Some Past Programs
Embedded Files
David Spector is an ornithologist who has done research on warbler song and has an interest in birds in literature. He is a retired professor of biology at Central Connecticut State University, former board president of the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, and co-editor of the Bird Finding Guide to Western Massachusetts.
Hawks!
David Brown
Thursday, September 4, 6-7:30
Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environment Center
99 Millers Falls Road, Northfield, MA
Every fall these secretive birds of prey that inhabit our woodlands but go largely unobserved, are obliged to rise above the treetops and migrate southward, some only a short distance, others to as far away as the Amazon basin. This video-based program will acquaint you with field marks and behavior of a dozen or so species of these fascination birds.
This program is free and open to the public. No reservation is required. The presenter, David Brown, is a lifelong birder with a special interest in raptors.
Directions to NMREC: From downtown Northfield, drive 6.4 miles south on Millers Falls Road/ Rt. 63, then turn left into the Center.
Providing Nesting Opportunities for Swallows: A Two Part Program
Mara Silver
Part I: Tuesday, April 29 at 5:30 p.m.
Dickinson Library
Part II: Saturday, June 14 in
Charlemont, MA - - See Details below.
Many people live on, or have access to, property with open areas and would like to provide habitat for swallows but are looking for guidance as to how to do so. This program will start with a presentation on April 29, 2025 at 5:30 PM at the Dickinson Memorial Library, Northfield on the natural history of Cliff and Barn Swallows, the challenges these birds currently face, and how to provide/enhance nesting habitat for them. Free ceramic nests and information will be available for participants, who will have the opportunity to meet with Mara Silver, to describe their properties and get specific recommendations.
The second component of the series will take place on June 14.
Join us for the second part of our two-part series on swallows--a field trip to view two Barn Swallow and Cliff Swallow nesting colonies, one in Shelburne, MA and one in Charlemont, MA. These colonies will be very active in June, and we should have wonderful views of birds foraging for insects and feeding nestlings. Our field trip leader, Mara Silver, will take us on a tour of these nesting sites and discuss the swallows' general natural history and specific nesting requirements. Other birds we may get to see/hear are Bobolinks, Savannah Sparrows, and other birds of open fields. We will meet at 360 Patten Road, Shelburne, MA at 9:00 AM. Please park along the road at the bottom of the driveway and carpool if possible. Sturdy shoes are recommended and don't forget binoculars! After our Shelburne visit we will caravan to Charlemont.
This walk is open to all; you need not have attended Part One of Mara’s Swallow program in April.
Directions to 360 Patten Hill:
Take Rt 2 (Mohawk Trail) west to Shelburne. Just before the white Congregational Church on the right, turn right onto Little Mohawk Road, toward the Shelburne Falls Fire Station. Continue on Little Mohawk Road for 1.3 miles; turn left onto Patten Road. Continue on Patten Road for 2 miles; 360 is up the hill on the left. Please park along the road and walk up.
Birds of Spring: Program and Walk
David Brown
Saturday, May 24, 2025, 8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Meet at the Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center,
99 Millers Falls Road, Northfield, MA
Every spring a massive seasonal movement of birds occurs as winter flocks of seed-eating birds depart for the northern nesting ranges and are replaced by millions of other birds arriving from their winter ranges in Central and South America. This movement peaks during May, providing us with a chance to observe them in their often colorful plumage.
Meet at the Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environment Center at 8:00 a.m. from where we will travel to the First Light picnic area at the end of the road directly across from the entrance road to the center. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather.
The trip is co-sponsored by NMREC and the Northfield Bird Club. It is free and open to the public, and will be led by naturalist David Brown, a lifelong birder. No reservation is required.
Directions to NMREC: From downtown Northfield, drive 6.4 miles south on Millers Falls Road/ Rt. 63, then turn left into the Center.
