.
September 3, 2008
Organizational Meeting
We invite members and non-members to attend. We will be discussing our Grant Brook project, the field trip schedule for the year and electing officers.
We have decided to have a Council of members instead of any one assigned to be President etc. The minutes are found on the Officer's tab in this website.
May 7, 2008
Winner of the Billie Jo Fund Youth Scholarship - Spencer Hardy
Birding Texas in the summer????
Yes! During the wet summer of 2007, birding in Texas was great and
temperatures were pleasant. Spencer was the lucky recipient of a Billie
Jo Johnstone Youth Birder Scholarship from the Mascoma Chapter of New
Hampshire Audubon, which he used to attend Camp Tejano - a teen program
run by Victor Emanuel Nature Tours (VENT). In this program Spencer will report on his
Texas adventures, detailing his experiences birding 4 areas of Texas:
Padre Island and the Corpus Christi area, the Hill Country, Big Bend
National Park, and the Davis Mountains.
April 2, 2008
Undersea Adventures
Chris Crowley has photographed wildlife of all types around the globe. For this evening’s presentation he will show us undersea looks at life in the waters of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Galapagos Islands, and others. He will also share with us the effects of and need for conservation in these areas. For a preview of his work see www.cjclandandseaphoto.com.
March 5, 2008
Birding in Kenya
Mark and Lorena Krenitsy return to share another foreign adventure with us, this time to Kenya. Those who attended their Texas presentation last year know to expect Mark and Lorena’s blend of great photos, detailed commentary, and the occasional touch of humor.
February Meeting postponed until May due to weather
January 2, 2008
Movie Night with Popcorn
We watched Pale Male this year. Who knows what Ted will find for 2009!
Back by popular demand, it’s Movie Night again! Relax after a hectic holiday season with a nature film (to be decided on that night – if we’re feeling especially adventuresome you may even get a chance to vote for your choice). Popcorn, you ask? Of course! Join us around the campfire, er, movie screen for a well- deserved break.
December 5, 2007
The Sanctuaries of NH Audubon, Phil Brown
NH Audubon manages and maintains over 40 properties located in all 10 counties of New Hampshire. These lands, covering over 8,000 acres of important wildlife habitat, provide opportunities for educational and aesthetic experiences. Through habitat management, wildlife surveys and continued land protection NHA works to ensure that New Hampshire's wildlife and natural resource heritage is protected for us all.
Phil Brown, the Sanctuaries Manager of NH Audubon, will take us on an armchair tour of these properties.
November 7, 2007
Ted Levin – Liquid Land: A Journey Through the Florida Everglades
“The Florida Everglades seem to bring out the best and worst in humans; ‘Liquid Land’ is a love letter to a historic swamp and a probing look at the people who are fighting over its future.” That’s what Audubon Magazine said about this book by Vermont naturalist, writer and photographer Ted Levin. Join us as Ted brings us face-to-face with the remaining plants, animals, and landscapes that will survive only if we protect them.
October 3, 2007
Jim Block's Photography
If you're reading this you have most likely seen the wonderful bird photographs of Jim Block. His work can be found on the three maps of the Connecticut River Birding Trail, on notecards at local store, and in exhibits at varous locations int he Upper Valley. This is a great chance to see these pictures presented by the artist. For a preview use the link below to view Jim's wonderful nature pictures.
September 5, 2007
A Taste of the Tropics
Bob Quinn will take us from Costa Rica to Hawaii and Peru on this journey that looks into the mysteries of the tropics. We will see the world's largest river, the world's longest mountain chain. hummingbirds of incredible variety and colors, volcanoes, enormous plants, and some surprising connections to New Hampshire. If you think you know what the tropics are all about, this show might cause you to think again.
May 2, 2007
Wildflowers with Sara Schwaegler
Sarah Schwaegler has a passion for wildflowers that
has lasted for over 25 years. This interest has taken her to fascinating
places to learn, teach, observe, photograph and enjoy. Join us as Sarah
presents an introduction to the wildflowers of New England. The talk on
Wednesday evening will be followed by a field trip on Saturday –
see the field trip schedule for details.
