PROGRAM SCHEDULE

2009 - 2010 Season

2009

September 9

Lee Peterson
Roger Tory Peterson's Life and Legacy

Beginning with A Field Guide to the Birds, first published in 1934, Roger Tory Peterson made birding and other natural history identifications accessible to the public. Tonight, his younger son, Lee Peterson will discuss his fathers legacy and the recently released new field guide in celebration of the original guides 75^th anniversary.

October 14

Jeffery A. Gordon
Kingfishers and their Allies

Join us for a fun, informative survey of the kingfishers and their brethren, from their role in mythology to their amazing natural history, to an appreciation of their sumptuous coloration. Jeffrey A. Gordon is a writer and naturalist who lives in Lewes, Delaware and blogs about birds in Delaware and around the world at jeffreyagordon.com.

November 11

David S. Wilcove
The Decline of the World's Great Animal Migrations: Why It's Happening. Why It Matters.

One of natures great wonders is the migration of animals, guided by instinct and the landmarks of the world around them. Join Princetons Professor David Wilcove as he discusses the dangers todays migrants face and how the cooperation of people and governments across the globe are going to be required to preserve the journeys of many of these species.

December 9

Andy Smith
Ten Million Years and Counting: Sandhill Cranes on the Platte River

From February to early April over 500,000 Sandhill Cranes, Grus canadensis, or about 80% of the North American population, gather along the Platte River in Nebraska where they feed on the crop remains in the nearby cornfields.  Witness the spectacle through the lens of Andy Smith, a professional nature photographer living in Devon, PA.

2010

January 13

Edie Parnum and Barb Elliot
Attracting Birds to your Yard

Have you wondered what you might do in your yard to encourage avian visitors to drop by? This program is designed to help you to lure birds to your yard in all seasons with food, water, cover, and places to raise young. Grow native plants to create habitat for resident and migrant birds and enjoy observing the birds that visit your property.

Barb Elliot, PhD, and Edie Parnum, are Co-Directors of Backyards for Nature, a program of Valley Forge Audubon Society. Their mission is to "inspire and teach people to create healthy habitats in their yards by planting native plants and providing the essentials for wildlife to thrive."

February 10

Jim McVoy
Fifty birds in fifty states

Cancelled due to Snow

In 1997, Jim and Sue McVoy embarked on a quest to find a least fifty species of birds in each of the fifty US states. Some states gave up their birds in a matter of hours; others were stingier. One state had to be visited three times; Hawaii, twice (it was a dirty job, but. . .). Rock pigeons appear on forty-nine of their state lists. Where did they miss them? Jim and Sue saved Alaska for their fiftieth state, visiting it in 2009, the year of Alaska's fiftieth anniversary of statehood. Which unsuspecting bird was the fiftieth bird in the fiftieth state? In his presentation, Jim shares travel stories and favorite birding spots around the country and tells all.

Jim McVoy was born and raised on a dairy farm near Syracuse, NY. He did his undergraduate studies in music theory and composition at Syracuse University followed by graduate work at the Eastman School of Music. From 1970-1979 he taught at Elizabethtown College. He then moved to West Chester University where he taught until his retirement in 2005. Jim now offers his time as a volunteer for the Stroud Preserve, the Land Trust and Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research.

March 10

Roger Mustalish
Beyond Conservation--Protecting Amazonian Biodiversity

Roger’s presentation will describe the incredible diversity of life in the Amazon rainforest and identify contemporary threats to its biodiversity. Current conservation efforts will be assessed for effectiveness in protecting this vast ecosystem, with an appeal for a new environmental ethic. An action plan for Amazonia will be proposed, and the work of the ACEER Foundation in the Peruvian Amazon will be described.

Dr. Roger Mustalish is President of the Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research (ACEER), an international rainforest conservation non-profit with US headquarters in West Chester, PA, and field offices throughout the Peruvian Amazon. Dr. Mustalish holds a Ph.D. in environmental health from the University of Minnesota and is Chairperson of the Department of Health at West Chester University where he teaches courses in conservation as well as integrative health.

April 14

Steve Rannels
The Nature of New Zealand

Steve’s program will feature the natural history of the islands, focusing on the South Island and Stewart Island. Using sound, still and video recordings made over 30 years of visits, Steve invites you to appreciate the beauty of this country, its landscape, botany, birds and unique history.

Steve Rannels has been interested in the natural world since early childhood when he developed a fascination for insects, a love that has persisted for 50 years. Rannels attended Penn State University as a zoology major and then obtained a Ph.D in physiology at the Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey. His professional career includes basic research as well as teaching graduate and medical students. His philosophy is to preserve as much of the environment as possible for all species. Steve lives in Hershey with his wife Sharon, a native of New Zealand, and is an active member of local bird clubs and land conservation groups.

May 12

Kevin Loughlin
Antarctic Autumn

Program Description

June XX

Annual Picnic at Ridley Creek State Park

| Home | Field Trips | Contacts |