Behind the Scenes -  Habitat Management At Odiorne Point State Park

Wednesday, June 10

8:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Odiorne Point State Park is not only a favorite birding Hot Spot, it is also where one of the largest and most successful invasive plant control projects in NH has been improving habitat for birds and other wildlife. During this outdoor program, we will look for birds and learn from the Rockingham County Conservation District about all of the incredible habitat work that has been completed and still planned at Odiorne.  This program is limited to 20 participants. Please click on the link below to register.

Bio: Arianna Spear, Tracy Degnan and Lenny Lord of the Rockingham County Conservation District and Matt Tarr of the UNH Cooperative Extension. 

The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds to Save the Planet

Wednesday, July 8

At a time when the news for birds (for the planet!) has rarely seemed more grim, there is reason for hope. Despite the odds today, all around the world people are actually reviving bird populations, providing a roadmap for wider recovery. In his newest book, The Return of the Oystercatcher, best-selling author and researcher Scott Weidensaul shows why creating a world that works for birds will work for everything, including us. He’ll trace this inspiring arc from a tiny island off the Maine coast to the bird-rich Danube Delta on the Ukrainian border, and vulture restoration in the mountains of Bulgaria to across the world’s largest and most intact forest in Canada where Indigenous communities are permanently protecting hundreds of millions of acres of some of the most important migratory bird habitat on Earth. This is a dose of optimism we all need.

Bio: Scott Weidensaul is the author of nearly 30 books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist Living on the Wind and his New York Times bestseller A World on the Wing. His latest book, Return of the Oystercatcher coming in April 2026, showcases what’s working for bird conservation around the world. Weidensaul is a contributing editor for Audubon magazine, a columnist for Bird Watcher’s Digest, and writes for a variety of other publications including the Cornell Ornithology Laboratory’s Living Bird publication. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society and an active field researcher, studying Saw-whet Owl migration for 30 years, as well as winter hummingbirds in the East, bird migration in Alaska, and the winter movements of Snowy Owls through Project SNOWstorm, which he co-founded.

Recorded Programs

Program: Belize, a Perfect Winter Birding Getaway

Wednesday, May 13

Join Becky Suomala on a (virtual) birding trip to tropical Belize in Central America. This English-speaking country has great birding, but also unique archeological sites, and snorkeling from its islands in the Caribbean. From birds to butterflies, fish and scenery, Becky will share highlights from these special places. Her photos are from a recent February trip with several friends that was a perfect winter birding getaway.

Bio: Rebecca Suomala is a Biologist Emerita with NH Audubon. She worked for NH Audubon from 1988 until 2024 in a variety of positions. In 2005, she completed her Master’s in Wildlife Ecology from the University of New Hampshire, conducting research into songbird migration stopover for her thesis. She studied Common Nighthawks for almost 20 years and has banded birds on Appledore Island since 1994. As an avid birder, she has explored much of New Hampshire and has traveled to many national and international birding destinations.

To view a recoding of the meeting, please click on the link below:

Seacoast Chapter NH Audubon Youtube Channel