April 4, 2007
The Birds of Uganda
Hal
Swartz will entertain us with another of his birding trips to exotic lands
when he presents “The Birds of Uganda”. He promises to show
us wonderful birds, people and scenery, and how to use a digital camera
to identify birds in the field.
March 7, 2007
Texas Butterfly Festival
Chapter members
Lorena and Mark Krenitsky attended last year’s Mission, Texas, Butterfly
Festival, and will share the trip with us. Join us for an armchair journey
to warmer climes….they promise there will be birds, too!
February 7, 2007
Upper Valley Land Trust
The Upper Valley Land Trust is a regional land
conservancy working to protect farmland, forests, wetlands and waterways, wildlife
habitat, trails and scenic areas in the Vermont and New
Hampshire towns of the Upper Valley. Since 1985, UVLT has
protected over 300 parcels of land encompassing more than
30,000 acres.
Kate Villars, Community Relations Director at the UVLT, will
present a slide show highlighting a selection of UVLT-conserved
lands that illustrate the variety of natural resources UVLT seeks
to protect, the benefits of land protection, and the partnerships
with individual landowners, neighborhood groups, local
governments, organizations, and funding agencies that make it
happen. Join us to learn about these properties, and discover
some new birding sites.
January 3, 2007
The film “Being Caribou”
Porcupine Caribou have been around for the last two major
glaciations and once grazed beside Mastadons and Woolly
Mammoths. From April to September, 2003, filmmaker Leanne
Allison and wildlife biologist Karsten Heuer migrated on foot
with the 120,000-member Porcupine Caribou Herd from Old
Crow, Yukon, Canada, to the caribou calving grounds in
Alaska, and back.
The film of the couple’s epic 1000-mile journey with the caribou
and what they saw, called ‘Being Caribou’ is an NFB
production made from the footage Leanne shot on the 5-month
experience.
Join us for this evening at the movies – and yes, there will be
popcorn!
December 6, 2006
“Winter Botany: Trees in Winter”,
a presentation by Bill Shepard
Bill Shepard has been a tree enthusiast since his student days at
UNH. He keeps an arboretum at his home in Thetford, and
recently added his first Spectacled Alder. He has about 50 tree
and shrub species on his property, mostly native except for the
invasive (self introduced) species.
Join us on a Winter Botany adventure and make your winter
walks and snowshoe hikes more interesting by learning about
some of our woody plant species. As Bill reminds us, we have
leaf-less vegetation for about 7 months of the year.
November 1, 2006
“Birds of a Feather, Feathers of a Bird”,
a presentation by Peter Stettenheim
Feathers are the glory and defining feature of modern birds, but
they are often taken for granted. They serve many functions
within the whole class of birds, such as keeping birds warm and
dry, helping them fly and swim, making sounds, aiding hearing,
and giving visual signals. Ornithologist Peter Stettenheim will
explain how feathers work and what they do for birds. And,
since this is the day after Halloween, feel free to put together
your own feathers and attend in costume. (You don’t have to be
a bird, and you might win a prize!)
October 4, 2006
Wildlife Photography with Dave Kynor
Would you like to learn how to create compelling
wildlife photographs? This talk and slide show will provide an overview
of how to use light, your subject, and composition to create interesting
images of wildlife. Technical elements of exposure and current photographic
gear will also be discussed. This presentation is intended to help everyone
improve his or her photography regardless of current level of experience.
September 6, 2006
Ralph Hein's Bluebirds
Bluebirds need our help, and Ralph Hein
knows how to help them. The supply of natural nesting cavities for bluebirds
and other native cavity nesters has been greatly reduced by land clearing.
The introduction into North America of the House Sparrow and the European
Starling, aggressive cavity nesters, has created competition for nesting
sites. For a number of years Ralph Hein has been trying to even the odds
for the bluebirds by building his own bluebird houses and promoting their
use to schools and nature organization.