All About Otters
David Brown
Thursday, April 17, 2025
My Summer With Ospreys
Pamela Lowell
March 25, 2025
Waterfowl Prowl
(also listed as a Walk)
David Brown
Saturday, March 29, 2025, 9am-Noon
Meet at Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center,
99 Millers Falls Road, Northfield, MA to carpool to sites.
March is a great month for watching waterfowl. As the ice thaws and water opens, ducks that have spent the winter in the coastal estuaries begin to migrate inland toward their summer nesting grounds. These colorful birds gather in mixed flocks in newly opened rivers and bays, providing us with the chance to observe them, often in large numbers.
Meet at the Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environment Center from where we will carpool/caravan to several observation points in the area. Dress warmly and bring binoculars. If you own a spotting scope, please bring that as well. This program is free and open to the public. No reservation is necessary. The trip will be led by David Brown, a local naturalist and birder of many years’ experience.
February 11, 2025 - "Albatrosses"
with Paul Sievert
January 16, 2025 - "Animal Tracking"
with David Brown
August 3, 2024 - "Monadnock Falconry"
Henry from Monadnock Falconry presented two hawks, a Red-Tailed Hawk and a Harris's Hawk, in a program at the Northfield Dickinson Library attended by a crowd of fifty hawk enthusiasts. Some attendees were permitted to handle the birds of prey.
May 16, 2024: "Birds of Our Meadows"
with ornithologist Mara Silver
Dickinson Library
The "Birds of Our Meadows" program included an optional supplemental walk on Saturday, May 25th in a Northfield area meadow and nearby woodland trail beginning at 9:00 a.m. People were welcome to participate in the walk even if they did not attend the program. Walk Results
April 25, 2024 - Lyme Disease
Sarah Kerns
Dickinson Library
Winter Animal Tracking Walk
Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 9:30am
Join the Northfield Bird Club for a 2-3 hour walk, searching for the tracks and signs of winter-active animals. Meet at the library parking lot from where we may walk part of the Mill Brook system or drive around to the Birnam Road parking lot, depending on which promises the better wildlife activity. This program is weather-dependent so check with the club website before setting off. The walk is suitable for adults and teens. Wear snow-proof boots and dress warmly since tracking does not provide a lot of warming exertion. Leader: David Brown https://dbwildlife.com
Paul Franz Bird Photos
June 9, 5:30-6:30
Dickinson Memorial Library
115 Main St, Northfield
Sponsored by the Northfield Bird Club
Prairie Falcons Breeding in the Western Mojave Desert
Tom Kaiser, Phd
May 25 at 5:00 PM
Dolben Auditorium
on the Campus of Thomas Aquinas College
Presented by the Northfield Bird Club
Hosted by Thomas Aquinas College
Tom’s program will be mostly a show of some of the flora and fauna of the desert with lots of photos of falcons and their broods.
Tom started teaching at TAC in 1982 and is the Dean of the College. He completed his doctorate in Ornithology from UCLA in 1986.
PARKING:
Park on the east side of the road in front of Dolben Library. If that space runs out, people can park in the Tracy parking lot. Enter the campus from Rts 63 and 10 (Main Street) in Northfield. Dolben Library is the second building on your left.
Hummingbirds:Recent Research and Spectacular Species We Have Met
March 2, 2022, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Call 413-498-2455 for Zoom link.Dana and Bob Fox have developed a new PowerPoint talk focusing on Hummingbirds. Recent research has given us deeper insights into the wonders of this family. Their talk will focus on what is a hummingbird, how they evolved, pollination through nectar gathering (including a comparison with bees and butterflies), their diet of insects and nectar, nectar feeding technique, use of torpor, how iridescence is produced, and their courtship. Many spectacular pictures and even videos will be included. They will then share their adventures with 10 different, remarkable species they have seen on their journeys in the Americas. Come and marvel at these little gems.
Sponsored jointly by First Light, the Dickinson Library, and the Northfield Bird Club.
Birding the Life Zones of Costa Rica
Tues., Dec. 14; 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Costa Rica is known for its incredible biodiversity. Join David Moon to see some of the fabulous birds and other animals whose evolution has been driven by tropical ecosystems. Learn why such a small area can be home to so many species and how maintenance of strong democratic principles has helped Costa Ricans double the forested area of the country in the past 30 years. David has taught tropical ecology in Costa Rica since 1991 and is the Community Science and Coastal Resilience Manager for Mass Audubon North Shore. This free, virtual program is co-sponsored with the Dickinson Memorial Library and the Northfield Bird Club. Registration requests must be received at least 24 hours before the program begins. Register at www.bookeo.com/northfield.
This Land of Snow
Wed., Dec. 15; 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Adventure into the depths of a northern winter with New Hampshire author Anders Morley as he presents his book This Land of Snow: A Journey Across The North in Winter, the story of his four-month journey through the wilds of northwestern Canada on cross-country skis. More than just a tale of adventure, the book is a meditation on the coldest season and on the approach of mid-life. Booklist calls the book “a captivating memoir” and “an eloquent ode to the harsh beauty of winter”. Morley will discuss and share anecdotes from his journey, read from his book, and show photographs from along the way. This free Zoom event is co-sponsored with the Dickinson Memorial Library. To register email dmemlib@gmail.com.
Local Insects and Spiders in Winter
Charley Eiseman, Northfield entomologist
December 2 (Thursday), 6:30-7:30pm via Zoom - email dmemlib@gmail.com for the link.
Monarch butterflies may have all flown to Mexico for the winter, but what are all the other insects and spiders up to now? Join Northfield entomologist Charley Eiseman for a virtual tour of his yard on a winter day, in search of answers to this question. We'll encounter some overwintering bugs, along with egg sacs, cocoons, nests, and other evidence of their presence. For each of these clues we find, Charley will discuss who left it, their life cycle, and how they make it through the winter. There will be great photos, plus a preview of a cool 2022 calendar of Charley's leaf-miner photos that's available for purchase.
Email dmemlib@gmail.com for the Zoom info.
Sponsored by Dickinson Memorial Library and First Light's Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center.
Bats of New England
Erin Ruggiano
Bats are vital to our world’s ecosystems and economy. On Tuesday, November, 16th, from 5:30 until 6:30p.m. join Firstlight’s Northfield Mountain and Erin Ruggiano for a free virtual program, “Bats of New England”. As we focus on our local bats, learn about the natural history, ecological importance and conservation threats of these fascinating Massachusetts mammals. Which species live here? Where do they go in winter? Bats can be one of the most misunderstood of wild animals. Learn how you can help these heroes of our Massachusetts landscape. Erin Ruggiano is a Mass Audubon educator and bat researcher. This on-line event is co-sponsored with the Northfield Bird Club. Pre-registration is required at www.bookeo.com/northfield. Registration requests must be received at least 24 hours before program begins.
Birds in Winter: Surviving the Most Challenging Season
Roger Pasquier, American Museum of Natural History
Courtesy of the Hoffmann Bird Club
Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom (Members: Contact Nick Fleck or Ted Thornton for the link)
Roger Pasquier will discuss the ecological and behavioral adaptations that birds have evolved to survive winter, a season that affects not only the birds that remain in regions where it becomes cold each year, but also the migrants that go far to avoid the effects of cold, as well as the resident species with which they share habitat at their destinations. Winter in fact affects birds’ lives all through the year, from late summer, when some birds begin storing food to retrieve months later and others form the social groups in which they will remain until spring. Winter also has distinctive conservation challenges. Many birds winter in latitudes and habitats occupied more densely by people, reducing the available natural habitat and exposing them to pollutants, invasive species, and hunting pressures they do not encounter the rest of the year. Finally, global warming is altering the nature of winter itself, shortening the season, changing or eliminating some vital winter habitats, shifting food sources, and throwing off the sense of timing that triggers birds to arrive at both their breeding and winter destinations at the optimal moment.
Roger Pasquier is an associate in the Department of Ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History. His career has been in ornithology and conservation, at the American Museum, the U.S. National Museum, the International Council for Bird Preservation (now BirdLife), World Wildlife Fund, Environmental Defense Fund, and National Audubon Society. In addition to Birds in Winter: Surviving the Most Challenging Season (Princeton University Press, 2019), some of his other books are Watching Birds: An Introduction to Ornithology and Masterpieces of Bird Art: 700 Years of Ornithological Illustration.
Upriver Journey
Learn about the fascinating lives and epic migrations of American Shad and Sea Lamprey virtually on May 18th from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. These fish play an important role in our river ecosystems as they migrate to and from the sea. Author John McPhee nicknamed American Shad “Our Founding Fish”. Sea Lamprey have been called “Hero of our rivers and vampire of the sea”. Find out why this keystone species is misunderstood and underappreciated. Join Kim Noyes, Northfield Mountain Education Coordinator, for this free presentation on the history and natural history of these unusual fish as this spring’s upriver migration is underway. This on-line event is co-sponsored with the Northfield Bird Club. To register, go to www.bookeo.com/northfield. Registration requests must be received at least 24 hours before program begins.
Birdscaping: Home Sweet Habitat
Wednesday, May 12th at 6pm on Zoom
Email cpope@flintpublib.org for a link to the meeting
Join Master Gardener and bird lover Joan Butler for “Birdscaping: Home Sweet Habitat,” a beautifully illustrated program that explores the importance of creating welcoming habitats for birds through thoughtful landscape choices, including native plants vital for food and nesting sites. Learn about the benefits and joys of creating beautiful, layered gardens designed for avian – and human! – habitation. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Flint Public Library.
About the presenter: Joan Butler has been an enthusiastic gardener, plant collector and birder for over 35 years, and believes gardens should invite you to linger in the world outside your door. The gardens on her half-acre suburban property have been included on several garden tours and feature exciting plant combinations, dramatic horticultural specimens, and extensive collections of native plants, hosta and epimedium.
Joan has a deep and fundamental interest in the natural world. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Certificate in Landscape Management from UMass Extension Green School. She is a Master Gardener, a horticulturist at Weston Nurseries, and is a past Chairman of the Massachusetts Landscape Design Council. She is a member of the Garden Consultants Council, the New England Hosta Society and is an accredited Flower Show Judge. Joan has presented programs at flower shows in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and at numerous garden clubs, horticultural societies and libraries.
Charlie Pope
Adult Services Librarian
they/them or she/her
Flint Public Library | Middleton, MA
Songbird Migration Virtual Program
Join Jessica Tatten on Tuesday, April 13th from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. for an update on her recent research exploring songbird migration in the Connecticut River Valley. The Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge provides an important place for migratory birds to rest and refuel on their way north to their breeding grounds. Her research explores where these songbirds stop, what types of habitat they use, what influences their decisions, and where they go once they depart. Jess will shed light on some of these questions and how a relatively new tracking technology helped provide answers. Jessica Tatten has conducted research for the University of Massachusetts and Mass Audubon and recently completed her Master of Science degree in Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. This free, virtual program is co-sponsored by Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center and the Northfield Bird Club. Pre-registration is required at www.bookeo.com/northfield. Registration requests must be received at least 24 hours before the program begins.
Awakenings: Early Signs of Spring
Kim Noyes
From a springtail migration of millions to delicate spring wildflowers, this illustrated virtual program highlights early spring. March and April are filled with signs of spring’s arrival such as the sky dance of the woodcock and the annual migration of spotted salamanders. These subtle to showy changes in the plant and animal world in March and April are a feast for our senses. Join Kim Noyes, Firstlight Power’s Northfield Mountain Education Coordinator, on Tuesday, March 16th from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m., for this presentation about New England’s plants and animals during the steady progression of early spring. This free on-line event is co-sponsored with the Northfield Bird Club. To register, go to www.bookeo.com/northfield. Registration requests must be received at least 24 hours before the program begins.
Missed Kim's presentation? Watch it by clicking here.
Join Charley Eiseman for this beautifully illustrated program highlighting common native plants, host-specific insect relationships and the insects themselves. Charley shares his fascination and enthusiasm for the world of insects in his programs as well as in his popular BugTracks blog and award-winning book, Tracks and Sign of Insects and Other Invertebrates: A Guide to North American Species. His scientific discoveries include many new species of insects, even one found in his own backyard! Find out what can happen if you stop mowing your lawn. This free Zoom event is co-sponsored with the Dickinson Memorial Library and the Northfield Bird Club. To register email dmemlib@gmail.com.
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